MESSIANIC
JUDAISM
DEFINITIONS
What
is Messianic Judaism? Messianic Judaism
is a movement of Jews and Gentiles from all walks
of life, who believe that Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew)
is the promised Jewish Messiah and Savior for
Israel and the world. Messianic Jews have not
stopped being Jewish. On the contrary, we have
remained strongly Jewish in our identity, lifestyle,
and belief that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah and
the fulfillment of true Biblical Judaism.
What
is the difference between Messianic Judaism and
Rabbinic Judaism? Rabbinic Judaism is
a Judaism centered around the teachings and writings
of Rabbis. Its formation began over 1,900 years
ago when the Second Temple was destroyed in 70
A.D. Before then, "Judaism," or the
faith of the Jewish people, was centered around
the Temple and the sacrificial system according
to the Torah (the Law or the five books of Moses).
After the destruction of the Temple the Rabbis
reorganized Judaism, adding many new laws, rules,
and traditions. Today, their writings and commentaries
(the Talmud, etc.) form the foundation of Rabbinic
Judaism. Rabbinic Judaism consists of several
branches: Orthodox (very traditional ), Chassidic
(Ultra-Orthodox), Reform (liberal), Conservative,
and Reconstructionist. Some within Rabbinic Judaism
are still looking for the Messiah but they are
the exceptions. Messianic Judaism differs in that
we rely totally on the Scriptures. Our faith is
the Judaism of the Bible (Biblical Judaism) and
is centered around the Messiah and the worldwide
salvation He brings. We have access to God because
of the great atoning work of the Messiah Yeshua,
who has fulfilled us as Jewish Believers and therefore
has fulfilled our Judaism (Matthew 5:17).
What
is the difference between Messianic Judaism and
Christianity? Christianity today numbers
over one billion people in the world, with many
denominations and doctrines. For most of the first
century A.D., faith in Yeshua was predominantly
Jewish. As more and more Gentiles came into the
Messianic faith however, some did not understand
its Jewish roots and God's eternal covenant with
Israel. A "de-Judaizing" process set
in, a separation from the Jewish roots of the
faith and from the Jewish people. This separation
eventually led to the formation of a second wing
of this faith in Yeshua composed of Gentile Believers,
i.e., "Christianity." While we are one
in the Spirit with true Gentile Believers, Messianic
Jews have our own expression of faith in Yeshua.
Messianic Judaism holds that it is Jewish to believe
in Yeshua and is a return to the Jewish roots
of the faith. We observe the Biblical feasts and
holidays, while at the same time maintaining that
the only way to be saved and truly born again
of God's Spirit is through the great atoning work
of the Messiah Yeshua (Romans 11:24-25).
THE HISTORY OF MESSIANIC
JUDAISM
When
did Messianic Judaism begin? Messianic
Judaism is actually 2,000 years old, dating back
to the time of the Messiah Yeshua. Historically,
Yeshua was Jewish. He was raised in a Jewish home
and ministered to Jewish people in a Jewish land
(Eretz Yisrael). His disciples were Jewish. The
apostles were Jewish. The writers of the Brit
Chadashah (New Covenant or New Testament) were
Jewish, and for a time, the faith was strictly
Jewish. Some historians believe that more than
one million Jewish people in the first century
A.D. believed in Yeshua (Acts 2:37-42, 4:4, 21:20).
If Messianic Judaism was strictly Jewish
at first how did Gentiles come into the faith?
It was always God's will for the Gentile nations
to also receive His Salvation (Is. 49:6, 42:6).
God told Abraham that through him all the nations
of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3). At
first, the early Messianic Jews did not understand
that this was God's will and proclaimed the Good
News of the Messiah only to Jewish people. Ironically,
the big controversy in the first century was not
if it was Jewish to believe in Yeshua (naturally
it was) but whether Gentiles could come in without
having to "become Jewish!" When Messianic
Jews finally recognized that God's Salvation was
also for the Gentiles, they began to share the
Messiah with non-Jews as well as with Jews. As
a result, many Gentiles throughout the Roman Empire
began to come into the Messianic faith (Acts 15:1-31).
How was first century Messianic Judaism
"transformed" into Gentile Christianity?
When the early Messianic Jews took the Good News
of the Messiah to the Gentiles, a great number
were brought into this Messianic faith. By the
end of the first century A.D., the number of Gentile
Believers outnumbered the Jewish Believers by
a ratio of two to one! This occurred primarily
because there were (and still are) more Gentiles
in the world than Jewish people. Through the years,
as the number of Gentile Believers increased,
they began to dominate this Messianic faith. Some
Gentile Believers, not understanding the Jewish
roots of their faith and God's eternal covenant
with Israel, wanted to split off and form a separate
religion divorced from their Jewish roots (Romans
11:1-2). This "de-Judaizing process"
continued until Gentile Christianity emerged as
the dominant representative faith in the Messiah.
In one of the greatest paradoxes in history, it
became alien for a Jew to believe in Yeshua as
his Messiah!
When
did the early Messianic Jews disappear and why?
