More than 25 prominent rabbis from Israel and abroad issued a statement calling for a renewed look at Jesus, Christians and the New Testament faith.
Quoting from their own sages, these outstanding Orthodox rabbis are not ashamed to exalt the name of Jesus, welcoming the carpenter from Nazareth back into the Jewish fold.
“Jesus brought a double goodness to the world,” declared the group of well-known rabbis. “On the one hand he strengthened the Torah of Moses majestically… and not one of our Sages spoke out more emphatically concerning the immutability of the Torah.” At the same time “he removed idols from the nations.”
Saying that Jesus, even more than any other Jewish Sage, honored, strengthened and protected the “immutability of the Torah” is an extraordinary acknowledgement. These leading rabbis are turning the tides of history by removing one of the main stumbling blocks in the path of a major Jewish reclamation of Jesus!
Undoing the Mischaracterization of Jesus
You will recall that religious Jews rejected Jesus from the beginning, with the accusation that he did not obey the Torah, therefore he could not be the awaited Messiah. In the New Testament, we find the Pharisees arguing with Jesus over Sabbath rules, dietary laws, ritual cleanliness, marriage regulations and more. They insisted that Jesus cannot be the Messiah because “he is teaching everywhere not to obey Moses.” (Acts 6:14)
What we are now witnessing is the undoing of 2,000 years of Jewish rejection and animosity towards Jesus, a miracle by any estimation. For the out-and-out refusal by Jews to accept Jesus is slowly, but surely, coming to an end, as growing numbers of prestigious Orthodox rabbis welcome Jesus back.
Jews and Christians United
And there is more. “After nearly two millennia of mutual hostility and alienation, we Orthodox Rabbis who lead communities, institutions and seminaries in Israel, the United States and Europe… seek to do the will of our Father in Heaven by accepting the hand offered to us by our Christian brothers and sisters,” reads the statement written in December approaching Christmas some years ago.
Two thousand years of Christian antisemitism, Crusades, Inquisitions and a Holocaust cannot keep the Star of Bethlehem from rising again in Israel.
This call by these distinguished rabbis to embrace Christians as “brothers and sisters” is no less a miracle. For Jews to accept Christians with such endearment, after so much misunderstanding and antisemitic ugliness, can only be understood as a divine work of heavenly grace, the likes of which I find unfathomable.
For as this group of Orthodox rabbis points out, it is their “Father in Heaven” who is calling the Jewish people to lay down the past, put aside the enmity, and willingly embrace Christians and their faith in Jesus.
That, my friends, is the deeper work of the Holy Spirit, as spoken about throughout Scripture.
Spiritual Breakthrough
As Rabbi Dr. Eugene Korn, Academic Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding & Cooperation, points out, “This proclamation’s breakthrough is that influential Orthodox rabbis across all centers of Jewish life have finally acknowledged that… Christianity and Judaism have much in common spiritually and practically. Given our toxic history, this is unprecedented in Orthodoxy.”
In their statement, the rabbis want to find a way to acknowledge the differences between Christian and Jewish beliefs, without taking, or giving, offense.
“As did Maimonides and Yehudah Halevi, we acknowledge that Christianity is neither an accident nor an error, but the willed divine outcome and gift to the nations. In separating Judaism and Christianity, G-d willed a separation between partners with significant theological differences, not a separation between enemies,” the statement concludes.
Where Does Yeshua Fit in Judaism?
These so-called “significant theological differences” between Christianity and Judaism are really about Yeshua (Jesus). He is the stumbling block.
Yeshua may be Messiah, Son of the Living God for the Gentiles, but my Jewish people are still not quite sure just who he is for them.
So while these rabbis are making major and unprecedented strides in bringing my people closer to the Messiah Yeshua, they are still far from the truth. For if Jesus is the Messiah for the Gentiles, how much more must he be for the Jews?
Perhaps Jesus is not quite at home in the typical Jewish family, but he is certainly knocking on the door.
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24 responses to “Rabbis Bring Jesus Home for Christmas”
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This is an amazing move! Who are we to truly understand how God will answer prayers that Yeshua’s own people will discover and embrace Him as their Messiah?
If they had read Psalm 2, which explains who the Messiah is and how He was given all authority to rule, there would never have been a misunderstanding.
Thanks Robert’s World for commenting and this encouragement to keep praying, believing and standing with Israel until the promises are fulfilled.
