“Yes, a revelation of God only intended for a time, as one aspect of a progressive revelation that now enables men and women to know the Father, not as he was known in former times, but face-to-face, heart-to-heart, with a daily, ongoing, hand-in-hand intimacy.”

“How is such intimacy achieved?”

“I’m afraid that question, Rabbi, lands us squarely in the middle of the difference between Christianity and Judaism. It is Jesus, whom we believe to be the Son of God, whom the Father sent to take the revelation of him to a higher level than the Law could ever achieve: to the point where personal interaction—a personal relationship, if you will—between each one of us and God the Father is now possible.”

“So at root, then, you do believe Judaism is wrong.” The rabbi’s tone carried no hint of challenge. The question was purely an informational query.

“Oh, by no means!” rejoined the baron. “Forgive me if I conveyed anything of the kind.”

“You believe that Jesus is the foundation that enables you to know the Father personally as you speak about.”

“Indeed, that is correct.”

“Then does it not follow that if I, a practicing Jewish rabbi, say that I do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, you would reply that you think I am in error?”

“Perhaps, if we isolated our discussion to the question of whether Jesus is the Son of God, then yes, I might say I think you to be in error on that point. But it does not follow that I consider Judaism wrong as an entire system of belief. I see no profit to be gained by splitting semantical hairs. Judaism is the father of Christianity. There would be no Christianity without Judaism. Jesus was a Jew, Paul was a Jew, the entire fabric upon which our beliefs are based is Jewish. Most of our Scriptures we share with you. I do not view Judaism as ‘wrong,’ only incomplete. Jesus didn’t bring a new system of belief; he brought completion to Judaism.”

“You continue to amaze me, Baron,” chuckled the rabbi. “You positively refuse to be drawn into a confrontation over disputed points, don’t you?”

“Another of my faults.”

“One not shared by many of your fellow Christians.”

The baron sighed his acknowledgment of the truth of Wissen’s remark. “I am not fond of the word wrong at all,” he said. “It is altogether overused by Christians. I am not trying to avoid your question. There is something more here for me than right or wrong, so to speak.”