Surprisingly, Messianic Judaism continued to flourish
well into the seventh century A.D., in spite of
the many pressures on the Jews to give up their
Messianic faith. First of all, the Rabbis pressured
Messianic Jews to relinquish their faith in Yeshua
as the Messiah. In addition, Gentile Christianity
wanted Messianic Jews to abandon their Jewishness.
Finally, in the seventh century A.D. the rise
of Islam caused great pressures for Messianic
Jews as well. Despite all this, the real reason
for the disappearance of early Messianic Judaism
was simply that Messianic Jews lost their "vision."
They no longer saw that it was important to remain
Jewish after accepting Yeshua. This was because
the majority of Believers in Yeshua were now members
of Gentile Christianity. Consequently, Messianic
Jews assimilated into the Gentile Christian Church.
When
did the modern movement of Messianic Judaism begin?
Even though Messianic Judaism, as a distinct movement,
faded from the ancient scene in the seventh century
A.D., there have always been Jewish Believers
in the Messiah Yeshua. However, beginning in the
early 1800s, ever increasing numbers of Jewish
people began to believe in Yeshua as the Messiah.
The modern movement started after 1967 when thousands
of Jewish people accepted Yeshua. Messianic Judaism
is a prophetic movement and a direct result of
the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit upon His Chosen
People (Hosea 3:4-5, Joel 2:28-29, Deuteronomy.
30:1-5).
How
many Jewish Believers in Yeshua are there in the
United States? While there are no concrete
figures, it has been estimated by many of those
involved in the movement (and even by those outside
the movement) that there are at least 30,000 Messianic
Jews in the United States alone. This number is
growing all the time.
Is
the movement of Messianic Judaism just in America?
Today the movement of Messianic Judaism is in
other countries in the world. We believe that
Messianic Judaism will eventually spring up wherever
there are communities of Jewish people throughout
the world.
MESSIANIC
JEWISH LIFESTYLE
What
is the importance of Messianic synagogues to this
movement? Messianic synagogues are the
heart of the Messianic Movement, Messianic communities
and the center of Messianic life. A Messianic
synagogue is where we can collectively believe
in Yeshua, live a Jewish lifestyle, raise our
children to be Jewish, and worship the God of
Israel in a Jewish manner with other Jewish Believers.
Interestingly enough, just as Messianic Judaism
is not new, Messianic synagogues are not new either.
Actually, we find they have existed for two thousand
years! From Biblical and historical records we
know that there were Messianic synagogues throughout
the Roman Empire and beyond, as early as 50 A.
D.! (James 1:1, 2:2, Hebrews 10:25).
How
many Messianic synagogues are there?
There are as many as 400 Messianic synagogues
throughout the United States. There may be close
to 150 in Israel, and still more are scattered
in other parts of the world. Messianic synagogues
range in size from ten people to several hundred
members. A few have their own buildings and day
schools.
Do
Messianic Jews and Gentiles celebrate all the
Jewish holidays, and if so, why? Most
members of a Messianic synagogue celebrate the
Biblical holidays, i.e. Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost,
the Feast of Weeks), Rosh HaShana (the traditional
Jewish New Year, the Feast of Trumpets), Yom Kippur
(the Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles) Hanukkah
(the Feast of Dedication) and Purim. We celebrate
all of the holidays because it is instructed by
God in the Torah for Israel to observe these days
forever (Leviticus 23:21, 31, 41, Exodus 12:14).
Messiah Yeshua observed these holidays as did
the early Messianic Jews and apostles such as
Rabbi Paul (Acts 20:16, 27:9, 1 Corinthians 16:8).
We also believe that when Messiah Yeshua returns
to this earth these holidays will be re-established
worldwide (Zechariah 14:11-21). When we, as Messianic
Jews, celebrate the holidays, we do so in a Messianic
way, with the view that Yeshua is the fulfillment
of these Holy Days (i.e. He is our Passover Lamb,
our Atonement on Yom Kippur, etc.).
Do
Messianic Jews celebrate Christmas and Easter?
Our celebration of Messiah's resurrection is part
the Feast of First Fruits which takes place during
Passover (Leviticus 23:9-14). While we do not
have Easter egg hunts, we do believe in the resurrection
of the Messiah and rejoice with our Gentile brethren
in its celebration. The Scriptures neither command
nor forbid us to celebrate the Birth of the Messiah.
Some Messianic Jews celebrate Christmas and some
do not. This is an area in which there is freedom.
As a congregation we do not do much as far as
Christmas. If you wish to celebrate it in your
home, we leave that up to you. We recognize the
importance of the Incarnation and the Birth of
the Messiah and rejoice with Believers who are
celebrating this day throughout the world.
Are
Messianic Jews Zionists? Most Messianic
Jews support Israel unequivocally. We support
Israel not only because we believe Jewish people
need a national homeland, but also because we
believe the re-establishment of the State of Israel
is a direct fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.
