There is no spiritual gift called "the gift of tongues".

[Truthnightmare]

Romans 11​

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Easy-to-Read Version​

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God Has Not Forgotten His People​

11 So I ask, “Did God force his people to leave him?” Of course not. I myself am an Israelite. I am from the family of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God chose the Israelites to be his people before they were born. And he did not force them to leave. Surely you know what the Scriptures say about Elijah. The Scriptures tell about Elijah praying to God against the people of Israel. He said, 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I am the only prophet still living, and they are trying to kill me now.”[a] 4 But what answer did God give to Elijah? God said, “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have never given worship to Baal.”[b]
5 It is the same now. God has chosen a few people by his grace. 6 And if he chose them by grace, then it is not what they have done that made them his people. If they could be made his people by what they did, his gift of grace would not really be a gift.
7 So this is what has happened: The people of Israel wanted God’s blessing, but they did not all get it. The people he chose did get his blessing, but the others became hard and refused to listen to him. 8 As the Scriptures say,
“God caused the people to fall asleep.”
“God closed their eyes so that they could not see,
and he closed their ears so that they could not hear.
This continues until now.”
9 And David says,
“Let those people be caught and trapped at their own feasts.
Let them fall and be punished.
10 Let their eyes be closed so that they cannot see.
And let them be troubled forever.”
11 So I ask: When the Jews fell, did that fall destroy them? No! But their mistake brought salvation to those who are not Jews. The purpose of this was to make the Jews jealous. 12 Their mistake brought rich blessings to the world. And what they lost brought rich blessings to the non-Jewish people. So surely the world will get much richer blessings when enough Jews become the kind of people God wants.
13 Now I am speaking to you people who are not Jews. I am an apostle to the non-Jewish people. So while I have that work, I will do the best I can. 14 I hope I can make my own people jealous. That way, maybe I can help some of them to be saved. 15 God turned away from the Jews. When that happened, he became friends with the other people in the world. So when he accepts the Jews, it will be like bringing people to life after death. 16 If the first piece of bread is offered to God, then the whole loaf is made holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, the tree’s branches are holy too.
17 It is as if some of the branches from an olive tree have been broken off, and the branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to that first tree. If you are not a Jew, you are the same as that wild branch, and you now share the strength and life of the first tree. 18 But don’t act as if you are better than those branches that were broken off. You have no reason to be proud of yourself, because you don’t give life to the root. The root gives life to you. 19 You might say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be joined to their tree.” 20 That is true. But those branches were broken off because they did not believe. And you continue to be part of the tree only because you believe. Don’t be proud, but be afraid. 21 If God did not let the natural branches of that tree stay, he will not let you stay if you stop believing.
22 So you see that God is kind, but he can also be very strict. He punishes those who stop following him. But he is kind to you, if you continue trusting in his kindness. If you don’t continue depending on him, you will be cut off from the tree. 23 And if the Jews will believe in God again, he will accept them back. He is able to put them back where they were. 24 It is not natural for a wild branch to become part of a good tree. But you non-Jewish people are like a branch cut from a wild olive tree. And you were joined to a good olive tree. But those Jews are like a branch that grew from the good tree. So surely they can be joined to their own tree again.
25 I want you to understand this secret truth, brothers and sisters. This truth will help you understand that you don’t know everything. The truth is this: Part of Israel has been made stubborn, but that will change when enough non-Jewish people have come to God. 26 And that is how all Israel will be saved. The Scriptures say,
“The Savior will come from Zion;
he will take away all evil from the family of Jacob.
27 And I will make this agreement with those people
when I take away their sins.”
28 The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so they are God’s enemies. This has happened to help you who are not Jews. But they are still God’s chosen people, and he loves them because of the promises he made to their ancestors. 29 God never changes his mind about the people he calls. He never decides to take back the blessings he has given them. 30 At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received mercy, because the Jews refused to obey. 31 And now they are the ones who refuse to obey, because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they can also receive mercy from him. 32 All people have refused to obey God. And he has put them all together as people who don’t obey him so that he can show mercy to everyone.

Praise to God​

33 Yes, God’s riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand his ways. 34 As the Scriptures say,
“Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind?
Who is able to give him advice?”
35 “Who has ever given God anything?
God owes nothing to anyone.”
36 Yes, God made all things. And everything continues through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.

