Messianic Judaism 
My friend Daniel tells me that to use the term “Messianic Judaism” is to associate with a host of groups reflecting a variety of, to put it diplomatically, “troubling” views on theology, identity, and practice.
Indeed, one could easily argue that the “Messianic Jewish” groups- whatever they might entail, exhibit at times, if anything, little commonality with each other in more than chaos.
But alas, we are faced with the simple fact that no matter what term we use, the Judaism, Daniel and I adhere to, while largely foreign to the aforementioned groups, does view a certain Jew from Nazareth as the Messiah of the People of Israel.
So how then does my Judaism differ from those “messianic” groups which often reflect little if any understanding of traditional Jewish thought?
Well that in and of itself is the first answer. My Judaism encompasses the experiences of the Jewish people. While most Messianic Jews or non-Jews view the world through the sole prism of the Bible in a fashion reminiscent of Protestant evangelicalism’s sola scriptura, my world view is informed by the Hebrew Scriptures, but also by Chazal; by the Mishnah and the Gemara; by halakhah; by the Jewish philosophers of the medieval period like the Rambam and Saadia Gaon.
My Judaism and faith is influenced by the likes of Don Isaac Abravanel and even the seeming outcasts of the Jewish community like Baruch Spinoza. My Judaism knows the words of the Rebbe Nachman. My prayers are the Amidah, the Birchot haShachar, those of the siddur.
Yet my Judaism encompasses the belief that a Jew from Nazareth offered the Jews of his time, just like he offers Jews of today a chance at guelah -at redemption via teshuvah (i.e. repentance).
My faith knows history and philosophy, historical criticism, and scientific inquiry.
This is my Judaism. It is not doubt confusing to most and an enigma to others, but it is my Judaism.
Jacob
Tags: Amidah, Baruch Spinoza, Halakhah, Messianic Jewish, Messianic Judaism, Mishnah, Orthodox Judaism, Rambam, Rebbe Nachman
25 responses so far ↓
1 Diana // Feb 25, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Jacob,
I am a little confused about your beliefs, but would enjoy learning more. I have checked into the reference books that you have recommended on my HUB page, and would like to make sure that I am considering what you suggested. “The Complete Artscroll Siddur” was what I have found, is this what you suggest? I do not have a knowledge of Hebrew (unfortunately!) but love to study the Old Testament. I do not even pretend to understand all of the teachings of Isaiah, but have just barely scratched the surface of his teachings. I would be interested to hear some of your views on some of the different stories concerning the prophets Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I would also be interested in learning more about traditional Judism. Thanks for commenting on my HUB, it was nice to have you visit.
2 Objector // Mar 19, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Do you want other Jews to believe the same as you? I believe the problem with messianics is that they target a specific group for conversion, this is wrong. I particularly believe their sleazy tactics used in order to persuade people to convert is wrong. They infiltrate my community and cause a serious threat to my people that it becomes a concern. Would we care about countries like Iraq, Lebanon, or Radical Islam if it didn’t pose such a threat to us? Although these people are just as blind as I once was, to me these Christian missionaries who infiltrate Jewish communities under the guise of legitimate Jewish groups… are like arab terrorists disguised as a religious Jew walking through Jerusalem.
3 Objector // Mar 19, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I truly do not mean to be disrespectful, but the “Messianic Movement” of the last 4-5 decades is a missionary outreach vehicle founded and funded by the Southern Baptist Convention and others Christian denominations to convert Jews into Christianity. There are many Christians who are themselves deceived into believing that joining such a movement will make them Jewish or, as they use, “grafted in.” They are no more Jewish than Madonna (and no, Madonna is NOT Jewish); they just don’t know any better.
For a Jew, on the other hand, to join such a movement, means a denial of their faith. In fact, in Rambam’s Hilchos Teshuvah, it places a Jew in the category of those that have no place in the World to Come. Judiasm is not based on faith alone, but based on Torah, the word of HaShem. What you “believe” has nothing to with Judaism or G-d. Your beliefs create a religion of their own, just as so many other man-made faiths.