We believe that God has done this supernaturally
as predicted from Scriptures centuries ago (Ezekiel
36:24, 37:1-14). We know that Israel is not a
perfect nation, but believe that God's hand is
behind Israel, and that our people will never
be entirely driven out of their land again (Amos
9:11-15)! While God loves the Arab nations, Eretz
Yisrael (the Land of Israel) is the land that
God gave to His Jewish people. We also believe
that all Believers should support Israel, as should
the United States, because God promised Abraham:
"I will bless them that bless you, and curse
them that curse you" (Genesis 12:3).
MESSIANIC
JUDAISM AND GENTILE BELIEVERS
Who
is a Jew? This is a question that has
been debated for centuries. One cannot be considered
Jewish strictly on the basis of religion, because
most Jewish people today are not religious. The
same applies to any definition of a Jew based
on culture. According to Rabbinic Judaism, to
be considered a Jew one must have Jewish parents
(in particular, a Jewish mother). However, this
rabbinic definition is not Biblically adequate.
The Scriptural definition of a Jew is three-fold.
First of all, we are a nation and a people. To
be considered Jewish one must be a physical descendant
of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. Secondly,
the Biblical lineage is primarily patrilineal,
i.e. carried through the father, not matrilineal
or carried through the mother. For example, Moses
had a Gentile wife and Kind David's great grandmother
was Ruth the Moabitess, yet their children were
all considered Jewish. Finally, the Scriptures
indicate that if either parent is Jewish one can
identify himself or herself as being Jewish and
can claim himself as a part of God's Chosen people.
What
is God's will regarding intermarriage between
Jew and Gentile? When a Jew marries a
Gentile there is an inherent danger of assimilation
into Gentile society, and therefore a serious
risk of being permanently lost to the nation of
Israel. Rather than assimilating, we believe that
it is God's will for the intermarried couple to
be Jewish, to live a Jewish lifestyle, and to
raise their children as Jews in much the same
way that Ruth the Moabitess made her choice to
become part of the Jewish nation (Ruth 1:16-17).
Even in the New Covenant, Rabbi Paul had Timothy
circumcised into the nation of Israel because
his mother was Jewish and his father was not Jewish
(Acts 16:3).
What
is the relationship of Jewish Believers to Gentile
Believers? In Temple days a "middle
wall of partition" existed in the Temple
that physically separated Jews and Gentiles. Gentiles
could not enter past that point and were relegated
to what was sometimes called the "Court of
the Gentiles." This "middle wall of
partition" has been broken down (Ephesians
2:14). In fact, according to Rabbi Shaul, Gentile
Believers have entered a Jewish faith (Romans
11:24). They are spiritually circumcised and are
actually part of the Commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians
2:11-13)! Gentile Believers are one with Jewish
Believers because the Spirit of God dwelling within
us is the same Spirit. Our ethnicity, heritage
and background may be different, but God has made
us one in the Spirit (John 10:16).
Can
Gentile Believers be members of a Messianic synagogue?
Most Messianic congregations do have non-Jewish
members. To be a member of a Messianic congregation,
a Gentile Believer should have a burden and love
for the Jewish people, understand what God is
doing with the Jewish people, and have a "Ruth-like"
calling to the Chosen People.
Should
all Jewish Believers join a Messianic synagogue?
Generally speaking, Jewish Believers should be
members of a Messianic synagogue. The reason?
Because we have an eternal covenant with God that
goes back to Abraham. Our history is unique in
that we were not just chosen out of many nations,
but were formed by God through Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob to be a special blessing to this world.
God has a purpose and a calling for the nation
of Israel and this covenant relationship is eternal
(Genesis 17:1-8). If God made an eternal covenant
with us as Jewish people, then it is incumbent
upon us to keep our covenant relationship with
Him. It is God's desire for Jewish people not
to assimilate but to continue in His gift of our
Jewish heritage (1 Corinthians 7:18). Evidence
of God's ongoing desire that we not assimilate
is seen in the preservation of the Jewish people
for the past 2000 years, and the fact that God
has supernaturally restored the State of Israel
today. The primary way a Jewish Believer can continue
to live as a Jew and not assimilate away from
his Jewish people is to be a member of a Messianic
synagogue. In a Messianic synagogue a Jewish Believer
can continue to worship the Lord in a Jewish way,
celebrate the Jewish festivals, raise his children
as Jews and be a testimony to his family and people.
MESSIANIC
TERMINOLOGY
Words
are powerful. The terms, expressions, titles and
labels that we use in everyday life are crucial
in expressing ourselves to one another. In the
realm of politics terms such as hawk, dove, liberal,
conservative, left-wing, right-wing, Republican
and Democrat help to identify concepts and positions.
In Messianic Judaism terminology is very important.
The last two thousand years of history have boxed
us into an undesirable dichotomy that exists in
the minds of most people. This thinking purports
that one is either Jewish or Christian; a member
of Judaism or of Christianity. We believe that
Messiah Yeshua is the fulfillment of Biblical
Judaism. By using Messianic Jewish terminology
we put Yeshua back into the Jewish context from
which He originated and we educate people about
the Jewish roots of Christianity. It helps us
clearly express our faith in Messiah Yeshua to
Jewish people. It helps create an atmosphere where
Jewish people who are seeking for God, and Messianic
Jewish believers can feel "at home."
