The One Guy I want Jesus to Rescue

The One Guy I want Jesus to Rescue: A Response to Ben Shapiro’s Rejection of Jesus

Ben Shapiro is a very sharp critical thinker, a devout Orthodox Jew, and one of the most influential cultural commentators in America. He speaks often about his deep respect for Christianity, even while firmly rejecting Jesus as the Messiah. If there is one person I am praying for to see the Truth, it is Him, because God could make him one of the leading apologists, as He did with the Apostle Paul. God has blessed him with a sharp mind and the ability to think acutely. 

I’ve personally watched one of the most engaging and respectful exchanges on this topic: Ben Shapiro in conversation with the late Dr. John MacArthur, one of Christianity’s sharpest and most theologically grounded voices. I’ve watched that video countless times, listening intently to the reasoning between the two. Ben is articulate and committed to his Jewish heritage, while MacArthur is precise and unwavering in the Gospel. The conversation was rich with insight and filled with tension.

But as I’ve watched and rewatched, what stands out is this:

1. Ben’s rejection of Jesus is not rooted in Scripture, but in tradition.
2. Not in Torah truth, but in rabbinic reinterpretation.

So let’s pull back the curtain. If Ben Shapiro sincerely believes the Messiah hasn’t yet come, and that Jesus is not the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy, we must ask:

Without Jesus and the Temple, how does he believe anyone can be made right with God?

1. No Temple, No Sacrifice, No Atonement

Ben proudly calls himself a “Torah Jew.” But here’s the issue: the Torah requires blood for the forgiveness of sin.

“Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.” — Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22

So, how does an Orthodox Jew like Ben handle the fact that the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. and hasn’t returned?

Ben doesn’t claim to offer sacrifices. He doesn’t advocate for a rebuilt Temple. Instead, he accepts the rabbinic workaround: that prayer, charity, and repentance are enough to atone for sin.

But the question is:

Where did God ever say, “Just try your best”?

He didn’t. The Torah is crystal clear: atonement requires sacrifice. If there’s no Temple, then something crucial is missing.

2. Rabbinic Judaism: Man’s System, Not God’s

The Judaism Ben defends is not biblical Judaism—it’s Rabbinic Judaism, developed after the destruction of the Second Temple.

Rabbis like Yohanan ben Zakkai redefined the Jewish faith around synagogues, oral tradition, and rabbinic authority. But here’s the catch:

God never gave them permission to change the system.

There were no prophets. No fire from heaven. No cloud of glory. Just a human attempt to preserve identity without obedience to God’s original design.

It’s sincere. It’s devoted.
But it’s not the covenant given at Mount Sinai.

3. Ben’s Own Reasoning Undermines His Faith

Ben argues that Jesus can’t be the Messiah because:

• The world still has evil
• The Messianic Kingdom hasn’t arrived
• The Jewish people didn’t accept Him

But this reasoning ignores the very Scriptures Ben claims to uphold:

• Isaiah 53 clearly speaks of a suffering servant, rejected and pierced for our sins.
• Daniel 9 prophesies that the Messiah would come and be “cut off” before the destruction of the Second Temple.
• The entire sacrificial system points forward to a Lamb who would take away the sin of the world, not just cover it.

Ironically, Ben’s rejection of Jesus based on rabbinic tradition actually contradicts the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) he honors.

4. Jesus: The True Fulfillment of the Torah

Jesus didn’t cancel the Torah—He fulfilled it. He said:

“Do not think I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I came to fulfill them.” — Matthew 5:17

He is the Lamb of God, the High Priest, the True Temple, and the only source of atonement that satisfies God’s justice and extends God’s mercy.

Where Rabbinic Judaism replaces sacrifice with sentiment,
Jesus offers Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice.

5. What’s at Stake for Ben—and for Us?

Ben is not the enemy. He’s a brilliant man trying to be faithful to his tradition.

But tradition can’t save you.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” — Proverbs 14:12

Ben’s rejection of Jesus is a powerful reminder that sincerity without truth still leads to separation from God.
It’s not enough to believe in the God of Abraham—you must receive the One He sent.

6. The Invitation Still Stands

Jesus came first to the lost sheep of Israel. He is the promised Messiah. The fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.

He’s calling not only to Ben, but to every person seeking God through works, tradition, or moral effort.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

Final Word

Ben Shapiro’s devotion is genuine, but his foundation is flawed. Please pray for him that God will reveal Himself to him in a way he can understand. I care for his soul.

Without the Temple, without the blood, and without the Messiah, there is no true atonement.

But with Jesus, there is forgiveness, freedom, and fulfillment.
He didn’t come to destroy Judaism, He came to complete it.

And even now, He still invites:

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” — John 14:6

*I have never met Ben, but maybe one day I will see him in Heaven or this side of life. Pray for him.