Jesus and the Jewish People

 Jesus and the Jewish People 

Waiting for the Messiah, Sin, and Repentance  

 Part 1: GENERAL  

1. Claiming to Await the Messiah but Still Sinning  

   - 1 John 1:8-10  

     "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us."  

     (This verse affirms that all people sin, including those who believe in the Messiah, but confession and repentance are key.)  

   - Romans 3:23-24  

     "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."  

     (Shows that even those who await or believe in the Messiah can still fall into sin, but forgiveness is available through Christ.)  

2. Those Who Stumble into Sin but Repent  

   - 1 John 2:1-2  

     "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One."  

     (Demonstrates that believers, though they may sin, have a path to forgiveness through Christ.)  

   - Luke 15:7 (Parable of the Lost Sheep)  

     "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."  

     (God rejoices over the repentance of sinners.)  

3. Those Who Sin and Disregard Repentance  

   - Hebrews 10:26-27  

     "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God."  

     (Warns of the danger of willful sin and rejection of repentance.)  

   - 2 Peter 2:21-22  

     "It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them."  

     (Describes those who know the truth but choose not to repent.)  

Conclusion  

The Bible acknowledges that even those who believe in the Messiah (Christ) can fall into sin, but what distinguishes them is their response:  

- Those who repent → Receive forgiveness (1 John 1:9).  

- Those who ignore repentance → Face serious consequences (Hebrews 10:26-27).  

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 Part 2: THE JEWISH MESSIAH  

The video’s question touches on the core of Christian and Jewish theology regarding salvation, the Messiah, and the response to Jesus. Let’s examine this based on the New Testament and theological perspectives:  

1. Jews Who Accept Jesus as the Messiah  

   According to the New Testament, they are considered "saved" because they acknowledge the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies in Jesus.  

   - John 14:6  

     "Jesus answered, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’"  

   - Acts 4:12  

     "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."  

   Conclusion: Jews who accept Jesus as the Messiah are considered saved because their faith aligns with God’s fulfilled promises.  

2. Jews Who Reject Jesus as the Messiah  

   This is the stance of many Jews in Jesus’ time and today. The Bible issues strong warnings about rejecting the promised Messiah:  

   - John 3:18  

     "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."  

   - Matthew 23:37-39 (Jesus weeps over Jerusalem)  

     "Jerusalem, Jerusalem… how often I have longed to gather your children together… but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate."  

   Conclusion: Rejecting Jesus as the Messiah is seen as rejecting God’s plan of salvation (in Christian theology).  

3. Jews Awaiting Another Messiah (Not Jesus)  

   Some Jews still await a Messiah who has not yet come (e.g., in Rabbinic tradition). The Bible warns about "false messiahs":  

   - Matthew 24:5  

     "For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many."  

   - 1 John 2:22  

     "Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ."  

   Christian View: Rejecting Jesus and awaiting "another messiah" is seen as rejecting God’s fulfilled promise.  

   Jewish (Non-Christian) View: They believe the true Messiah has not yet come and that salvation depends on the Torah and God’s covenant with Israel.  

4. Those Who Claim Another Messiah (Other Than Jesus)  

   History records several individuals claiming to be the Messiah (e.g., Bar Kokhba, Sabbatai Zevi). The Bible considers such claims deceptive:  

   - Matthew 24:24  

     "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."  

   Conclusion: Claims of other messiahs contradict Christian faith, which centers on Jesus as the sole fulfillment of Messianic prophecy.  

Theological Difficult Question: "Are Jews Who Do Not Believe in Jesus but Are Faithful to the Torah Saved?"  

This is a complex theological debate:  

   - Romans 2:12-16 (Paul on those who follow conscience)  

     "All who sin apart from the law will perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law."  

   - Romans 11:25-26 (Mystery of Israel’s salvation)  

     "Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved."  

   Various Views:  

   1. Reformed/Calvinist Theology: Salvation only through faith in Jesus (no other path).  

   2. Dispensationalist Theology: God has a special future plan for Jews in the end times.  

   3. Inclusivist View (e.g., Karl Barth): Christ is the path to salvation, but God sovereignly forgives whom He wills (including Jews faithful to the Torah covenant).  

Summary Answer:  

1. Accepting Jesus as Messiah → Saved (according to Christianity).  

2. Rejecting Jesus → Not saved (unless they repent, per the New Testament).  

3. Awaiting another messiah → Considered misled (since Jesus is believed to fulfill prophecy).  

4. Claiming another messiah → False (based on biblical warnings).  

This is the Christian perspective based on the Bible. Rabbinic Jewish views, of course, differ as they do not accept Jesus as the Messiah.  

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 Part 3: WHO IS SAVED?  

The Universality of Salvation in Christianity  

How does the Bible address salvation for non-Jews (Gentiles)? Let’s examine Jesus’ teachings, Paul’s letters, and the broader biblical theme of salvation.  

1. Salvation for Gentiles in the New Testament  

   (a) Jesus Himself Affirmed Salvation for Gentiles  

   - Matthew 8:10-12 (Faith of the Roman centurion)  

     "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith… Many will come from the east and west and take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."  

     (Jesus prophesied that many Gentiles would enter God’s kingdom by faith, while some Israelites would be excluded.)  

   - John 10:16 (Other sheep not of this fold)  

     "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also… There shall be one flock and one shepherd."  

