What exactly is a "Messianic Jew"?

Question: What exactly is a "Messianic Jew?"

Answer: A "Messianic Jew" is a Christian who no longer wants to be a part of the Christian community and insists on calling himself a "Jew" who worships a dead Jew -- the ultimate heresy for any bona fide Jew.

Question: "It sounds like Christianity. Why not just Christian then?"

Answer: Because they are embarrassed to be associated with Christianity and its history of atrocities.

Your statement: "You can technically be Jewish and any other religion, or an atheist, if your mom was Jewish."

Answer: Wrong: One CANNOT worship anything other than God and remain a Jew -- not a martyr, not the sun, not Moses, not even a resurrected human. A Jew can worship God alone. Read Deuteronomy VI. Yes, one can be an atheist Jew, but is still accountable to God for following his part of the eternal covenant.

DSM is wrong as usual. One CANNOT "technically be Jewish and any other religion." NO Jew can worship another being, either dead or alive!

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The vast majority of "messianic jews" have zero connection to Judaism aside from belonging to their missionary movement. A tiny percentage have a tenuous conneciton but would not be considered Jewish by Jewish standards and something like 1% were actually considered Jewish before converting to "messianic judaism".

The simple reality is, that even if they did have a connection prior to converting to Christianity (whether they want admit it or not, "messianic judaism" is just another Christian sect) once they converted they lost any connection that they had. The Torah is clear in Shmot (Exodus) Chapter 12 v43 that the Jew who converts to another religion is no longer a part of the Jewish community. This ruling is seen in the Talmud in masechta Sanhedrin where it is stated that an apikoros is not counted as a Jew and loses their place in the world to come (in other words, they are punished with kares (spiritual excission)). This same Mishnah is repeated at the start of masechta Avot in the Mishnah. This cutting off in this world and the next is reflected in rulings by the Rema in the Shulkhan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 268:12), Rambam in Hilchos Avodat Kochvim- and in the modern era in rulings by both HaRav Moshe Feinstein zs"l in Iggeros Moshe and the Satmar Rebbe (unsure of the excat reference for this last one).

Being ignorantof Judaism, the "messianic jews" try to counter this by taking a comment in the Talmud masechta Sanhedrin out of context- in reference to a passage in Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah)- the sages state that even when Israel sins, it remains Israel and does not loose its covenant with G-d. sadly, their simplistic understanding of the text, and ignoring context and the rest of the law on this matter, leads them into a serious error here. How so? Yes- they remain Jewish- and if they do not repentthey are PUNISHED! In other words this remaining Jewish is a two edged sword- on the one hand, if they repent they can return to Judaism (how easy we should make that return is debated and subject to differing rulings by various authorities), bu if they do not repent, then, as per the Mishnah in masechta Sanhedrin and Avos, they are punished with the most servere punishment possible! It doesn't matter that a non-Jew in the same religion doing exactly the same thing as them might be considered righteous, the Jew is judged and punished as a Jew, not as a non-Jew!

Basically it's a form of Christianity. It's aim is to convert Jews to the false belief in Jesus.

Some maybe actual Jews and the rest are Christians who follow Jewish rituals. But overall they are Christians who claim to be Jewish

You CANNOT 'technically be Jewish and any other religion", not even if your mother was Jewish. Jews are a religious community, nothing more, nothing less--and our religion is an exclusive one. If someone who was born into Judaism converts to another religion---no matter what that religion is---they are no longer considered Jewish. If someone born into Judaism becomes an atheist, they are considered lapsed in their faith, and may still be considered Jewish--since they have not converted to another religion.

A Messianic "Jew" IS a Christian...one who disgraces his faith by lying about it in order to convert Jews to Christianity. The "theology" of Messianic "Judaism" is entirely Christian, and breaks from Judaism in all the critical areas that divide the Jewish faith from the Christian one, with superficial "Jewishness" slapped on top. Apparently, if you call the place you worship a "synagogue" instead of a "church" and celebrate Hanukah instead of Christmas, that makes you Jewish, and not Christian. Not the least superficial bunch to ever try to assault the Jewish religion....

At any rate, they are certainly not Jewish. You cannot be both Jewish and Christian, for the same reason that you cannot be both Christian and Muslim---Jews follow a religion that is strictly exclusive to all other faiths, as do Christians. One joins the Jewish reliigious community in one of two ways: you are born into it via birth to a Jewish mother, or you convert into it. But, just as one can voluntarily join the Jewish community, one can leave it through conversion to another religion. Once converted to Christianity, a formerly Jewish individual is considered apostate.

