Did God allow the Jews to "fall into error"?

[NeoBenedictine]

Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, I have not been able to find a discussion on this so far. I understand as a Catholic that we believe Christ’s role as the Messiah and the establishment of the Church as the ultimate fulfillment of Judaism. That being said, it occurred to me that the bulk of the Jewish community in the end were left effectively “in error” concerning God’s word because they didn’t accept him as the Messiah, which doesn’t seem inline with what I would think would be God’s approach, i.e. a solid, continuous path to man’s redemption for those involved. It almost feels like the Jews were sort of set up to fail, but I don’t believe God operates this way… what am I missing here I seem to recall that the Jew’s were “saved” effectively by the old Covenants between God and his people and the New Covenant established through Christ was to extend salvation to Jew’s who recognized Him and the Gentiles… is this correct?

 

[po18guy]

Adam could not have sinned if he was not created with free will. He was told not to eat the fruit and he did not, in conformance with God’s will - until he was tempted and fell. And, so it is with God’s chosen people. Just as Adam fell, so also God knew that the majority of the Hebrews would also fall away from Him. The entire Old Testament is pretty much a chronicle of this happening over and over. Yet, He always spares a remnant.

Read Romans 11. In it, you will see a hint that the Hebrews will be grafted back into the vine at some point, as they are the natural branches, while we were wild branches that only God’s grace could graft into the vine. Catholicism is a Jewish faith that was offered to the lost sheep of Israel. When they rejected Christ, we were adopted. But, the Hebrews are the natural sons and therefore, that much easier to graft back in.

 

[NeoBenedictine]

That is actually much better a response than I ever could have expected or formulated - along these same lines, considering that God may allow his people to "fall away"even when the truth is present - in their heart they have to answer the call and fewer rather than more will answer in the end. The reason I ask is the whole set of objections within Judaism to recognizing Christ as the Messiah pretty much rests on this basic question, and quite frankly the same for Muslim claims of contradictions and Judeo-Christian “distortion” of God’s word and Christ’s authenticity ultimately.

Thank you so much for the response, that really answers the question in depth

 

[George_Stegmeir]

Sorry if this is answered elsewhere, I have not been able to find a discussion on this so far. I understand as a Catholic that we believe Christ’s role as the Messiah and the establishment of the Church as the ultimate fulfillment of Judaism. That being said, it occurred to me that the bulk of the Jewish community in the end were left effectively “in error” concerning God’s word because they didn’t accept him as the Messiah, which doesn’t seem inline with what I would think would be God’s approach, i.e. a solid, continuous path to man’s redemption for those involved. It almost feels like the Jews were sort of set up to fail, but I don’t believe God operates this way… what am I missing here I seem to recall that the Jew’s were “saved” effectively by the old Covenants between God and his people and the New Covenant established through Christ was to extend salvation to Jew’s who recognized Him and the Gentiles… is this correct?

G*d did not allow the Jews to do anything. They did it to themselves.
You have to realize that at the time of Christ, there was no such thing as mass communications. There was only “word of mouth” and many of the Jews did not know that Christ existed…and all they knew of religion was what they studied in the Talmud and what they learned from their local Rabbi’s. They had Free Will, they did it to themselves.

 

[po18guy]

G*d did not allow the Jews to do anything. They did it to themselves.
You have to realize that at the time of Christ, there was no such thing as mass communications. There was only “word of mouth” and many of the Jews did not know that Christ existed…and all they knew of religion was what they studied in the Talmud and what they learned from their local Rabbi’s. They had Free Will, they did it to themselves.

Well, we do know that God permits evil so that good may come of it. He stayed Abraham’s hand from slaying Isaac, but did not intervene in Adam’s sin. Adam’s obedience was tested and failed, while Abraham’s was tested and passed.

And yes, the Hebrew people “did it to themselves”, but so do we when we choose to sin. The Hebrews exercised their free will in so choosing to oppose God. Remember that a remnant always remained with the Lord. That remnant used their free will properly.