A thought provoking post…
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Building A Jewish religious movement for Yeshua
In seeking to be a Judaism, a Jewish religious movement for Yeshua within the Jewish people and for the Jewish people we will ask Jewish questions, seek to give Jewish answers and credibly live out our lives as Messianic Jews as a part of the Jewish community, rather than the missionary model as one who goes into the Jewish community as an outsider to target the “unsaved Jews” for conversion to Christianity. We see the Jewish people as “us” and not “them” and therefore our desire is to live credible Jewish lives that we can make the Messiah seen within Israel as the Messiah followed by Torah honoring, Jewishly connected, Messianic Jews. Our hope is to be a light for Messiah within the Jewish world.
In this identity we embrace our oneness with all of the Jewish people as an act of faithfulness to God and to His Torah and not some act of “seeking man’s approval”. We seek God’s approval by living as he intended as a Torah community that follows the Jewish Messiah.
Yeshua is central to the building of a mature Messianic Judaism, because he is the Messiah that we honor. Our desire is to make him known within the People of Israel and this can only be done by seeing the Jewish community as our community of reference and living within Jewish life embodied in our respect for Jewish tradition and Torah living as we seek to be organically connected within the Jewish community as the Jews who follow Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah.
Yeshua can only be properly seen by the Jewish people as he really is as the Jewish Messiah, by being made known by a credible Messianic Judaism that reflects a love for all Jewish people and with a vital connection to the People of Israel.
May we live lives that make Yeshua known within a Judaism, Messianic Judaism.
The Law of the Lord is Good – Understanding Paul
Though it may seem to be a huge endeavor to deal with the difficult issue of understanding the words of Paul/Rav Shaul as it deals with issues related to the Torah, but this endeavor is guided by a simple axiom that I was taught by Dr. Mark Nanos, one of the premier scholars of the writings of Paul, including the books The Mystery of Romans and The Irony of Galatians.
First off in understanding Paul you must realize that he was writing primarily to Gentile churches.
With the first understanding clear then when reading Paul’s writings telling believers that they were not bound to Torah commands like circumcision and Jewish rituals then each of these statements per Nanos add “for non-Jews” to each statement.
In so doing it helps to clarify the point that Paul was telling the non-Jews that he was writing to that they were not bound to the Torah. This is the same opinion that any mainstream Rabbi will give that non-Jews are not required to observe Torah and more to Paul’s stand should not observe Torah. The special place of Torah as the Jewish people’s rights and privilege can be seen that potential converts to Judaism are to do one act that violates Shabbat so as to keep them from completely observing Shabbat before they were Jewish.
But for Paul himself as a Jew, A life observing Torah was his responsibility and the only way for him to live, even in his final speech Paul declared himself to be “as in relation to the Torah, a Pharisee”. This showing that even at the end of his life he still considered his life of Torah observance to be living to the standards of his Pharisaic training with the sage Gamaliel.
So then if we understand that Paul in addressing his non-Jewish audiences was saying that the non-Jews are not bound to the Torah’s commands (which is the same thing understood in Judaism today) this should help in understanding his philosophy. Paul as a Jew lived a life of Torah faithfulness, even after becoming a follower of Yeshua. His harsh words in Galatians being pointed at those non-Jews who came to believe in Yeshua and were told that their new faith was inadequate without becoming Jews or becoming “super-believers” by observing Torah. Both these views are wrong and were rightly condemned by Paul.
Hopefully this will be of help in understanding Paul/Rav Shaul…
Messianic Jewish Leaders Speak Out Against “Christ at the Checkpoint” Conference.
A group of international Messianic Jewish leaders including the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC) and the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA) has come out with a pre-emptive response to the upcoming “Christ as the Checkpoint” Anti-Israel, anti-Zionism conference that represents the ugly resurgence in force of Christian supersessionist and anti-Jewish thought and policy.
