Messianic Judaism: Bridge Between the Church and the Synagogue
Tevye, the papa in Fiddler on the Roof was surveying his sad
situation—four unmarried daughters, a dry cow, a lame horse,
Russian pogroms—he looked up to God and said,
“God it’s nice that you chose me to be one
of your chosen people, but would you mind choosing someone else
for a change?!?!”
Obviously, Tevye thought being chosen meant he’d not have to
suffer anymore. But God chose the Jews for something else. Through
the Jewish people, he planned to teach the non-Jewish world about
himself. Moses said,
Look, I have taught you laws and rulings,
just as ADONAI my God ordered me.... Therefore, observe them...
for then all peoples [nations/gentiles] will see you as having
wisdom and understanding. When they hear of all these laws, they
will ask, “What great nation is there that has laws and rulings
as just as this entire Torah which I am setting before you today?”
(Deuteronomy 4:5–8, CJB)
Implied here is that the non-Jews would be envious of biblically
Jewish ways. Yeshua’s “marching orders” to his sh'likhim
(apostles) were,
"...go and make people from all nations
into talmidim (disciples).”
His “Great Commission” instructed his Jewish followers to teach
Gentiles about God and his salvation, and then more.
A talmid (singular for talmidim) is a student
of a rabbi, learning how to live an observant life. It’s clear
from the way Yeshua taught and lived with his followers that he
practiced this rabbinical method of training. So when he sent
out his sh'likhim to make talmidim, he was telling
them to teach about salvation, and even more. He, like Moses,
wanted Gentiles to learn the ways of God, the ways of Torah. We
at Emmanuel Messianic Jewish Congregation do this.
I can’t tell you how excited our Christian neighbors were when,
at our annual community Passover Seder dinner, they saw the connection
between Passover and the Last Supper, and the Lord’s Supper, or
Communion. People said that their eyes had been opened. They really
appreciated learning this.
Moreover, each biblical holiday can be meaningful and relevant
to Christians. I don’t have room to explain all this here (that’s
why we provide books on the subject), but these special days are
a gold mine of riches for Gentiles. And there’s even more.
The Torah, the Five Books of Moses, is filled with principles
and instructions about life for individuals, families, congregations
and nations. If understood and practiced, life just becomes better.
That’s what Rabbi Saul (the Apostle Paul) meant when he wrote
Timothy saying,
All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable
for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and
training in right living; thus anyone who belongs to God may be
fully equipped for every good work.
(2 Timothy 3:16–17, CJB)
The only Scripture Timothy knew was the Holy Scripture, the
Tanakh, the “Older” Testament.
This is to say that Messianic Judaism is accomplishing what
God had in mind—that non-Jews (as well as Jews, of course)
learn his ways. And Messianic Judaism offers something vital to
Jewish people.
It would be untrue to say that Jews understand much about God.
Most of our people have not read the Tanakh. This is due, in part,
to the fact that traditional Judaism has been unappealing to many.
Nowadays, you’re as likely to find a Jew in an Ashram or at a
Unitarian or Baha'i meeting as you are to find one in a synagogue.
I’m not disparaging rabbinical Judaism. Neither did Yeshua.
He clarified where the rabbis were off-base in their observances.
That’s clear in the Sermon on the Mount. Yeshua taught his talmidim
how to interpret the Torah. He didn’t cancel the Torah—he confirmed
the Torah, with a proper understanding of how to observe it.
Messianic Judaism is poised to be the most popular form of
Judaism around today. Jewish people are attracted to Messianic
synagogues by the unique teaching of the rabbis, by the moving
of God’s Spirit in the congregations, by the love and warmth of
the members, and by the singing and dancing of the worshippers.
I shouldn’t forget the food, (but most synagogues have sumptuous
spreads, anyway). Messianic Judaism can bring Jewish people back
to the teachings of the Torah as explained by the greatest “rabbi”
of all—Yeshua haMashiach.
Messianic Judaism, as it is maturing, is helping Christians
restore the richness of their Jewish roots. Rabbi Saul/Apostle
Paul said that gentile believers were “grafted in” and had become
part of the Commonwealth of Israel. In other words, all the wonderful
teachings and practices Moses taught his people are available
to grafted-in non-Jews, as well as Jews.
Furthermore, Messianic Judaism, as it grows in acceptance by
the Jewish community as another “branch” of Judaism, will enable
our people to receive the message of the Messiah pertaining to
salvation, better biblical interpretation, and more sanctified
living. This, then, will enable our people to fulfill the purpose
God had for us chosen people—to tell all the world about him.
Messianic Judaism has a lot to offer both Christians and Jews.
Blessings and Shalom,
Rabbi Baruch (Barry) Rubin
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