Yeshua:
Yeshua is Jesus' original Hebrew name! "Jesus"
is the hellenized-anglicized form of "Yeshua,"
which means "Salvation." Yeshua never
heard the name "Jesus" in His lifetime!
He was called "Yeshua," which is very
similar to "Joshua," a common Hebrew
name. Examples of this name when it refers to
the Messiah can be found in Isaiah 62:11 in the
Tenach (Old Testament) and Matthew 1:21 in the
New Testament.
Messiah:
"The Anointed One." Some mistakenly
believe that "Christ" is Yeshua's surname
in the same way that we have a last name! "Christ"
is a title like "President" or "King."
"Messiah" comes from the Hebrew word
"Mashiach," which was translated into
the Greek "Christos" and later anglicized
to "Christ." The actual English translation
of Mashiach of "Anointed One" is "Messiah."
Once again, using "Messiah" rather than
"Christ," is more accurate. (Examples
of this title in the Old Covenant are Dan. 9:25,
Ps. 2:2.) Also, Yeshua claimed this title of Messiah
in the New Covenant (Mk. 14:61-62).
Messianic
Judaism: The movement of Jews and Gentiles
who have come to believe that Yeshua is the promised
Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world.
This is synonymous with "Biblical Judaism"
as opposed to "Rabbinic Judaism." As
Jews we have "completed" or "fulfilled"
what God wants by accepting Messiah Yeshua as
our atonement for sin. Messiah Yeshua came to
fulfill the Law and the Prophets. How could we,
as Jewish people, become non-Jews by accepting
the Messiah? We haven't "converted"
to another religion. On the contrary, we believe
that Yeshua has fulfilled our Jewish heritage
and faith (Matthew 5:17).
Messianic
Jew: A Jew who believes that Yeshua is
the Messiah and remains Jewish in lifestyle and
worship. The term "Christian" originally
meant "follower of the Christ" or "follower
of the Messiah." Unfortunately over time
the term "Christian" came to mean something
other than "follower of the Messiah."
To a Jewish person living today "Christian"
does not describe a follower of the Messiah of
Israel. It means a "non-Jewish" Gentile
churchgoer. It makes little difference if the
person is spiritually reborn or not. Many people
today have this dichotomy in their minds, that
on the one hand, there are Jews and Judaism, and
on the other there are Christians and Christianity.
You are either one or the other. Accordingly,
when a Jew accepts Yeshua he "switches over"
from the Jew-Judaism side to the Christian-Christianity
side and is no longer a Jew but a Christian. The
term "Christian" has become synonymous
with "non-Jew" or "Gentile."
We believe that just the opposite has occurred.
We have found the Jewish Messiah and we are now
"completed Jews."
Yeshua
never intended to start a new religion. He came
to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. Therefore,
how could we, as Jewish people, by accepting the
Jewish Messiah become non-Jews? On the contrary,
we believe that Yeshua has fulfilled our Jewish
heritage and faith. We have not "converted"
to another faith, but rather we have been completed
because we have found true Biblical Judaism through
the Messiah Yeshua. We choose to call ourselves
"Messianic Jews" which identifies us
as Jewish people who believe and follow Messiah
Yeshua. Early Messianic Jews had many names for
themselves: Believers, elect, remnant, the Way,
followers, disciples. Use "become a Messianic
Jew" rather than "convert to Christianity."
If you do use the term "Christian",
be sure to clarify what it really means - a follower
of the Messiah of Israel.
Messianic
Synagogue or Congregation: A congregation
where Messianic Believers can worship and exercise
their Jewish faith in the Messiah Yeshua.
Rabbi:
Is used in the Jewish community and in the Word
of God to refer to a teacher (John 1:38). In Messianic
Judaism it means the spiritual leader of a Messianic
Synagogue.
Brit
Chadasha: The New Covenant or New Testament;
those books written in the first century by Jewish
writers who believed and followed Messiah.
Tenach
or Hebrew Scriptures: The Old Testament.
Old Testament implies that there is a New Covenant,
something that we are trying to demonstrate is
true. Tenach is an acronym from Torah, Nevee'eem
and Kituveem (the Law, the Prophets and the Writings).
See Luke 24:44 for Messiah Yeshua's reference
to this Scriptural division.
Rabbi
Paul or Shaul: Paul was a rabbi who studied
under the famous Rabbi Gamliel (Acts 22:3). Paul
continued to live a Jewish lifestyle (Acts 28:17).
Mikveh:
The actual pool of water. Tevilah (immersion)
is the Jewish ceremony of being immersed in water.
In the New Covenant, immersion also symbolized
purification when Believers in Yeshua publicly
confess their faith in the Messiah Yeshua.
Israel:
"Palestine" is to be avoided, since
it implies anti-Zionist tendencies. The Romans
renamed Israel "Palestine" in mockery
of the Jews after defeating the Jewish revolt
led by Bar Kochba from 132 to 135 A. D. "Palestine"
comes from the "Philistines," the ancient
adversaries of the Jewish people. Throughout the
Bible the Land is called "Israel," not
Palestine. In a prophetic passage, God calls the
restored Jewish State of our day "Israel"
(Ezekiel. 37:11-12).
