A Bridge of Understanding Between Jew and Gentile

The gulf between the Jewish religion and culture, and that of the established form of Christianity and Western culture is so wide that it is difficult to understand that they stem from the same Root. Lack of knowledge about each other also  maintains that distance. In the book of Hosea 4:6 we read,"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Yet so many of us confine ourselves to our own little ethnic and or religious group, where we feel safe, and seldom move out of that comfort zone.When we do we find an interesting world that is different , but not necessarily wrong. We can be associated with others with whom we share the same values and ethics, even in our diversity.

To begin to understand each other better some myths and misconceptions need to be addressed. Prehaps the greatest of these is, that most Jewish people think that anyone who isn't Jewish must be Christian, other than Moslems,Hindus and Buddhists, even Hitler! After all, both he and his Generals attended church on a Sunday before going about their evil business on Monday! This is not even easy to explain to Gentiles who are not practicing Christians either. However this is a barrier that needs to be understood. Only the Holy Spirit of God can give anyone the right answers when confronted with situations like these, but it is important to be aware of it and recognize the fact.

Christians on the other hand usually have a stereotyped impression of Jewish people. That of a short olive skinned person with dark hair and eyes and a large nose. This of course is absolutely false. It may be somewhat true of many who live in the Middle East, most of whom are Arabs and some Jews, but since the Jewish people were dispersed among the Nations, they have largely taken on the identity and appearance of the people with whom they are living. When I was around eighteen years old I met a person who had red hair, most unusual in England, with fair skin and blue eyes and he spoke with a Scottish accent! At first I refused to believe that he was Jewish.! Since then I have been more open minded!

Another obstacle to overcome is that of the Jewish Dietry Law, or keeping 'Kosher'. Observing the Mosaic Law is what preserved the identity and purity of the Jewish people, surrounded as they were by pagans and idolaters. However by the time of Yeshua and the early Believers, this became a major problem, and was addressed at the first Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts chapter fifteen. The problem with which they were faced was, should the Gentile Believers in Jesus first become converted to Judaism? The result was that it was decided that the Jewish followers of Yeshua should continue to observe the Mosaic Law, but that the Gentiles need only abstain from pollution's of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. Acts 15:28 " For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessay things.".

However, up until this day the problem has not been satisfactorily resolved and there is no unanimous agreement. Jewish people continue to keep the Mosaic Law in varying degrees according to their religious persuasion, be it Orthodox, Conservative or Reformed, or as with many of the younger generation, not at all!

Christians and even some Jewish people who join the Church, do not feel obliged to keep the Dietry Law and pick and choose which of the others they will keep. Messianic Believers on the other hand vary in thier views, but most are convinced that they apply to Jewish Believers but non-Jewish people are excused. The degree to which keeping 'Kosher' is observed also varies, but the majority of Messianic Believers observe what they consider Biblical Kosher, which is to abstain from unclean things such as shell fish and pork etc.

This is what was being addressed when we read in Ephesians 2:14"For He is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end."Previously Jew and Gentile were unable to share a meal together because of the Dietry Law of separation. The 'dividing wall' was the one that separated Jew and Gentile in this way. Now the problem with which we are left, is how to work these things out in our day to day living. However, understanding is the key and of course the Holy Spirit is the 'guide'.

To further complicate the situation we now have young people who call themselves 'Generation X'. The parents of these children grew up in the sixties and turned their backs on the Establishment and threw out a lot of good along with the not so good or bad. This resulted in a lack of respect or regard for the religion, values, morals and heritage of their parents. They were left with little or nothing to pass along to their offspring, and now we have a generation who are adrift without any idea as to who they are or where they come from. They are searching for 'Identity'. This is the first time in known history that a generation  has completely cut itself off from its 'roots' and knows little or nothing about them.

Part of the well know Jewish prayer and statement of faith the Shema says, 'You shall teach these things to your children diligently'. Since Moses received the Law or Torah (First five books of the Bible.) Jewish children have been taught this prayer, and for many, the first words learned or uttered by a Jewish child were in Hebrew and from the Law. It is almost unbelievable to learn that today there are a few (hopefully) young Jewish people who are not even familiar with some of the basic teachings of Judaism, including the 'Shema'. This was on the lips of nearly every Jewish person who was taken from the concentration camps to the death chambers during World War II.

The Church at large is generally unfamiliar with this, yet when Jesus or Yeshua, was asked "What is the greatest commandment of all?".He replied, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all you might". Jesus did not finish it, because every Jewish person with Him had learned it from infancy, and this has been so until this present generation. Some Christians know from where this was taken, and for those of you who don't, it is found in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 4-9. Observant Jews pray this three times a day, including Yeshua Himself!

Although there is still much work and effort that needs to be done to bridge this Gap including 'all of the above' many have found that Believing in Jesus and being obedient to the direction of the Holy Spirit, we are able to make a way. As with most things in life we need to be 'Motivated'. It really isn't even an option if we claim to be born again Believers and followers of our Messiah. We read .in the last prayer He prayed in John 17:20,21."I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may be one, even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me."
 
In the Old City of Jerusalem there are a couple of small congregations where both Arabs and Jews come together in brotherly love, even in times like these. What is the Secret?.He came as " a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Thy people Israel." When Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath as was His custom, He read from the book of Isaiah chapter 61,"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and the recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Jesus has made a Way for us and He does not expect from us what He is unable to enpower us to do.
 
The good news of the Gospel is that the Truth will set us Free. Not free to do as we please, but free to choose to find the will of God for our lives, and to do it, with His help.