The Jews were faithful followers of their God, but not Jesus
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
What really happened to the Jews?
Did they actually opt out of a religion where:
- Its founder was a Jew – Jesus.
- All 12 of Jesus’s disciples were Jews.
- The disciples were the ones who initially preached (what was later called) Christianity to the world. And their initial outreach focus was to bring the message of Christ to their fellow Jews.
- Many meetings of the early church were held in the local Jewish synagogue (when they weren’t being held in someone’s home).
- The 12 disciples had the power to cast out demons and heal the sick – something you did not see in the normal Jewish synagogue.
Does that surprise you? Many Christians I have spoken with think that the Jews opted out of Christianity from the beginning because they rejected Jesus as their Messiah and were the main ones responsible for getting Him killed. That’s not exactly what happened.
Why so much Confusion?
The confusion on this issue could be (and has been) the source of many books arguing about what caused the rift between the Jews and the Christians. So, what hope do I have of sorting this all out? Frankly, I don’t see much basis for confusion when we just stick to the facts as presented in the Bible. The challenge will be in getting past whatever misperceptions you may have picked up along the way.
Let’s start with the facts I presented above. It’s undeniable that Christianity had its start among a group of people who were 100% cardholding members of the Jewish community. In its purest form, Christianity reveres Jesus (a Jew) as the Son of God. And not just any Jew but a Jew descended from the royal line of King David – one of the most loved Jews of all time! The Apostle Matthew doesn’t hesitate to point this out in the very first verses of his Gospel (Matthew 1:1 (NIV)):
1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of (King) David, the son of Abraham:
Contrary to what some may believe, Jesus was initially very popular among His fellow Jews (See below). Jesus was a charismatic and wise teacher. Before He did even one miracle, those who heard him teach were amazed (Luke 2: 42-47 (NIV)):
42 When he was twelve years old, they (his parents)… found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
Does this sound like someone the Jews were rejecting? No, the story of Jesus begins with a person who was loved and appreciated for His wisdom, His ability to relate to the suffering of His people, and the miracles He did to relieve their suffering. So, what went wrong?
Jesus’ Reputation During His Ministry
During this episode, I want to focus on Jesus’ reputation with his fellow Jews (a) during His ministry and (b) at His crucifixion. Next time, I’ll address (c) after His resurrection.
Remember, Jesus’ ministry lasted roughly three years. During that time, He recruited 12 disciples, performed many miracles, traveled the country, and taught the people –in synagogues, private homes, and out in the open. His reputation was mixed – depending upon who you asked.
|
Group |
Reputation |
What Jesus said |
| The Basic Jewish population | They mostly loved and admired Him. |
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. Luke 4:14 (NIV) |
| His Disciples (All Jews) | They worshiped Him and gave up everything to follow Him. |
21 As Jesus continued walking by Lake Galilee, he saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus told them to come with him. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus. Matthew 4: 21-22 (NCV) |
| The Pharisees
(All Jews) |
Accused Him of being possessed by a Demon |
24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Jesus uses the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, to force demons out of people.” 25 Jesus knew what the Pharisees were thinking, so he said to them, “Every kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. And any city or family that is divided against itself will not continue. Matthew 12: 24-25 (NCV) |
| Accused Him of not following the Law of Moses. |
The leading priests and the teachers of the law saw that Jesus was doing wonderful things and that the children were praising him in the Temple, saying, “Praise to the Son of David.” All these things made the priests and the teachers of the law very angry. Matthew 23:1-3 (NCV)
|
For most of His ministry, the people were in awe, His disciples were “all in,” and the Pharisees were worried, jealous, and vindictive. Jesus’ message was one of compassion, forgiveness, and love, which was a lot more appealing than the Pharisees’ message that sin was a hopeless cycle that could not be broken, leading to an endless cycle of sacrifices trying to please God. It was especially threatening to them when Jesus said (John 14: 6 (NKJV)):
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Jesus’ Threat to Those in Power
This (and other quotes like it) made it clear (at least to the Pharisees and the Jewish leaders) that Jesus was challenging their power base and the tenets of Judaism itself. And He was. He needed to because this would eventually be the catalyst that would lead to His death. But far more important was that Jesus was challenging the concept that the Law alone could save you. As Luke wrote in Acts 13: 38-39 (NCV), “Brothers, understand what we are telling you: You can have forgiveness of your sins through Jesus. The law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But through Jesus everyone who believes is.” As we shall see in my next email, Jesus came to make some fundamental changes to Judaism – changes the Pharisees rejected because it threatened their power, and many ordinary Jews rejected because it challenged their traditions and questioned their Patriarchs. But, what Jesus was pointing out was that Judaism had moved from a religion that honored God and followed the Law as a way of pleasing Him to one that honored the Law and followed its leaders by depending upon them to interpret the Law. The focus had moved away from God and given all power to the Jewish leaders. And, they liked it that way!
During His ministry, the Pharisees tried to “cancel” Jesus through the use of four discrediting tactics:
- They said the source of His power comes from demons.