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Question:
Since becoming a Christian, I have a new heart
that loves the Jewish people. I have been reading
and desiring to learn more about Yeshua, and His
Jewish background. Now I want more information
about becoming a Messianic Jew.
Answer:
I am delighted by your growing appreciation of
the Jewishness of Yeshua, and touched by your
love for my people, and that you are willing to
become a Messianic Jew. However, it is wrong for
you to "become a Jew" or "convert
to Judaism” - even “Messianic Judaism."
It is the clear teaching of the Word of God that
Jews who believe in the Messiah remain Jews, and
don't become Gentiles. It is also the clear teaching
of the Word of God that Gentiles who believe in
the Messiah remain Gentiles, and don't become
Jews.
God
does not want everyone to be a Jew. God does
not make any mistakes, and He specifically ordained
that you come from the parents, people and nation
that you came from. The God of Israel is a God
who created much diversity, and Messiah’s
Holy Community was designed to be made up of both
Jews and people from every nation, people and
language group. Further, I would call your attention
to Rabbi Paul's wise admonition in 1 Corinthians
7:17 24, about the necessity of Jews remaining
Jews, and Gentiles remaining Gentiles. Jews and
Gentiles are to remain in the calling in which
they are called. Africans remain African when
they come to believe in Messiah; Chinese people
remain Chinese, Europeans remain European, and
Jews remain Jews part of their people, and part
of their culture.
Being
a Gentile is not a negative or bad thing. It simply
means that you were born to a nation other than
the nation of Israel. The word "Gentile"
is a good Biblical term that is used to differentiate
the Jewish people from the other nations. I like
to call those Gentiles who are part of our movement
"Kosher hearted" Gentiles, Messianic
Gentiles, Gentile Believers, or Christians. All
are good terms.
Consider
the fact that now that you have found the Jewish
Messiah, you lack absolutely nothing! You have
been grafted into Israel’s Olive Tree of
Salvation and Blessing. You have been reconciled
to the God of Israel. Joined to Yeshua, the King
of the Jews, you are complete! Every spiritual
blessing in Heaven is yours! You are a fellow
citizen with the Messianic Jews and the Jewish
saints who lived before the Son of God came to
Earth, and will live forever with us in the New
Jerusalem. That should be enough for all of us!
Question:
Isn’t it wrong to call yourself “Rabbi”
in light of Matthew 23:8?
Answer:
Let’s take a look at Yeshua’s teaching
in Matthew 23:8-12: “Do not be called
Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all
brothers. Do not call anyone on Earth your father;
for One is your Father, He who is in Heaven. Do
not be called leaders; for One is your Leader,
that is, Messiah. But the greatest among you shall
be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall
be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall
be exalted.”
One of
the most important principles that will help us
correctly interpret the Word of God is: “If
the literal sense makes sense, seek no other sense.”
The Word of God is to be understood in its historical/
grammatical context. If a passage makes literal
sense historically and grammatically, then that
is what it means. However, if the literal sense
does not make sense, we should seek a non-literal
sense. In the passage we are considering, Yeshua’s
words about not being called “rabbi,”
“father” or “leader” are
not meant to be understood literally. If we interpreted
these words literally, then we could not call
anyone on Earth “father” (without
exception). But of course we have earthy fathers,
and it is right to honor them with the term “father.”
In fact, the Holy Scriptures frequently use the
term “father” to describe human beings,
even in a religious sense (see 1 Corinthians 4:15).
The New Testament also acknowledges the word “leader”
as a legitimate term (see the Letter to the Messianic
Jews - “Hebrews” 13:17, 24). The term
"rabbi" is defined for us in John 1:38
as "teacher." Again, according to the
New Testament, the office of teacher is specifically
part of the leadership of the New Covenant Community
(see Ephesians 4:11). Ya’akov (James) also
acknowledges the office of teacher (James 3:1).
So, if
the literal sense doesn’t make sense, it
is right to seek a non-literal sense. The rest
of the passage tells us that the Messiah is concerned
about pride among us, about the desire to be exalted,
about the desire to rule and not to serve. Those
who are leaders and teachers and fathers in the
Faith are not to develop an attitude that demands
unquestioning submission. They are to be servant-leaders.
Nor is Messiah’s Holy Community of Jews
and Gentiles to develop an elite group of clergy/priests
who are qualitatively different from the rest
of the New Covenant community. In conclusion,
the titles, “rabbi” “father”
and “leader” may be used, but with
humility.
Question:
According to Galatians 3:26 29, all Believers
are one in Messiah, and there is no longer Jew
or Gentile. Why do you continue to make a distinction
between Jews and Gentiles? Aren’t we all
Christians now, and no longer Jews or Gentiles?
Answer:
Let’s look at the passage in question: “For
you are all sons of God through faith in Messiah
Yeshua. For all of you who were baptized into
Messiah have clothed yourselves with Messiah.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
slave nor free man, there is neither male nor
female; for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua.
And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham's
descendants, heirs according to promise.”
