More Questions and Answers about Messianic Judaism

What is Messianic Judaism?

How does Messianic Judaism differ from traditional Judaism?

How does Messianic Judaism differ from traditional Christianity?

How do Messianic Jewish synagogues meet the needs of Jewish People?

Why do Gentiles join Messianic Synagogues?

Why do both Jews and Gentiles feel welcome in Messianic Synagogues?

What Is Messianic Judaism?

Messianic Judaism is not a new movement. It is the modern resurgence of a very old movement. Messianic Judaism was the movement (also known as "The Way") of the Shliachim and the community of Jewish and non-Jewish believers who were the followers of Yeshua the Messiah for the first three centuries of the Common Era.

Messianic Judaism is regarded by its followers as the latest stage in the development of authentic biblical Judaism. It is the faith and form of worship followed by Moshe, King David, and the Nevi'im. It was brought to fulfillment through the coming of Yeshua the Messiah.

How does Messianic Judaism differ from traditional Judaism?

Traditional Judaism teaches that the Tanakh and the Talmud are G-d’s Eternal Word. However they believe the B'rit Hadashah lacks this authority, and that Yeshua is not the Messiah of Israel.

Messianic Judaism teaches that the Tanakh and the B'rit Hadashah together are G-d’s Eternal Word, and that the Talmud lacks this authority. Messianic Judaism also proclaims that Yeshua is the Messiah of Israel and the world.

How does Messianic Judaism differ from traditional Christianity?

Traditional Christianity teaches that Yeshua came to establish a new religion. They do not view the B'rit Hadashah as a continuation of the Tanakh. The teachings of the Gentiles take over the blessings that G-d bestowed on Israel.

Messianic Judaism teaches Yeshua did not come to establish a new religion but to fulfill an ancient one as written in Mattit'yahu (Matthew) 5:17:

"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete."

Messianic Judaism upholds the view that the B'rit Hadashah is a continuation of the Tanakh as written in 2 Timothy 3:16:

"All scripture is G-d-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting sin, correcting faults and training in right living;"

Messianic Judaism emphasizes G-d’s love and faithfulness to the Jewish people.

In that case, I say, isn't it that God has repudiated his people?" Heaven forbid! For I myself am a son of Isra'el, from the seed of Avraham, of the tribe of Binyamin. God has not repudiated his people, whom he chose in advance. ... It's the same way in the present age: there is a remnant, chosen by grace. ... What follows is that Isra'el has not attained the goal for which she is striving. The ones chosen have obtained it, but the rest have been made stonelike, ... In that case, I say, isn't it that they have stumbled with the result that they have permanently fallen away?" Heaven forbid! Quite the contrary... if Isra'el's being placed temporarily in a condition less favored than that of the Gentiles is bringing riches to the latter - how much greater riches will Isra'el in its fullness bring them! ...

Now if the hallah offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you [Gentiles] - a wild olive - were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, then don't boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you [Gentiles] are not supporting the root [Israel], the root {Israel] is supporting you [Gentiles]. So you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. "True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don't be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won't spare you! ...

Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!

For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won't imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra'el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; and that it is in this way that all Isra'el will be saved. As the Tanakh says, "Out of Tziyon will come the Redeemer; he will turn away ungodliness from Ya'akov and this will be my covenant with them [Israel], . . . when I take away their sins."

With respect to the Good News they are hated for your sake. But with respect to being chosen they are loved for the Patriarchs' sake, for God's free gifts and his calling are irrevocable. Just as you yourselves were disobedient to God before but have received mercy now because of Isra'el's disobedience; so also Isra'el has been disobedient now, so that by your showing them the same mercy that God has shown you, they too may now receive God's mercy. ... (Romans 11:1-36 Read This Chapter)

Messianic Judaism teaches Gentiles share, NOT TAKE OVER the blessings that G-d bestowed on Israel.

They were pleased to do it, but the fact is that they [Gentiles] owe it to them {Israel]. For if the Gentiles have shared with the Jews in spiritual matters, then the Gentiles clearly have a duty to help the Jews in material matters. (Romans 15:27. Read This Chapter)

Messianic Judaism emphasizes that Jewish people who follow Yeshua do not convert to another religion, but remain Jews.

Yeshua, the one called Justus, also sends greetings. These three are among the Circumcised; and among my fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, only they have turned out to be a comfort to me. (Colossians 4:11. Read This Chapter)

For it is we who are the Circumcised, we who worship by the Spirit of God and make our boast in the Messiah Yeshua! We do not put confidence in human qualifications, even though I certainly have grounds for putting confidence in such things. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for putting confidence in human qualifications, I have better grounds: b'rit-milah [circumcised] on the eighth day, by birth belonging to the people of Isra'el, from the tribe of Binyamin, a Hebrew-speaker, with Hebrew-speaking parents, in regard to the Torah, a Parush [Pharisee], in regard to zeal, a persecutor of the Messianic Community, in regard to the righteousness demanded by legalism, blameless. [Rabbi Sha'ul (Paul) refers to his being a Jew in the present tense, not in the past tense.] (Philippians 3:3-6 Read This Chapter)

How do Messianic Jewish synagogues meet the needs of Jewish People?

The Jewish people are called by G-d to be a distinct and enduring people according to Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 31:35-36.

This is what ADONAI says, who gives the sun as light for the day, who ordained the laws for the moon and stars to provide light for the night, who stirs up the sea until its waves roar -- ADONAI-Tzva'ot is his name: "If these laws leave my presence," says ADONAI, "then the offspring of Isra'el will stop being a nation in my presence forever." (CJB, Read This Chapter)

It is important for Messianic Jews to maintain their Jewish identify and pass their heritage to the next generation.

Why do Gentiles join Messianic Synagogues?

A special characteristic of Messianic Synagogues through out the world is the significant number of members who are not Jews.

The non-Jews share in all their Jewish brothers' spiritual blessings (Romans 15:27, above) and are full participants in every aspect of Messianic life:

So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers. On the contrary, you are fellow-citizens with God's people and members of God's family (Ephesians 2:19 Read This Chapter).

By worshiping with Jews, non-Jews return to the historical and spiritual roots of their B'rit Hadashah faith. Finally, by joining Messianic Synagogues, they are able to bless the people whom G-d used to bless them.

Why do both Jews and Gentiles feel welcome in Messianic Synagogues?

Messianic Synagogues provide a community context in which gentiles can be received into the congregation of Israel.

Messianic Synagogues provide life cycle services.

Messianic Synagogues provide leadership that imparts vision, knowledge, wisdom, discernment, and counsel in regard to Biblical faith and Jewish lifestyle.

Messianic Synagogues follow an annual cycle of events referred to in the Tanakh as Moadim, or "the appointed festivals of the Lord" in Vayikra (Leviticus) 23.

Messianic Synagogues encourage members to keep biblically Kosher.

Messianic Synagogues provide an environment where men can wear Kippa, tzitzit, and tefillin.

The world needs the depth of Torah and the depth of life presented through understanding Torah. We need a way of learning which bores so deeply into the root of Torah that it flows together with the root of our life. This is the river, the river of living water, which will flow out of Yerushalayim to revive the world.

Discover for yourself the profound beauty and Gift of the TORAH lifestyle, the celebration of the Biblical Shabbat, and participation in G-d’s appointed times. Your eyes will be opened to another dimension of faith and your ears will eagerly receive truth. As a Biblical scholar you are not intimidated by truth. Consider restoration to TORAH. Weigh it, pray about it, and decide to live a TORAH observant lifestyle.

Scripture quotations are from The Complete Jewish Bible