WHAT ARE SOME REASONS THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HAS NOT ACCEPTED YESHUA AS MESSIAH?
Fear of persecution and ostracism: John 7:12-13
, "And there was much murmuring among the people concerning Him: for some said, 'He is a good man': others said, 'No, but He deceives the people.' However no man spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jewish rulers."
Misinformation: While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. Matthew 28:11-15
Jewish people are told that the New Testament was written hundreds of years after the disciples died and is an unreliable record. We believe it was written before the destruction of the Temple, for there are no referencees to the destruction of the Temple except prophetic foretelling.
Many of them did believe: Then they said to Rav Shaul, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law." Acts 21:
20b
Antisemitism among the non-Jewish early church fathers: "...and these calamities they (the Jews) have suffered, because they were a most wicked nation, which, although guilty of many other sins, yet has been punished so severely for none, as for those that were committed against our Jesus." [Origen, c. 185-254 CE, from his work, Against Celsus 2.8] "The synagogue is not only a brothel and a theater; it also is a den of robbers and a lodging for wild beasts...when God forsakes a people, what hope of salvation is left? When God forsakes a place, that place becomes the dwelling of demons...The Jews live for their bellies. They gape for the things of this world. Their condition is not better than that of pigs or goats because of their wanton ways and excessive gluttony. They know but one thing: to fill their bellies and be drunk...God hates you. As for me, I hate the synagogue and hate the Jews for the same reason." [John Chryostom, c. 347-407 CE, Orations against the Jews, 1.3.1; 1.4.1] "It is monstrous to talk of Jesus Christ and to practice Judaism. For Christianity did not base its faith on Judaism, but Judaism on Christianity." [Ignatius, c. 36-108 CE, Epistle to the Magnesians 10:2-3, from the Loeb Classical Library edition.] And during the Reformation:"Let me give you my honest advice. First, their synagogues or churches should be set on fire, and whatever does not burn up should be covered or spread over with dirt so that no one may ever be able to see a cinder or stone of it. And this ought to be done for the honor of God and of Christianity in order that God may see that we are Christians...Second their homes should likewise be broken down and destroyed...Third, they should be deprived of their prayer books and Talmuds in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught...Fourth, their rabbis must be forbidden under threat of death to teach...Fifth, passport and traveling privileges should be absolutely forbidden to the Jews...Sixth, they ought to be stopped from usury...Seventh, let the young and strong Jews and Jewesses be given the flail, the ax, the hoe...and let them earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, as Adam's children are commanded...we ought to drive the unprincipled lazybones out of our system...Therefore, away with them...To sum up dear princes and nobles who have Jews in your domains, if this advice of mine does not suit you, then find better advice so that you and we may all be free of this insufferable devilish burden --- the Jews." [Martin Luther, from his 1543 booklet titled, Concerning the Jews and Their Lies.]
Replacement theology: This is the belief that the Christian church has replaced Israel. They also believe that the Mosaic Law is finished and has been replaced with grace.
History: Yeshua taught His disciples when Jerusalem was surrounded, they should flee, because G-d had pronounced judgment. The rest of the Jewish community stood and fought, and separated from the Messianic Jews who fled. (70 CE) The Jewish community followed Bar Kochba in his revolt, and when Akiva proclaimed Bar Kochba as messiah, the Messianic Jews could not participate. (132-135 CE - note that "kochav" means a star.) Early church fathers would not allow celebration of Shabbat or the feasts by believers in Yeshua. In 321 CE Constantine changed the Sabbath to Sunday. Daniel 7:25
, "He [the anti-Messiah] will speak against the Most High and oppress His holy ones and try to change the set times and the laws." Jewish people have been called Christ killers. Compare Matthew 27:25
, "All the people answered, 'His blood be upon us and upon our children,'" with Yochanan (John 10:17-18
), "The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father." and Isaiah 53:10
, "Yet it was the L-rd's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the L-rd makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the L-rd will prosper in His hand."
For further study: Refer to Michael Brown's book, Our Hands are Stained with Blood, Messiah (Parts 1 and 2) by Avi Ben Mordechai, Betrayed by Stan Telchin, Something for Nothing by Sid Roth, all Messianic Jewish authors.
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