Messianic Jews

by Jannie

 How Scriptural is a reference to “Messianic Jews”?

Many seem to think there are [can be] “degrees of comparison” in Christianity, whereby the ultimate Christian would be the Jew who has all these Hebrew words, festivals, rituals, and traditions [religion] PLUS the acceptance of the fact that Jesus Christ was the Messiah!  Is this Scriptural?  Does this show a full and accurate knowledge of Jesus Christ (Eph 4:11-15; Rom 10:1-4); and the plan of God revealed in His Word?

Well, Jesus said God is Spirit [not Jewish] – Jn 4:23-24.

“Christ[1]” is from a Greek word that means exactly the same as the Hebrew word “Messiah[2]”, and the same English word is “The Anointed”.  Jews [as a nation, Judaists] reject Jesus as the Messiah; [real, true] Christians accept Jesus came as the Messiah – and follow Him, not Moses (Jn 1:17; 9:28).  The two are diametrically opposed [in the sense of what had to happen for them as opposed to what has happened for us], and can by no means be mixed, let alone be mixed in an attempt to improve Christianity!  This shows a complete lack of understanding of Who Jesus Christ was, is, and has accomplished on His cross for us. Consider the meditations entitled “Mixing Old and New”; “The Gospel”; “The Covenant and the Law”, by the same author.  The Jews has no special dispensation (Jn 14:6; Acts 10:34,35; 11:18; Rom 10:12,13; Gal 2:6,7,14-19; 3:8,28; and so on).

On the mount of transfiguration (Mt 17:1-5; Mk 9:1-7; Lk 9:28-35), Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus.  Moses probably represented The Law and Elijah the prophets, but note that God the Father said, “… Here is my Son, listen to [follow] HIM…”!  Consider also 1 Jn 2:4 (Gal 5:4,18; Heb 1:1-2); Jn 14:6; and so on with the other meditations by this author mentioned above, if you will – and be blessed!

After an honest look at Scripture, you should realize there can be no “Messianic Jews”.  You are either a Jew [in Judaism]; or you are a Christian [in Christ], no other option exists in Truth (Jn 8:32,36); as this was nowhere condoned by Jesus, Paul, or any of the early disciples or scholars; but only in politics today.

The “Messianic Jew” might sound impressive, but exist only in the mind of men, not the mind of Christ.

A few Scriptural facts that might shake your own personal beliefs [ideas adopted from other humans]:

  • Abraham was a Chaldean (Gen 11:27-12:1), and Elijah a Tishbite (1 Kings 17:1), not Israelites (Gen 32:28) or Jews (descendants from Judah).
  • The Jewish feasts, and the law, were given to the Jews [in the desert] to help them so that they could recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah (Rom 9:4-8, this offspring is His Church). Just like you watch the trailer of a film first; or see a [fore] shadow of someone first, before you see the real one – the main feature.  Once you have met the Person, it would be utterly dull to try and fixate [even prefer to focus] on the foreshadow again [instead].  The law had a further purpose – to show their guilt by it (Gal 3).  In other words, to reveal self-righteousness vs God’s righteousness (Phil 3:9); i.e. Law vs  mercy and grace (Jn 1:17); and religion vs a continuous and habitual intimate lasting relationship (Jn 3:3; Rom 12:1-2 with the meditation “The Gospel” on www.gospel-truth.co.za).
  • The curse of the law was also that it excluded all non-Israelites; and even though the Israelites were not interested in a personal relationship with God (Ex 20:19,21); they could just call on Him and be helped, even though they were a wicked and perverse people (Dt 32:5,20; Mt 17:17; 23; 21:43).
  • The Law was intended only to serve from Moses to Jesus Christ (Gal 3:19 Ampl; Lk 16:16).
  • The Jews [not the Romans] crucified Jesus Christ and killed God’s prophets (1 Thess 2:14,15; Jn 19:6-18; Acts 2:22-23; 3:13-15). Be at peace, God does not fall with nations, be His Followers!
  • The kingdom of God is on earth (Lk 12:32; 17:20-21; Jn 3:3); and is for Christians (Mt 21:43)
  • The blessings (Gen 12:3; 22:17) are for the Body Christ [His Church] – Gal 3:16,29; Rom 9:25-26.

Gal 2:4,5 (Ampl) says, “My precaution was because of false brethren (some men who were Christians in name only) who had been secretly smuggled in to the Christian brotherhood; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they may again bring us into bondage under the law of Moses.  To them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might continue to be preserved for you in its purity”.

