Jesus was Jewish. It is a subject neither Christianity nor Judaism like to talk about. However, the facts remain that, both in his genetics and his teachings Jesus was Jewish.
Genetically Jesus was Jewish
Genetically, we know that Jesus was the son of Mary. His paternal line is of course up for debate, but does that even matter when Jewish heritage is traced through the mother? We know that Marry was Jewish. She descended from Father Abraham and was of the tribe of Judah. Thus, genetically Jesus was a Jew.
In His Teachings Jesus was Jewish
The debate about his Jewishness comes from his teachings and what others have said about him. If we look at Jesus’ words alone, apart from what others say about him, I think it becomes very clear that Jesus was a Jewish teacher.
No Teaching Gentiles
There is a moment in the Bible where a gentile woman follows behind Jesus and ask him for healing. Jesus says to her, “It is not right that I should take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” This is in line with Jewish Rabbinical teachings of the time. The Rabbis believed it was unlawful to teach The Torah or give the gifts of the Torah to the gentiles.
No Abolishing the Law
Jesus also said not one letter of the law would pass away until the last days. In fact, he said, “Think not that I come to abolish the law.” He further warns that anyone who teaches that the law should not be followed will be considerd least in the kingdom of heaven. These are deeply Jewish teachings.
Jesus Was Jewish ONLY
Jesus said of himself that he was sent only to the the Jews. “He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” These words from Jesus’ own mouth about his purpose and calling are so often ignored by the Christian church, who wishes to believe that his death was to save the gentiles. They take comfort in the death of the man who had thoughout his life proclaimed he was not here for them. They claim through his blood adoption into the house of Israel, despite the fact that the living Jesus had denied it to them many times. In doing so, they made a golden calf of a great Jewish teacher.
Hospitality
Jesus taught that we should care for our fellow man. He talked more about money than any other subject, and always stood on the side of the poor. He once said, “Give all that you have to the poor then come follow me.” This is reminiscent of the Jewish hospitality code that warns us to be kind to the stranger among us.
What Others Said About Him vs What He Said of Himself
Jesus’ Relationship With Other Rabbis
In the early years of Jesus teaching, we see the Jewish priests communicating with him. They questioned or tried to disprove his teachings. They even sometimes tried to trick him to show the error of his ways. Though it may seem that this meant the Jewish Rabbis were rejecting Jesus, this was actually an acceptance of Jesus as a Jewish teacher. This is how Rabbis engaged with each other’s teachings and tried to determine who had the more corrrect teaching of the Torah. This is, in fact, how Theology is still done today, especially amongst the Jewish faith. We read each other’s work. Then we ask questions. Finally, we debate.
Jesus was Jewish in His Answering of Criticism
It is only at the point that his followers started to call him messiah and the son of G-d that the Jewish nation began to see him as a threat. However, when questioned about these things Jesus did not claim to be the son of G-d. Rather, he turns the question on the perosn asking. “Who do you say that I am?” Is there anything more Jewish than answering a question with a question?
Paul
New Religion
After his death the disciples and Paul made a new religion using the martyred Jew as their idol. I do not use that word, idol, lightly. They turned the Jewish man into an idol. I believe the man who taught, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”, would be sickened by this act of idolatry.
Contradicts Jesus
Paul’s words are often in direct contradiction to the words of Jesus. Whether that is because Paul was trying to seek power in a new religion, or because he was playing the part of double agent and moving the gentiles away from the true Torah, is a topic for another paper. What is important here is that, he taught things that contradicted Jesus such as that salvation comes through faith. Christanity has for the most part, chosen to follow Paul rather than the words of the Jewish Jesus. In fact, many of the verses that show the Jewish Jesus are never taught in church.
Because the Christians do not want to believe he came only to the house of Israel and Jews do not like the idol that has come of him, neither the Christians or the Jewish community truly embrace the teachings of the Jewish man, Jesus. He lived and taught the law, but that man has been forgotten with time. If we put aside what others have said about him and listen to what he said himself, might we not hear the voice of a wise Rabboni? Might Christians not find a teacher who, rather than being G-d, brings them to G-d? At the least, I believe, it is a perspective that deserves exploration.
To read more about Jewish Law click here.
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