Messianic Jews

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tyler_Smedley
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Tyler_Smedley

Guest
Does anyone know anything about Messianic Jews? What their beliefs are or any of that?
 
J4J is a baptist organization.

Also Messanics arent Jews, since they are not from the original race of jews, and they accept converts from asians, to blacks, so unless you can change your race, your not a Jew. And also some do not recognize christ as God, or the Holy Spirit. There are a very divided denomination. Would be listed under Quasio-Christian, not Christian.
 
40.png
Marie:
Here is a website which explains their beliefs.

Jews for Jesus
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that Jews for Jesus is a Baptist group. Always read the fine print…
 
40.png
MorphRC:
J4J is a baptist organization.

Also Messanics arent Jews, since they are not from the original race of jews, and they accept converts from asians, to blacks, so unless you can change your race, your not a Jew. And also some do not recognize christ as God, or the Holy Spirit. There are a very divided denomination. Would be listed under Quasio-Christian, not Christian.
Click to expand...
MorphRC,

I’m not sure what your point is above about “unless you can change your race, [you’re] not a Jew.”

Contemporary Judaism certainly contains Jews of all races; there certainly are both black and asian practicing Jews, so to find them also in a Messianic congregation is not very shocking.

That being said, Crusader is quite right that the largest Messianic Jewish group, Jews for Jesus, is essentially Baptist in its theology. Most such groups are Evangelical; many are dispensationalist.

However, there is a less well-known group of people of Jewish heritage who have come to believe in Christ as revealed fully in the Catholic Church. They are called the Association of Hebrew Catholics, and you can find their Web site here .hebrewcatholic.org I recommend them highly as a source for study of the Jewish faith and practice of our Blessed Mother and the Apostles.
 
Hi – Actually, Messianic Jews are NOT Jews for Jesus. Those are two very different denominations. Messianic Jews are very Biblical, very solid theological. Pretty Jewish in the liturgy, which is where the early CC got its liturgy. They believe that Jesus IS the Messiah, call themselves ‘completed Jews.’ My friend is a Rabbi. Many are Jewish by birth, will not DO Christmas Trees and celebrate the Jewish calendar – Yom Kippur and etc. It is solid and well-respected, though. They have a (sub) department at the (Conservative Christian) Seminary near here.
 
Hey bboop,

Thank you! I didn’t realize that Messianic Jews was the name of a denomination, since I’ve also heard it as a generic term for members of groups like Jews for Jesus.

I always appreciate learning new things.
 
“Messianic Jew” is a generic name for a Jewish person who accepts Jesus (Yeshua) as the Messiah promised by the Old Testament and accept Him, Christianity (in one form or another) and the New Testament. Many of them follow the Old Testament festivals (Passover, Tabernacles, Yom Kippur) not out of obligation but out of ethnic custom and remembrance.

Jews For Jesus and Chosen People Ministries are two of the more well-known MJ organizations in the Evangelical Protestant world. I haven’t been able to read up on Hebrew Catholics yet but it sounds interesting. There may be a few associations of Churches called “Messianic Jewish” but this term is also broad enough to encompass the whole.
 
I have only recently become friends with a couple who are Messianic Jews. They consider themselves “completed” Jews. They worship on Sabbath (Saturday) at a temple, but they do believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. As noted in a prior post, they do believe in Jesus and also keep many of the OT laws and festivals. I am learning from them many of the symbols of Judaism which are fulfilled in Jesus.

Here’s one example: at a Seder meal, the Jewish family places three pieces of matzo (sp?) bread into an embroidered case. The middle piece is taken out and broken, and half of it is hidden away throughout the meal, wrapped in clean linen cloths. At the end of the meal it is “found” and returned to the table, where it is consumed. My friend explain that the three pieces of bread are the Trinity, and the middle person of the Trinity is usually considered to be Jesus: He is the one broken, and buried, and then brought back again. Furthermore, this ritual matzo bread is pierced, and has the appearance of “bruising” on it because of how it is cooked.

They grieve that their Jewish friends perform this ritual year after year without seeing its fulfillment in Jesus.

We are planning to attend their services this Saturday to see more. :cool: No worries, we won’t take any communion they offer, and they know we are solid Catholics. No one is trying to convert anyone. They are invited to our Mass as well. We are attending more out of ecumenism and friendship.

I’ll see if I can learn more about Messianic Jews as a denomination. I suspect from what I know so far that it is a widely fragmented group, with each temple having its own beliefs.
 
From my dealings with them online, there doesnt seem to be a core set of beliefs that they all agree about…in fact, they seem more like another Protestant sect to me.
 
They have a name for Jews who believe in Jesus: Christians.

Judaism and Christianity are incompatible on a theological level. There are just too many core differences between the two to have them meshed into one religion. These people may be Jewish ethnically, but the religion they practice is certainly not Judaism.

Just because the wolf puts on sheep’s clothing doesn’t mean it’s a sheep. It’s still a wolf, no matter what it tries to pass itself off to be.
 