     (Often interpreted as God’s plan to save non-Israelites.)  

   (b) The Great Commission: Preach to All Nations  

   - Matthew 28:19  

     "Go and make disciples of all nations…"  

     (Salvation through Jesus is open to all peoples.)  

   - Acts 1:8  

     "You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  

2. Paul’s Teachings: Salvation by Faith for All  

   Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, emphasized that salvation is for everyone who believes—Jew or Gentile.  

   - Romans 3:29-30  

     "Is God the God of Jews only? No, He is God of Gentiles too… since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith."  

   - Galatians 3:28  

     "There is neither Jew nor Gentile… for you are all one in Christ Jesus."  

   - Ephesians 2:11-22  

     "You Gentiles… have been brought near by the blood of Christ… For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."  

3. How Can Gentiles Be Saved?  

   The Bible states the same path for Jews and Gentiles:  

   1. Hear the Gospel (Romans 10:14-17).  

   2. Believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior (Acts 16:31).  

   3. Repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38).  

   4. Live by faith and obedience (James 2:17).  

   Examples of Saved Gentiles in Scripture:  

   - Cornelius (Acts 10): A God-fearing Roman who received the Holy Spirit.  

   - Lydia (Acts 16:14-15): A Thyatiran merchant who believed.  

   - Greeks in Antioch (Acts 11:20-21): Many turned to Christ.  

4. A Difficult Question: What About Those Who Never Heard the Gospel?  

   The Bible offers principles for this complex issue:  

   - Romans 1:19-20 (God reveals Himself through creation)  

     "What may be known about God is plain to them… For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities have been clearly seen."  

     (All people are accountable for the revelation they’ve received.)  

   - Romans 2:12-16 (God’s law written on hearts)  

     "Gentiles who do not have the law… show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts."  

   - Acts 17:26-27 (God ordains human boundaries)  

     "He marked out their appointed times… so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach for Him."  

   Christian Perspectives:  

   - Exclusivism: Salvation only through explicit faith in Christ (Mark 16:16).  

   - Inclusivism: God may save those who respond to limited revelation (Romans 2).  

   - Universalism: All will eventually be saved (a minority view).  

Conclusion  

1. Salvation is offered to all—Jews and Gentiles—through faith in Jesus (Acts 4:12).  

2. Gentiles who accept the Gospel are saved just as believing Jews are (Ephesians 2:8-9).  

3. God judges fairly those who never heard the Gospel (Romans 2).  

4. The Church’s mission is to preach worldwide (Matthew 28:19).  

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 Part 4: ONE SACRIFICE FOR ALL TIME  

The Fate of Those Who Lived Before Christ  

1. Could People Before Christ Be Saved?  

   Yes! Salvation has always been by grace through faith, even before Jesus’ incarnation.  

   Examples of Pre-Christ Believers:  

   - Abraham (Genesis 15:6): "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."  

   - Noah (Genesis 6:9): "A righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries."  

   - David (Psalm 32:1-2): "Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven."  

   Key Point: Pre-Christ saints were saved by faith in God’s promises, not law-keeping (Hebrews 11).  

2. How Did Salvation Work Before Jesus’ Atonement?  

   (a) Temporary Sacrificial System (Old Testament)  

   - Leviticus 17:11: Animal blood made "atonement" but couldn’t fully remove sin (Hebrews 10:4). These sacrifices foreshadowed Christ.  

   - Their faith rested in God’s promise of a coming Redeemer (Isaiah 53).  

   (b) Christ’s Retroactive Redemption  

   - Romans 3:25-26: Jesus’ death covered past sins in God’s forbearance.  

   - His sacrifice applies backward to Old Testament believers.  

   (c) 1 Peter 3:18-20 & 4:6 (Christ’s proclamation to the dead)  

     "He preached to the spirits in prison… The gospel was preached even to those who are now dead."  

     - Possible interpretations:  

       - Jesus announced His victory in the afterlife.  

       - Some may have had a post-death opportunity to repent (debated).  

3. The Fate of Unbelievers Before Christ  

   - Acts 17:30: God overlooked past ignorance but now commands repentance.  

   - Romans 1:20: All are accountable for general revelation.  

   - Jude 1:7: Examples like Sodom show judgment for wickedness.  

4. The "Hades/Sheol" Concept  

   - Luke 16:19-31: Before Christ, the dead awaited judgment in Sheol (Abraham’s side for the righteous; torment for the wicked).  

   - Ephesians 4:8-9: At His ascension, Jesus freed Old Testament saints from Sheol.  

5. Summary Table  

| Category | Fate |

|----------|------|

| Pre-Christ believers (Abraham, Moses, etc.) | Saved by faith; Christ’s blood applied retroactively. |  

| God-fearing Gentiles (e.g., Melchizedek) | Judged by their response to revelation (Romans 2). |  

| The wicked (e.g., Pharaoh, Sodom) | Condemned for rejecting known truth. |  

| Those who died without clear revelation | God judges justly (1 Peter 4:6 hints at possible mercy). |  

Final Conclusion  

1. Pre-Christ saints were saved by faith in God’s

 promises.  

2. Old Testament sacrifices pointed to Christ (Hebrews 10:1).  

3. Jesus’ death covers all sins—past, present, and future (Romans 3:25).  

4. God judges fairly based on available knowledge (Romans 1-2).