Why was it so hard for Jesus to convince the Jews that he was the Messiah??? (page 3)

James Mixon

David: Thanks for you input, interesting. Question, is this Jews for Jesus group???

David_Jay

Nope. Jews for Jesus proselytize Jews, an act that is rejected by both Catholcism and all branches of Judaism.

This statement is made by Orthodox Rabbis around the world, and the site belongs to one of the Jewish organizations in a working relationship with the Catholic Church to improve Jewish-Christian relations.

Jews for Jesus believe that Jews must accept Jesus as Messiah. This view is formally rejected by Catholicism, many Protestant denominations, and all branches of Judaism.

This statement is not about Jews accepting Jesus but that the issue of Messiah is not a stumbling block to both Jews and the Catholic Church working together as authentic religious expressions inspired by God.

James Mixon

David I'm a little slow today, but why is the view formally rejected by Catholicism and

many protestant denominations "Jews must accept Jesus as Messiah"???

Or did I read it wrong???I can understand Judaism having a problem with that view,

but Catholicism and some Protestant don't understand.

OnTheWayOut

It makes for better fiction if there is a central problem in your story.

David_Jay

After World War II when the Axis powers fell, and the Jews returned to their homeland with the birth of the new republic of Israel, Christendom (here using the expression as JWs use it for clarity to us who were once JWs) took a reflective step back. After the recapturing of Jerusalem and the Temple mound in the Six-Day War in the 1960s, this reflective step back became a move to reinterpret Christianity's relationship to Judaism, especially that of the Roman Catholic Church.

Prior to the Holocaust, Christendom, including Catholicism, taught that the Jews were rejected by God since they rejected Jesus as Messiah. But when virtually without any army and no nation the Jews survived the Holocaust while the giant war machines of the Axis nations did not, Christian theologians wondered if witnessing the Jews' return to Israel was not indeed prophecy being fulfilled.

After the Six-Day War the Holy See officially recognized Israel as a sovereign nation, and the Church began to alter its theology on Jews. God was obviously still caring for these people and, unfortunately, the Church recognized it had played a major part in attempting to destroy them and their culture.

In response the Church and mainstream Protestantism has stopped claiming that the Jews have been rejected by God. As such their religion is valid. Christians do not and cannot know God's mind on these matters, or so they say, and thus in the face of how the history of the Jews has turned out after the Holocaust it became apparent that the proselytizing of the Jews and praying for their conversion to Christianity was not in line with what was being experienced via providence. Thus it was halted beginning in the last half of the 20th century.

Beth Sarim

OMG, the things I wouldn't have learned, if it wasn't for this site!!!

James Mixon

So are you saying Judaism is falling under the heading of Christianity? Is this

a true statement, the only difference between Christianity and Judaism is Jesus???

David_Jay

In the last paragraph I meant to write:

...As such their religion is valid. Do they need to accept Jesus as Messiah? Christians do not and cannot know God's mind on these matters....

David_Jay

No, James. Judaism is not accepting Jesus as Messiah.

Some forms of Judaism do not even believe the Messiah is going to be a person. Reform Judaism, for example, believes the Messiah was a personification of a time when humanity will be bringing its own redemption, for example.

This statement is merely stating that many Orthodox Jews now see Christianity as a valid and inspired form of worshipping the God of Abraham. The statement is in response to a series of official statements from the Catholic Church which has stated that God's covenant is still in effect with Israel, is irrevocable, and that the separation between Church and synagogue is both unscriptural and should never have occurred.

James Mixon

Thanks David, got you now I understand.

Why was it so hard for Jesus to convince the Jews that he was the Messiah???

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