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Messianic Judaism: Christianity Repackaged?
by Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber
Skeptics and anti-missionaries accuse Messianic Judaism of deceiving Jewish people into believing in Jesus. But is that what Messianic Judaism is really all about? Many skeptics and without question all anti-missionaries look at Messianic Judaism and accuse it of being Christianity repackaged for the purpose of "deceiving" Jewish people into believing in Jesus, (I prefer to call Him by His real name Yeshua; meaning Salvation). My answer to them is: We do not live in a country where there are state imposed requirements for believing in Yeshua. Nor is it necessary for a Jewish person to believe in Yeshua for career purposes; our laws forbid discrimination on the basis of religion. It is also no longer necessary to believe in Yeshua for political purposes, as was the case with Benjamin Disraeli who became Prime Minister of England; those days are long gone as well, at least in the western world. No, Jewish people have nothing to fear from Messianic Judaism, because in a marketplace where there is a freedom of religious ideas, all one has to do is say no! So what is the problem? The problem I believe lies with the anti-missionaries. They falsely perceive Messianic Judaism's celebrating of the Moadim (Feasts), honouring of the Shabbat, chanting of liturgy; most of which dates back pre-second Temple, and the displaying of Jewish symbolism, as deceptive Christian tactics. In reality Messianic Jews are looking at these same things and observing them as Biblical directives. As a Messianic Jewish leader I can honestly say that we judge all observances not by whether or not we can be deceptive, but by whether or not they are Biblical and point to the Messiah Yeshua. The proper system of worship and practice for the people of G-d is neither Jewish nor Christian, but simply divine ordinances and commandments that are eternal and universal for all peoples and nations. It matters how we worship G-d. Therefore Messianic Judaism, although acknowledging Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah, rejects the man-conceived pagan roots of the Christian church. These pagan roots have been handed down, in many cases by anti-Semitic church fathers and forced upon early Messianic believers in Messiah Yeshua. The Modern Messianic movement is a return to Biblically based worship. After all, did not G-d plead with Israel on numerous occasions not to worship Him by learning the ways of the heathens? Messianic Jews are fundamental seekers of the truth and the source of all truth is Torah, which is why we study, read and venerate Torah. We do this not because we want to be deceptive but because it is the source of all truth, both for the Jew and the non-Jew. Yeshua himself said: Mattayahu (Matthew) {5:17} Think not that I am come to destroy the Torah, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. {5:18} For truly I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Torah, till all be fulfilled. {5:19} Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. The word "fulfil" as translated here means to bring Torah to its fullness, to restore it to its original intent so that it might be complete in the lives of those who are to observe it. The Pharisees of Yeshua's day were caught up in a created legalistic system for achieving righteousness; a system not advocated by G-d or His Torah. Yeshua was not advocating terminating the law. What He was saying in these verses is that the Torah, which points a seeker in the direction of righteousness, culminates in Him, because as the Mashiach (Messiah) our search for righteousness is fulfilled in Him. He removed the carnal ordinances, strengthened the Biblical ones and made available to all flesh the dimension of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), thus making observance of Torah obtainable. If anyone is being deceived it is the Christians! They have been discriminated against by their own leadership, who has denied them access to the very Torah which is their heritage and teaches them how to live in a redeemed community, pleasing unto the L-rd. By being grafted into the root, which is the patriarchs; Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaacov (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), (Romans 11:18-19,24), they become a part of Israel and fellow partakers in the promises of Torah. The covenant of grace spoken about in the Brit Chadasha is what gives believing non-Jews equal access to the promises of G-d through Avraham. Galatians {3:14} That the blessing of Avraham might come on the Gentiles through Yeshua HaMashiach; {3:29} And if you are Messiah's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Messianic Judaism is a restoration movement, it is not religious Christianity and it is not religious Judaism, it is a return to a pure Biblical relationship with G-d through the Messiah Yeshua. Therefore in a society unrestrained by government interference into the religious beliefs of its people, you are free to choose what you will believe. There is however only one truth. Does it lie with Messianic Judaism, Christianity or Judaism? In that respect G-d is capable of defending Himself, He has given us His written Word and that speaks for itself, without deceit, without coercion.Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada. Copyright 2002
- Romans 1:16, NIV |