Praise be to God! My heart warmed in reading this. But, in order to completely remove the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile, Gentiles need to stop being arrogant, recognizing we are one in Christ. If the Jews have the advantage because they were given the oracles of God, then the oracles of God (the Torah) must be foundational. If Yeshua said that He didn’t come to do away with the law, why are churches doing the exact opposite?
Hi Susan, yes, I totally agree. Thanks for pressing this point.
A wonder-full article, David. Thankyou for sharing with us. May the God of Israel bless you, and all at Israel Today.
Dear Malcolm, thanks for taking the time to respond and for your encouraging words. May this be a blessed holiday season for you and yours.
What a remarkable article. Much to pray about. Our Christian history (inquisitions, the Holocaust) and anti-Semitic attitudes in the Church still today (replacement theology) are all detestable, yet Yeshua is still the same compassionate and loving Savior and can change hearts. Again, much to pray for.
An addendum to my previous comment. He is building a glorious body without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and will change hearts on both sides, Jew and Gentile:
“14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2)
May it be so.
Yes Carl, it is absolutely remarkable that in our days we are witnessing the return of Israel to her land and the reclamation of Jesus by the Jewish people. Blessings.
Wonderful news. The Age is coming to an end and all Israel will be saved!!!
Shalom and WOW!!! Toda Raba YISRAEL TODAY!!! Ani Oheve Otacha!!!
Yes Mark, Amen. May it be so.
Hallelujah !
As they come to acknowledge Yeshua HaMeshiach, We who are Christians need to rediscover and embrace our Jewish heritage !
Thank you Franciscus. Yes, together we stand, Jew and Gentile. Together we can fulfill God’s will and perhaps together even hasten the coming of his Kingdom.
So what has happened in the ensuing seven years with these rabbis?
Hi Anna. Over the years there continues to be an increasing embrace of Jesus as an important part of the Jewish people. What I like to call the Jewish reclamation of Jesus. Here are a couple stories of more recent evidence.
https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/the-ongoing-jewish-reclamation-of-jesus/
Wow! This is very good news!
Truly a miraculous move of God.
I hope and pray more Gentile churches now embrace the “One New Man” as revealed in Ephesians.
Jesus is coming soon….”Lift up your heads, your redemption draweth nigh!”
Thanks Sharon for commenting here. Wonderful to hear your joy, hope and prayers for this extraordinary move of God among our people.
Blessings and Shalom from Jerusalem.
To be sure, it was YOUR Jewish Messiah that embraced ALL of pagan humanity to bear the judgment and pay the penalty to HIS FATHER of EVERY SIN EVER COMMITTED BY MANKIND!….incomprehensibly beyond horror! Now it is YOUR JEWISH Messiah who will return to His people on the Mt. of Olives to REIGN on Mt. Zion and to fulfill His promises that He made to Abraham, to David and as declared by YOUR prophets that ALL shall enjoy who possess the FAITH OF ABRAHAM, which has always been the faith of that portion of the Church that obeyed their Savior, “BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH” and did not follow the Pharisaic legalism setting aside the SPIRIT of the Law which was ALWAYS GRACE. 1/2
2/2
In Ex 19.8 and 24.7 HAD the Exodus generation responded with the truth, “All that the Lord has said we have BROKEN,” and confessed their sins, they would have passed go, gotten their get-out-of-jail-free card and gone DIRECTLY into the Land to become that kingdom of priests as they Lord promised! But for 1400 years they WOULD NOT! They TOOK an oath THEY COULD NOT KEEP and lied to the face of man and God when they said “All that the Lord has said WE SHALL DO”…. and that generation NEVER went into the land, which disobedience Jesus lamented over in Mat 23:38: 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 “See! Your house is left to you desolate;
39 “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say,`Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'”
(Matt. 23:37-24:1 NKJ)
Thanks for commenting Brian. It is true that Israel has failed miserably. But so has the church. Where would any of us be except for the mercies of the Lord which are new every day.
Shalom and may you be blessed in this holiday season.
Praise be to God! I, for one, am tired of “the Jews killed Jesus” mentality. In Acts 4:27 we read: “For truly Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with THE GENTILES, were gathered together in this city against your holy Servant Yeshua, whom You anointed. They did whatever Your hand and Your purpose predetermined to happen.”
Was not Yeshua Himself a Jew? In fact, prior to His resurrection, there were only Jews who followed Him. Who brought the Gentile world the good news? It was the Jews who took up their calling to be a light unto the world.
If Jesus came to get rid of the dividing wall, why Mr. Lantz are you building it higher?
… and NO, I’m NOT Jewish