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By
Rabbi Glenn Harris
Let’s
face it - many of us are guilty at times of stereotyping
- having over-generalized ideas about groups of
people. Among those of good will it’s harmless
enough and, if we’re willing to have a good laugh
at ourselves, can even make for good comedy (good
humor is based in part on truth). But there are
times when misconception about people can actually
hinder us from doing the right thing. In this
instance, the right thing is sharing the
Good News with Jewish people. There are a number
of misperceptions Christians have about Jewish
people, and plenty of well-intentioned but mistaken
ideas about what is the best way to bring the
Good News to them. With these articles, we’d like
to set the record straight and help you to be
more effective and more sure of yourself when
talking with Jewish people about Messiah Yeshua.
Myth #1 “Jewish people
must know the Old Testament a lot better than
I do”.
Fact:
The vast majority of Jewish people seldom, if
ever, read the Bible. Ironically, while having
the reputation of being “the People of the Book”,
most Jewish people today are unfamiliar with all
but the most generally known Bible stories (for
example: Adam, Eve and a snake; a vague idea about
Noah and the Flood; Sodom and Gomorrah, Joseph
and his fancy coat; David and Goliath - and not
much more than that). Even the most religious
of Jewish people are largely unacquainted with
the Scriptures, giving more of their time to the
study of rabbinic teachings and traditions contained
in the Talmud.
Let me
illustrate this with a true story. Several years
ago, at a large city park in Los Angeles, I was
in a pick-up basketball game with a group of Orthodox
Jewish young men who were studying at a nearby
yeshiva (preparing to become rabbis). After the
game we got to talking, and I shared with them
the fact that I am Jewish and believe Jesus to
be the Messiah. They, of course, disagreed, and
we got into a good-natured debate. They argued
that if Yeshua had been the Messiah, the majority
of our people (certainly the majority of the rabbis,
they contended) would have followed Him. But since
the vast majority of Jews have rejected Him for
all these years, they insisted He couldn’t be
the Messiah. I replied that a majority vote has
never been the criterion of truth. I also reminded
them of our own history, when the majority was
often in the wrong. As examples, I reminded them
about the Golden Calf incident, when 11 out of
the 12 tribes refused to stand with Moses against
the idolatry (only Levi was faithful), and later
how 10 out of the 12 men whom Moses sent to spy
out the land of Canaan brought back a discouraging
report, causing the entire nation to give up hope.
So much, I pointed out, for the idea that the
majority is right. When I asked these rabbinical
students if they could name the two faithful spies,
they were dumbfounded, remembering vaguely the
story, but embarrassingly unable to name Joshua
and Caleb - something most Bible-believing Christians
would know. And this was not some obscure passage
from one of the Minor Prophets - this is in the
Torah!
Here’s
my point: If even the most religious Jewish people
are often biblically illiterate, how much less
is the average Jewish person going to know of
the Scriptures! If you have ever felt you didn’t
know enough of the Old Testament, rest assured
you know far more of it than most Jewish people
you are ever likely to encounter.
Myth #2 “Don’t most
Jewish people believe in God (and Heaven/Hell/Sin)”?
Fact:
Many Jewish people today (consciously or otherwise)
are agnostic. It is sadly ironic that the very
people to whom God gave the revelation of His
Word not only are unfamiliar with it, but are
proportionally less likely even to be certain
of God’s existence! In reality, few Jewish people
today give much thought to the existence of God,
let alone the question of divine judgment. The
June 2008 Pew Forum survey on religion and public
life indicated that just 41% of Jewish people
are certain of the existence of God. Of that
number, however, 50% do not believe that God is
a personal Being, but rather an impersonal force
(which the author regards as a form of agnosticism);
and another 8% describe themselves openly as agnostic
(http://religions.pewforum.org/portraits).
That means, according to their sampling,
at least 59% of the Jewish people they surveyed
are uncertain about the existence of God!
This same survey indicated that fully 82% of Jewish
people believe that many religions can lead a
person to eternal life (a false belief known as
Universalism). Consequently, before engaging
in discussion about theology or eschatology, be
aware that for most Jewish people this is unfamiliar
territory, and their beliefs are often uncertain
and frequently undefined.
