Concerning the Jews

Concerning the Jews was an essay written by Mark Twain first published in 1898 in Harper's magazine.

The purpose of this thread is primarily to demonstrate the veracity of the Bible especially in regards to prophecy, and since biblical prophecy in large part involves the Jews and Israel I thought to reference this article to at the very least provoke some thought and lively discussion if not sound evidence of the truth of God's Word.

I shall quote the final three paragraphs in hopes that this will give you an idea of what I'm inferring. The article was written 50 years before Israel was re-established as a nation after 2000 years of the Jews wandering the globe. An extremely significant fulfillment of prophecy, and an undeniable fact of the culmination of historical events supported by archaeology and verifiable secular records of both culture and state.

"To conclude. - If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one per cent. of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star-dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers.

He has made a marvellous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.

The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?"

The full article can be found here:
https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1898twain-jews.asp

@SecondSon

Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers.

@sonship said
@SecondSon

[quote] Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abs ...[text shortened]... Son.

I like the little saying - "The Jews are just like everybody else, only more so."

@sonship said
@SecondSon

[quote] Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abs ...[text shortened]... Son.

I like the little saying - "The Jews are just like everybody else, only more so."

@SecondSon

Thanks sonship. The article was brought to my attention by an acquaintance. If you read the whole article you'll see that Samuel Clemens wasn't exactly an apologist for Christianity.

@divegeester said

I don’t really understand it.

@sonship said
@SecondSon

Thanks sonship. The article was brought to my attention by an acquaintance. If you read the whole article you'll see that Samuel Clemens wasn't exactly an apologist for Christianity.

I think the existence of Israel and the Jews is a testament to the truthfulness of the Holy Bible.

Is there anything in the Torah about punishment for Jews if they reject "the Messiah"?

@secondson said
A good working knowledge of the Old Testament would be of tremendous value in understanding God's chosen people.

@sonship said
@SecondSon

Thanks sonship. The article was brought to my attention by an acquaintance. If you read the whole article you'll see that Samuel Clemens wasn't exactly an apologist for Christianity.

Oh, I knew that. I don't think everything he said about the Jews was glowing either. Like others in history, you can select among their quotations to put for ...[text shortened]... . I think the existence of Israel and the Jews is a testament to the truthfulness of the Holy Bible.

@divegeester said
Could you please explain what it is about this saying that you particularly liked?

“I (sonship) like the little saying - "The Jews are just like everybody else, only more”

From Wiki


As of 2017, Nobel Prizes[note 1] have been awarded to 902 individuals,[1] of whom 203 or 22.5% were Jews,[note 2] although the total Jewish population comprises less than 0.2% of the world's population.[2] This means the percentage of Jewish Nobel laureates is at least 112.5 times or 11,250% above average. Various theories have been made to explain this phenomenon, which has received considerable attention.[3][4][5] Prominent late Israeli academics Dr. Elay Ben-Gal and Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz, curious about the phenomenon, started to form an encyclopedia of Jewish Nobel laureates and interview as many as possible about their life and work.[6]

@whodey said
From Wiki


As of 2017, Nobel Prizes[note 1] have been awarded to 902 individuals,[1] of whom 203 or 22.5% were Jews,[note 2] although the total Jewish population comprises less than 0.2% of the world's population.[2] This means the percentage of Jewish Nobel laureates is at least 112.5 times or 11,250% above average. Various theories have been made to explain this phenomen ...[text shortened]... cyclopedia of Jewish Nobel laureates and interview as many as possible about their life and work.[6]

@fmf said
What do you believe is in store for all these remarkable human beings if they pass away without becoming members of the religion you just so happen to subscribe to?

@whodey said
Romans 10 New International Version (NIV)

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteou ...[text shortened]... blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f]