Footnotes​

1. Romans 11:3 Quote from 1 Kings 19:10, 14.
2. Romans 11:4 Quote from 1 Kings 19:18.

I believe we all have a different understanding of what a Jew is. Which makes it a bit difficult to discuss… Israelites and Jews seem to be very different…

 

[St. SteVen]

A translation is never a substitute for the original.

Well said.
The church needs to hear that.

Bibliolatry: Worship/knowledge of the book MORE than the author

Majority Text vs. Critical Text vs. Textus Receptus – Textual Criticism 101 ​

Majority Text vs. Critical Text vs. Textus Receptus - Textual Criticism 101 - Berean Patriot

/

 

[MA2444]

Jesus assured the Israelite religious leaders that their religion is cut off( Matt 23:38) in verse 39 God left the door open to them, they refuse to this day.

Romans 11:
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”[a]

4 And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”[b]

5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel[c] have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. 6 And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.../KJV

You were saying?

 

[St. SteVen]

The basic meaning of the Greek ekklēsia is assembly or gathering. In ordinary Greek it most often refers to the citizens of a city gathering to decide political issues and less frequently to an assembly of the devotees of a god.

‘Gathering’ works as a gloss in every usage in the New Testament and is much better than the traditional ‘church,’ because the modern meaning of church does not align with the ancient Greek. ‘Church’ is an ecclesial word, while ‘gathering’ is neutral. Ekklēsia is not a religious word.

Here's something interesting. (I think)
What Greek word is translated from what Jesus said about building his "church"? ἐκκλησίαν (ekklēsian)
Also note the definite article. (the) As if to say, I will build my the church...



/

 

[Davy]

Under God there is one religion from the OT that had God, today it is called Jewish--but today they do not have God.

Wrong again, all you are doing is quoting the Jew's traditions which 'they' created, and not what your Old Testament Bible teaches.

What Apostle Paul called "the Jew's religion" is what the Jews call Judaism, which if you think for yourself according to The New Testament, Judaism was what Lord Jesus was rebuking with the scribes and Pharisees. Likewise Apostle Paul rebuked the same, even after having been a follower of Judaism as a Pharisee before Jesus converted Paul on the road to Damascus.

The religion of Judaism started during the Jew's Babylon captivity. That only involved the 3 tribes of Judah, which is where the title of Jew came from, and Benjamin, and Levi. That is when the old Hebrew characters were replaced with block Hebrew characters used today, and when the Babylonian Talmud sage writings became the main model for the religion of Judaism, not The Old Testament.

Jesus speaking to the scribes and Pharisees who wanted Him dead...

John 5:44-47
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?
KJV

John 7:19
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill Me?
KJV

 

[Davy]

From Moses on up, Gods chosen religion were Israelites, called Jewish. Yes prostelytes were allowed into Gods chosen religion in the OT.

Again, nothing but malarkey, as the Jew's later FALSE religion after they STOPPED following the law of Moses was called Judaism.

When the Jews of the southern "kingdom of Judah" (3 tribes only, Judah, Benjamin, and Levi) did proper old covenant worship and followed the law of Moses, that was only BEFORE they went captive to Babylon by king Nebuchadnezzar.

By the time of Nebuchadnezzar conquering Jerusalem-Judea, the Jews had FALLEN AWAY from God into FALSE WORSHIP just like the ten northern tribes of Israel had done with their false BAAL worship, and God had scattered the majority of Israelites of the ten tribes FIRST!

By the time of the Jew's captivity to Babylon, the ten northern tribes of Israel WERE ALREADY GONE, NO LONGER IN THE LAND! And the ten tribes made up the MAJORITY of Israelites.

Judaism doesn't follow Moses, they follow the philosophical sage writings in their BABYLONIAN TALMUD, a group of CORRUPT writings.

John 5:44-47
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?
KJV

John 7:19
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill Me?
KJV

 

[Davy]

Under God there is one religion from the OT that had God, today it is called Jewish--but today they do not have God.

FALSE.

The Jews today follow JUDAISM, which is NOT... the original religion which the children of Israel followed under the Old Testament. You are simply pushing a LIE from the Jews.

