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When Orthodox Jews oppose followers of Jesus
Christian Post ^ | 06/11/2019 | Michael Brown

Posted on 06/11/2019 8:45:31 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

For several decades, I have drawn attention to the Church’s historic persecution of the Jews in Jesus’ name. It is one of the ugliest and longest chapters in Church history, and it cannot be downplayed, forgotten, or ignored. With God’s help, I will continue to call out “Christian” antisemitism wherever I see it today. But I will not ignore Jewish persecution of Christians. It too must be called out.

In the Gospels, Jesus and His followers, all of them Jews, were persecuted by hypocritical Jewish leaders, ultimately leading to the Lord’s death on the cross. And that pattern continued in the Book of Acts, where the Jewish leadership stood in opposition to the message of Jesus the Messiah, sometimes persecuting His Jewish followers to the death (see Acts 7).

Some even stirred up trouble wherever these Messianic Jewish emissaries went to share the good news (see Acts 17), and this continued in the centuries that followed, with some documented cases of Jewish leaders siding with local efforts to persecute Christians.

Of course, no amount of Jewish persecution of Christians can justify the horrors inflicted on the Jewish people by professing Christians, including torture, exile, being forced into ghettos, being burned at the stake, being offered baptism or death, and much more.

And it is an open secret that the Nazis drew on Martin Luther’s antisemitic writings to help enflame German hatred against the Jews.

None of this can be denied, nor should it be denied. To the contrary, we must be ever mindful of this tragic history lest we repeat it in our day.

But, to say it again, when there is Jewish persecution of followers of Jesus, that must be called out as well, especially when it takes place in Israel.

It was a radical Jew who delivered a bomb, disguised as a holiday gift, to the house of Ami Ortiz, the son of Jewish Christian parents. He miraculously survived the bomb blast, which took place in 2008.

But this act, extreme as it was, was not in isolation.

As reported by Time Magazine in 2008, “Messianic Jews, as these Jews who believe in Jesus are called, number just a few in Israel — anywhere between 6,000 and 15,000 — but they provoke hatred all out of proportion to their meager numbers. Many orthodox Jews view them as traitors for joining the Christian faith, which for centuries has persecuted Jews. One Messianic Jew, Tzvi Sadan, a teacher and editor, recalls telling his father, a Holocaust survivor, that he had accepted Jesus as his savior. ‘My dad flipped out. He said that the SS guards in the camp had 'God Is With Us' written on their belts. He told me, “You've joined the enemy.” But he calmed down a bit when he saw my prayer shawl.’” (What Sadan means is that he didn’t stop being a Jew by following Jesus.)

Over the years, Messianic Jews have suffered different levels of persecution within Israel, although none so violent as the bomb attack on Ami Ortiz.

But there have been protests and even vandalism at Messianic Jewish meeting places, attempts to get some believers deported, and various threats and harassments.

Virtually all these acts are carried out by ultra-Orthodox Jews, who view “missionary” activity as diabolical, destructive, and dishonest. As some of these protestors once chanted outside of a large Messianic Jewish gathering I was attending in Israel, “Hitler wanted our bodies. You want our souls!”

Today, as the number of Messianic Jews in Israel has risen to about 30,000 and as the society at large is much more open to these Jewish believers in Jesus, opposition from ultra-Orthodox Jews continues to rise. (For my little run-in with some ultra-Orthodox protesters last year, see here and here.)

As my friend and colleague Ron Cantor reports from Israel (with a video link worth watching), “Believers attending a Messianic concert last week in Jerusalem were accosted by dozens of Orthodox Jewish protestors, who held a violent and chaotic riot for hours, calling the people ‘missionaries’ and ‘Nazis,’ and telling them to get out of Israel. They held up several signs saying, ‘Beware, Missionaries!’ in Hebrew. In Hebrew the world Missionary is a slur. Of course, we are not missionaries, but citizens of Israel.”

Again, I understand how these protesters view us. As a rabbi said to me decades ago, “Our ancestors died rather than believe what you believe. Yet, without coercion or pressure, you not only believe in Jesus, but you try to proselytize as well.”

But, to say this yet again, none of this justifies the actions of these protesters, who were held back by police.

Ron writes that, “Jenya Lempert and his teenage daughter were accosted by swarms of young men blowing whistles at excruciating pitches and linking arms to block the entrance into the concert hall.”

As Lampert told KNI News, “It was a pure act of hatred. They hate us, they were standing against us, they brought their minors as human shields.”

Indeed, Ron explains, “Orthodox protesters have been known to bring teens, who have more liberties than adults to break the law.”

