Jews - the ultimate authority?

[DrumminFool91]

I’ve noticed a trend lately among my little circle of Protestant friends and family. As of late, they’ve all been coming up with this thesis in some form or fashion that we shouldn’t be celebrating “pagan” holidays like Easter and Christmas, but should be celebrating the Jewish feasts because they were established by God Himself. When we discuss the nature of the Apostles and succession, they all seem to always come back with the trite response: Well the apostles and disciples and Jesus were all Jews, not Catholics. While I can’t see the harm in doing things like celebrating the Jewish feasts (they are our fathers in the faith after all), I feel as though this is their effort to grasp for some sort of concrete roots by which they can claim authority outside of the Catholic Church. ::banghead::

Of course, I think the notion of Christmas and Easter being painted as “pagan” is ludicrous (symbols and celebrations aren’t static but are subject more or less to the eye of the beholder). The real problem I’m having currently is trying to come up with a cogent response to these sorts of “authority” claims that point to the Jews or Old Testament as a sort of final authority. For instance, I struggle to show my “messianic Jewish” cousin that his strain of messianic Judaism is really just standard Non-Denominationalism/Evangelicalism with a yarmulke. I’d really appreciate thoughts and suggestions on how I can show my friends and family that the authority they long for is found in the Roman Catholic Church. Thanks!

 

[Axion]

The whole point about the New Covenant is that it set aside the old ritual law that thesejewish holidays are based in. The New Testament spends much of its time emphasising this. Paul was constantly condemning the Judaisers who pressed Christians to follow the Old Jewish Laws. He stated that this was going back to the old law of death and rejecting Christ.

At Easter for example Christ is our Paschal Lamb. The old temple sacrifices are gone - or do these people want to bring those back too? They were commanded - as well as Jewish dress, curcumcision, and the food laws.

But all these are part of the works of the old law - which Paul condemned.

 

[aball1035]

I believe Acts has a few verses on where the Apostles do away with old Jewish customs

 

[wisdomseeker]

I’ve noticed a trend lately among my little circle of Protestant friends and family. As of late, they’ve all been coming up with this thesis in some form or fashion that we shouldn’t be celebrating “pagan” holidays like Easter and Christmas, but should be celebrating the Jewish feasts because they were established by God Himself. When we discuss the nature of the Apostles and succession, they all seem to always come back with the trite response: Well the apostles and disciples and Jesus were all Jews, not Catholics. While I can’t see the harm in doing things like celebrating the Jewish feasts (they are our fathers in the faith after all), I feel as though this is their effort to grasp for some sort of concrete roots by which they can claim authority outside of the Catholic Church. ::banghead::

Of course, I think the notion of Christmas and Easter being painted as “pagan” is ludicrous (symbols and celebrations aren’t static but are subject more or less to the eye of the beholder). The real problem I’m having currently is trying to come up with a cogent response to these sorts of “authority” claims that point to the Jews or Old Testament as a sort of final authority. For instance, I struggle to show my “messianic Jewish” cousin that his strain of messianic Judaism is really just standard Non-Denominationalism/Evangelicalism with a yarmulke. I’d really appreciate thoughts and suggestions on how I can show my friends and family that the authority they long for is found in the Roman Catholic Church. Thanks!

this only proves that these people are looking for an authority. but hey… anything, anybody but the Catholic Church.
and because they cant quite understand the Holy Scriptures they trying to go back in time and embrace the Jews as the true people of God, therefore; they should be their authority. only God knows. one thing is for sure we cannot make them see the Truth of the CC. they have to seek for themselves. some may find and some may never find. may God have Mercy on us all.