Rabbi
Paul is not teaching us that all earthly differences
between men and women, and between Jews and Gentiles
automatically disappear when we become Believers
in the Messiah. “There is neither Jew
nor Greek” is not meant to be interpreted
literally any more than “there is neither
male nor female.” Men who believe in
Messiah are still men. Women who have encountered
Yeshua are still women. In fact, Rabbi Paul teaches
elsewhere that there are distinct “roles”
for the sexes. For example, spiritual leaders
of communities must be men not women. Men are
to be the leaders of the home - not the women.
If we understood Paul’s words literally,
and there were no longer any differences between
men and women, then men could marry men, and women
could marry women - something which is clearly
wrong. Just as there are still differences between
men and women in Messiah’s New Covenant
Community, so too there are differences between
slaves and those who are free, and there are differences
between Jews and Gentiles.
The New
Testament itself makes distinctions between Gentile
Believers and Jewish Believers. That’s why
Paul, who identified himself as “a Jew from
Tarsus” could also say to the Gentile Christians
in Rome, “I am speaking to you who are Gentiles
(Romans 11:13).” In fact, it’s quite
possible that differences between men and women
and Jews and Gentiles will continue in the Age
To Come. In the book of Revelation, even though
the Son of God is resurrected and glorified, He
is still revealed to be a Man. Even more specifically,
He is identified as belonging to the tribe of
Judah and the Root of David (see Revelation 5:5).
I find it interesting that throughout eternity,
the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written
on the everlasting gates of the New Jerusalem
(Revelation 21:12). In addition, “the nations”
will walk by the light of the Eternal City, and
the glory and honor of the “nations”
will be brought into it. The leaves of the Tree
of Life are for the healing of the “nations.”
God has ordained that followers of the Messiah
come from every nation, tribe, people and language
group; and these differences in language, culture
and identity remain on Earth, and some may even
endure into Eternity.
This ongoing
difference between Jews and Gentiles manifests
itself in several ways. For example, Messianic
Jews should be circumcised for religious reasons,
since we are still special participants in the
covenant made with Abraham. Paul circumcised Timothy,
since he had a Jewish mother (see Acts 16:1 3).
On the other hand, Messianic Gentiles must not
be circumcised for religious reasons, as Rabbi
Paul makes clear in his letter to the Galatians.
They are to be content with being circumcised
in their hearts. However, Gentiles Believers may
be circumcised for aesthetic or medical reasons,
but not for religious reasons.
So what
does Rabbi Paul mean when he writes that there
is neither Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, slave
nor free? He means that for all who have joined
themselves to Israel’s Messiah, there is
a new equality that we have. Now that the Messiah
has come, we have a new and equal access to the
God of Israel. He is equally our Heavenly Father.
We can all come boldly before His throne of grace
at any time. We all share His Spirit. We are brothers
and sisters. However, earthly roles and differences
remain. Yes, all who genuinely believe in the
God of Israel and the Jewish Messiah are “Christians”
- but “Christian” simply means a follower
of Christ (Messiah - Israel’s Anointed King);
being a Christian does not mean that one’s
national and ethnic identity are diminished.
Question:
Now that I believe in Yeshua, aren’t I a
“Spiritual Jew” (Romans 2:28-29)?
Haven’t I been grafted into the Olive Tree
(Romans 11)? Am I not part of the Commonwealth
of Israel (Ephesians 2:12)? Am I not a son of
Abraham (Galatians 3:29)?
Answer:
We have to be very clear about our use of names
and titles. The Holy Spirit is very careful in
the Scriptures that comprise the New Testament,
not to identify Gentiles as Jews. Gentiles are
never told that they “become Jews”
or “convert to Judaism.” Messiah’s
Holy Community of Jews and Gentiles (the Church)
is never said to “replace Israel,”
“take the place of Israel,” or be
the “New Israel.” What then is the
relationship of Messianic Gentiles to the nation
of Israel? "Kosher hearted" Gentiles
are sons of Abraham. Abraham is their spiritual
father, but that doesn’t make them Jews.
They are Abraham's offspring, but that doesn't
mean that Christians are "Jews" or "Spiritual
Israel" or the "New Israel." Abraham
is the father of many nations, but not all those
nations are entitled to be called “Israel.”
Only those who are descendants of Abraham through
Isaac and Jacob can properly be called “Jews”
or “Israel.” Gentiles who have found
the Messiah are not “Spiritual Jews.”
They are “Spiritual Gentiles.” If
you look at the context of Romans 2:28-29, you
will see that Rabbi Paul is specifically addressing
Jewish people. He is teaching us that Jewish people
who have saving faith in Messiah are “Jews
inwardly” and spiritually circumcised. You
might be a wild olive branch that has been grafted
in to Israel’s Olive Tree of Salvation and
Blessing, but you are a “partaker with us”
- the natural branches. You don’t replace
us. Yes, Gentile Believers are now part of the
Commonwealth of Israel, and have a new citizenship
with the Jewish saints, but that doesn’t
make you a Jew, any more than Paul having Roman
citizenship made him a physical descendant of
Rome. Properly identifying Messianic Jews and
Gentiles as equal yet distinct is important because
of the ongoing differences in their earthly roles
and calling. “Replacement Theology”
the teaching that the Church is the New Israel
and has replaced the Jewish people, is the result
of a flawed interpretation of Scripture. It is
wrong and has contributed to considerable violence
against the Jewish people.
