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Counter-Missionary Education
Psalms 22 –
“Nailing” An Alleged Crucifixion Scenario
A Counter-Missionary Education Lesson
by
Uri Yosef, Ph.D., Director of Education
Virtual Yeshiva of the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.
http://virtualyeshiva.com
[The article on this topic is located here - http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Psa22.pdf]
Copyright © Uri Yosef 2011 for the Messiah Truth Project, Inc.
All rights reserved
August 18, 2011
“Nailing” An Alleged Crucifixion Scenario
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Introduction
A casual reading of Psalms 22, either in the Hebrew or in an accurate
translation from the Hebrew, is not likely to raise many eyebrows or draw much
attention as having some special and unique significance to Christianity. It is
only when one reads any of the common Christian translations of this psalm
(e.g., KJV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, and RSV, to name just a few) that the reasons for
its being dubbed the "Crucifixion Psalm" by Christians start to surface. This, of
course, makes the 22nd chapter in the Book of Psalms an important element in
the portfolio of the Christian missionary. In fact, some Christian sources lay
claim to more than 20 passages in this 32-verse psalm as "messianic
prophecies" (i.e., "proof texts") that were allegedly "fulfilled" by Jesus.
In this lesson we examine the four "proof texts" from Psalms 22 that are most
commonly used by missionaries, one of which can be considered as the
“smoking gun” of the Christian fabrication. For each of these, the Christian
perspective is contrasted with the Jewish perspective by analyzing the
respective Hebrew texts. The analysis demonstrates that Psalms 22 is an
historic account by its author, King David, rather than "messianic text" that
foretells the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus.
August 18, 2011
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Summary of the Christian and Jewish Perspectives on Psalms 22
Christianity ()
Psalms 22 is a prophetic messianic text
that describes the agony of the Passion,
the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection of
Jesus, the Messiah of Christianity.
Judaism (Y)
Psalms 22 is historical text, in which King
David describes events from his personal
life, and makes certain proclamations
based on these experiences.
• The opening verse from this psalm is
• In the opening “stanza”, verses 2-9,
used by the authors of the Gospels of
David voices his despair, wondering why
Matthew (Mt 27:46) and Mark (Mk 15:34) God, who intervened on his behalf and
as the passionate statement of Jesus
on behalf of our ancestors in the past,
and his last words before dying on the
seems to not be hearing his cries for help
cross.
this time.
• The authors of the Gospels of Matthew
(Mt 27:35) and John (Jn 19:24) use
verse 19[18] in their respective
"Crucifixion narrative“.
• In verses 10-22 David pleads with God to
intervene on his behalf, because he is so
scared and needs God to guide him to
safely escape his adversaries.
• The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews
(He 2:12) uses verse 23[22] to explain
that Jesus needed to suffer in order to
triumph, celebrate, and publish God's
gracious dealings upon his resurrection.
• In verses 23-32 David ends this psalm
with a promise to express his own
gratitude and praise of God, as well as
to call on all people who fear God to
praise and honor Him.
August 18, 2011
“Nailing” An Alleged Crucifixion Scenario
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Psalms 22:2[1]
King James Version Translation
1
Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Hebrew Text
Psalms 22
[To the chief Musician
For the conductor, on the
1 Ayelet haShahar, a Psalm
upon Aijeleth Shahar, A
Psalm of David.]
of David.
My God, my God, why
My God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me?
have You forsaken me?
[why art thou so] far from
2 [You are] so far from my
helping me, [and from] the
salvation, from the words
words of my roaring?(i)
of my loud moaning?
(i) Matthew 27:46(KJV) - And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that
is to say, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?
Mark 15:34(KJV) - And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, Lama sabachthani? which is,
being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Christianity’s Perspective ()
Judaism’s Perspective (Y)
Psalms 22:1(KJV) is a messianic
In Psalms 22:2[1] King David, feeling that
prophecy that is fulfilled in the
he has been abandoned by God, who
accounts of the same passionate
was his strength, his shield, and who
cry of the crucified Jesus and his
heard his supplications and intervened on
last words as he was dying on the his behalf in the past, lets out this cry of
cross recorded by the authors of
desperation as he is grieved that God is
the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. not listening to his prayers this time.
