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Jesus the Jew
WES
So he left Judea to return to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way.Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?" Jesus replied, "People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life."
(John 4:3-14 NLT)
"Jesus the Jew," a term that has all but been forgotten. As you study Christianity down through the centuries, you realize how Jesus has been stripped of His Jewishness. To the Jewish world and its thinking, the person of Jesus and His teachings are for the gentiles, but not for the Jews. How sad that from our pulpits the Jewishness of Jesus is hardly ever mentioned. The New Testament is thought of as a primer or book that teaches anti-Semitism. Yet many of my Jewish kinsmen will never open up the Scriptures to find out for themselves what the New Testament teaches.
How surprised many Jews would be as the New Testament is a Jewish book from the Book of Matthew to the final book in the New Testament called the Book of Revelation. Is it any wonder that many Jews will not even consider the claims of Jesus that He is Israel's Messiah? The church of Jesus Christ has been silent for nearly two thousand years concerning anti-Semitism and hatred for the Jew. What an indictment this is against the true church or called out ones. I am sure our Lord Jesus is not pleased with this mindset of those who name His name and call Him Lord.
What do the Scriptures have to say about the Jewishness of Jesus? And how should we as His church present Him to the world, which is made up of Jews and Gentiles alike. In the Gospel of John chapter four verse nine a woman, who was a Samaritan and a gentile, is puzzled, because Jesus, being a Jew, asked her for a drink knowing that Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans, but considered them half-breeds or dogs. Yet as this dear woman looked upon the Savior of the world, she saw Jesus the Jew, and one who cared for her and was offering to her the water of life.
In Matthew 27: 27 to verse 37 the soldiers who took Jesus and beat Him and then crucified Him bowed their knees in mockery and called Him the "King of the Jews" and then nailed above His cross these words- "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Notice they did not say "Jesus, the Lord of the Jews," but King of the Jews. You can search all of the Scriptures, but you will never find Jesus being called King of the Church. The term King is always used in reference to being the King of Israel. In Romans 1:3, Jesus is spoken of as being the seed of David, or "made of the seed of David," which is speaking of His incarnation and taking upon Himself humanity. This is speaking of Jesus becoming a Jew and a human being. Jesus was a true son of Abraham as Hebrews 2:16 tells us: "Jesus took not upon Himself the nature of angels, but took upon Himself the seed of Abraham" (paraphrasing Hebrews 2:16).
With all of Scripture supporting the Jewishness of Jesus, is it not strange that people twist the Word of God and teach that God is finished with Israel; and the Jews are guilty of deceit? The Bible teaches us to love the Jew and the nation of Israel, not hatred for the Jew.
On Israel, my final thoughts are, this world is soon going to bow the knee to Jesus the Jew: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:5-11 NAS). Better to bow the knee now for the Scriptures teach that all will bow and confess Jesus as Lord. What is your desire?
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