This brings
up another salient point. Jewish identity and
Jewish practice are not synonymous. Many Jewish
people identify with our people, history and culture,
but do not attempt to keep the (613) commandments
or order their lives by rabbinical standards of
diet, dress or service. This is particularly true
of American Jews. Many regard themselves as Jewish
ethnically and culturally, but not religiously.
Furthermore, Judaism today has many different
expressions. From the more traditional Hasidic
and Orthodox branches to Conservative or Reform
to Reconstructionist and Secular/Humanistic, the
range of beliefs and practices among Jewish people
is broad. There are even synagogues dedicated
to the gay/lesbian, bisexual and transgendered!
It is perhaps more accurate today to speak not
of Judaism, but rather “Judaisms”. One thing is
certain - Jewish people are far from homogenous
in their views about God and the afterlife. You
would do well not to make assumptions about what
your Jewish friend does or doesn’t believe. Instead,
ask good, thoughtful questions and be a good listener.
Myth #3 “Aren’t Jewish
people still waiting for the Messiah”?
Fact:
Not true. “Messiah” to most Jewish people is,
at best, a vague concept. Orthodox Jews have a
more traditional and Biblical understanding of
the Messiah, but they comprise less than 20% of
the Jewish population. Among Jewish people who
are aware of the concept of Messiah, it is generally
regarded as a future Messianic Age of peace on
the Earth rather than as an individual who will
redeem mankind.
The long
and painful history of Jewish suffering across
the world through many generations, coupled with
a long list of false Messiahs (especially in Medieval
Europe) and the disasters their movements caused,
have left many Jewish people somewhat skeptical,
not expecting a Messiah nor even a Messianic Age
to come. Nevertheless, many Christians naively
believe that Jewish people are waiting for the
Messiah, and that is simply not true. Very few
Jewish people are waiting for the Messiah.
If they were, they would be studying the Scriptures
(especially the Prophets) to know what to look
for. To be honest, if your Jewish friend says,
“We’re still waiting for the Messiah” you should
regard it as his way of politely letting you know
he doesn’t believe in Jesus, and that he is hoping
to avoid a debate with you.
You might
want to respond to the claim to be waiting for
the Messiah by asking, "If you are waiting
for the Messiah, what are you doing to prepare
for His arrival? What do you think he'll be like?"
or, "How will you be able to distinguish
between the true Messiah and just another charismatic
imposter?" This can lead to meaningful discussion,
provided your friend is open-minded and not afraid
to admit he doesn’t know much about the subject.
Myth #4 “Aren’t Orthodox
Jews harder to reach than more secular Jews?”
Fact:
Not necessarily. While, generally, Orthodox Jews
take religious observance more seriously than
Reform or Conservative Jews, you must remember
that it is an individual, not a group, with whom
you are interacting. In fact, secular Jews can
sometimes be even more defensive about faith issues
than those who are religious.
Think
about this: From the time he gets up and says
his morning prayers, the religious Jewish person
is reminded constantly that he is a Jew. Everything
from his faithful attendance at synagogue, his
daily prayers, the foods he eats or refuses to
eat, and the clothes he wears reminds him that
he is Jewish. A person like that will generally
be secure in his identity and not feel easily
threatened, and for that reason may be more willing
to dialogue with you about Yeshua. By contrast,
the non-religious Jewish person may have little
to affirm his Jewish identity. That insecurity
may cause him to react all the more defensively.
In fact, this is tacitly admitted to by those
who oppose Messianic Jews: “Those of us who are
Judaically educated, secure in our relationship
with G-d, or Israel, or our community, are immune
to the preachings and teachings of a missionary
whose own beliefs are fundamentally contrary to
our own” (see www.jdl.org/enemies/quiet_holocaust).
Bottom line: Put aside whatever preconceptions
you may have about Jewish institutions or groups,
and get into the practice of asking good questions
and really listening. By doing that, you will
learn just where your particular Jewish friend
or neighbor or co-worker is coming from, and be
in a better position to offer spiritual truth.