Below is a link to a video and the text of the statement:
Leaders of the UMJC and MJAA joined forces again this month (see “UMJC, MJAA respond to Messer video) to issue a statement on a matter of deep concern for the Messianic Jewish community. The statement, on the “Christ at the Checkpoint” conference scheduled for March 5-9 in Bethlehem, included leaders of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance and the International Association of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues. The first “Christ at the Checkpoint” conference, held in 2010, drew much criticism for its biased treatment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and promotion for this year’s event raises the same concerns (see www.christatthecheckpoint.com.) Here is the joint statement in full (or you can hear it read at http://youtu.be/Mk0GPnPqtj0):
As representatives of the international Messianic Jewish community, we raise deep concerns about the anti-Israel and, indeed, unbiblical nature of the Christ at the Checkpoint conference soon to be held in Bethlehem.
The Messianic Jewish community has noted the growing opposition to Zionism and the state of Israel within some elements of the Evangelical Christian world. Such opposition ignores the profound and ancient connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and the modern history of the founding of the state of Israel. Equally troubling, this opposition is often linked to a resurgent supersessionism, the doctrine that the church replaces Israel as God’s covenant partner. This theology, which has led historically to anti-Semitism and the tragic oppression of the Jewish people, appears to permeate this entire conference.
The conference is being promoted internationally and features speakers from around the world, including prominent American and European Christians, several of whom have a decidedly anti-Israel bias. We address the following to the conference organizers as evidence of our concerns:
- Your conference title, “Christ at the Checkpoint,” places the Israeli border checkpoints as the central issue of Christian concern. You frame the entire story of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in terms of Israel’s alleged oppression and abuses, with no historical or political context provided, and no allegations of oppression or abuse on the part of any Palestinians or other Arabs historically or currently.
- You state a desire for “hope in the midst of conflict,” and for peace and reconciliation among followers of Jesus. Sadly, both the structure of your conference, with its one-sided focus on the Israeli “occupation,” and the anti-Israel record of some of its key representatives, work against peace and reconciliation.
- Your website features speakers who repeatedly raise “the grim reality” of “the occupation” as virtually the only challenge that Palestinian Christians face.
- Your conference objectives discredit Zionism alone of any political movement, thereby undermining your own talk of peace and reconciliation, which would require seeing both perspectives.
- You claim to “stand resolutely against all forms of violence and racism, regardless of the perpetrators,” but the only form that you mention is Zionism. There is no mention of the violence perpetrated against Jews by Palestinians, including Hamas, which regularly attacks Israeli civilians.
In the tragedy of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict there are two claimants to justice, Jews and Arabs, and true reconciliation efforts must recognize this reality. We urge you, therefore, to be true to your own affirmations and disassociate from all anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish expressions during your upcoming conference. You have taken a stand against Zionism as “ethnocentric.” We disagree with this characterization and challenge you instead to take a stand against anti-Semitism, against jihad, against fascism in the Arab world, and against the cult of child martyrdom, as promoted by many opponents of Israel, including several that have hosted visits by your organizers.
We urge you to state support for peace efforts between Israel and the Arab world that recognize the existence of Israel as a Jewish state, and its right to firm and secure borders, without any threat of terrorism.
We urge you to remember the terrible history of Christian supersessionism, which led to invalidating the Jewish people and their unique covenant with God, stripping away the Jewishness of the Biblical message of redemption for all through the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), and promulgating Biblical interpretation that demonized the Jewish people and inevitably resulted in centuries of Christian anti-Semitism and persecution of the Jewish people.
And, finally, we urge you to remember the words of that famous Rabbi, Paul of Tarsus, who wrote these words to Gentile Christians concerning their relationship with the early Messianic Jews and the Jewish people:
But if some of the branches are broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root that supports you. Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (Rom. 11:17-18)
Paul Liberman, President
Joel Chernoff, General Secretary
Messianic Jewish Alliance of America
Howard Silverman, President
Russell Resnik, Executive Director
Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations
Jeff Forman, Chairman
International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues
John Fischer, President
Joel Liberman, Executive Director
International Messianic Jewish Alliance
Like this:
Helsinki Statement – Ecumenical Statement Affirming Jewishness and Yeshua faith by Messianic Jews, Jewish Catholics, Jewish Protestants and Jewish Orthodox Christians.
