THE NEW TESTAMENT JEW The Old Testament house of Judah (the southern kingdom) consisted primarily of three tribes of Israel (Judah, a portion of Benjamin, and Levi, the priestly tribe). When the remnant of the Babylonian captivity returned to Palestine, the tribe of Benjamin, from whom Jesus chose His apostles (except for Judas), settled mostly in the region of Galilee. Those of the tribe of Judah remained in the area of Jerusalem and inter-married with the Hittites, Edomites, and other peoples living there (1 Esdras 8:69). In addition, Esther 8:17 states that ...many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. Obviously, the people changed their religion, not their race. And since the Persian Empire covered much of the known world at that time, men and woman of many nations and races became Jews. Likewise, in 135 BC, the Edomites, who had been defeated by Judas Maceabaens in 165 BC, were compulsorily incorporated into the Jewish nation and their religion by John Hyrcannas (Jos. Ant. Bk. 13, Ch.9, para.1). Therefore, although many of the Jews living in Palestine, at the time of Jesus, were Hebrews, they were not Israelite. The Pharisees (John 8:33) admitted that, although they were the seed of Abraham (Hebrews), they were never in bondage (in Egypt). Many of the high priests in Jerusalem, also were not Israelite. It was a hereditary position until Antiochus brought the practice to an end. After that, the priesthood became a prize to be seized or sold to the highest bidder. The ruling family of Herod, were Idumeans (Greek for Edomites) who inherited the name Jews (Jos. Ant., Book 13, Ch. 9; and Book 14, Ch.15). It was these leaders of the Jews who rejected Jesus, not Israel as a nation or people (Matt. 26:3-4, 27:1,12,20; Mark 8:31, 10:33, 11:18; Luke 6:11, 20:19; Acts 4:10, etc.). The parable of the pounds (Luke 19), is symbolic of Jewish leaders who would not have this man rule over us, and are to be slain before Christ (vs. 27). Paul also warned of Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth (Titus 1:14). The official religion of the children of Israel was not Judaism. When the remnant returned to Jerusalem, there was already an established government and religion. Following the rebuilding of the temple, the Pharisees, who were mostly Hebrew, but not Israelite, took control of the positions of authority in the temple. The remnant also brought with them the Talmud, a compilation of oral traditions developed in Babylon. The Talmud, combined with the religion of the Pharisees, that had been influenced by Persian, Egyptian and other cultures (which included fables and myths based on pagan philosophies and practices), marked the end of Hebrewism. The Pharisees have imposed on the people many laws from the tradition of the fathers not written in the Law of Moses (Jos. Ant. 13.297). In the New Testament, the word Jew is inserted into the text for the Greek word ioudaios, which is defined: In the sense of a country, Judaean, ie. belonging to Jehudah. The definition of Ioudaios, and Ioudaia (the Judaean land), make it clear that they are both related to a country, as well as the tribe of Judah. Webster defines Jew as a member of the tribe of Judah, a citizen of a nation existing in Palestine from the 6th Century BC, to the 1st Century A.D., and one whose religion was Judaism. All who worshiped in the synagogues were called Jews regardless of their race. This is plainly brought out at Pentecost: And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5). These Jews included Arabs and other proselytes (Acts 2:8-11). Although Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, He was of the house of David, not of the house of Judah to which the N.T. Jews (who were Israelite) belonged. And he was not a Judean, or a follower of Phariseeism, which Jesus called the commandments of men. In the New Testament, Jesus is called a Nazarene 19 times, but is never called a Jew, or a Judean. Jesus said: I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 15:24), and told his apostles to go not into the way of the Gentiles...but go, rather, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 10:5-6). Jesus came to redeem the house of Israel (Matt. 18:11; Luke 1:33,68; John11:52), whom He had divorced (Isa. 50:1, Jer.3:8, Hos. 2:2, an allegory), and who were therefore no longer under the law. Paul was told to ...bear my name before the nations, and kings, and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15). I know, Gentiles appears in this verse instead of nations. However, Gentiles, is not a translation of the Greek word ethnos, which is defined as A race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe, spec. a foreign (non-Jewish) one... It is a collective noun and can apply to only one non-Jewish nation, tribe or people. It does not mean non-Israelite nations, as Gentiles is defined.The very fact that Gentiles is capitalized by translators, show that they were using it as a proper noun, which grammatically, can apply to only one race or nation (as ethnos is defined). Therefore, it could not apply to all non-Israelite people. Paul wrote to descendants of Israelite people who had left Israel while it was still one nation, and established colonies in the Greek and Roman provinces, and who, like the Jews (those who were Israelite), were still under the law. This should be obvious to any sincere Bible student, since Paul wrote in his epistles about 150 times concerning the law, as well as redemption, and reconciliation, which can only apply to those who knew the law, and who once had a close relationship with the God of the Bible. When he said (several times), that there is neither Jew nor Greek,he simply meant that there was no different between them, if they were both Israelite and still under the law. So-called gentiles, were never under the law. It is uninformed historians and non-scriptural teachers who have failed to make a distinction between Israel as a nation or people, and those who were Jews by race (Judaite), by country (Judean), or by faith (Judaism), that has led to much confusion in the Christian Church. -Portsider
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 02:49:46 +0000
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