- They said His message violated their traditions and the teachings of Moses.
- They said His actions were dividing the people, not uniting them.
- They said He claimed to be God.
Imagine how such attacks affected the people. A stranger has entered your church and is saying things about God and His Word that make more sense than anyone you’ve ever heard. He says that God sent Him, and His miracles make it hard to reject His statements. But the leaders of your church clearly don’t like Him or trust Him. They say that His teachings are wrong and that His power is not from God. And some of what He says seems to conflict with what you’ve been taught and untold generations before were taught. What do you do? As an ordinary (probably illiterate) Jew, this would probably be quite upsetting. Jesus’ message is thought-provoking and challenging, and He does miracles! How can you ignore that? Over the course of His ministry, many (not just the Pharisees) were troubled because Jesus seemed to be at odds with the long-term traditions and teachings of the church and of their ancestors. Jesus taught a different view of what God meant when He gave the 10 Commandments to Moses. Although God did say, “For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44 (NKJV)), Jesus does not see this as being possible without help. And Jesus came to be that help! This is a crucial point because it reveals that the Jewish leaders had gotten it wrong for thousands of years! It is impossible for man to be holy without God’s help.
Jesus’ Claim to Being “Like” God
Probably the biggest stumbling block in Jesus’ reputation was His claim to have the power to forgive sins. Yet, this is the way John the Baptist first introduced Jesus when he said (John 1:29 (NIV)):
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Later, when Jesus healed a paralyzed man, He Himself made that claim (Matthew 9: 2-7 (NCV)):
2 Some people brought to Jesus a man who was paralyzed and lying on a mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, young man. Your sins are forgiven.” 3 Some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This man speaks as if he were God. That is blasphemy!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 But I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Stand up, take your mat, and go home.” 7 And the man stood up and went home.
We know that such claims drove the Pharisees absolutely nuts. They held on to their power by teaching that – to please God – one had to adhere to strict (often mindless) sacrifices to cleanse their sin. And they prided themselves on knowing exactly what sacrifice to make for each sin. Jesus taught that it was better to have reverence for God and do good. Then God would look upon your heart, see what you do, and forgive you. Jesus once asked, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” This question points to the root of the problem – our focus should be on doing good. Although it wasn’t obvious at the time, Jesus came to correct and reorient the focus of the church.
Jesus’ Accusation Against the Church
Bottomline, the problem Jesus came to point out was that the church was focused on legalism – trying to target the impossible task of being Holy because God is Holy. The result was a cruel and unhappy church where the primary focus of the leaders was in pointing out the sins of the people (while uplifting themselves) instead of caring for the people. Jesus saw right through this and, on many occasions, chastised the Jewish leaders for having perverted the original message of God. Yes, God wanted His people to strive for holiness, not by trying to be perfect (like God) but instead by revering God, worshiping Him, and helping each other. Jesus defined the problem this way: “33 If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good. If your tree is not good, it will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces.” (Matthew 12: 33 (NCV)). It was so important to Jesus that His people be educated on the wrong teaching of the Jewish leaders that He instructed His disciples in this way (Matthew 10: 5-6 (NCV)):
5 Jesus sent out these twelve men with the following order: “Don’t go to the non-Jewish people or to any town where the Samaritans live. 6 But go to the people of Israel, who are like lost sheep.
Jesus pulled no punches when criticizing the Jewish leaders. He accused them of being “snakes,” “evil people,” “vipers,” “a den of thieves,” and more. No wonder the Pharisees hated Him. It wasn’t just about power. It was about who really knew what God wanted from us.
Jesus’ Reputation at His Crucifixion
As Passover was approaching, in the third year of Jesus’ ministry, the impact of Jesus’ teachings had reached a crescendo. Perhaps His arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey with hundreds of people shouting, “Hosanna to God in the Highest!” and laying palm branches at His feet pushed the Pharisees over the top. They had to get rid of Him! The Jewish leaders of the day created a “Cancel Culture” around Jesus. They leveraged their influence and position to make Jesus appear to be an “insurrectionist” – someone who was threatening the stability of historical Judaism by ignoring the Laws of Moses and, worse, putting Himself above Moses. Sound familiar? Good people are being canceled out by the false claims of the media and people in power. The Jewish leaders pitted Jesus against the teachings of irrefutable Patriarchs – like Abraham and Moses as if everyone else did exactly as they taught. The concept was simple, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.”
Imagine being a Jew at that time. Jesus appears to be doing a lot of good, but He also says things that don’t make sense and are controversial. You’re conflicted and confused. The leaders of your church tolerated Jesus at first, but now He has gone too far, and they are calling for His death. When Pilate gives the people a choice, spare Barabbas or Jesus, “the leading priests and elders convinced the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be freed and for Jesus to be killed.” (Matthew 27:20 (NCV)) Given the choice, the people make the decision to support their leaders and ask for Jesus’ death. This was undoubtedly the worst example of mass hysteria and the blind following the blind in human history!
In our next edition, we’ll focus on what happened to Jesus’ Reputation after His Resurrection.
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