So if Judaism is what you 'think' is the true religion, then it sounds like you must think Christianity is false?

 

[Davy]

Spiritual Israel( religion) is now Gods chosen, not literal Israel( religion)

FALSE AGAIN!

You obviously have never read Jeremiah 31 where God promised that the SEED of the nation of Israel would NEVER cease from being a nation...

Jer 31:35-36
35 Thus saith the LORD, Which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is His name:

36 If those ordinances depart from before Me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me for ever.
KJV

You definitely need to study your Bible instead of listening to a bunch of country preachers that only make up stuff.

 

[Davy]

That is error. Mistranslated by the great apostasy to fit false council teaching of God being a trinity.

The Godhead IS... TRIUNE, meaning THREE PERSONS. I'm surprised you cannot count...
God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit = THREE as ONE GODHEAD, as written in God's Word of Truth!

Those who follow the tradition that Jesus of Nazareth is not God, are the UNBELIEVING JEWS, which as a majority today are still spiritually BLINDED by God away from The Gospel of Jesus Christ. So why in the world would anyone CLAIMING to be a CHRISTIAN want to follow them?

 

[Keiw]

Nope, already covered major theology

Well then you failed. 1Cor 1:10= a true mark of Jesus' 1 religion.==What don't you understand about-no division?

 

[Keiw]

When were they cut off?

Jesus told them off at Matt 23--verse 38--your house abandoned to you unless they do verse 39--they have refused to this day. They kept on condemning Jesus followers after his death, they killed the apostles then the followers were being murdered( some by Rome)

 

[Keiw]

The word in the New Testament was also used to refer to any assembly of people. In his address to the Sanhedrin, Stephen calls the people of Israel “the assembly [ekklesia] in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). And in Acts 19:39, ekklesia refers to a convening of citizens to discuss legal matters. However, in most contexts, the word ekklesia is used to refer to the people who comprise the New Testament church.


Translations can obscure things instead of revealing them. Today I want to tackle the word ‘church’ that we find in Paul’s letters.

An Italian proverb says, to translate is to betray (traduttore, traditore). This is even more true when translations become traditional, fixed, and sacred. People can think that a translation is the original. A translation is never a substitute for the original.

In modern English the noun ‘church’ has a range of meanings. It primarily refers to a building for public worship, while at other times it is synonymous with Christianity, in the sense of the church universal. Finally, it can mean a denomination. Significantly, none of these meanings correspond to the Greek word ekklēsia, traditionally translated ‘church.’

In the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, the Greek ekklēsia translates the Hebrew קְהַ֖ל (qahal), which means ‘assembly’ or ‘gathering.’ Judges 20:2 illustrates this meaning:

And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand men on foot that drew the sword.

New Testament usage follows the Septuagint.

The basic meaning of the Greek ekklēsia is assembly or gathering. In ordinary Greek it most often refers to the citizens of a city gathering to decide political issues and less frequently to an assembly of the devotees of a god.

‘Gathering’ works as a gloss in every usage in the New Testament and is much better than the traditional ‘church,’ because the modern meaning of church does not align with the ancient Greek. ‘Church’ is an ecclesial word, while ‘gathering’ is neutral. Ekklēsia is not a religious word.
...

Should "Ekklēsia" Really Be Translated as "Church"? | Bible and Beyond

Brandon Scott explains how the word ‘ekklēsia’ (Greek translation of קְהַ֖ל) in the Bible is mistranslated, obscuring its real meaning.

earlychristiantexts.com

syn·a·gogue
/ˈsinəˌɡäɡ/
noun

1. the building where a Jewish assembly or congregation meets for religious worship and instruction.
   • a Jewish assembly or congregation.

Yes the real translating is congregation, not church. But it wasn't to the synagogues in Revelation.

 

[Keiw]

Romans 11:
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.

2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”[a]

4 And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”[b]

5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel[c] have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. 6 And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.../KJV

You were saying?

God rejects all who won't do verse Matt 23:39-- And the Jewish religion refuses. Any Israelite or Gentile can come to Jesus true religion.

 

[Keiw]

Again, nothing but malarkey, as the Jew's later FALSE religion after they STOPPED following the law of Moses was called Judaism.