Can these two perspectives be valid simultaneously?
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Psalms 22:2[1] (continued)
Since Christian missionaries claim that King David and his kingdom are “types” that “foreshadow” Jesus
and his “heavenly” kingdom, they recognize the historicity of David’s psalms. But what happens when
these words of David are placed in the mouth of Jesus as he was dying on the cross?
Situation
Observation
In Psalms 37:25 King David says that
throughout his lifetime he has “not seen the
righteous forsaken”.
Christians who believe in the Trinity claim
that its three “personages” – the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit – are divine coequal parts of one God.
Now, Jesus, the Son, complains: “My God,
My God, [why art thou so] far from helping
me, [and from] the words of my roaring?”
[Psalms 22:1(KJV)]
The last words of Jesus per GLuke & GJohn:
“… Father, into thy hands I commend my
spirit …” [Luke 23:46(KJV)]
“… It is finished …” [John 19:30(KJV)]
August 18, 2011
• Since Jesus complained about being forsaken, was
he not righteous – a sinner? (Christians will argue
that, when Jesus was on the cross he, being a “sin
sacrifice” by God, carried their sins [2Cor 5:21]. The
flaws in this logic will be covered in future lessons.)
• To whom is Jesus actually complaining?
• Why would Jesus, the Son, be complaining to
another of the triune godhead’s components?
• How is it possible that God (the Father)
cannot hear the cries of God (the Son)?
• How is it possible that an all-knowing God
cannot understand His own predicament?
• How is it possible that (the same) Jesus said
different “last words” as he was dying on the
cross?
“Nailing” An Alleged Crucifixion Scenario
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Psalms 22:17[16]
King James Version Translation
Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Hebrew Text
Psalms 22
For dogs have compassed
For dogs have surrounded
me: the assembly of the
me; a band of evildoers
16 wicked have inclosed me: 17 encompassed me; like a
they pierced my hands
lion [they are at] my hands
and my feet.
and my feet.
‫כ‬
‫כ‬
‫כ‬
Christianity ()
Judaism (Y)
This verse describes, in metaphorical terms,
the crucifixion of Jesus, whose hands and
feet were “pierced” by the nails that the
Roman soldiers used to affix him to the
wooden cross.
In this verse King David describes, in
metaphorical terms, his enemies encircling
him, aiming to either kill him or dispossess
him of his kingdom, just as vicious dogs
and lions surround their prey before they go
in for the “kill”.
The table to the right shows all five
instances of the word
‫( כ‬ka’aRI)
in the Hebrew Bible.
The problem with the Christian
perspective is evident – it is based
on the false translation of the
word
‫כ‬.
August 18, 2011
Reference
Psalms 22:17[16]
Numbers 24:9
Isaiah 38:13
Ezekiel 22:25
Numbers 23:24
Hebrew
word
KJV rendition
Comment
they pierced
like a lion
like a lion
like a lion
and … as a young lion
Incorrect
Correct
Correct
Correct
Correct
“Nailing” An Alleged Crucifixion Scenario
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Psalms 22:17[16] (continued)
Unwilling to give up this “gem” of a “proof text”, albeit the product of a deliberate revision of King
David’s own words, Christian missionaries have been pointing to a fragment of the Dead Sea
Scrolls that contains this word, except with a somewhat elongated scribed letter ‫( י‬YOD), and claim
it is the letter ‫( ו‬VAV). This, they claim, is not
(ka’aRI), but
(kaRU, with a “silent” letter ),
meaning “they dug”, a possible metaphorical representation of “they pierced”
The figure to the right shows
two side-by-side Dead Sea
Scrolls (DSS) sources with
the hand-scribed word
in the paleo-Hebrew font.
Even a casual comparison of
the two words inside a red box
shows that, in both cases, the
last letter, ‫י‬, is elongated.
Yet, the KJV has the correct
translation at Isaiah 38:13 and
the incorrect translation at
Psalms 22:16.
