Question about Jesus as a Jew

[adamsapple]

I was debating with someone who suggested that Jesus was not actually born a Jew but simply followed the teachings of the Pharisees. This person also suggested that the house of David was not actually “Jewish”.
I can’t find any supporting evidence either way. There were many tribes at the time, some monotheistic, others not.
Was Jesus a Jew genetically or was he just following the teachings of the Pharisees at the time?
Thanks.

Historical references would be appreciated if available.

 

[Nita]

I was debating with someone who suggested that Jesus was not actually born a Jew but simply followed the teachings of the Pharisees. This person also suggested that the house of David was not actually “Jewish”.
I can’t find any supporting evidence either way. There were many tribes at the time, some monotheistic, others not.
Was Jesus a Jew genetically or was he just following the teachings of the Pharisees at the time?
Thanks.

Historical references would be appreciated if available.

As to whether Jesus was “born a Jew”, you only have to refer to Luke 2:4-7:
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth , to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. …
Legally and religiously:
Jesus would have been registered as a Jew. Continue reading in Luke to see further Jewish rites carried out in connection with Him as a child.

Genetically:
The only human genes Jesus had came from His mother, Mary. Therefore, if Mary was a Jew genetically, Jesus was.

Scripture contains two geneologies - Matthew 1 and Luke 3:23-37.
The two differ. One explanation (long held) is that the Gospel of Matthew records Joseph’s geneology, and the Gospel of Luke records Mary’s. Both geneologies trace Jesus’ lineage through David (Mt. 1:6-7 & Lk 3:31) and Abraham - the father of the Chosen People (Mt. 1:2 & Lk 3:34).

Altho there is no"proof" that one of the geneologies is Mary’s, Mary’s response to Elizabeth, given in Luke 1:46-55 shows not only that she was very familiar with the Jewish Scripture, but also records that she considers Abraham her “father”, that she is one of “his posterity”.
Lk 1:55 “as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

Re House of David being Jewish:
The geneology charts show that the house of David is “Jewish” (Mt. 1:3). The adjective “Jewish” came about when the Israelites split into two kingdoms (start at 1 Kings 12). Ten tribes united to form the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Two tribes, Judah and Benjamin united to form the Southern **Kingdom of Judah ** (“Jew/Jewish” derived from “Judah”). David is a descendant of Judah.
The northern kingdom was dispersed after being conquered by Assyria (II Kings 17). They are sometimes referred to as the “lost tribes of Israel”. ]

Nita

 

[Nita]

This person also suggested that the house of David was not actually “Jewish”.
.

It just occurred to me, this person may be suggesting the above because David was born before the word “Jewish” had been coined. That, of course, is correct. However, the expession “house of David” usually refers not only to David, but to all his descendants, throughout time. Thus, those later descendants of his (house of David) would have been included among those called “Jews”.

Nita

 

[adamsapple]

Nita, thanks for the reply. Will follow up with further research, but you have essentially answered my question.

Thanks for the detailed response.

 

[Robbinson]

Jesus - and all 12 of the initial apostles were all Jews and Jesus initial ministry was directed exclusively to the Jews. Only upon rejection of his message by the majority of Jews (as foretold in the Hebrew scriptures) was the gospel then spread to the Gentile nations (also fortold in the Hebrew scriptures).

The Hebrew/Jewish roots of Christianity are often overlooked today. In fact, Christianity started as a sect of Judaism and when you read Acts you will see that this was so much so that there was debate in the early Church if a Gentile had to become Jewish in order to become a Christian!

Blessings,

Brian

 

[DaveBj]

Just look at the genealogy in 1 Chronicles–the house of David was from the tribe of Judah (Jehudah). Then look in the dictionary at the derivation of the word “Jew”–from Hebrew Jehudi. Any way you look at it, Jesus was a Jew.

You may be debating a neo-Nazi. Part of Hitler’s argument was that Jesus was not a Jew, but that Christianity had actually been started by that “Jew swindler” (his words, not mine) Paul.

DaveBj

 

[Spirithound]

I was debating with someone who suggested that Jesus was not actually born a Jew but simply followed the teachings of the Pharisees. This person also suggested that the house of David was not actually “Jewish”.
I can’t find any supporting evidence either way. There were many tribes at the time, some monotheistic, others not.
Was Jesus a Jew genetically or was he just following the teachings of the Pharisees at the time?
Thanks.

Historical references would be appreciated if available.

What were you debating about? I’m trying to uncover why this person would make such a claim, and I just can’t create a useful context in my mind.

 

[adamsapple]

What were you debating about? I’m trying to uncover why this person would make such a claim, and I just can’t create a useful context in my mind.

Apparently there’s literature that Jesus was a Canaanite. In Canaan at the time there were multiple tribes and origins. Since Mary was from the Essenes and Joseph was (perhaps) her cousin, this person said that there was no absolute proof that Jesus was a Jew.
Of course, I don’t buy it, but I didn’t have any references to support that He was actually a Jew.

 

[Padraig_77]

Jesus was a Judahite, i.e. a member of the tribe of Judah. Most modern ‘Jews’ do not descend from Judah or even any other Israelite tribe but, rather from the Edomites/Canaanites who had converted to Mosaism (the religion of the Old Testament) around the time of the Maccabees. After this time, the Edomite Jews rose to high positions in religious circles and eventually corrupted Mosaism into Pharisaism, which later became modern Judaism.

At the fall of the Roman Empire, the Edomite Jews became scattered over all of Europe, with the majority settling down in the Turco-Mongolian (Khazaric) area of Russia, where they intermarried with the heathen Khazars who had converted en masse to Judaism. They are called Ashkenazi, and make up at least 90% of modern Jewry.

So, no, Jesus was not ethnically “Jew” in the modern sense nor did He practice Judaism (Pharisaism) but, rather He was an Israelite of the tribe of Judah who practiced the Old Testament religion of Mosaism.

 

[MagicKirk]

I’ve read this allegation before, but it came from neo-Nazi types who feel that they are Christian, but can’t accept that Jesus was a Jew. If I remember correctly, the allegation was that Joseph wasn’t the real father of Jesus. As for Mary, the argument was that she was a Levite, and therefore wasn’t a Jew. (I don’t see how the second part made sense)