Here is a link to a TorahResource Radio page containing an audio interview hosted by Tim Hegg with guest Dr. Jacques Doukhan.
Interview with Dr. Jacques Doukhan
Outline of the interview with Dr. Jacques Doukhan
In the following outline, the quoted sections are approximations of what Dr. Doukhan said. The audio interview is the accurate source.
Dr. Doukhan is Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Exegesis, Andrews University.
I grew up in a Jewish family in Algeria. I discovered the gospel in my late teens. This triggered further studies— brought me to faith....
Dr. Doukhan then did a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies to “strengthen and challenge my faith”.
Afterwards he completed another advanced degree in theology at Andrews University. He was later invited to join the faculty at Andrews University.
I am teaching — Old Testament, Hebrew, Rabbinic Literature, Jewish Studies, Ancient Egyptian.... Exegesis...
Dr. Doukhan has written a number of books…. one of book of special interest is Israel and the Church. An interesting statement from the book....
Ironically, the cross which was later to be come the sign par excellence of Jewish guilt, is in actuality the sign of Jewish innocense.
The cross was not a Jewish way of killing. It was Roman instrument of torture which the Jews would never take. The fact that Jesus was on the cross is an ironic evidence that the Jews are not the main guilty party.
When asked about the observation that vast majority of the Jewish people, particularly in Jerusalem and around Jerusalem supported Jesus....
We are reading history in the light of what we observe today. We project into the past…
The number of Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah was much more important than we think... and not denying their Jewish identity....
Evidence from archeology and sociological evidence… it was a dramatic event among the Jews of the time..
He [Jesus] was very popular. He was so popular the priests were worried … the whole people will follow him.
The leaders were not representative of the people.
Supersessionism
This is the idea that the church has replaced Israel....
Dr. Doukhan talks about “theological supersessionism”...
Grace replaces Law in this theological supersessionism....
Of course we have grace in the Tanakh, the Old Testament.....
Under the influence of Marcion… gnostic influences… they had the tendency to disassociate the spiritual from the physical. They emphasized the value of grace over the value of the law....
This is one of the reasons emphasizing… [in this way of thinking] the reason why the New Testament has replaced the Old Testament. Jesus is the new God. Ignoring that YHVH was Jesus himself.
Any value they discovered in the gospels they put in contrast with the Old Testament— opposite to.
The terms Old Testament and New Testament are not the language of the scripture— something that comes late.
Sunday Replaces Sabbath— An Idea that Develops from This Spiritual-Physical Separation
Sunday begins to replace the Sabbath— Sunday is supposed to remind us the resurrection— deliverance from the body, delivered from the earth… platonic thinking…. Sunday replaces the Sabbath which celebrates creation. [Creation/Physical] is positive in Jewish thinking, the gift of God. Not negative as in gnostic thinking.
Sunday celebrates the deliverance from the body of matter, the gift of creation. Salvation replaces creation— an idea that came in.
Question about Study of Biblical Languages
There is a growing trend to reduce the number of hours to study Biblical Hebrew and Greek....
This is very sad. Actually a tendency I have observed. Many of us are fighting it. I feel very bad about it. We are going to have a spirit without the flesh. Ultimately we will lose our…. The reason why we came to the holocaust is because Christians have lost their Hebrew roots. The irony is in the 1970s and 80s there was a big movement… awareness among many Christians of their Hebrew roots.
This is very worrying.. The emotional… taking the place of physical….
[Despite Seventh-day Adventist emphasis on education] We also have this phenomenon among Seventh-day Adventists… they are people just like others.... They need to be reminded that the Scriptures are important.
About His Involvement in Christian/Jewish Dialog…
How has the recent appearance of books by Jewish authors about Jesus and the New Testament impacted the Jewish-Christian dialog? What is the reaction in the Jewish community at large?
A very interesting question. A phenomenon that began with Flusser... Klausner. A new interest in the person of Jesus and the literature of the New Testament among Jewish scholars.
In the last 50 years there has been more written than in the previous 2000 years.
About the Jewish response to this literature....
[There is a] need to recognize that the New Testament is Jewish literature. The problem… the sad thing… Christians who were supposed to witness…. they actually failed to witness the right way.
The New Testament became suspect to the Jews. The door was closed to the discovery to the truth and beauty of this Jewish literature. This is perhaps the most important of Jewish expression from that time.
Question about the Messianic movement and its impact on Seventh-day Adventists
How has the Messianic movement influenced the Seventh-day Adventist camp?
This is a very good question… if you asked me 20 years ago, I would have been negative,... nothing to answer. There have been a number of groups and individuals who became aware and had that burden for their Jewish roots.
They created groups with a Messianic flavor… with the Torah and Messianic songs… this is very recent… a good number in North America and South America.
Like a synagogue but a strong connection with the New Testament… this is intriguing.
When we discover the Messiah as the Messiah of the Jews and the Nations we are affirming his authenticity.
Final Words
.... Hope for the great Shalom, for reconciliation between Jews and Christians, Israel and the Church. When we come closer to each other we become closer to Him too.
