Jews believe Jesus wasn't the messiah. Anyone who believes Jesus is the messiah is not a Jew. The person may have grown up in a Jewish neighborhood, may have been Bar Mitzvahed, may keep Kosher, may support Israel, and the person may eat bagels and lox for breakfast every day, but if the person believes Jesus is the messiah, the person is not Jewish.
No harm no foul. Just trying to set the record straight. For some, Judaism is a cultural thing. To me, it's a religion. That's all.
The person would be a Jewish Christian then wouldn't they? I thought there was a group called Jews for Jesus that do believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
Well, I would disagree that believing Jesus is the Messiah disqualifies you from being Jewish. Because the Jews are the chosen people, with whom God has made some special covenants, being racially Jewish means those covenants God has with you personally. Becoming Christian doesn't extinguish that covenant. That is why Jews for Jesus exists and they don't just forget about their Jewishness when they become Christians.
SC, here’s an interesting radio series from a CBC show called Ideas, which is a great program, btw, that generally deals with issues in depth and is directed at an audience with a high level of education. The series is called The God Who May Be and it talks about free will, interpretation, “the other”, and other interesting things. There are three parts to this that can be downloaded as mp3 files, but do it this week because I think they will be bumped off this page next week. http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/podcast.html I just rechecked and they seem to be gone already, but I did a search and found them on this site as well. http://odeo.com/channel/100897/view There’s some very interesting stuff in this series, and I’m not sure I’m with him on all he says, but I think I need to roll parts of it around in my melon for a while longer in any event. There are lots of tie ins to prominent contemporary philosophers and thinkers and issues and I think it ties in quite closely with much of our discussion. There is a lot of very good Christian material coming out these days, actually. One I've heard lots of good things about but haven’t read yet is Velvet Elvis. I ordered it with another book weeks ago and the other book has been delayed, which has delayed the whole order, but I should get it this month.
No such thing as a "Jewish Christian". "Jews for Jesus" are not Jews. They believe Jesus is the Messiah. That makes them Christians.
Believe what you want. If you studied Judaism at all, you would know the following: 1. There is no such thing as being "racially Jewish". Judaism is a religion, not a race. Race has to do with the color of one's skin. 2. "Jews for Jesus" are not Jews. They may practice Jewish customs, and might even read the Old Testament from time to time, but if they believe Jesus is the Messiah, I can promise you with 100% certainty that they ain't Jewish.
If there is such a thing as Christian blood, and we know that Christianity (like Judaism) is a religion and not a race of people , then yes there is such a thing as Jewish blood. If there is no such thing as Christian blood, or Muslim blood, or Hindu blood for that matter, then no, there is no such thing as Jewish blood. Are you thoroughly confused now? (j/k)
I have a Jewish friend/client who I always tell, "hey...i'm just a gentile trying to worship your God! back in Ireland, they had us bowing down to stones and trees, man!"
From what I understand of my own heritage, Judaism considers beleiving in Jesus as the messiah is the equivalent of idol-worshoping. On the other hand, they tell me that if your mother is Jewish, so are you. I'm not sure if that still applies, though, if you completely disregard one of the most important aspects of Judaism (monotheism).
pehaps they do...i would suggest that without Jesus, I might not know the God they love. i hope those who are Jewish here won't find that offensive..particularly you RocketManTex!!!
As I understand it though... Paul was never "converted" to "Christianity"... He merely accepted Jesus as Messiah, while retaining fully the Jewish faith. Remember Jesus was Jewish... And He claimed to be the Messiah. He practiced in the Synagogues and THE Temple in Jerusalem. He was a Jew. The term "Christians" came years later (well after Saul/Paul accepted Jesus as the Messiah) and would only be applied to non-Jewish bloodlines (gentiles) that also accepted Jesus as the Messiah. (Technically, the term Messiah is only distinctly used in Judaism... so "Savior" -which is the loose translation, is the term used for non-Jewish bloodlines.) Also, the term "Christ" is a Greek word meaning anointed one... the term then "Christian" means Christ-like... or to be an individual that strives to emulate the one known as the anointed one... in this case Jesus of Nazareth, or Jesus (the) Christ. His name was abbreviated over the centuries... it is not a surname given by birth. "Christ" also further indicates (by meaning) the fulfilment of the prophecies found in the Talmud and Torah even that Messiah was to be God's own chosen and anointed one. The literal King of the Jews... and His bloodlines are traceable to King David, father of King Solomon. In simple terms as scholars would say... You're either: a) A Jew who does not accept Jesus as Messiah b) A Jew who does accept Jesus as Messiah. c) A gentile who does not accept Jesus as the Savior (Messiah). d) A gentile who does accept Jesus as the Savior (Messiah). My references come from this man Dr. Randy Weiss... my wife's sister's Father-in-law... Who just happens to be 100% full-blooded Jew, believes Jesus is Messiah, and has been disowned (even memorialized as dead) by his family... hence to them "he is not a Jew" any longer... even though he is. It is possible though. Randy ain't dead, and he is a Jew... as are multiple thousands upon thousands of other Jews that accept Jesus as Messiah. Read that site... http://crosstalk.org/ -It's the real deal. His program is on the INSP network as well. He's a cool laid back guy, btw.
Well, they would say that you actually don't beleive in our God. You beleive in more than one God (Jesus being one of them) which is the equivalent of polytheism which is the equivalent of idol-worshoping, a terrible sin in Judaism. If you beleive in Jesus as the messiah, then you are necessarily violating a core beleif of Judaism, whether or not you happen to be a Jew. So, yes, there can be a "Jew who beleives in Jesus." That Jew just doesn't happen to practice Judaism in any form.
