While Christians and Jews share a common heritage beginning with Adam, continuing with a covenant made by G-d to Abraham, and King David, a man after G-d’s own heart. Christianity and Judaism even share the first 39 books of the Bible; Jews call the Old Testament the Tenach. However, our beliefs diverge when discussing the Messiah. While Jews eagerly await the first coming of the Messiah, Christians believe that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Messiah and wait in preparation for the second coming of the Messiah. Many of these differences were brought to light when I shared an apartment with a Jewish friend, the daughter of a Rabbi, in college. Despite my many discussions with her throughout college, I didn’t realize how divisive religious beliefs can be pitting one people group against another. Even though Jews in Jerusalem have suggested that Christian-Jewish relations are good in comparison to Muslim-Jewish relations, a certain hostility and superiority can be felt among the Jews.
During our conversations over Shabbat last weekend the covenant G-d made with Abraham was brought to light. This same covenant of blessing and faithfulness extended from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to the nation of Israel. For this reason, Jews claim a special place with G-d, a special covenant relationship with G-d, and a special place in the heart of G-d. Consequently, Jews around the world observe many Jewish traditions and rituals that date back to the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Many of these observances reflect the cycle of sinful people and a forgiving G-d, a communing with G-d, and a reflection of the saving work that Christians believe was completed 2000 years ago on the cross. Still, many Jews around the world faithfully continue to practice these observances
Monica, Brittany, and Sam celebrate Shabbat and eagerly await the coming of the Messiah, denying the deity of Jesus and the redemptive work completed on the cross for everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike. In this way, Jews continue to live according to the Abrahamic promise and covenant, believing that being Jewish is an exclusive sacred covenant relationship between Jews and G-d himself.
One of the many struggles I have with holocaust museums I’ve visited in the past is this portrayal of the superiority of the Jewish people as depicted through exhibits describing the accomplishments of the Jewish people – the Nobel prize winners, scientists, scholars, authors, musicians, etc. It seems to me that this display of “excellence” among the Jewish people only perpetuates the notion of a superior race, which was at the heart of the holocaust. However, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem’s holocaust museum and memorial brought to light something I had never really considered – Jews may attribute the holocaust
to Christian hatred. An exhibit early in the museum explained that the Jewish people were ill-treated because of their non-acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah they waited for. In fact, the Jews were personified as a woman blinded and downtrodden while Christianity was personified as a woman upright with her eyes gazing outward. The exhibit suggested that stereotypes of Jews being wealthy bankers, swindlers, and loan sharks, actually began as a result of the oppression by Christians, prohibiting Jews from membership in any trade guilds, so the only business that Jews could corner the market on was banking and loaning, which was strictly prohibited by the Christian church. Even more devastating is the belief that one Aryan “Christian” man, Adolph Hitler, attempted to annihilate the Jewish people through a calculated plan and process. Surely, these ideas have tainted Christian-Jewish relations for many years.
Priscilla at Yad Vashem
to Christian hatred. An exhibit early in the museum explained that the Jewish people were ill-treated because of their non-acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah they waited for. In fact, the Jews were personified as a woman blinded and downtrodden while Christianity was personified as a woman upright with her eyes gazing outward. The exhibit suggested that stereotypes of Jews being wealthy bankers, swindlers, and loan sharks, actually began as a result of the oppression by Christians, prohibiting Jews from membership in any trade guilds, so the only business that Jews could corner the market on was banking and loaning, which was strictly prohibited by the Christian church. Even more devastating is the belief that one Aryan “Christian” man, Adolph Hitler, attempted to annihilate the Jewish people through a calculated plan and process. Surely, these ideas have tainted Christian-Jewish relations for many years.Priscilla at Yad Vashem
While any apologies and reparations I can make are insufficient to erase the past oppression of the Jewish people perpetrated by Christians, I do believe that I have a chance to live differently, to love Jewish people inclusive of their differences of belief and faith. During my stay in Jerusalem, I have begun to recognize the bridge that our host, an Orthodox Jew himself, is extending to this group of Christians. He has not only hospitably opened up his home to entertain angels according to Jewish culture, but he also extends himself in helping us to grow in our understanding of Jewish culture and beliefs, while encouraging exploration of how our New Testament enlightens the Old Testament. Through these discussions, I have developed my response to the division in Christian-Jewish relations:
“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both to God through the cross by which he put to death their hostility… Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with Gods people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Ephesians 2:14-16, 19-20
Jesus is the answer. He alone can abolish the Abrahamic covenant with the Jewish nation and extend a new covenant of grace to all people. He alone can unite Christians and Jews. He alone calls us chosen, broken, blessed, and His people.
