Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: tom@dvnspc1.dev.unisys.com (Tom Albrecht) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Messianic Judaism Message-ID: Date: 13 May 91 06:03:00 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Unisys Corporation, Devon, PA Lines: 56 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu The original to which I am responding appeared in soc.culture.jewish. My comments are more appropriately directed to this forum. In article <1991May8.055514.4350@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> you write: > > MESSIANIC JUDAISM ______ WHAT IS IT? > > MESSIANIC JUDAISM is the belief that Yeshua is the redeemer spoken of >in the Tenach [O.T.]. That He is the Messiah for whom our Jewish people >all over the world, and throughout history have been waiting for. > ... > Most Messianic Jews refrain from calling themselves "Christians", >which is Greek terminology. They prefer more Hebraic terms, such as >"Messianic Jews". The first use of the term Christian was in Antioch, >among the Gentile believers (Acts 11:26). ... At least the term "Christian" is biblical. "Messianic Jew" is not. Such a term makes an unwarranted distinction between Jew and Gentile in direct contradiction to Ephesian 2:14-16. Messianic Judaism is a cultic expression that attempts to isolate believers in the Lord Jesus along nationalistic/racial lines. The NT is clear in pointing out that such distinction no longer exists. The Antioch church, the Christian church, contained both Jew and Gentile. In fact, the first converts were from among the Jews (Acts 11:19ff). So you are quite incorrect in saying that "Christian" is a "Greek" term. For it was applied to both Jews and Gentiles in the early church. It was often a point of persecution by the unbelieving Jews against the Jewish Christians (cf. Rev. 2:9). Messianic Judaism has a defected view of the person and work of Jesus Christ, and the character of the people of God. By their insistence on observing the ceremonial/cultural laws of Moses as a continued religious distinctive, they show how they fail to understand the temporary nature of the Old Covenant signs and symbols. Much of the book of Hebrews is directed against such a position. It makes the point that all the Old Covenant customs not related to the moral attributes of God, the temple services, the priesthood, food, etc., were temporary types of the ultimate work of Jesus Christ. One Jesus, the divine Anti-type, had appeared, the types were no longer necessary. Christianity quickly lost it Judaistic character in order to fulfill Christ's command to "disciple all nations." (Matt. 28:19) Because of their return to Old Covenant ceremonies, I would submit that "Messianic Jews" are inadequately prepared to fulfill that command. I would respectfully suggest the reason most Jews find Christianity "unpalatable" today is the same reason many found it unpalatable during the time of Christ, i.e., it is contrary to the "tradition of the elders." (Matt. 15:2; Mark 7:3; Col. 2:8). Modern Judaism is Talmud Judaism, based on a tradition quite separate from the Word of God. Attempting to become more like Talmudic Jews will not help Christians win converts from among the Jewish people, or the nations for that matter. -- Tom Albrecht