When the Jews of the southern "kingdom of Judah" (3 tribes only, Judah, Benjamin, and Levi) did proper old covenant worship and followed the law of Moses, that was only BEFORE they went captive to Babylon by king Nebuchadnezzar.

By the time of Nebuchadnezzar conquering Jerusalem-Judea, the Jews had FALLEN AWAY from God into FALSE WORSHIP just like the ten northern tribes of Israel had done with their false BAAL worship, and God had scattered the majority of Israelites of the ten tribes FIRST!

By the time of the Jew's captivity to Babylon, the ten northern tribes of Israel WERE ALREADY GONE, NO LONGER IN THE LAND! And the ten tribes made up the MAJORITY of Israelites.

Judaism doesn't follow Moses, they follow the philosophical sage writings in their BABYLONIAN TALMUD, a group of CORRUPT writings.

John 5:44-47
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?
KJV

John 7:19
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill Me?
KJV

None who won't accept Jesus has Gods approval. yet 99% of all the religions claiming to be Christian aren't in reality.

 

[Keiw]

FALSE.

The Jews today follow JUDAISM, which is NOT... the original religion which the children of Israel followed under the Old Testament. You are simply pushing a LIE from the Jews.

So if Judaism is what you 'think' is the true religion, then it sounds like you must think Christianity is false?

I don't think Judaism is Jesus' religion. 1 single religion called Christian is, the other 99% claiming to be Christian are false-Lead by these-2Cor 11:12-15) religionsssssssssssss.

 

[Keiw]

FALSE AGAIN!

You obviously have never read Jeremiah 31 where God promised that the SEED of the nation of Israel would NEVER cease from being a nation...

Jer 31:35-36
35 Thus saith the LORD, Which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is His name:

36 If those ordinances depart from before Me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me for ever.
KJV

You definitely need to study your Bible instead of listening to a bunch of country preachers that only make up stuff.

They are a nation, Yet they reject Jesus= they lose.

 

[Keiw]

The Godhead IS... TRIUNE, meaning THREE PERSONS. I'm surprised you cannot count...
God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit = THREE as ONE GODHEAD, as written in God's Word of Truth!

Those who follow the tradition that Jesus of Nazareth is not God, are the UNBELIEVING JEWS, which as a majority today are still spiritually BLINDED by God away from The Gospel of Jesus Christ. So why in the world would anyone CLAIMING to be a CHRISTIAN want to follow them?

Jesus answers you--John 17:3--This means eternal life, their knowing you( Father) THE ONLY TRUE GOD and the one whom you sent forth Jesus Christ.= The only true God sent another, he did not come down here.
Centuries ago satan started-2Thess 2:3,They held councils and came up with many false things like God being a trinity. Its recorded history, No trinity was served by any follower of the true God prior to the holy spirit being added in 381 ce at the council of Constantinople. Catholocism's own encyclopedia says no trinity was served prior to that. It says the apostolic Fathers knew 0 of God being a trinity.
It is satan in his house divided( hundreds of trinity religions) that will not stand. Misleading billions into breaking Gods #1 commandment daily by serving that non existent trinity. Jesus has backing-1Cor 8:6--There is ONE GOD to all=the FATHER.

 

[The Learner]

Well then you failed. 1Cor 1:10= a true mark of Jesus' 1 religion.==What don't you understand about-no division?

I already answered that friend, it has to do with cliques within a congregation, assembly.

a narrow exclusive circle or group of persons
especially : one held together by common interests, views, or purposes
high school cliques

Definition of CLIQUE

a narrow exclusive circle or group of persons; especially : one held together by common interests, views, or purposes… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

 

[The Learner]

Jesus told them off at Matt 23--verse 38--your house abandoned to you unless they do verse 39--they have refused to this day. They kept on condemning Jesus followers after his death, they killed the apostles then the followers were being murdered( some by Rome)

"Rome" was not the Church, Both Peter and Paul were there.