Question:
If Sunday is the first day of the week, and sundown
on Friday to sundown on Saturday is the Sabbath
and should be kept holy, then why do Christians
worship on Sunday?
Answer:
Before 66 AD, it was advantageous for the new
Gentile Believers to be closely associated with
Israel, Judaism and the Jewish people. Prior to
that time the Jewish people had a special relationship
with the Roman Empire, and Judaism was a religion
that was tolerated. The first Gentile Christians
were considered to be part of Judaism, and came
under its protection. All this changed, however,
in 66 AD, when the Jewish people revolted against
the mighty Roman Empire. From that time on, the
Jewish community was looked upon with suspicion
and distrust, and it became disadvantageous to
be identified with Israel, Judaism and the Jewish
people.
After
Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD, and later, when
the last of the Jewish Apostles died, a trend
away from Jewish observances developed in the
Gentile Christian communities. Then, in 132 135
AD, during the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian,
this movement away from Jewish observances intensified
as a result of a second, failed, Jewish revolt
against Rome. The Second Revolt was crushed, the
city of Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jewish
people were forbidden to enter it. Many Gentile
Believers no longer wanted to be identified with
the Jewish people or culture, and deliberately
disassociated themselves from our holidays, customs
and traditions. So, instead of worshiping on the
traditional Sabbath day, as the Jewish people,
including Messiah Yeshua and the Apostles, had
done for over a millennium, the first day of the
week, the "day of the Sun" was chosen.
The Christians infused it with new meaning, focusing
on the Messiah's resurrection. It was no longer
the "day of the Sun," but the "day
of the Son" and "the Lord's day.
It
seems that the motivating factors behind switching
from Saturday to Sunday were historical, not Scriptural.
No one at that time is recorded as having said,
"Aha, Yeshua rose from the dead on Sunday.
The Church must switch to Sunday worship!"
It simply did not happen that way. Meanwhile,
during those early centuries there continued to
be Messianic Jewish communities which continued
to worship on Shabbat, and considered sunset Friday
evening until sunset Saturday evening to be the
Sabbath. There is room for both the traditional
Jewish Sabbath observance, as well as worshiping
on the first day of the week. Rabbi Paul makes
it clear that Jewish people need not live like
Gentiles, nor Gentiles live like Jews. As God
has called each, in that manner let him live (see
1 Corinthians 7:17 24) - which would include days
of worship. The Apostle to the Gentiles specifically
pleads for tolerance when it comes to religious
days (see Romans 14:5 6). When the First Jerusalem
Council met to decide the relationship of Gentile
Believers to the Laws of God, Sabbath observance
was not required.
I would
ask my Gentile Christian brothers to show this
same kind of tolerance for the special calling
and lifestyle of Messianic Jews. Just as the Messianic
Jewish leaders at the First Jerusalem Council
did not require our Gentile brothers to conform
to our customs, today's Gentile Christians, who
far exceed us in numbers and influence, should
now extend to us the same grace and courtesy.
Question:
What happens to Jewish people who don’t
believe in Yeshua? Are they lost and going to
Hell?
Answer:
Incredibly, there are many so-called Christians,
and even some Messianic Jews today, who suggest
that Jewish people don’t need to believe
in Yeshua in order to be saved! They teach that
since the Jewish people have a covenant with God,
they don't need the New Covenant of the Messiah;
or they teach that all religions will get everyone
to Heaven. Little could be farther from the truth!
Very early in human history, our first parents
rebelled against God, and sin and death took control
of humanity. Instead of drawing nearer to God,
Adam and Eve ran away from HaMakor - the Source
of Life. The entire world was now cursed, along
with all mankind; Adam and Eve were exiled from
the Garden of Eden, and forbidden to eat from
the Tree of Life. The whole world (which includes
the Jewish people) remains dead in trespasses
and sins (Ephesians 2:1). The whole world is perishing,
decaying and headed for destruction like a rotten
piece of fruit (John 3:16). Rabbi Paul, the great
theologian sent to the Gentiles, wrote the Church
at Rome that he was not ashamed of the Gospel,
“for it is the power of God for salvation,
to everyone who believes, to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek.” Paul made it
clear that Jewish people not only are not exempt
from the need to receive Yeshua, but in fact the
Good News is supposed to go to us first! Paul
went on to declare that “all who have sinned
without the Law will also perish without the Law,
and all who have sinned under the Law (the Jewish
people) will be judged by the Law... we have already
charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under
sin... for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God” (Romans 2:12, 3:9, 23).
Simon
Peter, one of the leaders of Yeshua’s Emissaries,
standing before the Sanhedrin, declared to the
priests, Torah scholars and rabbis of Israel that
there is salvation in no one other than Yeshua
of Nazareth, and there is no other spiritual reality
anywhere in the universe which can bring us salvation.
