Why Jews rejected Jesus

W

Wan

Hello. I was searching on the internet trying to find the answer, of why Jews rejected Jesus and his teachings. He was a Jew himself, and you would think Jews would follow him. Anyway, I came upon a short essay explaining why Jews rejected Jesus. It's a good read: http://www.biblecourses.com/English/en_lessons/EN_200006_20.pdf

One of the things the author mentioned is that Jesus was too spiritual for Jews. We need to realize that Jews of Jesus's days, much like present-day Jews, were not very spiritually inclined. They were expecting a kingdom that was earthly. Jesus's talk of the Kingdom of God was too spiritual for them. They wanted a military leader, someone who would free them from Rome's rule and give them prosperity. I mean I understand how much it must have sucked to be under foreign rule, and it was normal to want to be free. However we should not overlook Jews' materialistic, un-spiritual nature. Anyway, feel free to explore my link and tell me what you think.
 
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It is an interesting topic, I would add this to the reasons...

Romans 11:4-5,25 LSB
But what does the divine response say to him? “I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” [5] In this way then, at the present time, a remnant according to God’s gracious choice has also come to be. [25] For I do not want you, brothers, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
 
crossnote said:
It is an interesting topic, I would add this to the reasons...

Romans 11:4-5,25 LSB
But what does the divine response say to him? “I have left for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” [5] In this way then, at the present time, a remnant according to God’s gracious choice has also come to be. [25] For I do not want you, brothers, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
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Yep. You are always right!

You should be a moderator!!!!!
 
Wan said:
Hello. I was searching on the internet trying to find the answer, of why Jews rejected Jesus and his teachings. He was a Jew himself, and you would think Jews would follow him. Anyway, I came upon a short essay explaining why Jews rejected Jesus. It's a good read: http://www.biblecourses.com/English/en_lessons/EN_200006_20.pdf

One of the things the author mentioned is that Jesus was too spiritual for Jews. We need to realize that Jews of Jesus's days, much like present-day Jews, were not very spiritually inclined. They were expecting a kingdom that was earthly. Jesus's talk of the Kingdom of God was too spiritual for them. They wanted a military leader, someone who would free them from Rome's rule and give them prosperity. I mean I understand how much it must have sucked to be under foreign rule, and it was normal to want to be free. However we should not overlook Jews' materialistic, un-spiritual nature. Anyway, feel free to explore my link and tell me what you think.
Click to expand...

Post #2 from crossnote actually sums it up !

I would only add that Jewish tradition and teachings from the Torah pictured their Messiah as a conquering war hero and that is who they were looking for. They believed that since the Messiah would come to power, He must be born in a palace, He must be majestic, with the countenance of a king, and He would lead them to overturn the Roman regime. However, not only was the Lord Jesus not born in a royal palace, but He actually was born in a manger. Not only did He not behave in a kingly way as they imagined, but He appeared to be a very common and ordinary man. Not only did He not lead them to overturn the Roman regime, but He actually taught them to be forgiving and tolerant, to love their enemies, and to forgive others seventy times seven times. The image and the work of the Lord Jesus completely overturned the Jews’ imaginings of the Messiah in their minds.

Then another thought is that the Jews, although they said they worshipped God, they actually didn't. They loved and followed MAN.
The Pharisees, chief priests, and scribes were all the leaders of the religious world that held authority, and had prestige and position; they appeared pious, were well-versed in the scriptures, were very familiar with the law, and served God in the temple for generations. The Jews worshiped power and status, so they thought that, since the chief priests, scribes and the Pharisees had believed in God and read the scriptures for many years, they must be able to recognize the Messiah when He came, and thereby following them would not be wrong. Thus when the blind and ignorant Pharisees relied on their own imagination and notions to deny that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah and even to condemn and blaspheme the Lord Jesus; the Jews followed them and did the same.
 
Major said:
Then another thought is that the Jews, although they said they worshipped God, they actually didn't. They loved and followed MAN.
The Pharisees, chief priests, and scribes were all the leaders of the religious world that held authority, and had prestige and position; they appeared pious, were well-versed in the scriptures, were very familiar with the law, and served God in the temple for generations. The Jews worshiped power and status, so they thought that, since the chief priests, scribes and the Pharisees had believed in God and read the scriptures for many years, they must be able to recognize the Messiah when He came, and thereby following them would not be wrong. Thus when the blind and ignorant Pharisees relied on their own imagination and notions to deny that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah and even to condemn and blaspheme the Lord Jesus; the Jews followed them and did the same.
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Thank you Major for your very well-thought out response.

Question: do you think Jews continue to worship power and status to this day?
 
Many Jews did follow Jesus. Naturally you will never find an instance where all X follow Y. That's just not how the world works.

Also, if I may say, be careful with your brush. It cuts an awfully wide swath.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
Many Jews did follow Jesus. Naturally you will never find an instance where all X follow Y. That's just not how the world works.