Paul continues in verse 14, “ But as soon as I saw that they were not straightforward and were not living up to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter before everybody present, If you, though born a Jew, can live as you have been living like a gentile and not a Jew, how do you dare now to urge and practically force the Gentiles to comply with the ritual of Judaism and live like Jews?”

Verse 16, “…  we know that a man is justified or reckoned righteous and in right standing with God not by works of the law, but only by faith and absolute reliance on and adherence to trust in Jesus Christ the Messiah (the Anointed One).  Therefore even we ourselves have believed on Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law [for we cannot be justified by any observance of the ritual of the law given by Moses], because by keeping legal rituals and by works no human being can ever be justified (declared righteous and put in right standing with God)”.  [Ps 143:2].

Verse 19, “For I through the law [under the operation of the curse of the law] have in Christ’s death for me myself died to the law’s demands on me, so that I may [henceforth] live to and for God.”

Gal 3:11-13, “Now it is evident that no person is justified (declared righteous and brought into right standing with God) through the law, for the Scripture says, The man in right standing with God shall live by and out of faith and he Who through and by faith is declared righteous and in right standing with God shall live. [Hab 2:4]  But the law does not rest on faith [does not require faith, has nothing to do with faith], for itself says, He who does them [the things prescribed by the law] shall live by them and not by faith.” [Lev 18:5].  Have you read Gal 5:4,18?  You will do well to do it now, before going further.

Verse 17-19, “ … The Law, which began 430 years after the covenant [concerning the coming Messiah]… For if the inheritance [of the promise depends on observing] the Law [as these false teachers would like you to believe], it no longer depends on the promise;  however, God gave it to Abraham as a free gift solely by virtue of His promise.  What was the purpose of the Law?  It was added [later on, after the promise, to disclose and expose to men their guilt] because of transgressions and to make men more conscious of the sinfulness of sin; and it was intended to be in effect until the Seed (the Descendant described in v 16, the Heir Jesus Christ) should come, to and concerning Whom the promise had been made…”  (My emphasis, from the context).  Read Heb 11:40; 12:1,2,6,7,24-29; Rom 12:2 and choose…

Contemplate Gal 3:26-29; 4:9-12,22-31; 5:2-6; Rom 10:4,12; Jn 5:45; Heb 8:13; 9:8,11,12,26

Observe how both the Jew today, together with the “In crafted Messianic Jew” are both waiting for things to happen that have happened about 2 000 years ago!

Note at Rom 11.  The analogy in Rom 11 is not saying NT Christians must adhere to Jewish laws, feasts and words – Rom 9:5-8,16! It is addressing the haughtiness of one people towards another (Acts 10:34-35).  Note that this applies both ways (Jew to gentile and vice versa)! Contemplate Jesus’ words in Mt 9:16,17; Lk 9:62 (Is 43:18); the Jews in Jn 9:28; and consider Heb 8:13 right up to 10:39 (note Heb 9:8,11-15 with Rom 8:14!).  Carefully consider the other meditations such as “Mixing Old and New” and “The Covenant and The Law” as well to perhaps better understand what the purpose and role was for Jewish feasts.   Also, that the law (10 commandments) was for a specific purpose, for a specific people and only a specific time – Gal 3:19!

Old Testament rituals, laws, ceremonies, tradition [religion]

The Old Covenant (The books Genesis to Malachi and to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John up to where Jesus was crucified and buried – Heb 9:16,17), actually consisted of the following:

  • Accurate history and facts concerning God’s creation and man on earth
  • God’s Word will always stand.
  • A Covenant. Man can break a covenant; but this covenant was about the coming Messiah.
  • Law (The 10 Commandments). It was given unto them [the Jews] for a very specific purpose – Rom 9:4-7; Neh 9:14; Gal 3; 2 Cor 3:6-15.  (Study this further in the meditations mentioned above).

Contemplate Heb 7; taking special note of vs. 11-19,24; 8:7,13; 8:13.  Do you understand Heb 9:8-15?

Then came Jesus Christ.  Then He was crucified as the final offer [Lamb of God], then He was buried; then He was resurrected; then He appeared over 40 days; then He ascended.  The New Testament is about an inheritance and is only valid [implemented] after Jesus was crucified (buried, Heb 9:16,17).

Now read Rom 14:1-23; and Gal 4:1-31.  Hear Jesus in Mt 21:33-45; and Paul [Jesus] in Rom 9:25-26.

What Jesus was saying in Mt 5:17,18 is partly explained in vs. 19-48; and Rom 3:20,23, but with vs. 22,24-27.  Also Phil 3:9; Gal 2:14,16.  So then, let us look at it in different words.

