WHAT IS A JEW?.....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Ezra 2:63 NKJV

 And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.

There is a rash of Jewish ministries, Jewish Messiah Groups, Jewish Fellowships, and Jewish-Christian cooperation groups.  The question that is not asked is “What is a Jew?”

There seems to be three answers to this: 

1. Those who claim to be Jews.
2. Those who are citizens of the nations of Israel.
3. Those who have some measure—lesser or greater—of Jewish lineal heritage and in some way claim Judaism either religious or cultural.

Many American Christians support most of these named as legitimate Judaism.  But the question still unanswered is “What is a Biblical Jew?”  And “are there any that qualify?”  The answer I would give is no!  Judaism in the Biblical sense ceased to exist at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.

At that time the temple was destroyed, the sacrifices ceased, and the priesthood with the high priest ceased to exist.  The religion that is defined as Biblical Judaism cannot exist fully without these elements.  Any reader of Hebrews must admit this.

At the time of the Babylonian captivity, the temple services with the sacrifices were interrupted.  The temple itself was wrecked.  But—and this is the defining exception—the priesthood with a high priest remained a fact.  The requirement in Ezra 2:63 establishes the requirement and the fact of the high priest for the performance of the cultic ministry.

What does modern Judaism have?  They have synagogues, no temple.  These were established during the Babylonian captivity and have continued to the present.  There is no Scriptural ordination for either the leadership or the ministry they perform.

They are neither the priesthood, they make no claim for this, nor temple practice.  They are in principle the same thing as a church service in their worship.  They have a teaching responsibility that is directed to some form of Hebrew dialect, they teach Jewish culture, and they are primarily the means of continuing Jewish tradition.

Jews do not have Biblical sacrifices that is blood offerings.  They do not have an active temple or even a wreck of it.  And they do not have an accredited priesthood with an identifiable high priest.

Moses, in the Pentateuch, gives us the institution of Levitical worship.  This is the origin of Judaism.  This description of their religion remained authoritative if not consistent through both Old and New Testament.  I do not see how this can be denied.  And if it is so, there is no longer Judaism with a Biblical origin.  That which exists is as much spurious and a travesty as one of the popular sects is of Biblical Christianity.

Jews are a nationality as are Germans, French, Mexicans, and Irish.  They are a treaty nation.  As a treaty nation they have the right to our support and respect accorded to the existing treaty.

Ethnic Jews may have continuing Biblical promises.  There are differences whether this is so and these differences are held among equally devout Bible Students.

Any attempt to make common cause with modern Judaism as a Biblical religion is sure to be both mischievous and unfruitful.  All modern Judaism can do is bring those who sympathize with it under the strictures of Paul in Galatians.

I write this as being a child of Abraham and in fellowship with all his true heirs from Isaac to this day.

My temple is the Church.  May altar is the cross.  My sacrifice is Jesus.  My high priest is Jesus, the Christ.  And my reigning king is Jesus the Lord.

Amen!