Also, if I may say, be careful with your brush. It's cuts an awfully wide swath.
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I know some did, Christianity started out as a Judaic sect. However, it seems to me that these original Jewish followers of Christ have all disappeared. Either they got absorbed into European groups or they simply got out-bred. The present-day Jews are very different from these early Jews, is my opinion.
 
Wan said:
However, it seems to me that these original Jewish followers of Christ have all disappeared.
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I see. Are you asking why there aren't people who call themselves Jews yet follow Jesus? There are, but I think they are niche. Most likely the original Jews who followed Jesus were absorbed into the Gentiles who did the same and eventually all became simply Christians.
 
Wan said:
Hello. I was searching on the internet trying to find the answer, of why Jews rejected Jesus and his teachings. He was a Jew himself, and you would think Jews would follow him. Anyway, I came upon a short essay explaining why Jews rejected Jesus. It's a good read: htttp://www.biblecourses.com/English/en_lessons/EN_200006_20.pdf
One of the things the author mentioned is that Jesus was too spiritual for Jews. We need to realize that Jews of Jesus's days, much like present-day Jews, were not very spiritually inclined. They were expecting a kingdom that was earthly. Jesus's talk of the Kingdom of God was too spiritual for them. They wanted a military leader, someone who would free them from Rome's rule and give them prosperity. I mean I understand how much it must have sucked to be under foreign rule, and it was normal to want to be free. However we should not overlook Jews' materialistic, un-spiritual nature. Anyway, feel free to explore my link and tell me what you think.
Click to expand...

Hello Wan;

Good question and it led me to think.

During these times Jews sustain their relationship with Elohim and practice all the traditions from the Torah.

There are also many Jews who don't think about it because many of them don't have a relationship with Elohim nor do they know much about Jesus.

The Good News is many Jews today have converted to Christianity such as Jews for Jesus, The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, etc...

The latter part of your thread I blue-lighted is very much in align regarding their past history, today and no doubt there are many, many other views. Let's see if others will participate in this thread.

God bless you, and thank you for sharing.
 
Wan said:
Thank you Major for your very well-thought out response.

Question: do you think Jews continue to worship power and status to this day?
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Very difficult question. I am not a Jew, and I really do not know.

The only Jews that I know, and associate with on a regular basis are born again or Completed Jews.

Before they came to Christ I can testify that they were steeped in Tradition however, the Jewish religion that that were in was NOT the same as was recorded in the Scriptures. They rely heavelly on the Talmud.

Now, while people may want to go “but isn’t the New Testament adding to the Word” that isn’t theologically sound. For one thing, God is speaking to the Jews through Jesus. The command against adding to the Word is to “ye” (humans). God can add to the Word. That’s what the Gospels are: God adding, or arguably clarifying, the law.

In fact, Jesus affirms this way of thinking by pointing out that he did not come to abolish the law but rather to fulfill it. The New Testament is the fulfilment of God’s promises. Jesus is the descendent of David who rules over Israel and over the world, just in a different manner than Jews of the time period understood this person to rule.
 
Wan said:
I know some did, Christianity started out as a Judaic sect. However, it seems to me that these original Jewish followers of Christ have all disappeared. Either they got absorbed into European groups or they simply got out-bred. The present-day Jews are very different from these early Jews, is my opinion.
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Jews are people from Judea!

The original church was almost entirely all Jewish. They did not disappear, they just died.

May I say to you, that is the last several years, there has arisen an accusation that the Jewish people are not really indigenous to Israel, but are actually white Europeans, descendants of an Eastern European people group called the Khazars, who have no business being in the Middle East.

Unsurprisingly, these ideas are very popular among anti-Semites but they have even caught on in some Christian circles, suggesting that the Jewish people are unrelated to the ancient Israelites, and have no real history in Israel or connection to the land. Now if you care to do the work to verify this I think you will see that it goes back to a man by the name of Arthur Koestler. He published a book in 1978 with this theory and he was a Jewish atheist who rejected the Bible.

It seems to ME that the trouble is and was that the Pharisees were enthusiastically converting gentiles into their twisted and man-made version of Judaism, rather than the God-breathed covenant of Sinai. They were more interested in exacting rules than in worshiping in Spirit and in truth.
That is still with us today and is growing and is manifesting itself in Religions such as 7th Day Adventist, Jehovah Witnesses and yes the Roman Catholic Church where TRADITIONS and RITUALS are combined with Law Keeping to be saved.
 
LearningToLetGo said:
I see. Are you asking why there aren't people who call themselves Jews yet follow Jesus? There are, but I think they are niche. Most likely the original Jews who followed Jesus were absorbed into the Gentiles who did the same and eventually all became simply Christians.
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Agreed. They are called "Completed Jews" and are part of the Church now.

They were once lost, now they are saved!
 
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