Catholics reject evangelization of Jews

Random Thoughts spung from reading the document:

I am looking for poeople's thoughts to help my own...

1. Would you consider Jews to be in a different religion from Christians, or would Christianity simply be the culmination of the same faith, saying that the "Messiah" has come? Or another way to say this, is Christianity really "Judaism" with a "Messiah"? If it is another religion, why?

2. Would you agree or disagree: Judaism is a religion based on revelation from God.

3. Would you agree or disagree: The covenant with the Jews, who don't believe that the Messiah has come has been, has been abolished?

3a. If it has been abolished, what does that mean for Jews who sincerely are still following God awaiting the Messiah?

3b. If it has not been abolished, what sort of nature would this covenant have on them considering Christianity, and what would a Christian (one who believes that the Jewish messiah has come) responce be to that?

These are just thoughts...

I am still thinking and reading.

What do you guys think?

Justin
coredemptrix@catholic.org

 

Another thought or two:

1. Is there a difference in evangelizing Jews and evangelizing the rest of the world, or should they be treated the same?

If they should be treated the same, why?

If they shouldn't be treated the same, why not?

2. If there is a difference in the way in which a Christian should evangelize a Jew due to what the Jews are, is the differnece so drastic that it could be said that "evangelizing Jews" shouldn't even be put in the same category as "evangelizing pagans"?

3. Do you think there is a valid distinction between Jews in the rest of the world in terms of the fact that Jews hold to the same God, but just don't believe that the messiah has come?

Justin

 

You have to downplay the Jews if you want to be the Muslims' biggest buddy, which seems to be the current pope's goal.

 

THe Roman Church has come a long way since Pope Pius IX (I think) Kidnappeded a little Jewish boy, who never saw his parents again, because he was baptized by their Catholic maid while sick, and this info getting back to the pope who couldnt stomach a Catholic being raised Jewish, raised this boy to adulthood in the Vatican.

 

This thread troubles me, so I usually ignore it,
but I have come here to say this:

Not all Jews have continued to deny that the
One you call "Jesus" is King of kings and Lord
of lords. I go to synagogue every Sabbath with
many who acknowledge Him as the Son of our
God, the one who was crucified but rose again,
the coming King, the Lamb of our God.

My synagogue is one among many shuls in my
area, and mine is Baptist-based. Some are
charismatic, some are built upon various
other beliefs, but all acknowledge Him.

The problems Christians have with evangelizing
Jews, in my opinion, are these:
1. Christians carry with them, at all times, the
baggage of the Jew having been nearly anihil-
ated in the name of Jesus.
2. Jews look at Christians who preach a good
Gospel of love and wonder why they don't get
along.
3. Many Christians know NOTHING about the
background of their own religion and often
deny its Jewish roots, refusing to learn the
real facts behind the words of the very Book
they hold up as holy, instead turning to sup-
positions and teaching them as Truth for
those things they do not understand.
4. Christians try to turn Jews into Christians,
not recognizing that a Jew does not have to
throw away the traditions and holy days
called, by our God Himself, the Feasts of God.
They do not need to suddenly start doing
Christmas and Easter instead. They can
believe in our Lord and recognize that the Law
will not save them, but they do not have to
neglect the Feasts of our God to be believers.
5. If a Jew wants to call our Lord by His Jewish
name, don't get all bent out of shape! If a Jew
wants to read a Jewish Bible (yes, there are
Jewish Bibles that are the whole Book; we
own several), don't let that upset you! A Jew
will understand such a Book far more readily
than they will the NASB, the NIV (especially), or
the KJB. A Jew calls Jesus Y'shua or Yeshua,
and is likely to call the Father HaShem,
Elohim, or Adonai.
6. Don't try to lead a Jew to the Lord using
the Apostolic Writings; use Isaiah (especially)
and Psalms, but you had better KNOW what
you are talking about! Religious Jews usually
know far more about the Bible than most
Christians. AFTER the Jew begins to acknow
ledge what is in Isaiah and the Psalms, only
then should you relate these things to what is in
the Apostolic Writings--slowly, gently, not in
an overbearing manner.
7. Don't argue and Don't Get Mad! Be loving
and gentle, and when they will not hear you,
don't feel personally defeated or hurt. Talk
in a friendly manner, be interested in them as
people, and let it go. Then pray like crazy.
8. Don't be surprised when the converted
Jew wants to join with a congregation which
loves our Lord but which is Jewish. When they
leave, bless them, and keep in touch.

If the RCatholic Church does not want to evan-
gelize Jews, why the fuss, why the derision?
Drop it, and evangelize them yourself.

More stuff:

9. If you buy a Jew a Bible, Do Not Buy Them a
Thompson. In fact, be very careful of Nelson
Bibles, because they are quite antisemitic.
10. Don't be put off by a Jewish convert want-
ing to continue wearing their tzitzit and kepas!
I think many Christians will be totally stunned
when they see their Lord wearing His tzitzit,
as it says in Revelation He will. That Is Not a
Tattoo On His Thigh, you know.

[ August 14, 2002, 08:46 PM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]

 

One thing that requires a warning. Many Jews
have recognizd who our Lord is through Isaiah
53, but this is how it happened for many. They
read this chapter, and knowing what Christians
say of our Lord, they have gone to their rabbis,
asking if the chapter is about Him. Most of the
Rabbis will deny it, while some very few will
say that they cannot answer.

