Messianic Judiasm
Question
Hi. My girlfriend identifies as Messianic Jewish. I am agnostic, but I was raised Jewish until about 11. I am firm that I don’t believe in G-d, but she insists that I might understand her better if I got to “know Him.” To me, this seems like proselytizing, and further research into Messianic Judaism suggests to me that she isn’t actually Jewish, but a Protestant seeking to spread the word of Jesus, or “Yeshua” as she refers to Him. She only attends church services on Sundays and seems nervous about going to temple to worship. I suppose my question is whether or not Messianic Judaism is “real Judaism?” I didn’t finish Hebrew school, but I have a large Jewish family on my father’s side and I never recall them talking about Yeshua as G-d. I’m sorry if this is an offensive question, but I’m having a hard time finding a good answer to what Messianic Judaism is. Thank you for your time.
Answers
In general So called “Messianic Judaism is an insult to Christians and Jews. It deserves to be exposed as a mockery of both religions. The claim that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah is based on a fundamental redefinition of the concept of the Messiah. In the Jewish Bible and in post-Biblical Jewish writings, the Messiah is an anointed king who presides over the ingathering of the exiles to the Land of Israel, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, the restoration of the utopian Jewish state, the initiation of an era of world peace, and the spread of the pure monotheistic ideal to all mankind.
By this definition, Jesus cannot be the Jewish Messiah.
Christianity has traditionally redefined the role of the Messiah as one who liberates mankind from the burden of sin. Normative Judaism has always rejected this definition; in Jewish thought man can be justified before the Heavenly Court by virtue of his good deeds and through the process of repentance. In Judaism there is no need for a Messianic redeemer from sin. In Christianity, the unique nature of the sacrifice of Jesus, as opposed to the martyrdom of Christians throughout the centuries, is based on the doctrine that Jesus is the incarnation of the Son – one of three elements in the Trinity. In Judaism, the belief in the Trinity, as well as the belief in the incarnation of the Deity into a material being, is contrary to the Monotheistic ideal which is at the very root of Judaism. So-called “Messianic Jews” accept the doctrines of the Messianic Jesus, the Trinity, and incarnation of the Deity. Thus they profess to Christianity, and have broken ranks with the Jewish religion. The claim that a “Messianic Synagogue” is a true Jewish congregation is obviously false. Using Jewish symbols (menorah, star of David), Jewish terms (synagogue, rabbi), and Jewish rituals (Saturday services, Passover Seder) is a shameless attempt to sell Christianity in a Jewish package. Does Christianity need Jewish clothing to freely compete within the marketplace of ideas? Does Judaism need Christian clothing to attract the unaffiliated and uncommitted? We believe not.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team