But his response to all this is right on: “It is important to not get angry but pray. At the same time, understand that this is pure fanaticism and brainwashing of children. However, it only represents a tiny minority of Israelis.”

And how should Christians around the world respond to these harassing acts?

First, they should pray for the believers being persecuted, sending them a message that they are not alone.

Second, they should pray for the repentance of the persecutors, believing that there are many Sauls of Tarsus among them.

Third, as friends of Israel who appreciate the liberties that the nation affords its citizens, they should encourage the government to stand with those who are being persecuted to send a message the government will not tolerate this kind of behavior.

All that being said, my personal expectation is that the final generation – whenever that will be – will look a lot like the Gospels and Acts, except that in the end, there will be mass acceptance of Jesus by His own people, rather than mass rejection.

May the Lord turn the hearts of His people Israel!


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Judaism; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: christianpersecution; christians; michaelbrown; opposition; orthodoxjews
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To: MeanWestTexan

RE: Yes. If he goes east and finds enlightenment with Buddha, still a Jew. Just a bad one.

So by what you just explained, if this Jew believes that Jesus is the Promised Messiah, he is STILL a Jew!


81 posted on 06/11/2019 2:17:13 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: Boogieman

Adolf hated the poles too. Was planning to exterminate the Polish people. Adolf only had a skin deep comprehension of life. Think people are confounding creation with ressurection. Two entirely different things. Creation happened once. Ressurection is cyclic occurance. Needed due to the changing physiology of this planet. This is a dynamic situation. You either end up in the proper realm, or you get stuck here fighting the next ice age. Your choice.


82 posted on 06/11/2019 2:25:35 PM PDT by justa-hairyape (The user name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
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To: SeekAndFind

“a Messianic Jew would consider the Passover as PERMANENTLY FULFILLED by Jesus“

Guess what, that’s what *Christians* believe! Sooooo....

Hey really, as I said at the end of my last post, in so many words, if you want to call yourself “Messianic Jew”, knock yourself out. There’s no one, or one authoritative group, in all of Judaism who can settle the question, “are you Jewish merely by ancestry, or do you need to also be practicing the faith?”

It’s not a settled question, at least from what I’ve seen or read. So anyone who objects to the term “Messianic Jew” (including myself) just has to suck it up. Just like the term “agnostic Jew”. Can’t prove it’s wrong to call oneself that since all of Judaism hasn’t settled the question. This very thread is proof of that.

So it’s not necessarily “deceptive”, despite what some may say.


83 posted on 06/11/2019 2:29:23 PM PDT by FourtySeven (47)
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To: thoughtomator

We have all sorts of “Jews” who are not Jews - by YOUR arguments - in America.

I took Hebrew class at a secular university with many “Jews” who were flatly ATHEISTS. Full Stop.

Israel also has many atheist “Jews” in its population and government.

I do not see anyone like you exposing all those various poseurs. I therefore regard you as a hypocrite.

It is you who are the aggressive and hostile one.


84 posted on 06/11/2019 2:31:40 PM PDT by YogicCowboy ("I am not entirely on anyone's side, because no one is entirely on mine." - J. R. R. Tolkien)
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To: justa-hairyape

Ressurection is not the right word there. We simply dont have a comparable English word. The process no doubt is extremely complex. Father gives the ultimate, becomes new born, a son, who later becomes the father again. It is potentially quite incredible if the theory is correct.


85 posted on 06/11/2019 2:33:10 PM PDT by justa-hairyape (The user name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
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To: jjotto

Sounds a lot like the arguments of the “trans” crowd. Hey, the male converts even get a little surgery when they “transition” to being Jewish too :)


86 posted on 06/11/2019 2:39:13 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Boogieman

heh heh

I wouldn’t have thought of that...


87 posted on 06/11/2019 2:40:16 PM PDT by jjotto (Next week, BOOM!, for sure!)
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To: JewishRighter

Actually there are persons on this forum who militantly invade threads dealing with the New Testament just to categorically denounce anyone who quotes from it.

I have been far more often insulted than insulting on this ostensibly conservative forum with the audacious name of Free Republic.

I have devoted much of my life in the REAL WORLD to ministering to the needs of others, whether in official ministry or through other avenues.

I know what it is to truly befriend others - including those who embrace a religion (e.g., Judaism) or a lifestyle (e.g., Homoeroticism) other than my own.

There are very few on this site whose ostensive definitions of friendship and friendliness I would trust. (One of those few left a few months ago in disgust.)