Myth #5 “I’m a Gentile,
so I’m at a disadvantage trying to reach Jewish
people”.
Fact:
It is exactly the opposite! Gentile Christians
have an enormous advantage in talking to
Jewish people about Yeshua! This is due to
many centuries of Jewish leaders cultivating contempt
for Messianic Jews. To say that Jewish believers
in Jesus are unwelcome in the Jewish community
is an understatement. In fact, we are hated. At
the same time, Jewish people, sensitive to our
history of tense relations with non-Jews, are
generally careful to maintain congenial relationships
with their Gentile friends and neighbors. That
means Jewish people are far more willing to entertain
discussions about spiritual matters with Gentile
friends than with those they have been conditioned
to regard as “traitors”. So, if you are not
Jewish, see yourself as being in a far better
position to share Yeshua than any of us who are
Messianic Jews.
There
is also a biblical component to this truth. Gentile
Christians are indebted to the early Messianic
Jews for having been the first to bring the Good
News (Romans 15:27). Now is as good a time as
any to “return the favor”. I believe God intended
it to be this way - Jews (in particular, Messianic
Jews) bringing the light of God to Gentiles, and
now Gentiles bringing that same Good News back
to the Jewish people. There is also statistical
support for the effectiveness of Gentile Christians
reaching Jewish people. A survey of Messianic
Jews taken by Jews for Jesus in the 1990s revealed
that a large majority of them came to faith through
the witness of a Gentile Christian friend, co-worker
or neighbor, rather than through a Jewish believer
or a Jewish mission or messianic congregation.
Myth #6 “With Jewish
people shouldn’t you witness from the Old Testament?”
Fact:
This seems like a logical argument, but it has
no basis in reality. If your friend is open, go
right to the first four books of the New Testament.
If he is not open, it’s a moot point. There are,
of course, rare exceptions, but most Jewish people
are as unfamiliar with their own Scriptures as
I am (thus far) with Dante’s Divine Comedy.
If your friend is willing to read the Scriptures
with you, it is a very good sign, and he is probably
going to be just as willing to read what Matthew
or John wrote about Yeshua as he is what Isaiah
or Jeremiah wrote. Please don’t misunderstand
- I am not suggesting that you not share
Old Testament passages (especially the many messianic
prophecies) with your Jewish friend. By all means,
that should be a significant part of your teaching.
I am simply correcting the misperception that
you have to start in the Old Testament. If your
friend is open, it is because the Spirit of God
is at work in him, and he will read whatever you
suggest. My recommendation is the “11-day journey”
rather than the “40-year route” (Deuteronomy 1:2).
Myth #7 “I’m afraid
if I say the wrong thing, I will offend my Jewish
friend”.
Fact:
The first thing to bear in mind is that much of
what is called offense is simply an attempt
to intimidate you into dropping the subject. Some
people are skilled at feigning indignation in
order to get their way. Don’t fall for it, and
don’t let the person get away with it! Call it
what it is - posturing. Life is too short, and
the question of where we will spend eternity is
far too important to waste on playing psychological
games.
Secondly,
it is important that you understand some things
about taking offense. Taking offense is a choice.
Have you ever noticed that people say, “I take
offense at that…”? Anger is almost inevitable
when sinful human beings are confronted with the
righteous demands of God and told that they need
Yeshua. It is natural that people will become
resentful when confronted with the bad news
that is an important component of the Good
News. You are not the cause of offense. It is
Yeshua who is “the Stone of stumbling and the
Rock of offense” (Isaiah 8:14, Romans 9:33). Understand
that offense is often the precursor to salvation.
Many people come into the kingdom “kicking and
screaming”. Going out of your way to avoid causing
offense may actually be short-circuiting what
is a necessary process. Again, the source of the
offense is not you - it is Yeshua.
Finally,
it is important to know what your role is and
what it isn’t. It is the power of the Holy
Spirit, not your eloquence, that convicts the
human heart of sin, righteousness and judgment.