Please understand that you have every right to believe anything you choose (even Jedi is accepted as a legitimate faith in some circles). But your beliefs, or the beliefs of the Messianic Movement do not constitute Judaism or the Jewish faith (putting a talit on a pig does not make it kosher). If you wish to experience the Jewish religion, attend a local Orthodox Shul and get out of this Christian invention to convert Jews.
4 slevi // Mar 21, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I personally don’t consider any thing sponsored by the southern baptists to be messianic judaism to begin with.
I would reference it as ‘hebrew christianity’ or something like that.
As far as losing ones place in the world to come, I know have many friends who are karaites and the rabbis say they have no place in the world to come either since they do not consider the talmud to be from the time of Moses.
5 Daniel // Mar 24, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Admistrator can address the issue of the Karaites? Some messianics make their argument about biblical Judaism by comparing themselves to the karaites.
6 Objector 2 // Mar 25, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Evangelizing anyone is almost an act of war. It is two-faced and insults both the person doing the evangelizing and the person who is subject to the attack. It treats religion and philosophy as if both are a commodity - a sack of potatoes. Trying to convert anyone politically or in any other way insults their intelligence and their feelings. It is enough for anyone to just say what they think. Change is up to the other person and they should never be the subject of some brainless manipulation.
7 anonymous // Apr 2, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I have several friends that are to the left of marx and try to convince me of the error of my ways on a regular basis.
People try to convince me of things all the time. Politicians try to convince me of things. Someone tried convincing me the talmud was on a third tablet of stone a while back. All of it. I did not file assault charges.
8 Objector 2 // Apr 3, 2008 at 4:32 pm
According to http://messianicjudaism.blogspot.com/ : Two recent developments of interest to those who participate in, or observe from without, the academic or theological pulse of the Messianic Jewish movement are: the recent book by Mark Kinzer, Post-Missionary Messianic Judaism: Redefining Christian Engagement with the Jewish People (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Brazos, 2005), and the article by David Rudlolph, “Messianic Jews and Christian Theology: Restoring an Historical Voice to the Contemporary Discussion,†ProEccl 14 (2005): 58-84.
Both of these works do not address how messianics tear Jews away from their people and create confusion, the majority of them still consider themselves Christian but tell Jewish people they are only a movement within the framework of Judaism or arrogantly claim that their interpretations are more faithful to the Tanak. Disregarding the wisdom of our sages.
9 anonymous // Apr 3, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Please address these issues yourself and provide examples for discussion.
10 Samuel // Apr 30, 2008 at 5:32 am
“Messianic Judaism” is a contradiction in terms, to begin with. Although both of them derive from the religion which was practiced by Jews in Palestine before the destruction of the II Temple, Karaite and Talmudic Judaism developed as a reaction agaînst the Christian interpretations of Torah. If persons of Jewish origin accept nowadays Jesus as their messiah, they cease to be Jews and become Christians for all the effects.
11 Jacob // May 9, 2008 at 2:29 am
So in that light, do Breslevers or the Chabad cease being Jews for their belief in their Rebbe’s Messiahships….Chabad Members become Schneersians…perhaps?
Much of what has been said about interpretation is very decieving. For example…Rashi was one of the first to espouse the position that Israel was the suffering servant. Rabbis…Rabbinics before and since have disagreed with his reactionary interpretation of that section of Isaiah. The Targumim and even the Talmud witness to the backbone of the Tanakh…Messiah.
What is more Jewish than believing in a Jewish Messiah? Yes!!!…Messianic Judaism is not Rabbinic Judaism….it is…Biblical Judaism. It’s not going away.
12 admin // May 9, 2008 at 2:44 am
I would argue that Messianic Judaism is not in fact “Biblical Judaism” and that such a statement is incorrect.