88 posted on 06/11/2019 2:45:32 PM PDT by YogicCowboy ("I am not entirely on anyone's side, because no one is entirely on mine." - J. R. R. Tolkien)
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To: SeekAndFind

“So by what you just explained, if this Jew believes that Jesus is the Promised Messiah, he is STILL a Jew!”

Yes, still Jewish. A heretic, mind you. But a Jewish heretic.

Note, I give the Orthodox response.

The Reform would not consider a convert still Jewish.

The Reform are the majority of Jewish people in the USA.

But I don’t care what the Reform think.


89 posted on 06/11/2019 2:48:00 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan (Sometimes There Is No Lesser Of Two Evils)
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To: SeekAndFind

Was not the faith and Commandments soteriology nullified by Calvary?


90 posted on 06/11/2019 2:48:44 PM PDT by northislander
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To: Boogieman
What non-Christian sources do you expect to exist in medieval Europe exactly?

So the Book of Acts was written during or after the time of "medieval Europe"?

ML/NJ

91 posted on 06/11/2019 2:49:14 PM PDT by ml/nj (.)
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To: justa-hairyape

That was in part the basis for Sophie’s Choice, about a Polish woman, written by William Styron, a Jew.


92 posted on 06/11/2019 2:51:21 PM PDT by YogicCowboy ("I am not entirely on anyone's side, because no one is entirely on mine." - J. R. R. Tolkien)
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To: ml/nj

Well, your comment didn’t reference Acts, just persecution, which, when it came to Christians against Jews, mainly was happening in the dark ages and medieval times.


93 posted on 06/11/2019 3:01:11 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: YogicCowboy

What kind of drugs are you on?


94 posted on 06/11/2019 3:06:50 PM PDT by thoughtomator (The Clinton Coup attempt was a worse attack on the USA than was 9/11)
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To: captain_dave

“To believe that Jesus is God incarnate violates the First Commandment. One cannot remain Jewish and claim Jesus as a god.”

Only if Jesus is an “other god”. If Jesus is indeed the one who gave that commandment, then it obviously cannot be a violation to believe it.


95 posted on 06/11/2019 3:09:43 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: thoughtomator

“A word cannot mean two things at the same time.”

I think you’re going to have to invent your own language for that to become a reality. Even then, as soon as you aren’t the only one speaking it, other people will probably mess it up.


96 posted on 06/11/2019 3:20:26 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: thoughtomator

“If a person who believes that calls themselves a Jew, that is deceit. The promotion of this false Jewry as a means of converting Jews into Christians is the aggression.”
__________________________________

Question, thoughtomator -

Would the Kings, prophets, and those who placed their belief in the Messiah to come then be considered to be Christians?

It was after all, their trust and belief in the Lord God’s Protector of the Jewish race that they placed their very souls upon.

I understand your view. My question, however still stands:

As they willingly accepted the afore proclaimed Messiah, without being told specifically the name, if indeed Christ was the Messiah spoke about, would they be removed from the Jewish lineage in your view?

Would you consider them to be heretics?


97 posted on 06/11/2019 3:24:09 PM PDT by Notthereyet (NotThereYet)
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To: Boogieman
Well, your comment didn’t reference Acts

See the way this works on FR is that the comments are based upon the post being replied to.

In the Gospels, Jesus and His followers, all of them Jews, were persecuted by hypocritical Jewish leaders, ultimately leading to the Lord’s death on the cross. And that pattern continued in the Book of Acts, where the Jewish leadership stood in opposition to the message of Jesus the Messiah, sometimes persecuting His Jewish followers to the death (see Acts 7).
Got any non-Christian sources for this, PAL?

ML/NJ

98 posted on 06/11/2019 3:25:18 PM PDT by ml/nj (.)
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To: Jewbacca

I salute you for your factual, even-handed and genial analysis of the prior discussion.

In my experience, people who pontificate about the wrongness of either religion from the vantage point of the other religion (alphabetical order: Christian or Jewish) have not read or studied the scriptures of the other religion, and possibly have not read or studied the scriptures of their own. Studying the scriptures (not the auxiliary commentaries) sheds a lot of light. The Lord speaks to us through those Words.


99 posted on 06/11/2019 3:39:15 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. --Douglas MacArthur)
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To: Boogieman
How can you possibly convert someone to Christianity while hiding the fact that you believe in Christ?

Or, how can you trick someone who knows his own religion, believes it and is secure in that faith? Especially in view that Jews are more apt than Christians to make sure their children receive a thorough religious education in preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

100 posted on 06/11/2019 3:42:09 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. --Douglas MacArthur)
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