THE HELSINKI STATEMENT
Helsinki Consultation on Jewish Continuity in the Body of Messiah
June 14-15, 2010
Jewish believers in Yeshua (Jesus) from England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Russia, and the United States met in Helsinki, Finland, on June 14-15, 2010. As scholars belonging to Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Messianic communities, they began a conversation on Jewish continuity in the Body of Jesus the Messiah. They issued the following statement:
We thank God for bringing us as Jews to the knowledge of Jesus the Messiah, and we express a debt of gratitude to those from the Nations who have transmitted the knowledge of Christ from generation to generation. While we seek to speak on behalf of those who share our Jewish identity and faith in Christ, we have no official mandate from our respective communities. In what follows we are expressing our own deeply held convictions.
At this unprecedented event, we have experienced the depth of our bond, and at the same time we have wrestled with the diversity of our ingrained theological and cultural constructs. In spite of church divisions, we have come together as Jews who believe in Jesus. We hope that sharing the fruit of our common efforts will benefit our brothers and sisters in Christ. We do not aim to issue a definitive declaration, but to initiate an ongoing process of discussion.
There are many Jewish people in the body of Christ. We believe that this reality reflects God’s intention that Israel and the Nations live as mutual blessings to one another. In fact, the Church in its essence is the communion of Jews and those from the Nations called to faith in Christ.
In light of this truth, we think that the life of Jews in the body of Christ has theological significance for that body as a whole. Their presence serves as a constant reminder to the body that its existence is rooted in the ongoing story of the people of Israel. This story resounds throughout the celebration of the liturgical life of the community. We believe that this story finds its center in Israel’s Messiah. We believe that Jews within the body are a living bond between the Church and the people of Israel. Accordingly, we would like to explore concrete ways in which Jewish people may live out their distinctive calling in the body of Christ.
Finally, we wish to express to our Jewish brothers and sisters who do not share our faith in Jesus the Messiah that we consider ourselves to be part of the Jewish people and are committed to its welfare.
Signed in a personal capacity by:
Boris Balter (Orthodox – Russia)
Steve Cohen (Lutheran – USA)
Dr. Richard Harvey (Messianic – England)
Rabbi Dr. Mark Kinzer (Messianic – USA)
Father Antoine Levy, OP (Catholic – Finland)
Dr. Iulia Matushanskaja (Orthodox – Russia)
Father David Neuhaus, SJ (Catholic – Jerusalem)
Rabbi Vladimir Pikman (Messianic – Germany)
Jennifer Rosner (Messianic – USA)
Dr. David Rudolph (Messianic – USA)
Dr. Anna Shmain-Velikanova (Orthodox – Russia)
Father Olivier Zalmanski, OP (Catholic – France)
Full press release can be downloaded at:
http://www.mjti.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=75&Itemid=244
Binitarian Ecclesiology – 2 religions, serving 1 messiah…
There is one body of the Messiah and two distinct ways of honoring the Messiah, one for the Jewish people that being Messianic Judaism and one for the other Nations of the world, that being Christianity.
The two religious communities are distinct in responsibilities toward God, Israel being responsible to order their life by Torah and the non-Jews not responsible for full Torah observance, though given basic Torah requirements set forth in Acts 15.
These distinct ways of life represent two religions honoring the one Messiah, that serve to fulfill the calling of the Jewish people (the bearers of Torah) and those non-Jews who by faith have trusted in Yeshua who have been brought near to God without having to become Jews and order their lives according to the Mosaic Code.
There is unity in diversity and in having distinct Messianic Jewish faith communities there will be a place for Jewish people to walk Torah and live Torah within a community that honors Yeshua as Messiah.
The Messiah can only be fully glorified by these two communities when each walks in God’s ways for them and this can only be done by their being a distinct Torah faithful movement of Jews for Yeshua that is joined in union with the faithful of the Nations honoring Yeshua within “gentile space” within the Christian world.
May we encourage these kind of communities, a distinct Messianic Judaism for Jews and a distinct Christianity for non-Jews giving honor to God as both communities walk in the ways of the Messiah of Israel and the Lord of the Church.