To argue that “rabbinic” Judaism is not Biblical is to betray a fundamental misunderstanding of what is “biblical” and what is “rabbinic.”
While I obviously adhere to the view that Yeshua is the Maschiach, I embrace “rabbinic” Judaism. I know no other.
13 admin // May 9, 2008 at 2:46 am
The issues that face “Messianic Judaism” are largely halakhic and paradigmatic in nature.
That is few “Messianic Jews” understand the nature of halakhah (in any form), are not halakhically Jewish, and largely embrace non-Jewish paradigms for their world views and thinking.
14 Daniel // May 9, 2008 at 10:40 am
some Messianics call their thing Apostolic Judaism. Adminstration what problems would you find with that label?
15 Objector // May 9, 2008 at 10:55 am
There is only one Judaism, and appealing to the outskirts of Judaism, Schernerson’s Crew who is waiting for his resurrection is ridiculous! Traditional Judaism encompasses different periods Biblical, Talmudic/Rabbinic, Medieval and Post-Enlightment. Classical historical Judaism has existed though the centuries in comparison the Messianic movement which only lives in people’s minds and is a divided identity not only because of the teachings of your Rebbe but the disconnection that Messianics have from the Jewish people. If you label Jews “rabbinic”,” talmudic” in a derogatory manner then you have no part in them and don’t complain if they do not accept you.
16 aaron // May 19, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I find messianics ‘calling their thing apostolic’ to be inappropriate at best and more like heretical…
what is the basis of their argument?
17 aaron // May 19, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Samuel,
I am curious to know whether or not you consider those who followed Bar Kochba at the direction of none other that the great Rabbi Akiva to have ceased to be jews.
Probably not.
18 David // Jun 10, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I just came across this site- I have found the first 2 articles I read to be very helpful. A few things are challenging and my immediate response was to disagree. After thinking, I have concluded that I need to do more thinking!
Needless to say, I will be checking back in the near future. Thanks a lot for the great material.
Shalom
19 admin // Jun 10, 2008 at 11:16 pm
David,
Please feel free to post your comments and “objections.”
20 zahav // Jul 14, 2008 at 9:52 am
I accept Yeshua as my Moshiach.
I walk in Halacha.
No problem.
21 Dorothea // Jul 20, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I find Messianic Judaism to be LOGICAL! After all, Yeshua was a Jew. What more logic could there be?! Yeshua learned Torah and taught Torah, as did His disciples. Yeshua never taught His disciples to create another, new religion. He IS Torah!
22 Daniel // Aug 18, 2008 at 6:13 pm
The following prayer is quoted at a Torah for the nations site:
Restore our judges as in earliest times and our counselors as at first; remove from us sorrow and groan; and speedily reign over us - You, HASHEM, alone - with kindness and compassion, and justify us through righteousness and judgment. Blessed are you HASHEM, the King Who loves righteousness and judgment.
11th Benediction, Shimoneh Esrei - Amidah; Yeshayahu 1:26
Can a gentile believer really claim this prayer for themselves?
As a Jewish Blogger e-mailed me :
As a Jew I just think that Messianic Jews should actually live Jewish, so according to Halacha or at least close to it.
For non-Jews who behave Messianic, I don’t have so much a problem. But often they don’t understand also that they steal commandments given by HaShem to Jews. Not in all things.
23 slevi // Aug 20, 2008 at 2:33 am
Daniel, What is your point?
24 Daniel // Aug 20, 2008 at 10:12 am
“Restore our judges as in earliest times and our counselors as at first” Deals with Jewish leadership and could only deal with representatives of the Meshiach as a secondary interpretation. The Jerusalem Council website were this is quoted from, deals with Messianic Halacha, and would like to restablish the seat of James. The problem is that they appropriate scriptures the same way catholics do.
25 slevi // Aug 20, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Doesn’t everybody?
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