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The Rebirth of
Messianic Judaism
The sudden surge in the number of Jews
recognizing the Messiah of Israel has created a stir in the
traditional Jewish community. It also has been the source of much
excitement among true believers in the Messiah. During the first century,
Messianic believers were practically all Jewish. [MORE] Messianic Judaism flourished during the next 300 years, then
laid virtually dormant until the Arab-Israeli Six Day War in 1967.
The end of that war was the beginning of
a greater Jewish consciousness among Jews themselves, and it has swept
across nations. It also marked the time when Jews who accepted the New
Testament no longer wished to be absorbed into traditional church
institutions. Such Jews preferred to be called Messianic Jews. This is a
departure from the past, but it does not represent any biblical
inconsistency. In recent years this desire to maintain a Jewish
identification has intensified.
If 1967 was the birth date of modem
Messianic Judaism, then 1975 was the year the movement officially began to
blossom. For some decades, Jewish believers in the Messiah were content to
be trophies on the shelf of traditional church institutions. Today this is
no longer the case. The new Jew, armed with the truth, has the burden of
bringing the Messianic message to other Jews throughout the world.
In mid-1975, about 600 Messianic Jews
met at a national conference called Messiah '75. There, leaders from all
over the United States, Europe, and Israel discussed the role of Messianic
Jews in relation to traditional Judaism.
It became apparent during the conference
that the story of Messianic Judaism needed to be told in clear,
uncomplicated language. Up until then, dozens of books had been written on
related subjects. None of them, however, comprehensively explain what the
movement was all about.
It also has become obvious that events
are moving rapidly and theologians will be investigating and dissecting
this new phenomenon for years. In the meantime, it seems necessary to
present a broad brush panorama of these new and exciting developments.
To be sure, this book is not intended as
a deep theological treatise. Rather, it brings together many current
thoughts of the thousands of Messianic Jews throughout this nation.
This is not to say that the movement
lacks scholarship.
Indeed, Messiah '75, among other things,
showcased a wealth of theological talent. The many lectures given during
this week-long conference attest to this. They were extremely helpful in
the preparation of this book.
One lecture especially worthy of mention
was given by Arnold Fruchtenbaum. Much of chapter IV of this book,
Early Messianic Jewish History, has been based upon his presentation.
Many of the other chapters express
thoughts or facts that are common knowledge among Messianic Jews. They are
offered here, hoping to provide fresh insight for believers in the Messiah
and for those who have not yet accepted the Messianic fulfillment.
Much of the terminology used herein
emphasizes the Jewishness of the New Testament. In a similar vein, every
scriptural quotation is from the Harkavy edition of the Jewish Bible
published by the Hebrew Publishing Co.
Quoted from the Preface to The Fig Tree Blossoms:
Messianic Judaism Emerges, by Paul Liberman. Indianola, Iowa, Fountain
Press, 1976. [Currently out of print, but you may be able to find a copy
HERE.]
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