Your responsibility is to tell the Good News.
His is to change the heart and mind. If, for now,
your friend is not open to God’s leading, it won’t
matter how thoughtfully and eloquently you present
the case for Yeshua. You won’t even make a dent.
On the other hand, if God is at work in your friend’s
heart and he is beginning to question his unbelief
and to seek the truth, your lack of eloquence
will not hinder in the least the work God is doing.
Let me state the obvious: The Holy Spirit is infinitely
more powerful than you. He will not override a
person’s will, so what makes you think you ever
could? Be encouraged - the reverse is also true:
You can’t possibly undo what God is doing in a
heart that is willing and receptive to the truth.
Nobody is going to go to Hell because you may
not state truths in a perfect way!
Myth #8 “Before I tell
him about Messiah, shouldn’t I gain the friendship
of the Jewish person I want to evangelize”?
Fact:
This kind of thinking is a snare and a trap and
is based on a lie. You should share the Good News
first. Be the kind of person who is candid and
forthright. If the other person still wants to
be your friend, then you’ll have a real friendship!
And when the time comes when he has questions
or troubles, you’ll most likely be the one he
seeks out.
The
longer you hesitate to talk about Yeshua, the
less and less likely it is you ever will.
Furthermore, there is the matter of obedience.
Messiah Yeshua did not say: “Go into all the world
and gain people’s friendship, and eventually,
when the time seems right, talk to them about
Me”. I understand the fear of rejection as well
as anyone else. But we are not at liberty to reinterpret
our Master’s directive. This does not mean you
are commanded to walk up to complete strangers
at the supermarket and preach to them (though
a little more public preaching would do a lot
of good!). But when you meet people, you should
let it be known from the beginning that you are
a follower of Yeshua, and that He alone is the
way to be reconciled to God. Friendship
evangelism often results in little
more than the dropping of hints. Dropping hints
is not sharing the Gospel. Be up-front about
your faith with those you know.
The longer
you wait, the guiltier you will feel. Eventually
one of two things may happen: You may either wait
so long and feel so frustrated that finally you
blurt it out (and your friend will think that
all along you had ulterior motives), or else you
may abandon the Faith altogether (cease to believe
that Yeshua is the only way to Heaven). Please
don’t fall for this perhaps well-intentioned but
misguided thinking. Friendship is good, but not
at the expense of speaking the truth! Faithful
are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are
the kisses of an enemy (Proverbs 27:6). Even
if your witness is not well-received, you will
have been a genuine friend by offering him the
One who can set him free. You have no control
over somebody else’s response, but this you do
have: the opportunity and the choice to be faithful
to Yeshua’s command.
Myth #9 “My pastor
says Jewish people already have a covenant and
can get to Heaven without having to believe in
Jesus”.
Fact:
Yeshua said, “I am the way and the truth and
the life, and no man comes to the Father but by
Me” (John 14:6). He did not qualify this
statement in any way; there were no exceptions
made for ethnicity, national origin or religious
observance. Every human being must come to
the Father through the Son, and Jewish people
most certainly are human beings!
Fact:
Yeshua instructed the preaching of the Good News
to begin with the Jewish people (Matthew
10:5-6, Acts 1:8), as did Rabbi Paul (Romans 1:16).
If your
pastor says that Jewish people have a covenant
that will get them to Heaven without having to
believe in Jesus, ask him: Which covenant does
he have in mind? If he refers to the Sinai Covenant,
there are several reasons why this cannot be true.
First, it is a broken covenant. The Jewish people
broke this covenant with God, and the curses for
disobedience contained within it all came to pass.
Second, the Sinai Covenant was never intended
to save a person’s soul. It was a set of divinely
inspired laws for the nation of Israel by which
our people could live successfully. But nowhere
in the Sinai Covenant is there a guarantee of
eternal life. That simply was never its intent.
It provided only limited and temporary atonement
(see Romans 8:3, Hebrews 9:9-14 and 10:1-4). Third,
it is impossible to keep the demands of the Sinai
Covenant, since in the absence of the Temple none
of the sacrifices God demanded can be brought.