A little well known History from primary source:

Pliny to the Emperor Trajan​

It is my practice, my lord, to refer to you all matters concerning which I am in doubt. For who can better give guidance to my hesitation or inform my ignorance? I have never before participated in trials of Christians, so I do not know what offenses are to be punished or investigated, or to what extent. And I have been not a little hesitant as to whether there should be any distinction on account of age, or no difference recognized between the very young and the more mature. Is pardon to be granted for repentance, or if a man has once been a Christian is it irrelevant whether he has ceased to be one? Is the name itself to be punished, even without offenses, or only the offenses perpetrated in connection with the name?

Meanwhile, in the case of those who were denounced to me as Christians, I have followed the following procedure: I interrogated them as to whether they were Christians; those who confessed I interrogated a second and a third time, threatening them with punishment; those who persisted I ordered executed. For I had no doubt that, whatever the nature of their creed, stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy surely deserve to be punished. There were others possessed of the same folly; but because they were Roman citizens, I signed an order for them to be transferred to Rome.

Soon accusations spread because of these proceedings, as usually happens, and several incidents occurred. An anonymous document was published containing the names of many persons. Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and also cursed Christ – none of which those who are really Christians can, it is said, be forced to do — these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some three years before, others many years, some as much as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ. They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to do some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food — but ordinary and innocent food.

Even this, they affirmed, they had ceased to do after my edict by which, in accordance with your instructions, I had forbidden political associations. Accordingly, I judged it all the more necessary to find out what the truth was by torturing two female slaves who were called deaconesses. But I discovered nothing else but depraved, excessive superstition. I therefore postponed the investigation and hastened to consult you. For the matter seemed to me to warrant consulting you, especially because of the number involved. For many persons of every age, every rank, and also of both sexes are and will be endangered. For the contagion of this superstition has spread not only to the cities but also to the villages and farms. But it seems possible to check and cure it.

It is certainly quite clear that the temples, which had been almost deserted, have begun to be frequented, that the established religious rites, long neglected, are being resumed, and that from everywhere sacrificial animals are coming, for which until now very few purchasers could be found. Hence it is easy to imagine what a multitude of people can be reformed if an opportunity for repentance is afforded.

Trajan to Pliny​

You observed proper procedure, my dear Pliny, in sifting the cases of those who had been denounced to you as Christians. For it is not possible to lay down any general rule to serve as a kind of fixed standard. They are not to be sought out; if they are denounced and proved guilty, they are to be punished, with this reservation, that whoever denies that he is a Christian and really proves it — that is, by worshiping our gods — even though he was under suspicion in the past, shall obtain pardon through repentance. But anonymously posted accusations ought to have no place in any prosecution. For this is both a dangerous kind of precedent and out of keeping with the spirit of our age.

Pliny’s Letter to Trajan | Christian History Institute

Christian History Institute (CHI) provides church history resources and self-study material and publishes the quarterly Christian History Magazine. Our aim is to make Christian history enjoyable and applicable to the widest possible audience.

christianhistoryinstitute.org

 

[The Learner]

I don't think Judaism is Jesus' religion.

In What Ways Did Jesus Live As A Jew? - Chosen People Ministries

We can assess the Jewishness of Jesus by His relationship to the people of His day, by His relationship to the Jewish religion, and by His relationship with

www.chosenpeople.com

Was Jesus a Jew or a Christian? And Does it Matter

“Was Jesus a Jew? Or was Jesus a Christian?” These are the first two questions I pose when leading workshops on the Jewish roots of Christianity. About half the hands go up for Jewish. More go up for Christian. Several for both. A few aren’t sure how to respond. How would you respond? Does it...

rebekahsimonpeter.com

The biblical record sets out the facts: Jesus Christ is “the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). When the angel Gabriel announced Jesus’ birth, he spoke of Jesus’ having “the throne of his father David” and of His “reign over Jacob’s descendants forever” (Luke 1:32–33). In writing of Jesus’ unique priesthood, the author of Hebrews says, “It is clear that our Lord descended from Judah” (Hebrews 7:14). Judah was a son of Jacob, and it’s from his name that we get the word Jew. Mary’s genealogy, in Luke chapter 3, shows that the mother of Jesus was a direct descendant of King David, giving Jesus the legal right to the Jewish throne and establishing without a doubt that Jesus was a Jew by descent.

