False Prophets?

A prophet is a spokesperson for God. Prophets are often asked to verify their authenticity with a particular sign or wonder. Deuteronomy 13 warns us that even if the would-be prophet's sign or wonder does succeed and his prediction does come to pass, he might still be a false prophet. Signs and wonders are not the final proof. If the prophet attempts lead you away "from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk," (Duet. 13:5) you are to disregard him as a false prophet. The way in which God commanded us to walk is the Torah and its commandments. Deuteronomy warns us that we must not listen to such a prophet, even if his ministry comes with amazing signs and wonders. Instead, we are to "follow the LORD...keep His commandments, listen to His voice..." (Duet. 13:4)

If the would-be prophet counsels us to break any of the commandments, he must be deemed a false prophet. For example, an alleged prophet who declared that God had sanctioned an adulterous relationship can be immediately identified as a false prophet because He has contradicted Torah. God cannot contradict Himself.

Moses says that a false prophet might be allowed to perform signs and wonders in order to test Israel's fidelity to Torah. Messiah warns us that "false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders." (Matthew 24:24)

Sadly, the traditional understanding and presentation of the Christian Jesus is that he was a prophet (and more than a prophet), attested by signs and wonders, but that he also cancelled the Torah. Such a person fits Deuteronomy 13's description of a false prophet perfectly. According to Deuteronomy, conversion to faith in such a person would be a violation of God's own commandments. What a disservice the modern Christian Church has done in their effort to lead Jews to Messiah. Judaism rightly rejects the Christian Jesus because many have taught that the Christian Jesus abolished the commandments of Torah. Yet the real Messiah of the Gospels did no such thing. He is a prophet (and more than a prophet) attested to by signs and miracles, who also called Israel to submit their lives to the highest standards of Torah.

This explains why His opponents among the Pharisees labored so hard to find some way of demonstrating that He was a breaker of Torah. If they could prove that He was teaching against Torah, they could invalidate His claims. They were unable to do so. Nevertheless, we have consistently presented Him as a prophet teaching against the Torah. We need to rethink this. A Messiah that breaks Torah and teaches others to do so is no Messiah at all.