The New Testament has Jewish roots

It's claimed by critics that the New Testament itself is a gentile work, however the Dead Sea Scrolls show similarities which would lead us to see the New Testament as Jewish. As you can see, there are many similarities between the New Testament and the Essene's theology. Jesus' lineage: Jesus descended from David who belonged to the tribe of Judah (Matt. 1:1). Clothing: Jesus probably wore the tallit according to the Torah (Matt. 3:20-22). Torah observance: Jesus partook in the circumcision (Luke 2:21, Lev. 12:2-3) and redeemed (Luke 2:22, Num. 18:15). most likely had a bar mitzvah as he was almost the age of 13 (Luke 2:42 "42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.") The Mishnah relates to Jewish boys coming to the age of being responsible for their actions (m. Niddah 5:6; m. Megilla 4:6;m. `Abot 5:12). He was hailed as a rabbi among his followers (John 4:13, John 20:16) and even among the Pharisees (John 3:2). He acknowledged the authority of the Torah in Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."He said the Shema is the greatest commandment (Mark 12:28–30). He reguarly entered into the synagogue (Luke 4:16). He also followed the laws on purification according to Moses (Matt. 8:4, Lev. 14). He observed passover (John 2:13), feast of tabernacles (John 7:2,10), feast of dedication (John 10:22) and Rosh Hashannah (John 5:1). Reverence for the Temple of Jerusalem: He called it his father's house (Luke 2:49) and taught in the Temple (Luke 21:37). He even weeps over Jerusalem (Luke 19:39-20:8). 2 Samuel 7:11-14 "11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house. 12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men."Luke 1:31-33 "And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end" Essene commentary on the last days: "The Lord declares to you that He will build you a House. I will raise up your seed after you. I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father and he shall be my son. He is the Branch of David who shall arise with the Interpreter of the Law to rule in Zion at the end of time. As it is written, I will raise up the tent of David that is fallen. That is to say, the fallen tent of David is he who shall arise to save Israel." Raymond Brown, a commentator said this: "We note that the Qumran interpretation takes out select lines from II Sam 7, just as Luke apparently did. It has shifted the focus of Nathan's promise from a continual line of kings to a single Davidic king, the messianic 'shoot' who will arise in the last days, even as Luke has applied the Samuel passage to Jesus. The 'forever' of both Qumran and Luke is, then, not an endless series of reigns by different kings, but an eschatological redemption. And so there is nothing distinctively Christian in Gabriel's words in vss. 32-33 of Luke, except that the expected Davidic Messiah has been identified with Jesus." (1) John the Baptist's (Matt. 3) practice of baptism is actually a Jewish practice of purification. This is taken from the rule of the community: "For it is through the spirit of true counsel concerning the ways of man that all his sins shall be expiated that he may contemplate the light of life. He shall be cleansed from all his sins by the spirit of holiness uniting him to His truth, and his iniquity shall be expiated by the spirit of uprightness and humility. And when his flesh is sprinkled with purifying water and sanctified by cleansing water, it shall be made clean by the humble submission of his soul to all the precepts of God (Rule of the Community [1QS] III)."The Scrolls also tell of a man who "shall be plunged into the spirit of purification that he may instruct the upright in the knowledge of the Most High and teach the wisdom of the sons of heaven to the perfect of way. For God has chosen them for an everlasting Covenant and all the glory of Adam shall be theirs."The Qumran scroll "Messianic Apocalyse" reads "Over the Meek will His Spirit hover" which parallels Matt. 3:16 "16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him."It also states that this messianic figure would "heal the sick, resurrect the dead, and to the poor announce glad tidings." Messianic Apocalypse" "The heavens and the earth will obey His Messiah, the sea and all that is in them." Matt. 28:18 "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" A Qumran scroll from Cave 11 hails Melchizedek as Messiah and God who would sit in judgement and forgive sins. Prayers and beautitudes: Hymn 9: "I thank Thee, O Lord, for Thou has not abandoned the fatherless or despised the poor." Hymn 18: "Blessed art Thou, O my Lord, who hast given to Thy servant the knowledge of wisdom that he may comprehend Thy wonders in Thy abundant grace!" Matthew 11:25: "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will" Humility, blessing, and thanks were expressed both in the DSS and New Testament. Some argue that the New Covenant is a Christian invention - not so. The Damascus document speaks of "the men who enter the New Covenant in the land of Damascus." Holy Spirit: "For Thou hast shed Thy Holy Spirit upon us, bringing upon us Thy blessings" (Heavenly Lights V). John 4:14"Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life" "But Thou, O my God, hast put into my mouthas it were rain for all those who thirstand a fount of living waters which shall not fail. When they are opened they shall not run dry" (1QH8; Hymn 14). Matt. 5:43-45"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven" "love all the sons of light, each according to his lot in God's design, and hate all the sons of darkness, each according to his guilt in God's vengeance" (1QS I).This is taken from the following link:http://www.auburn.edu...I will explain more of the Jewish roots of the New Testament next round. Sources: 1. Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Garden City, New York: Image Books), 1977, p. 311.