Dear friends and readers,
Peace and grace to y'all in Jesus Name!
As I was pondering this article, I began to contemplate a question asked me just last week---by a long time student of the Bible and a solid Christian believer. A question by the way that is frequently asked by followers of Christ. A fair question to be sure but invalid in view of established Biblical scripture
The question is reflected in the title of this article. "WHY ARE JEWS SO STUBBORN AND WILL NOT ACCEPT JESUS"? As it happens the answer to that question is stated clearly in scripture but before we tackle that I want to dispel some popular thinking; I will do so in bullet point presentation.
1). First, very many Jewish people over the centuries have accepted Jesus Christ as their long awaited Messiah. Admittedly not the majority but there has never been one single day in the past two thousand years that many Jews were not followers of Christ. In fact during the Lords physical walk on this earth some of His greatest enemies were of the sect of the Pharisees. But the Pharisees, unlike the Scribes or the Sadducees believed in a life after death and embraced a belief in the Resurrection from the dead. After Jesus was resurrected, Some of the Pharisees acceptance of Jesus as Messiah is referenced in Acts 15:5 plus the Apostle Paul (earlier Saul of Tarsus) was a highly trained Pharisee.
2). In Acts chapter 2 the Apostle Peter was speaking to devout Jewish men, living in Jerusalem from several nations. 3 thousand people were baptized in that single day and continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine which of course included Jesus as Messiah and Him risen from the grave. FACT, most of the very first---first century church were Jews!
4). Today in Israel there are several robust fellowships of Jewish born believers in Christ. And those number are increasing steadily.
5). Now as to the Jewish people being stubborn---well that part is true! We see references to the Jewish people being a stubborn and stiff necked lot beginning in Exodus 32:9, Deuteronomy 31:27, Isaiah 48:4 all the way to Acts 7:51-53. It's in their DNA. I know because I live with one, MY WIFE sweet as she is--both Jew and follower of Christ, can be very stubborn (unlike myself of course (-:). In fact the Jewish people are almost as stubborn as many of the missionaries who have worked for me over the years. It is my experience that very many extremely gifted missions people can only make it through the "tough times" because they are stubborn to a fault. But that very stubbornness equates to unfettered resolve and a "never quit" attitude that permeates their entire service to the Lord.
6). Having said that, those very same qualities---on steroids are often evidenced by God's chosen people , the Jews. The Jewish people being a stubborn and stiff necked cultural group may seem to be a deficiency at first blush but I am not so certain of that. Had they not been so for generation after generation I doubt seriously if we would have our Bibles today because the Jews were custodians of the word of God since they received it from Moses on Mount Sinai in Exodus chapter 20. And they did the job flawlessly. So for that reason alone, we as followers of Christ owe our Jewish Brethren a tremendous debt of gratitude.
7). Somehow lost in the shuffle of time for some Christians is that fact that Jesus Himself is, was and always will be a Jewish man and the Jewish Messiah. Every single one of the original Apostles to Christ were Jewish and most of the New Testament is a very Jewish book written by Jewish authors.
8). In my opinion, many of the Jews of the first century including most of the ruling religious class, the Sanhedrin, rejected Jesus as Messiah for two definite reasons. 1). If they did accept Jesus as Messiah and then by necessity as High Priest and King, well they would have been out of jobs! 2). The Jewish people of the first century were under the thumb of an extremely powerful and controlling Roman Empire. An empire who's legions literally had the power to put to death anyone (except a Roman citizen) who they even remotely thought might be seditious against the power of Rome in the slightest way. As a result the concept of "A MESSIAH" figure was one who would destroy Roman rule over Israel and immediately sit on the ancient throne of King David. As we know that will happen one day but ancient Israel wanted it RIGHT NOW and was not inclined to accept a king who preached brother love and turning the other cheek. They wanted a strong military leader who would place a sword at the throat of Caesar. Therefore rejection!