Among their claims, many of which were readily embraced by the Nazis, are as follows:

That there is such a thing as an "ethnic Jew." There are Jews of all ethnicities---Chinese, Ethiopian, Indian, Arab, White, Hispanic, Persian, and many others. There is no one Jewish ethnicity, there is no one Jewish culture. There is only one Jewish religion that binds the whole of the Jewish world together. We are, and have always been, a religious community, defined according to our Halachic law (and certainly not for the convienience of any underhanded Christian scheme to evangelize us!).

The notion of "Jewish ethicity" was the product of a line of European "academics" in the early/mid 18th century who wanted to make their hatred for the Jews more 'scientific' in an era where religious and social reasons to hate the Jews were on the way out. The Jewish 'ethnicity'--"semitic", after the linguistic classification of Hebrew--was an amboa-like group that sucked in races it came in contact with and was inferior in every way to the native Aryan stock. Needless to say, the only people who ever considered the Jews an 'ethnic group' were a. not Jewish and b. tended to wish the Jews great harm.

Even if we were to believe in "Jewish ethnicity", there is still a problem for the Messis. You see, 98% or so of them were never Jewish to begin with. Case in point: David Brickner, one of the co-founders of "Jews for Jesus" (one of the more psychotic of the Messi outreach groups) readily admits that he is 'not Halachically Jewish.' Neither is his wife...which basically means that when his kids have been indoctrinated enough into the lies their parents raised them in, they will be "Christian Jews'' based on the fact that one of daddy's great-grandparents was Jewish. If you believe in "Jewish blood"...the Messis have it pretty thin. That's why these groups also tend to rely on Replacement Theology...the notion that Christianity has "replaced" Judaism, and so Christians have "replaced" Jews as G-d's new Chosen people. Having been "replaced", there is, therefore, no real reason for Jews to continue to exist. This line of thinking has led to quite a bundle of Christian atrocities.

Peace

What David said.....Plus the term "Messianic Jew" is often used to describe the congregation where they meet.

Given the fact that anyone who is a born again believer in Jesus = Christian, they are indeed that.

Just as the hand, the foot, the eye and the ear are all very different, yet parts of the same body.

You might find believers in a Pentecostal church are different from what you find in a Baptist church, the Messianic Jewish congregation is very different. We believers all serve and worship the same Lord.

If you were to visit their worship services, you would find that they have a very distinct Jewish flavor, often use the Hebrew language and Hebrew Scriptures. They are very interested in Jewish concerns, and have a heart to reach the Jewish people with the truth of the Messiah.

Act 11:26 ...the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Some of them are actual physical Jews who have accepted Yashua as their personal Lord and Savior, the Messiah.

Some of them are imposters, both as Jews and followers of the Messiah.

Edit: If being Jewish has nothing to do with "bloodlines" why do most Jews only accpet a person as Jewish if they have a Jewish mother? Something seems to be missing there.

Another person says that they are "Jewish Christians". Talk about playing with words!

The whole problem is that certain folks want a copyright on the word "Jew" and they want it to stand for only certain restricted ideas and concepts. In addition, the word "Christian" has evloved to cover so many pagan, un-Biblcial, anti-christ religious beliefs that many of us are uncomfortable using the term to idenitify ourselves (although in truth, that is what we are, but how much more offended would folks be if we used "True Christian" instead of "Messianic").

The best thing to do is ignore all arguements that folks use to label them selves as this or that.

1 Timothy 1:2-4 ESV To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (3) As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, (4) nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

Titus 3:8-11 ESV The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. (9) But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. (10) As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, (11) knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

It is exactly what LTD said. Jews for Jesus, much as many were in the first century. My brother is a Messianic Jew and observes all the rituals and traditions of the Jewish faith with one "exception." He worships "Jesus" as having been the "messiah." In our family, he is the only one, while I am of the ancient Theban Christian faith and the rest, Christians. We don't let religion come between us though as it does to most in the world. There is but one Lord and many ways to worship him or as Jesus said, "Mansions in heaven, each to his/her own way of worship." Though many on here "think" messianics to be "deceitful" they are no different than the Jews whom Jesus converted and the very same Apostles Christians choose to worship as holy ones of the Lord.

Are Messianic Jews Jewish?

No. A Jew who accepts Christianity might call himself a “Jewish Christian,”

but he is no longer a Jew[1]. He can no longer even be counted as part of a

Jewish congregation[2].

