Overview

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT THERE IS 'ONE NEW MAN' IN CHRIST? In One New Man, author Ariel Blumenthal unpacks the “mystery” found in the second and third chapters of the book of Ephesians: God is reconciling Jew and Gentile together “in His flesh” through the cross of Christ. Amazingly, Paul's vision of the church as the “one-new-man” preserves the uniqueness of Israel, while simultaneously upholding the God-given identity and calling of every “tribe, tongue, and nation.” This powerful work of Jesus is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant and is at the heart of God's redemptive plan for both Jews and Gentiles. God's plan to “restore all things” links Israel and the nations together in loving service to one another and has been playing out on the stage of world history over the last 150 years. The gospel for both Jew and Gentile is at work in the world and is reconciling all things and all people to God—and to one another.

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9781632695116

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Reviews

Ariel Blumenthal is a dear friend and coworker who has an amazingly broad and deep understanding of God's purposes for Israel and the nations of the world. He is himself a Jewish believer in Yeshua, and serves in leadership with Ahavat Yeshua congregation in Jerusalem and the Revive Israel ministry team. Ariel combines a love of the works of the Spirit of God with an academic analysis of the texts of Scripture. Ariel is also a unique bridge between Israel and the Far East, having lived and served many years in Japan, Korea, and China. Ariel's views of Israel, the church, and the kingdom of God are profound and provocative.--Asher Intrater, Founder, Revive Israel Ministries, Ahavat Yeshua Congregation Jerusalem On a regular basis, our ministry is flooded with questions about Sabbath observance, dietary laws, the role of Torah in the life of Christians, and the meaning of one new man according to Paul. These are hot-button issues that intersect with many other critical questions, including God's plan for Israel and the nations, law vs. grace, and many more. Here, in one masterful book, Ariel Blumenthal addresses these questions in meticulous and logical order, but also in a way that is accessible to all. This is essential reading for everyone in the Messianic Jewish movement, and for all Christians who love the God of Israel.--Michael L. Brown, Ph.D., President, FIRE School of Ministry; author, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, Our Hands Are Stained with Blood, and The Real Kosher Jesus Ariel Blumenthal has written a very important book on the one new man. It provides us with a well-argued perspective on how God has raised up Gentiles in Jesus to a priestly status that is no less than Messianic Jews-Jews who are disciples of Jesus. It argues for a true biblical multiculturalism-not a relativistic one as in today's postmodern culture, but one which demonstrates God's desire to preserve distinct ethnicities. One New Man preserves a distinct ethnic and national Israel in God's unfolding plan, while at the same time establishing a true unity of Jew and Gentile in the Messiah. To accomplish this, Ariel presents a bold, creative, and persuasive interpretation of the key verses (Eph. 2:14-15), especially concerning the phrase at the heart of the enmity between Jew and Gentile which Yeshua so forcefully abolished on the cross-the commandments contained in ordinances. These are nothing less than the commandments of Torah at the heart of Jewish identity-sabbaths, dietary laws, etc. Ariel shows how these Jewish markers of identity still find a significant place, but one that no longer defines holiness or the boundaries of the people of God; and nor do these markers have a universal claim on believers, as some mistakenly teach today. They therefore lose their effect in creating hostility, pride, and jealousy among Jew and Gentile. Full fellowship in the commonwealth of Israel is now God's order for Jew and Gentile, with no possibility of superiority of one toward the other. In addition, Ariel shows how the one new man of Ephesians (and Colossians) fits together in God's prophetic plan for Israel and the nations, as outlined in Romans 9-11. Together, they are part of God's plan to bring about the fullness of all things and the second coming of Yeshua. Also, while Ariel did not set out to do so, his presentation, in my mind, resolves the issues dividing those scholars who argue for either the new perspective on Paul (pro-Torah) and the old perspective (anti-Torah). Ariel shows where both understandings have validity, but for different texts and in different contexts. --Daniel Juster, Th.D., Restoration from Zion, Tikkun International; past president, Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations

Ariel Blumenthal is a dear friend and coworker who has an amazingly broad and deep understanding of God's purposes for Israel and the nations of the world. He is himself a Jewish believer in Yeshua, and serves in leadership with Ahavat Yeshua congregation in Jerusalem and the Revive Israel ministry team. Ariel combines a love of the works of the Spirit of God with an academic analysis of the texts of Scripture. Ariel is also a unique bridge between Israel and the Far East, having lived and served many years in Japan, Korea, and China. Ariel's views of Israel, the church, and the kingdom of God are profound and provocative.--Asher Intrater, Founder, Revive Israel Ministries, Ahavat Yeshua Congregation Jerusalem On a regular basis, our ministry is flooded with questions about Sabbath observance, dietary laws, the role of Torah in the life of Christians, and the meaning of one new man according to Paul. These are hot-button issues that intersect with many other critical questions, including God's plan for Israel and the nations, law vs. grace, and many more. Here, in one masterful book, Ariel Blumenthal addresses these questions in meticulous and logical order, but also in a way that is accessible to all. This is essential reading for everyone in the Messianic Jewish movement, and for all Christians who love the God of Israel.--Michael L. Brown, Ph.D., President, FIRE School of Ministry; author, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, Our Hands Are Stained with Blood, and The Real Kosher Jesus Ariel Blumenthal has written a very important book on the one new man. It provides us with a well-argued perspective on how God has raised up Gentiles in Jesus to a priestly status that is no less than Messianic Jews--Jews who are disciples of Jesus. It argues for a true biblical multiculturalism--not a relativistic one as in today's postmodern culture, but one which demonstrates God's desire to preserve distinct ethnicities. One New Man preserves a distinct ethnic and national Israel in God's unfolding plan, while at the same time establishing a true unity of Jew and Gentile in the Messiah. To accomplish this, Ariel presents a bold, creative, and persuasive interpretation of the key verses (Eph. 2:14-15), especially concerning the phrase at the heart of the enmity between Jew and Gentile which Yeshua so forcefully abolished on the cross--the commandments contained in ordinances. These are nothing less than the commandments of Torah at the heart of Jewish identity--sabbaths, dietary laws, etc. Ariel shows how these Jewish markers of identity still find a significant place, but one that no longer defines holiness or the boundaries of the people of God; and nor do these markers have a universal claim on believers, as some mistakenly teach today. They therefore lose their effect in creating hostility, pride, and jealousy among Jew and Gentile. Full fellowship in the commonwealth of Israel is now God's order for Jew and Gentile, with no possibility of superiority of one toward the other. In addition, Ariel shows how the one new man of Ephesians (and Colossians) fits together in God's prophetic plan for Israel and the nations, as outlined in Romans 9-11. Together, they are part of God's plan to bring about the fullness of all things and the second coming of Yeshua. Also, while Ariel did not set out to do so, his presentation, in my mind, resolves the issues dividing those scholars who argue for either the new perspective on Paul (pro-Torah) and the old perspective (anti-Torah). Ariel shows where both understandings have validity, but for different texts and in different contexts. --Daniel Juster, Th.D., Restoration from Zion, Tikkun International; past president, Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations

Author Information

Ariel grew up in a Reformed Jewish home in idyllic New England. Already as a teen, he began to ponder the meaning of life and discovered Zen Buddhism while an undergrad at Duke University. He became a “JuBu”—a Jewish Buddhist who sat in meditation and yoga positions hours a day seeking “enlightenment.” One day in 1992 it happened—but from the most unexpected (Jewishly speaking) source! While attending a Korean-Japanese church in downtown Tokyo, his eyes were opened to the Gospel of Yeshua HaMashiach—Jesus Christ. He was born-again, never to be the same. Since then, Ariel has served in the leadership of Messianic Jewish congregations--first in the USA, and since 1998, in Jerusalem and has served as a missionary in Japan. Today, he co-pastors Ahavat Yeshua congregation in downtown Jerusalem and teaches the Bible widely in his native English language—as well as Hebrew, Japanese and Chinese. He holds a BA from Duke and an MA in Biblical Studies from Yale Divinity School.

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