Faith: Why Christians Should Care About Jews

Passover is celebrated from April 10th to April 18th this year.  Why should we care about a Jewish holiday?

Corrie ten Boom, the heroic Dutch Christian woman who risked her life and lost many relatives and friends in order to save the lives of many Jews during WWII once said, "You can't love God without loving the Jewish people."

What?

Unfortunately too many Christians have ignored the Jewish roots of our faith.  On one hand that makes us prone to not understand the many Jewish references in the New Testament, and on the other hand has made us susceptible to antisemitism (the hatred of Jews).

The rescue mission that culminated in Jesus coming to Earth had some of its earliest beginnings with the founding of the Jewish people through Abraham.  The whole Old Testament is a story of God's covenant with the Israelites/Jews.  He revealed His character and His will and His laws to them.  The moral ways of those ancient people brought the light of the true God and His will to the world around them.  Included, though, were prophecies of a Messiah who would come, who would bring a new covenant (which is where we get the name "New" Testament/Covenant).

Jesus (called Yeshua in Hebrew) Himself was born Jewish, had Jewish followers, participated in Jewish traditions like Hanukkah and the Passover, went to synagogue and studied in the temple.  His mission, in his words, was to "the lost sheep of Israel."  It was later that God extended that call via Paul, himself a Jew, to the outside world known as Gentiles, which includes most of you and me.

Today, they still have a special place in His heart.  He also still loves and longs for the Jewish people (and us) to come to Him (see Romans 1 and 9-11). Many have done so.  These are called Messianic Jews.  They are Jews by nationality and also religiously.  They practice Judaism, but a version that some call "completed" Judaism, meaning that they believe that Jesus is the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament.

If you would like to know more, here are a few Messianic Jewish organizations:

Chosen People Ministries
Jews for Jesus

So, as you celebrate Good Friday and Easter, remember the Jewish people in your prayers.