There is therefore no atonement, and that leaves
my people without hope. Fourth, only a tiny fraction
of Jewish people today make any attempt to keep
the Torah (which includes the Sinai Covenant).
Thus, by this argument, the vast majority of Jewish
people are hell-bound. And yet your pastor states
that it’s unnecessary to preach the Good News
about the Messiah and the need to enter the New
Covenant to my people?
If your
pastor is thinking of the Abrahamic Covenant,
the argument still fails. The Abrahamic Covenant
included the promise of land, of blessing, of
protection from enemies and of descendants as
numerous as the stars of heaven. But the Abrahamic
Covenant did not promise eternal life. It was
not intended to be a saving covenant.
In fact,
through the prophet Jeremiah, God promised a New
Covenant, and this covenant would provide complete
atonement and forgiveness of sin, restored relationship
with God, and the circumcision of the heart -
resulting in new life (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Not
only was this covenant many centuries in the future
from the time of Sinai, but is contrasted with
that covenant! Why then would some teachers today
suggest that the Sinai Covenant or the Abrahamic
Covenant is sufficient to save Jewish people?
It seems
to me this so-called “two covenant” (or “dual-covenant”)
doctrine (the false teaching that God has one
way of salvation for Jews and another for Gentiles)
is nothing more than cowardice cloaked in theology.
Yeshua taught that Jewish people needed to believe
in Him, which is why He commanded that the Good
News be preached first in Jewish territory (Acts
1:8). This is in harmony with Rabbi Paul’s teaching
that the Gospel go to the Jew first (Romans
1:16). Are we supposed to believe that Yeshua
and Paul were mistaken, and these modern-day men
who say they don’t believe in preaching to Jewish
people are correct?
In fact,
the pattern of the Apostle Paul’s ministry in
Acts was to first go to the synagogue in every
city or village he came to and prove the Messiahship
of Yeshua from the Scriptures. Only after that
would he extend his ministry to Gentiles. Those
who dismiss the need for Jewish people to hear
and believe the Good News about the Messiah apparently
think Paul’s model of missions was misguided.
We urge that such false teachers and the organizations
they represent (whether they call their teaching
“two covenant” or not) be rejected and shunned.
This includes John Hagee and Christians United
for Israel, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein and The
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews,
The International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem
and any organization or denomination that either
discourages or disavows Jewish evangelism. Denying
the very heart of the Gospel, they are unworthy
of Christian support.
Myth #10 “My Jewish
friend hates Jews for Jesus - should I
avoid that ministry”?
Fact:
You should avoid Jews for Jesus (which is a
great ministry) only if you want to be guilty
of the same hypocrisy outlined in Galatians 2:11-13.
Those Christians who distance themselves from
Jews for Jesus are saying, in effect, “I love
you guys - I just can’t afford to be seen
with you”. That is cowardly and disloyal and unworthy
of the name of Yeshua. Some say they support the
idea of bringing the Good News to Jewish people,
but it is Jews for Jesus’ methods (they typically
use the word tactics - implying something
devious) they disagree with. That is a disingenuous
argument and shows their ignorance. I’d like to
know when handing out pamphlets on street corners
and meeting one-to-one with people in their homes
to study the Bible and many other great ways of
creatively and boldly telling the Good News to
Jews and Gentiles became such terrible tactics?
It
is understandable that Christians want to avoid
unnecessarily offending their Jewish friends (see
myth #7 in the January edition of Shema!)
- but you cross a line into sin when you disassociate
from your own brothers and sisters in the Lord
in order to avoid the disfavor of unbelievers.
In this case, we are talking about those who are
faithfully doing the difficult work of direct
evangelism. It is our belief here at Congregation
Shema Yisrael that Jews for Jesus is one of the
finest Christian ministries in the world, and
worthy of our prayers and support, and we openly
identify with them. We think you should, too.
If it makes your friend angry, so be it. You have
done nothing to be ashamed of, or for which you
should apologize. Be forthright about who you
are, and about what you believe and with whom
you identify, and you will be blessed of God for
it!
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