40.png
Vitus:
They have a name for Jews who believe in Jesus: Christians.

Judaism and Christianity are incompatible on a theological level. There are just too many core differences between the two to have them meshed into one religion. These people may be Jewish ethnically, but the religion they practice is certainly not Judaism.

Just because the wolf puts on sheep’s clothing doesn’t mean it’s a sheep. It’s still a wolf, no matter what it tries to pass itself off to be.
Click to expand...
Vitus,
I’m wondering where the apparent venom in your reply is coming from?

Christians of Jewish heritage have a right to worship that celebrates the elements of that heritage, I believe.

But maybe that’s the reason the Hebrew Catholic groups use the term “Hebrew” – to make it clear that they are no longer practicing Judaism as such, but only incorporating its traditions into their Catholic worship.

I do dislike the groups that pretend in every way to be synagogues, but once one is inside, it becomes clear that Jesus is worshipped within. That seems sneaky. Is that what you’re talking about?
 
40.png
Amethyst:
Vitus,
I’m wondering where the apparent venom in your reply is coming from?

Christians of Jewish heritage have a right to worship that celebrates the elements of that heritage, I believe.

But maybe that’s the reason the Hebrew Catholic groups use the term “Hebrew” – to make it clear that they are no longer practicing Judaism as such, but only incorporating its traditions into their Catholic worship.

I do dislike the groups that pretend in every way to be synagogues, but once one is inside, it becomes clear that Jesus is worshipped within. That seems sneaky. Is that what you’re talking about?
Click to expand...
No venom here. Sorry if it sounded too harsh. Although I will admit I have no love loss for groups like Jew for Jesus. They are very sneaky and IMO quite dishonest, especially when you look into their roots and their teachings… They prey on the religously uneducated, luring them in as if they were a Jewish group.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating your ethnicity, but when you disguise something like a seder (as Makerteacher described) as a religious conversion tool, it sullies both Judaism and Christianity.
 
40.png
Vitus:
.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating your ethnicity, but when you disguise something like a seder (as Makerteacher described) as a religious conversion tool, it sullies both Judaism and Christianity.
Click to expand...
Whew! Looks like we are in vigorous agreement after all!

Glad to know it.
 
_Christopher_:
From my dealings with them online, there doesnt seem to be a core set of beliefs that they all agree about…in fact, they seem more like another Protestant sect to me.
Click to expand...
A very witty Hebrew Catholic (who shall be nameless) once wrote: “Messianic Jews are just Baptist fundamentalists with a knish.”

A tad glib, perhaps, and unfair, but it cracked me up. 😃

ZT
 
40.png
Vitus:
There is nothing wrong with celebrating your ethnicity, but when you disguise something like a seder (as Makerteacher described) as a religious conversion tool, it sullies both Judaism and Christianity.
Click to expand...
Hi Vitus

I may not have described what I learned very well. They certainly were not using it as a conversion tool. In my understanding, what these particular Messianic Jews see is that God’s plan was complete from the beginning, and there is deep and profound symbolism throughout Judaism that can only really been seen once one is a Christian. Things like the Tabernacle in the old Jewish Temples, as compared to the Blessed Tabernacles which hold the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus. A prefigurement, if you will. They are saying that the Jews followed the symbolism halfway and then just stopped.

In their opinion, the first schism of the Church was when the Jewish councils refused to accept the “new teachings” of the Apostles. I suppose that they are yet another of the many Protestant groups out there.

In any case, this couple we have met recently seems very sincere in their love for God and are astonishingly open to learning about Catholicism. We were unable to attend their service last weekend (due to sick kids) but still hope to go. Dunno if their place looks like a synagogue or what.
 
From my very limited research, the Messianic Jews are a protestant denomination that have mixed in a lot of Jewish customs and holy days.

The truly completed jew is a Catholic as this is the Church founded by Jesus.
 
40.png
Vitus:
No venom here. Sorry if it sounded too harsh. Although I will admit I have no love loss for groups like Jew for Jesus. They are very sneaky and IMO quite dishonest, especially when you look into their roots and their teachings… They prey on the religously uneducated, luring them in as if they were a Jewish group.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating your ethnicity, but when you disguise something like a seder (as Makerteacher described) as a religious conversion tool, it sullies both Judaism and Christianity.
Click to expand...
i have had many experiences with Jews for Jesus and have never found them to be sneaky or dishonest. their name alone lets people know what they are about. and as for the seder meal, they do use it as a conversion tool, what’s wrong with that. they believe that the most jewish thing you can do is believe in Christ as the messiah and i would have to concur. Christianity is fulfilled Judaism. they are speaking truth and, in my experience, it is always done in love. they are genuinely concerned for their fellow hebrews. while they are protestant in theology, their intentions are to fulfill Rom 1:16 where it says that salvation is first for the Jew then for the gentile. the people from Jews for Jesus that i know are wonderful people and Christians who have found the group they are called to witness to, and if that happens to ruffle a few feathers (as it does since it is not politically correct) so be it. they come in love and genuine concern.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top