Conversion to another faith is an act of religious treason in Judaism. It is one of

the worst possible sins that a Jew can ever commit. Along with murder and

incest, it is one of the three cardinal sins which may not be violated even

under pain of death. [3] It’s a big deal.

Rabbi Moses Isserles demanded a formal conversion back to Judaism for those who converted out of Judaism but who then wanted to return to Judaism. (One who practices idolatry denies the whole of the Torah.)[4]

He demanded ritual immersion (mikveh) and repentance before a court of three (beit din). You will see this also in other Responsa literature: Radbaz, Responsa III, 415; Moses Isserles to Yoreh Deah 268.12; and Hoffman, Melamed Leho-il II, 84.

Maimonides himself wrote that if a Jew converted to Christianity, he or she was no longer a Jew (Yad, loc. cit. 2:5.). Also see Maimonides, Hilchot Mamrim Perek 3, Halacha 1-3, as well as in Maimonides's Mishnah Torah, Avodat Kochavim 2:5.

Note the following Biblical Passage:

I Kings 18:21. Elijah the prophet asked Jews who were beginning to slip into the worship of the idol, Baal, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the God of the Jews is God, follow Him! but if Baal is God, then follow him!" Elijah told the Jews, one or the other, not both! You cannot believe in two opposite, mutually exclusive ideas simultaneously. Judaism and Christianity believe in opposite, mutually exclusive ideas, and you cannot be a Jew and a believer that Jesus was the Christ at the same time. We are supposed to prefer death over the practice of Christianity [5].

This is not to say apostate ex-Jews are not welcome back!

Rabbi Moses Isserles demanded a formal conversion back to Judaism for those who converted out of Judaism but who then wanted to return to Judaism. He demanded ritual immersion (mikveh) and repentance before a court of three (beit din). You will see this also in other Responsa literature: Radbaz, Responsa III, 415; Moses Isserles to Yoreh Deah 268.12; and Hoffman, Melamed Leho-il II, 84.

Indeed, the Tanakh says…

“As I live, says G-d, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but

that they turn from their way and live.” (Ezek. 33:11).

“When the wicked turns from his sin, and does what is lawful and

right, he shall live thereby.” (Ibid. 33:19).

“That every man shall return from his way, and I will forgive him.”

(Jer. 36:3)

“If they return to You, and confess Your Name, and pray ... then You

will hear in Heaven, and forgive their sin.” (1 Kings 8:33, 34)

Even a Jew who has embraced another faith is given another chance. He can still return to Judaism and be reaccepted by G-d. However, he must sever all ties with the faith he converted to (in this case, the Christian or “Messianic” faith).

Source(s):

1) Yad, loc. cit. 2:5.

2) Pri Megadim, Eshel Avraham 55:4.

3) Sanhedrin 74a.

4) Sifri on Num. 15:22 and Deut. 11:28; Yad, Avodas Kochavim 2:4. Cf. Horios 8a.

5) Tshuvos Rivash 4, 11, Tshuvos Rabbi Yosef ben Lev 1:15.

Harries, Richard (August 2003). "Should Christians Try to Convert Jews?". After the evil: Christianity and Judaism in the shadow of the Holocaust. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. g. 119. LCCN 2003-273342. ISBN 0199263132. "Thirdly, there is Jews for Jesus or, more generally, Messianic Judaism. This is a movement of people often of Jewish background who have come to believe Jesus is the expected Jewish messiah.…They often have congregations independent of other churches and specifically target Jews for conversion to their form of Christianity."

• Kessler, Edward (2005). "Messianic Jews". in Edward Kessler and Neil Wenborn (eds.) (GoogleBooks). A dictionary of Jewish-Christian relations. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 292–293. LCCN 2005-012923. ISBN 9780521826921. OCLC 60340826. "From a mainstream Christian perspective Messianic Judaisms can also provoke hostility for misrepresenting Christianity."

• Harris-Shapiro, Carol (1999). "Studying the Messianic Jews" (GoogleBooks). Messianic Judaism: a rabbi’s journey through religious change in America. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. pp. g. 3. LCCN 98-54864. ISBN 0807010405. OCLC 45729039. "And while many evangelical Churches are openly supportive of Messianic Judaism, they treat it as an ethnic church squarely within evangelical Christianity, rather than as a separate entity."

They think that the Messiah they are anticipating would be in the form of a king; and when I say king, the one who rules the whole kingdom, the one who is wealthy, the one who has power. For them, a carpenter's son who was born in a manger is the complete opposite of what they anticipated. When in fact, Jesus IS the Messiah and it can be proven with tons of prophecies written by the prophets in the old testament.