This is why: the ones who deny it claim that the
chapter is about the whole nation of Israel.

Many Jews who have eventuallly believed did
so because they took biblical Hebrew as a lan-
guage and realized that the personal pronouns
throughout the chapter CanNot be referring to a
nation but to a single person.

Considering history, they have recognized that
only one person fits the chapter's description,
so what choice is there? They must accept that
this is the "long awaited One."

But the nonbelieving Jew will hold to what they
are taught--that it is about the nation of Israel.

With regard to Messianics, there are many who
are theologically way off the beam. While
searching for my synagogue, I went to one
where the only reason I went a second time was
to confirm to myself that they were serious.
What they taught was ludicrous, plain & simple.

There are some Messianic leaders who enjoy
holding to the title of Rabbi. This is a biblically
questionable practice at best.

Many of the Jewish rabbis are good, honest
people who, while not accepting our Lord as the
Messiah. when pressed, they also will not deny
that our Lord is the Messiah. One such rabbi
was asked what he will say when he faces Him
and realizes that al the time, He was, indeed, the
Messsiah. I do not have the exact quote, but it
was something like this, in a soft, humble voice:
"Kind Sir, please tell me--is this the first time
You came or is it the second?"

You make excellent points, Dualhunter.

 

Matthew 5:17; Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets: I amnot come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Revelation 14:12; Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

dualhunter's statements are a perfect example of why churchianity should not try to evangelize the Jewish people; you speak lawlessness; they also view a sunday "Sabbath", easter (ishtar's day), and xmas (Christ mass) as pagan.

 

Who are you refering to there, Cotton? Jews? Well, I must confess that I agree with them. Sunday is not a Sabbath (it is the day of worship Acts 20:7 but not a Sabbath), Christ was not born on December 25th, and how dare anyone change the name of God's feast from Pascha to Ishtar! These things are Pagan and if you are still participating in them, you need to ask yourself "What's wrong with me?"

As far as Israel or anyone at all, Jesus says "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18)

 

Greetings Abiyah,

I am in agreement with much of what you say.

As for the position of the Catholic Bishops, it may be more reasonable than many think especially towards the ultimate bringing of Jews to Christ.

First the Church is dealing with centuries of hatred towards the Jewish people as a whole.

Second, think how are missionaries most effective? Are they most effective by acting in a Christlike manner i.e. loving their brothers and serving the poor. Or do they make more conversions by standing in front of places of worship with signs telling all who worship God there that they are going to hell in a handbasket?

I believe that Vatican II and the Bishops are correct in changing the approach to the Jewish people.

Each year in our parish we have a passover meal hosted by a member of a local synagogue. I have never appreciated our connection with the Jewish people as much as I have since attending those meals.

I too want our Jewish brothers to know Christ. Yet I believe they will get to know him better through love than through hatred and criticism.

Grace and peace,
Uncle Ray

 

I am trying to understand this and I agree 100 percent with the fact that no one comes to the Father except through Him. But if the Jews are the chosen ones, have they not already come to the Father - the Father has come to them?

 

I've been away for quite some time (got married, yes it's true! Someone was crazy enough to marry me), so please excuse the sudden intrudement into this post......that being said...

WHAT? All of the sudden people are trying to figure out a way to intellectually justify non-evangelizing the Jews!

It utterly amazes me what people will believe if they are told they have to accept it to fit into their neat and tidy organization. If it (certain beliefs or organization, take your pick) doesn't jive with scripture, get your tail out of the organization...and quick.

Was Paul a Jew? Was Peter? Who were the first Christians? Well, my bible says that they were Jews. What does that mean? Being Jewish isn't enough. If Jews didn't need to be evangelized too, then Paul’s conversion was utterly useless, Peter was simply a man who broke out of the covenant with God, not the supposed rock that Catholics would like him to be.

If the Jews didn't need to be evangelized to, why would Jesus come to them??? Why would he not go to the gentile’s straight away? After all, Jews are still all good under the old way of business...no need to change.

Basically what this amounts to is garbage, plain and simple. Every single person born needs Jesus, not just non-Jewish people, not just white people, not just American people. EVERY PERSON.

People, Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, please, please start to look to Christ for the answers. Blindly accepting "theology" such as this is 1.) Cultish behavior 2.) Intellectual laziness 3.) Un-Christ like.

I regularly pray for my catholic friends, and in light of this, it looks like I should step up my efforts a bit.

In Christ,
jason

 

Hi Jason,
And congratulations. My wife and I have just completed 38 years of marriage. No two the same.

I think you have misunderstood or I have poorly explained my position on evangelizing the Jews.

My position is more of love first. Too often we are so busy condemning others we don't take the time to love them. I believe we will make more progress in evangelization through love and service than condemning the beliefs of God loving Jews.

They will know us by our love.

Grace and peace,
Uncle Ray

 

Hi there, I have just sent off my masters thesis on the roles of the churches in the Holocaust. While agreeing that much church history is indefensable, and downright sinful, still the Jewish people need their Messiah. The ultimate form of anti-Semitism would be not to share the Gospel with them. Like the rest of us, the Jewish people are both hurting and sinning. They so need to know the healing love of Jesus in their lives. Jesus is the only way to the Father. A Jew who dies today goes to Hell unless he is trusting in the blood of Jesus for his salvation. Romans 10:1 does say it all. God bless, Colin