Is it just a coincidence that the KJV has different renditions of the identical word?
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Psalms 22:19[18]
King James Version Translation
Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Hebrew Text
Psalms 22
They part my garments
They divide my garments
18 among them, and cast lots 19 among themselves, and
upon my vesture.(ii)
cast lots for my raiment.
(ii) Matthew 27:35(KJV) - And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the prophet, They parted mygarments among them, and upon my vesture did
they cast lots.
John 19:23-24(KJV) - (23) Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts,
to every soldier a part; and also [his] coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top
throughout. (24) They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it,
whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment
among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
Christianity’s Perspective ()
The author of the Gospel of John points to
Psalms 22:19[18] as a prophecy that was
fulfilled when Jesus was on the cross.
Judaism’s Perspective (Y)
The previous verse, Psalms 22:18[17], is
critical to obtaining a correct understanding of
the true context of this verse:
Psalms 22:18 - I can count all my bones. They look and stare at me.
Psalms 22:17(KJV) - I may tell all my bones: they look [and] stare upon me.
Depicted here is the person in Psalms 22:19[18], who is starving and so skinny that his bones
are visible, as he is counting them while those who are taking and dividing among themselves
his garments look on and gloat. King David uses this metaphorical language to describe the
desire of his enemies to take away his mantle of royalty and make it their own.
Was Jesus ever in this situation? Over which earthly kingdom did Jesus ever rule?
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Psalms 22:23[22]
King James Version Translation
Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Hebrew Text
Psalms 22
I will declare thy name
I will declare Your Name to
unto my brethren: in the
my brothers; in the midst of
22
23
midst of the congregation
the congregation will I
(iii)
will I praise thee.
praise You.
(iii) Hebrews 2:12(KJV) - Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise
unto thee.
Christianity’s Perspective ()
Judaism’s Perspective (Y)
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews
"quotes" this verse at Hebrews 2:12 to help
explain why Jesus needed to suffer for
humanity.
The theme is the praising of God's name for
being so good and benevolent, a theme that
is often used by King David in his other
psalms (e.g., Psalms 9:3, 54:8, 61:9, 69:31).
Earlier in the same psalm, the one who speaks here refers to himself, a man, as a worm:
Psalms 22:7[6] - But I am a worm, and not a man; a reproach of man and despised by the people.
King David use of this metaphor, as he describes the plight of his own people, is not a
unique case in the Hebrew Bible. The prophet Isaiah likens the Jewish people to a worm:
Isaiah 41:14 - Fear not, O worm of Jacob, the number of Israel; "I have helped you," says the
Lord, and your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Job’s friend, Bildad the Shuhite, refers to man as a worm:
Job 25:6 - How much less, man, who is a worm, and the son of man, who is a maggot!"
Does the worm metaphor fit Jesus? Did he ever refer to himself as a worm?
August 18, 2011
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Summary
• The Christian messianic perspective of Psalms 22 is incorrect because
○ This is an historical account of events in the life of, and related by, King David
○ The “messianic” message was artificially retrofitted through mistranslations
• The Christian interpretation of Psalms 22:2[1] is incorrect because
○ It is inconsistent, and even conflicts, with other Christian theological principles
○ It is inconsistent, and even conflicts, with other accounts in the New Testament
• The Christian interpretation of Psalms 22:17[16] is incorrect because
○ It is based on an obvious mistranslation of the Hebrew word
‫( כ‬ka’aRI)
○ It ignores the context of the verse relative to the surrounding text
○ It is based on a false claim regarding the word
‫ כ‬as it appears in the DSS
• The Christian interpretation of Psalms 22:19[18] is incorrect because
○ It ignores the context in which these words were spoken by King David
○ The New Testament never describes Jesus being so starved that all of his bones
are visible
○ The New Testament never states that Jesus ruled over an earthly kingdom
• The Christian interpretation of Psalms 22:23[22] is incorrect because
○ It ignores the fact that the same “voice” speaks throughout the psalm
○ Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus refer to himself as being “a worm”
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