A CLOSER LOOK AT CHRISTIANS AND JEWS

Krister Stendahl stated a long time ago: “Our vision is often more abstracted by what we think we know than by our lack of knowledge.” *

Krister Stendahl, eminent ecumenist, New Testament scholar, former bishop of Stockholm and dean of the Harvard Divinity School was best known in the wider ecumenical movement for his attempts to bring Christians together at the ecumenical table, he challenged them to see the beauty and value in other religious traditions. His contribution to Christian self-understanding amidst religious plurality, particularly with regard to Jewish-Christian relations was exceptional. He coined the now famous term "holy envy" to describe the proper attitude of interreligious dialogue partners who see in the others' faith a spiritual richness that is not available in one's own.

For most of my life, dating back to Sunday School teachings, I was under the impression that the difference between Christians and Jews was that Judaism does not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Therefore all holidays that have a connection to the life of Jesus are not part of Jewish life and/or practice (Christmas, Easter, Lent, Advent, Palm Sunday, etc.).

Until recently that has been the extent of it.

An interest in biblical translations from the original Hebrew, however, has given me a  surprisingly new perspective on the matter.

With the notion that most modern Christ-followers mistakenly think that the New Testament states that the Jewish people rejected Jesus, one has to wonder if our reading of the New Testament itself is always accurate?

The foundational proof text for the idea of the “Jews rejecting Jesus” comes from the traditional misreading of the Gospel of John, where in translation from the original Koine Judeo-Greek we read: “He came unto His own, but his own received him not.” (John 1:11).

The standard interpretation equates “his own” with first-century people of the Jewish religion; thus making two basic interpretive mistakes. First, it ignores the grammar of the original – the first “own” is neuter (τὰ ἴδια), but second “own” is masculine (οἱ ἴδιοι). This indicates that at least the first “his own” cannot possibly refer to the Jews! The second mistake ignores the fact that the word (Ἰουδαῖοι) used in John’s Gospel, translated traditionally as “Jews” back then did not mean “people of the Jewish religion” as it does today. The primary meaning of this word was “Judeans” or even “the leaders of the Judean region.”

The New Testament acknowledges that there was a veil placed upon Israel for the spiritual benefit of other nations (reminiscent of the veil that was once placed on Moses’ face). But the New Testament never claims that “the Jews rejected Jesus.”

The question that bothers Apostle Paul is “why don’t all Jews believe in Jesus”? He formulated the issue as follows: “Did God reject His people?”

A very clear answer follows: He absolutely did  not! … at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. (Romans 11:1,5)

11 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

So then, the all-important difference between Christianity and Judaism is the Person of Jesus Christ. Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies of a coming Messiah/Savior. Judaism we find often recognizes Jesus as a good teacher, and perhaps even a prophet of God, while denying that He was God or that a sacrifice for our sins was necessary.

I am left asking myself, “How many other interpretive mistakes am I making because I don’t have a full understanding of the Jewish background of Scripture?” I'm attempting to remedy that situation through further and deeper study, putting aside traditional understanding of the Gospel of John and ideally replacing it with another one more faithful to the original text perspective.

After all, the Jews have been in this religious business much longer that we Christians. 

POST NOTE: When Paul wrote in Romans about the sinfulness of humanity or the power of God’s grace to miraculously and completely change lives, he knew that of which he spoke. It was played out before his eyes every day. His letter to the Romans stands as the clearest and most systematic presentation of Christian doctrine in all the Scriptures. Paul began by discussing that which is most easily observable in the world—the sinfulness of all humanity. All people have been condemned due to our rebellion against God. However, God in His grace offers us justification by faith in His Son, Jesus. When we are justified by God, we receive redemption, or salvation, because Christ’s blood covers our sin. But Paul made it clear that the believer’s pursuit of God doesn’t stop with salvation; it continues as each of us is sanctified—made holy—as we persist in following Him. Paul’s treatment of these issues offers a logical and complete presentation of how a person can be saved from the penalty and power of his or her sin.