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Messianic Jews
Beliefs and Practices of Messianic Jews
Learn What Sets Apart Messianic Jews From Traditional Judaism
by Jack Zavada
Judaism and Christianity
share a considerable amount of mutual tradition and teaching but differ in
their beliefs about Jesus Christ.
Both are Messianic faiths, in
that they believe in the promise of a Messiah who will be sent by God to save
humankind.
Christians regard Jesus as
their Messiah, and this belief is the foundation of their entire faith.
For most Jews, however, Jesus
is viewed as a historical figure in the tradition of teachers and prophets, but
they do not believe he is the Chosen One, the Messiah sent to redeem mankind.
Some
Jews may even regard Jesus with enmity, seeing him as a false idol.
However, one relatively
modern faith movement known as Messianic Judaism combines Jewish and Christian
beliefs by accepting Jesus as their promised Messiah.
Messianic Jews seek to retain
their Jewish heritage and follow a Jewish lifestyle, while at the same time
embracing Christian theology.
Many Christians view
Messianic Judaism as a sect of Christianity, as its adherents accept key
beliefs of the Christian faith.
They acknowledge the New
Testament as part of their holy Scriptures, for example, and they believe that
salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as the promised Savior
sent from God.
Most Messianic Jews are
Jewish by heritage and generally think of themselves as Jews, even though they
are not regarded as such by other Jews, or by the legal system in Israel.
Messianic Jews see themselves
as completed Jews
since they have found their Messiah.
Traditional
Jews consider Messianic Jews to be Christians, however, and in Israel sporadic
persecution of Messianic Jews has occurred.
Beliefs and Practices of Messianic Jews
Messianic
Jews accept Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach) as the Messiah yet retain a Jewish
lifestyle.
After conversion, they
continue to observe Jewish holidays, rituals, and customs.
Theology
tends to vary widely among Messianic Jews and is a blend of Jewish and
Christian tradition.
Here
are several notable beliefs of Messianic Judaism:
Baptism: Baptism is
done by immersion, of people who are old enough to understand, accept and
confess Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah, or Savior. In this regard, Messianic Jewish
practice is similar to that of Christian Baptists.
Bible: Messianic
Jews use the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, in their services, but also use the
New Covenant, or B'rit Hadasha. They believe both tests are the
infallible, inspired Word of God.
Clergy: A
rabbi—a word that means "teacher" - is the spiritual leader of a
Messianic congregation or synagogue.
Circumcision: Messianic
Jews generally hold that male believers must be circumcised since it is a part
of keeping the Covenant.
Communion: The
Messianic worship service does not include communion or the Lord's Supper.
Dietary
laws: Some Messianic Jews observe kosher dietary laws, others do
not.
Gifts
of the Spirit: Many Messianic Jews are charismatic, and practice
speaking in tongues. This makes them similar to Pentecostal Christians. They
believe that the Holy Spirit’s gift of healing also continues today.
Holidays:
Holy days observed by Messianic Jews include those recognized by Judaism:
Passover, Sukkot, Yom Kippur, and Rosh Hashanah. Most do not celebrate
Christmas or Easter.
Jesus
Christ: Messianic Jews refer to Jesus by his Hebrew name, Yeshua. They accept
him as the Messiah promised in the Old Testament, and believe he died an
atoning death for the sins of humanity, was raised from the dead, and is
still alive today.
Sabbath: Like
traditional Jews, Messianic Jews observe the Sabbath starting at sundown
on Friday until sundown on Saturday.
Sin: Sin
is regarded as any transgression against the Torah and is cleansed by the
shed blood of Yeshua.
Trinity:
Messianic Jews vary in their beliefs about the Triune God: Father (HaShem); Son
(HaMeshiach); and the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). Most accept the
Trinity in a manner similar to that of Christians.
Sacraments: The
only traditional Christian sacrament practiced by Messianic Jews is baptism.
Worship
services: The nature of worship differs from congregation to
congregation. Prayers may be read from the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, in Hebrew
or the local language. The service may include songs of praise to God, canting,
and spontaneous speaking in tongues.
Congregations: A
Messianic congregation can be a very diverse group, including Jews who
carefully follow Jewish laws, Jews who have a more liberal lifestyle, and
individuals who do not follow Jewish laws or customs at all.
Some evangelical Christians
may even choose to join a Messianic Jewish congregation.
Messianic synagogues follow
the same design as traditional synagogues. In areas where a formal Messianic
synagogue is unavailable, some Messianic Jews may choose worship at evangelical
Christian churches.
History and Theories Of How
Messianic Judaism Got Started
Messianic
Judaism in its current form is a relatively recent development.
The modern movement traces
its roots to Great Britain in the mid-19th century.
The Hebrew Christian Alliance
and Prayer Union of Great Britain was founded in 1866 for Jews who wanted to
keep their Jewish customs but take on Christian theology.
The Messianic Jewish Alliance
of America (MJAA), started in 1915, was the first major U.S. group.
Jews for Jesus, now the
largest and most prominent of the Messianic Jewish organizations in the U.S.,
was founded in California in 1973.
Some form of Messianic
Judaism may have been present as early as the first century, as the Apostle
Paul and other Christian disciples attempted to convert Jews to
Christianity.
From
its beginning, the Christian church has followed Jesus' Great Commission to
go and make disciples.
As a
result, a notable number of Jews likely accepted the basic principles of
Christianity even while retaining much of their Jewish heritage.
In
theory, this off-shoot of Christianity may have formed the foundation of what
we now think of as the Messianic Jewish movement of today.
Whatever its origins, the
Messianic Jewish movement became widely recognized during the 1960’s and 1970’s
as part of the counterculture "Jesus People" movement, in which large
groups of young adults were seized by a charismatic, ecstatic form of
Christianity.
Jewish young adults who were
part of this spiritual revolution may have reinforced the core of modern
Messianic Judaism.
According to estimates, the
total number of Messianic Jews worldwide exceeds 350,000, with about 250,000
living in the United States and only 10,000 to 20,000 living in Israel.
Jack Zavada is
a lifelong Christian who has been writing about the faith for several years. He
is fascinated by the diversity of Christianity and works to make that
information available in a clear, inviting way.
Experience
Jack's articles have appeared in Liguorian magazine
and The Upper Room, a publication translated into 44 languages.
Dozens of his devotional pieces appear on christianity.about.com.
Over his 35-year writing career, Jack often has
had to convey complicated material into succinct, understandable terms. He has
served as a newspaper reporter, technical editor for the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, publications editor for a utility company, and communications
director for a national nonprofit organization.
Jack is the author of four published western
novels: Rebel Town, The Wolfer, Penwhistle's Prize, and West
of the Pecos. His website, inspiration-for-singles.com, launched in 2005, receives visitors from more than 165 countries.
Jack holds bachelor's and master's degrees in
English from Illinois State University. His hobbies include bluegrass music and
taking care of his dog, a mixed breed Terrier named Buddy.
Jack is single, lives in Streator, Illinois, and
is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.
Jack Zavada
"Christianity is the driving force in my
life. I've been the victim of cancer twice, job layoffs, and broken
relationships, and my faith has always been the constant force that pulled me
through. Eventually we all reach the point where we ask serious questions about
life. I firmly believe Christianity has the answers we're seeking. When people
come looking for information on this site, I hope to help them find it quickly
and in a way that applies to their lives. I feel privileged to help the Guide
here explain the many facets of the Christian faith."
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