The biblical record also presents Jesus as living a Jewish lifestyle and keeping the Jewish law. He was reared in a Jewish home, and Jesus’ parents were careful to do all that the law required of them (Luke 2:39). In His ministry, Jesus often taught in synagogues (Matthew 13:54; Luke 6:6; John 18:20), and even in the temple (Luke 21:37). In His teaching, Jesus pointed to the Law and the Prophets as authoritative (Matthew 5:17; 12:5; Mark 10:19), He taught others to keep the law (Matthew 23:1–3), and He Himself observed the commandments. Jesus identified with the religion of the Jews and was considered a rabbi (John 1:38; 6:25), although He strongly rejected the pharisaical reinterpretation of that religion.

As a Jew, Jesus observed Passover (John 2:13), the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2, 10), and Hanukkah, (John 10:22). Jesus was called the King of the Jews (Mark 15:2).

The Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament was a Jewish savior, one chosen by God for a special purpose. The Messiah was to serve God by redeeming Israel and then ruling from Zion, bringing peace, righteousness, and security to Israel (see Isaiah 9:6—7; 32:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 9:9). Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, the Son of David sent to the Jews, and in His earthly ministry He focused on “the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). But in His death and resurrection, Jesus secured salvation for all who would trust in Him, regardless of their nationality or background. The Jewish Messiah became the worldwide Savior (Ephesians 2:11–22).

Was Jesus a Jew? | GotQuestions.org

Was Jesus a Jew? Was Jesus a Jew religiously? Was Jesus a Jew ethnically?

www.gotquestions.org

He was born in the Jewish town of Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth. Jesus was fully immersed in Jewish culture, nationality, and religion.

Jesus practiced the religion of first-century Judaism. He was “born under the law” (Galatians 4:4) and grew up learning the Torah and following its precepts. He perfectly obeyed the Mosaic Law—all the commandments, ordinances, and feasts (Hebrews 4:14–16). He not only obeyed the Law; He fulfilled it and brought its requirements to a close (Matthew 5:17–18; Romans 10:4).

Jesus and His disciples observed the Passover (John 2:13, 23; Luke 22:7–8) and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2, 10). He kept an unnamed Jewish feast in John 5:1. He attended worship services and taught in synagogues (Mark 1:21; 3:1; John 6:59; 18:20). He advised others to observe the Law of Moses and offer sacrifices (Mark 1:44). He promoted respect for the Law as it was being taught by the scribes and Pharisees of His day (Matthew 23:1–3). He quoted the Tanakh often (e.g., Mark 12:28–31; Luke 4:4, 8, 12). In all of this, Jesus showed that His religion was Judaism.

As Jesus spoke to a group of Jews, He issued a bold challenge to them: “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?” (John 8:46). If Jesus had in any way departed from the religious observances of Judaism, His enemies would have immediately seized this opportunity to condemn Him. As it was, Jesus had a knack for silencing His critics (Matthew 22:46).

Jesus had many harsh words for the leaders within His own religion. It’s important to remember that Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees (Matthew 23) was not a condemnation of the Law or of the Judaism of the day. Jesus’ denunciations of hypocrites, corrupt officials, and the self-righteous were in sharp contrast to His commendation of those who were devout before God and lived out their faith honestly (see Luke 21:1–4). Jesus spoke out against certain religious leaders because “they teach man-made ideas as commands from God” (Matthew 15:9, NLT). On two occasions, Jesus cleared the temple of thieving, rapacious sinners (John 2:14–17; Matthew 21:12–13). These actions were not designed to destroy Judaism but to purify it.

Jesus was an observant Jew who perfectly followed the Law. His death brought an end to the Old Covenant God had made with Israel—shown in the tearing of the temple veil (Mark 15:38)—and established the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). The early church was rooted in Judaism and Jewish messianism, and the earliest believers in Christ were mostly Jews. But as the believers proclaimed the risen Jesus as the Messiah, the unbelieving Jews rejected them, and they were forced to make a clean break from Judaism (see Acts 13:45–47).

Jesus was the Messiah that the Jews had been anticipating. He was born into the religion of Judaism, fulfilled the Jewish religion, and, when His own rejected Him, He gave His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. His blood ratified the New Covenant, and, soon after His death, Judaism lost its temple, its priesthood, and its sacrifices.

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