If one wanted to find the most condensed review of the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Jews, I recommend starting at the eighth chapter of the Gospel according to Saint John.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Jesus is talking to “Jews.” However you define the term, “Jew,” this passage is book ended in verse 31 and verse 57 with term “Jew.” If those people calling themselves Jews in our current era take upon themselves the identity of “Jew,” then it is upon them to either denounce their identity as a Jew or shoulder Christ’s words to the Jew. If current Jews are the descendants of converts to Judaism (Matthew 23:15) they are “twice the sons of hell” as the original Pharisees.
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
These Jews claim to be of the seed of Abraham — biological descendants of Abraham. But not all the children of Abraham are the chosen people, even in the direct biological sense. Ishmael was the seed of Abraham, but he was not the father of the chosen people. Esau (and the Edomites) were the biological descendants of Abraham, but they were absolutely rejected by God — for it says “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” This claim to be offspring an Abraham is no claim to a special status except in their own minds. Note that they make no claim of being the children of Jacob, the sons of Israel. It is said that Herod was, in fact, an Edomite whose ancestors got circumcised and converted to the “traditions” of the Pharisees. The Pharisees are the spiritual forefathers of today’s Talmudic Rabbis — the keepers of the torch of Judaism which denies the Father and the Son.
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commiteth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Jesus acknowledges that the “Jews” he spoke wither were indeed the biological descendants of Abraham, but that is a huge swath of peoples, not all of which are Sons of Israel. Now, no doubt some were of the biological descent of Jacob/Israel. For example, we know that Saint Paul was a Benjamin — a descendant of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. And we know that Paul was extraordinarily loyal to the “teaching of the elders.” Religiously he was a Jew and biologically a son of Judah and geographically though born in Tarsus he lived in Jerusalem. Complicated, yes? Yet let the Scripture be the guide — they Bible calls them “Jews.” …
Read More Read More