A young Jewish Rabbi was calling on a friend who was a rank unbeliever. Sad to say, many of this once favored race have turned from the teachings and God of their fathers, and are following the world's modern trend of thought. This young skeptic prided himself on being "broad-minded," and filled his library with a miscellany of writings to prove it. On the shelves he even had a small copy of the Bible, which attracted his friend's attention.
"What is this?" the Rabbi inquired, picking up the volume.
“Oh, that is the Christian's Book," came the answer in disparaging tones. "Don't trouble yourself with it.”
But the young man had already glanced at the Book, and had read the opening words of the Gospel by Matthew: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.”
These few words had made the despised Book interesting. What! Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, a son of David, and a son of Abraham? As his friend noticed him still regarding it thoughtfully, he repeated: "It is the Christian's Book, and of no account.”
"But I should like very much to read it," replied the young Rabbi.
"Very well, then," said the unbeliever, smiling mockingly; "take it. I give it to you as a present.”
Not to be discouraged by the scornful remarks of his friend, the young Rabbi put the abused New Testament in his pocket and went home.
As he feared he would be hindered in reading this forbidden Book at home, he took it with him to the synagogue. There, in that quiet sanctuary where he would not be disturbed by anyone, he devoted himself to the study of the remarkable Book.
He read the whole of the New Testament to the end. Then he resolved to compare it with the Old Testament, and with that object he once more read through the Old Testament, but this time without the explanations and additions which the rabbis have added to it. This he did with increasing excitement. When he came to Dan. 9:2626And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:26), he read: "Shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself.”
"Here," he said, "is absolute certainty. The despised, crucified Jesus of Nazareth is none other than our promised Messiah.”
When he again read the New Testament from beginning to end, it became clear to him that not only did he in his heart believe in this Christ, but that he must confess Him with his mouth. How well he knew what was in store for him if he followed this course! But he did not hesitate to obey the voice within. Unterrified, he went to his friends and announced to them that the rejected Nazarene was indeed the Savior whom Jehovah had promised to His people in the Holy Scriptures.
The way of this young witness for Jesus was henceforth a very thorny one. Rejected by family and friends, there remained nothing else for him but to forsake, like Abraham, his home and kindred. The hatred of the Jew against the name of Jesus is as great in this day as it was when the Lord Himself walked this earth. The former friends of the young Rabbi, in their enmity, left nothing unsought in their endeavors to get him out of the way. To escape their snares he finally went to other large cities, and there preached the crucified Christ to his Jewish brethren.
Streams of blessing have resulted from that little Testament, deemed "of no account" by the skeptic. Hundreds of Jews have thereby heard the glad tidings of Jesus, the Savior for Jews and Gentiles; and many of them, as a result of the faithful preaching of the young Rabbi, have departed from this life with the precious name of Jesus on their lips. God has said in His holy Word: "So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa. 55:1111So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11).