9). So much for history; Today however it is difficult to understand why so many ask the question about why Jesus is not accepted by the Jews as their Messiah? Difficult because it is clearly explained in scripture. I must ask myself, is the book of Romans no longer taught by or read by so many believers? For example, how is it that so many Christians denominations are embroiled in the absolutely false doctrine of replacement theology? Also called "SUPERSESSIONISM". The root word of which is "SUPERCEDE" which basically means that something is being replaced or superceded by something else. In this case the belief by many Christians that God is through with Israel and the church has replaced everything ISRAEL in the mind and heart of God.
Do I even need to explain that such nonsense is no where EVER mentioned in either the Old or New Testaments? Are we to totally reject the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 11 verse 1 when he declares "I say then, has God cast away His people (the Jews---my emphasis added)? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He forenew".
So some say, why should we believe Paul about this? My answer? Paul wrote Romans, first and second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, first and second Thessalonians, first and second Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and maybe Hebrews---not certain. If you don't want to believe Paul in Romans chapter 11, you may as well "chuck" the entire New Testament because Paul authored a king sized portion of that entire book.
Now to clarify this issue of EARLY supersessionism, I can give a lot of grace to the pastors and church fathers in the early centuries. After 70 A.D. and again in 135 A.D. Rome had destroyed Jerusalem, the Temple, butchered millions of Jews and deported most of the remainder into slavery throughout the empire. Israel in those days was a malaria infested swamp land. Looking back it was natural for the church fathers to think, well ISRAEL is mentioned in the Bible 2400 times (depending upon which translation is used) therefore since "ISRAEL" no longer exists, God must now consider "the church" to be Israel. OK, no fault, no foul. HOWEVER when Israel once again became a nation on May 14, 1948 AND fulfilled perfectly several ancient key Biblical prophecies, one would think that the current church fathers would have said WOOPS!!! But no, oh no, They committed the very same mistake as the ancient members of the Sanhedrin. If they embraced prophecy and admitted that Israel was back---to stay---they would be relinquishing their claim to be the current Israel and therefore the current chosen of God! NOTE: "THE CHURCH" is made up of both Jew and gentile believers.
10). Here is the biggie, the final nail in the coffin of false doctrine where the Jews (lack of ) belief in Jesus as Messiah is concerned; Once again Paul tells us clearly in Romans chapter 11 verse 25. ( by the way, if you really want to see this picture clearly, that is the Godly relationship between believers in the church---to ISRAEL read through chapter 11). Verse 25 explains " For I (Paul) do not want that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, THAT BLINDNESS IN PART HAS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES HAS COME IN"! Blindness to what? That Jesus is the Messiah of Israel. Gentiles come into what? Complete and total fellowship with God.
Have you ever said or heard someone else say, "when I finally get there I have so many questions to ask the Lord"? Well me to, and one of those questions I will ask is, Lord why was it not possible for you to run salvation for both Jew and gentile simultaneously? Why blind one (in part) for the sake if the other? I think this is where the scripture falls perfectly in place that says (God speaking through His prophet Isaiah--55:8-9) "My thought are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts".
TRANSLATION: God is smarter than we are! While I might not understand why God does the things He does in the way He chooses to do them, I do not question His decisions nor do I ever try and second guess His motives!
To put a fine point on this issue of why many Jews cannot recognize that Jesus is their true Messiah. They simply cannot because God in His infinite wisdom has placed blinders over their eyes for purposes of His own. The time will come when those blinders will be removed and all Jews alive in those future days will recognize and accept---embrace if you will, their Messiah.
Do not make the mistake as some have to assume that because many Jews today cannot recognize their Messiah is somehow connected with lack of brain power. The intelligence of the Jewish people have produced more advanced intellectual advancement in engineering, science, medical, technology and the arts than any other culture who has ever lived.
SPECULATION ON MY PART??? While we certainly know that God the Father made the ultimate sacrifice of His Son on the cross of Calvary---for the sake of all who would repent and accept the free gift of salvation---is there a possibility that God also made another sacrifice, one not normally considered? Is it even remotely possible that God loves His created beings so much that He also chose to allow so many generations of His chosen people to pass by without having a relationship with Jesus, for the sake of salvation for gentiles worldwide?
Well, since I don't know the answer to that, you decide!
But do not think that the Jewish people have rejected Christ as their Messiah because they are stubborn. No, No, rather it is part of the grand scheme that only the Father understands!
God bless,
Pastor Rance.
