Jewish Resistance to the Gospel
If you closely study the society of the current State of Israel, you will discover that nothing has changed. The ruling orthodox Jews of Israel still want to keep the teachings of Jesus and its followers out of Israel. Christians who visit Israel are told not to display crosses, because the cross is seen a symbol of hatred in Israel. Christian are forbidden by law to do missionary work in Israel. And Jews who believe Jesus is the promised Messiah, are persecuted today just as they were two-thousand years ago. As an example, check out this news article the Baptist Press.
According to Baptist Press, the Supreme Court of Israel has ruled that Messianic Jews have the same rights regarding automatic citizenship as Jews who do not believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The case was brought by 12 applicants who had been denied citizenship primarily because they were Jewish believers in Jesus. Most of them had received letters saying they would not receive citizenship because they "commit missionary activity," according to an e-mail circulated by Calev Myers, founder and chief counsel of The Jerusalem Institute of Justice. A clerk at the Ministry of Interior reportedly had told one of the applicants that because she was committing missionary activity, she was acting against the interests of the state of Israel and the Jewish people. Israel's Supreme Court ended the two-and-a-half-year legal battle April 16 by ruling that Messianics should receive equal treatment under the Israeli law of return, which says that anyone who is born Jewish can immigrate from anywhere in the world to Israel and be granted citizenship automatically. "This is yet another battle won in our war to establish equality in Israel for the Messianic Jewish community just like every other legitimate stream of faith within the Jewish world," Myers wrote.
As much as many Americans like to think that Christians and Jews should be friends, and Christians should always support Jews, the reality of Jewish persecution of believers in Jesus as the Messiah should not be lost in a spirit of Political Correctness. The Jews still resist the truth of God, are still in rebellion against God, and still see Christianity as a threat. The attitude of the privileged Jews who cling desperately to their power and positions of authority over the common Jews are the same now as in the days when Jesus walked the country roads of Israel. They still see gentiles as unclean and not equal to them in the eyes of God.There have been legal cases here in the United States based on Jewish claims that the attempt of Christians to convert Jews to Christianity is a hate crime. And, although a Christian would be instantly fired for making fun of Judaism on national radio, Denis Miller's partner had no problem calling Jews for Jesus a cult of kooks. Even a high school student sharing his faith with a fellow Jewish student is seen by Jews as persecution of the Jewish child.
Regardless of the objections of Jews, as followers of Jesus, we are still under His command to preach His teachings to all the world. He told us we would be persecuted for doing this. And he did not make any exception for the children of Israel. It is still our duty to God and our Lord Jesus Christ to tell everyone everywhere about the saving Grace of God revealed to all mankind through the person of Jesus. It is a message which is a stumbling block to those who resist it, and a message of life to those who are called of God to receive it. We should never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, and never be convinced that we should not share it will Jews.
Therefore, friends, go forth into all the world and tell the Good News of Jesus Christ. Be bold. Be brave. And remember His promise to be with you alway.
Comments
You write: “If you carefully study the book of Acts, as well as study the early history of the Church and the last years of Jewish Jerusalem, you will discover that the greatest threat to followers of Jesus were orthodox Jews.”
So who does this stand if looking to what Scholars in leading universities says.
To realize that one can follow two polar-opposite masters — the authentic, historical, PRO-Torah 1st-century Ribi from Nazareth (the Messiah) and the 4th-century (post-135 C.E.), arch-antithesis ANTI-Torah apostasy developed by the Hellenists (namely the Sadducees and Roman pagans who conspired to kill Ribi Yәhoshua, displaced his original followers (the Netzarim) and redacted the NT); is a step in the correct direction!
So who then was the historical Jesus? His name was Ribi Yehoshua.
The research of world-recognized authorities (for example Barrie Wilson; www.barriewilson.com) in this area implies that Ribi Yehoshua was a Pharisee (a Torah-practising Jewish group - who according to 4Q MMT (a Scroll found in the Qumran-caves) practised both written and oral Torah. As the earliest church historians, most eminent modern university historians, our web site (www.netzarim.co.il) and our Khavruta (Distance Learning) texts confirm, the original teachings of Ribi Yehoshua were not only accepted by most of the Pharisaic Jewish community, he had hoards of Jewish students.
Ribi Yehoshua warned for false prophets who don’t produce good fruit = defined as don’t practise the commandments in Torah according to Halakhah (oral Torah; in an unbroken chain since Mosheh (Moses); commanded by Mosheh in Torah (the Hebrew words משפט (mishpat) and חק (khoq)); oral Torah is recorded Beit-Din (Jewish Court)-decisions of how Torah shall be applied.). See דברים (Devarim) (Deuteronomy) 13:1-6.
For the words “khoq” and “mishpat”; see www.netzarim.co.il ; the link to Glossaries at the first page.
The research of Scholars in leading universities, which implies that Ribi Yehoshua was a Pharisee, necessarily implies that if you want to follow him you need to practise his Torah-teachings.
So you need to start follow the historical Ribi Yehoshua – the Messiah – by practising Torah (including oral Torah)!
Finding the historical Jew, who was a Pharisee Ribi and following him brings you into Torah, which gives you a rich and meaningful life here on earth and great rewards in life after death (“heaven”)!
From Anders Branderud
Geir Toshav, Netzarim in Ra’anana in Israel (www.netzarim.co.il) who is followers of Ribi Yehoshua – the Messiah – in Orthodox Judaism