Beloved, Yeshua came to earth as a Jew from the line of David. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew and died as a Jew.
He is the undeniable fulfillment of all the Hebrew Bible Messianic prophesies. He identifies Himself as Israel’s King and the Light of all mankind.
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star” (Rev. 22:16).
As believers, we need to embrace and celebrate the Jewishness of our faith. We need to remember and be prepared to make the case—that our Redeemer was and is a Jew.
Consider…
Yeshua was educated in the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, He quoted from Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:18,19.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
Jesus personally handpicked His 12 disciples, who were all Jewish. These men became the foundation of His ministry (See Matthew 10:1-4). In fact, three of them became His “inner circle” and closest companions—Peter, James and John.
After His resurrection, Yeshua confronted and recruited the apostle Paul.
“But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus at about noon, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’” (Acts 22: 6 – 8).
Paul was not only a Jew but also a Pharisee, according to his own words: “But Paul, perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.’ When he said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all” (Acts 23:6 – 8).
Paul would eventually go on to author two-thirds of the New Testament and become an emissary to the Gentiles.
Both Yeshua and His apostles celebrated the Jewish Holidays. For example, in Acts 20:16 we read about Paul being in a hurry to get to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Holiday called Shavuot, which is translated in English as Pentecost. In John 10: 22, 23 we read about Yeshua participating in the celebration of Hanukkah – called the Feast of Dedication. (The Hebrew word Hanukkah is translated in English as “Dedication”).
And in Matthew 26:18 we read about Yeshua celebrating Passover with His Disciples.
Perhaps, the ultimate symbol of Yeshua’s Jewish lineage was the sign they posted on His cross at His crucifixion.
Today, like never before, we are faced with rising skepticism concerning the tenets of our faith. Understanding that the foundation of our faith is rooted in the Hebrew Bible will ground us in unshakable truth and create in us the right perspective when we read and study God’s Word.
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Rabbi Kirk Schneider hosts the impactful television program, “Discovering The Jewish Jesus,” which is available in more than 100 million homes in the United States and nearly 200 nations worldwide. In 2021 he began broadcasting on radio and now airs across America. Rabbi Schneider imparts revelation of Jesus’ Jewish heritage and His fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. Questions of how the Old and New Testaments tie together, and how Yeshua completes the unfolding plan of The Almighty Yahweh, are answered with exceptional clarity. Visit his website at discoveringthejewishjesus.com/about-2/rabbi-schneider/.
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