It doesn’t get much clearer than that! John,
one of the other Emissaries and Yeshua’s
closest friend, wrote that, “He who
has the Son has the life; he who does not have
the Son of God does not have the life.”
It’s as simple as that. The Son of God Himself
said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life,
and that apart from placing faith in Him, no man
could get to the Father. Rabbi Yeshua said to
a group of Jewish leaders (men who believed in
God, who knew the Torah, who went to the Temple
in Jerusalem and who offered sacrifices), “Unless
you believe that I am He, you shall die in your
sins” (John 8:24). If we could be saved
by Judaism, Messiah Yeshua wouldn’t have
said to a Jewish man like Nicodemus that it wasn't
enough to be born once, even if one was a knowledgeable
or pious rabbi. Even a leading Torah-teacher
like Nicodemus needed to be born again - to undergo
a spiritual rebirth, in order to enter the Kingdom
of Heaven. There are scores of places in the Holy
Scriptures which teach that all of humanity (including
the Jewish people) is utterly lost, and that each
and every Jewish person (along with everyone else),
in order to be saved, must hear and believe the
Good News about the Messiah. Pretending the dying
patient isn’t sick doesn’t help the
patient. Acknowledging that he is sick, and then
administering the appropriate medicine is what
the dying patient needs. Allowing Jewish people
to die without Yeshua is spiritual malpractice
of the highest order!
What about
those who say that Jewish people have never really
heard about the Messiah, or that an anti-Semitic
Jesus was presented to them by a corrupt church?
Ignorance is no excuse. Hosea warned us that “my
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
We are responsible for the information given to
us through Moses and the prophets. Yeshua said,
“They have Moses and the Prophets; let them
hear them (Luke 16:29).” We have the revealed
Word of God, written by our own Jewish prophets,
which clearly points us to Yeshua. Didn’t
Moses specifically promise that God would raise
up another great prophet, like himself, who would
speak the words of God to us, and if we didn’t
listen to that prophet, God would judge us severely
(see Deuteronomy 18:15-19)? The Son of God claimed
that He was written about in our very own Torah!
“The one who accuses you is Moses, in
whom you have set your hope. For if you believed
Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote of Me”
(John 5:45-46). No Jewish person is going to appear
before God and say, “Judge of the whole
Earth, I’m not responsible for not believing
in the Savior you sent to us. I never knew.”
Or, “Master of the universe, I didn’t
like the way Yeshua was presented to me. Besides,
my rabbi told me not to believe in Him, so it’s
not my fault.” These excuses won’t
be accepted! We are responsible for choosing the
spiritual leaders to whom we listen. We are warned
not to listen to false teachers. If the blind
mislead the blind, so that both fall into a pit,
both are responsible.
While
it may be true that much of the Church has presented
a Yeshua that has been stripped of His Jewishness,
many true Christians have also shown us the love
of God, often at great cost to themselves. Besides,
there has also been a remnant of Messianic Jews
in every generation. For example, there were many
Messianic Jews in Poland before World War Two.
I am told that there were four Messianic Synagogues
in Warsaw before the Holocaust, and that there
were many Messianic Jews who were sent to the
concentration camps, who had a Jewish witness
to the reality of Yeshua to their fellow Jews.
There
are some today who teach "Two-Covenant"
theology, the idea that God has one saving covenant
with the Jewish people, and a different saving
covenant with the Church (the New Covenant); therefore
Jewish people don’t need to accept Yeshua,
since He is part of the New Covenant. That’s
terribly wrong! The Messiah and His New Covenant
was presented first to the Jewish people! It was
specifically predicted by the prophet Jeremiah
that the New Covenant was to be made with the
Jewish people (see Jeremiah 31:31-34). While it
is true that the people of Israel have had several
covenants with God (the covenants made with Abraham,
Moses, David, and the New Covenant made with Yeshua),
that does not mean that an individual Jewish person
can reject a covenant and still be saved. The
fact that Israel has a national covenant with
God does not save every individual Jewish person.
After all, not all Israel are Israel. Since the
coming of the Messiah, it is only those Jews who
have welcomed Messiah Yeshua and the New Covenant
who are saved.
There
are certain theological boundaries that distinguish
between orthodoxy and heresy: Inspiration of the
Scriptures, the Trinity, the Deity of Yeshua,
and the sanctity of human life in all of its stages.
The need for all people, including Jewish people,
to personally receive Messiah Yeshua in this life
in order to be saved, is one of those boundaries
that separates orthodoxy from apostasy. Every
true child of God must repudiate any teaching
that crosses this boundary whenever and wherever
it occurs, and call it by its true names: heresy,
apostasy, compromise and cowardice. If your denomination,
pastor or rabbi isn’t teaching the clear
truth from the Word of God on the lostness of
mankind (including the Jewish people), and the
need for all people to accept Messiah Yeshua in
order to experience atonement, forgiveness and
salvation, I would encourage you to bring the
truth to their attention. If they don’t
listen, then seek a new spiritual leader who does
teach the truth.
Congregation
Shema Yisrael
P. O. Box 804
Southfield MI 48037
248-593-5150
Email: Shema777@aol.com
Website: www.shema.com
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