“Yehôvâh” (Ex 6:3; the Jewish national name of God) is a Hebrew word.  The Bible was first written in Greek.  Wherever Kuriŏs the Greek word appears in the NT, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have translated “Kuriŏs” as “Jehovah” some 237 times.  Why would Christians do the same and not use the English translation, or the Greek?  Why the pretense of using “the original” with English letters?  God bestows absolutely no special favor for usage of Hebrew names, or following Hebrew traditions.  As a matter of fact, the nine Jewish feasts were given [in groups of three] to them [the Jews] in the desert so that they could recognize Jesus as the Messiah when He came.  Yet, as Jesus was fulfilling the prophecies and law, so were the Jews fulfilling the prophecy that they would reject Jesus as the Christ [Messiah]!

Why would you want to go back to the fore shadow once you have met the person (Lk 9:62)?  Can you see how dull it is to try and follow Jewish festivals and traditions to try and win favor with God after Jn 19:30; Heb 7:25; 4:14-16; 8:13; 10:14; 1 Tim 2:5; Gal 5:4,18?  We could go on, but suffice for now to ponder the Scriptures above; and then perhaps agree that the bottom line is that there are only two kinds of righteousness, and only one who stands before God (Phil 3:9).  Jesus Christ is your righteousness, or not.  There is no room for anything else, not Moses, not Jews [who reject Jesus, see 1 Jn 4:1-4; 2 Jn 1:7-11], not the self.

There is only One Whose right it is – Jesus Christ (Ez 21:27).  Are you in Him?

Consider reading the meditations entitled “Israel-Racism”; also the meditations entitled “Church” by the author. God nominated a church where Christ is the Head, and men de-nominated this.  Let us be free from eating from that tree of self-righteousness that bears no real fruit in His Spirit!

Go for Mk 11:23-25; Eph 4:12-17; 1:3-23!  Believe Heb 8:13; do you realize Heb 9:8?

With an open spirit, honestly contemplate Rom 9:20-33; Gal 4:1-7,21-31; and 1 Pet 1:18 – 2:10.[Consider reading also the KJV and Amplified versions].

From the Bible, answer the following questions:

  • Is God the Father [the Source of Righteousness] a racist? (Jn 1:1-5,9-17; 3:12-19; Acts 4:12; 10:34-45; Eph 2:13-22; 1 Cor 3:11; etc.)
  • Even if God favored Jews (Judah only?), what would it benefit you to use their language, festivals, rituals? Ponder Rev 3:9? (Jn 14:6-24; 17:3; Acts 4:12; 2 Tim 2:19-26)
  • Why (for what) would God Almighty pay with His Blood in a human body, on that cross at Golgotha (if some people are saved by their own blood[line] despite them not following Christ – 1 Jn 2:4)?
  • Does God want their synagogue to be re-built? (Acts 7:48; 26:16-18; Mt 6:5; 12:6-9; 23:1-39; Jn 2:19-22; 22,28; 2 Cor 6:14-18; Rev 2:9; 3:9; 21:22-27)
  • What does the following mean: Heb 8:13; 9:1,8-28; 10:1-14-23?
  • How can some people clinging to a [semi, half-baked] Jewish doctrine stubbornly insist on calling God “Father” but in fact deny that Jesus = God (Jn 1:12,13; 5:23; 8:18,19; 10:30;14:6,7,10,23,24; Col 1:15-21; Gal 1:6-9)?
  • You are waiting for peace in Jerusalem? (Jn 16:1-4,33; Rom 3:9-20,24-30; 5:1-3; 13:14; 14:17,18; Eph 2:13-16; Phil 4:6-8; Col 3:15-17). What about in your heart (Lk 2:14; Col 1:20; Jn 16:9)?
  • Contemplate Jer 6:14-16 with Eph 2 and Rom 8; Jer 8:3-13 with 1 Thess 5; and about Judah in Is 57:15-21 with Mt 3:6-13,17; Ez 13:8-14 with Mt 23:27.

May you find Truth, peace and joy in Jesus Christ, our eternal Lord.

Amen.

[1] Μεσσίας; Χρστός (Christŏs)

[2] משיח (mâshîyach); and yes, “Jesus” is Greek for “Joshua” (Mt 1:21), meaning “Savior”.  Do you have a problem with His Name?  Try Jn 10:27-30 (note v 31-39; also 1 Pet 2:1-10; Gal 3:16,19,25-29; Rom 9:24-27,30-33; 10:9-13; etc.).