“… do people take issue with jesus being jewish so it is something that has been overlooked or ignored for a long time? and if so, why do you think? or does it have something to do with the split between jews and christians and the belief that Jesus was the messiah?”

Alright, Julie, here is the answer I promised you. I even went to one of my main sources of info to make sure I answered your question correctly – my husband :). His response was that there are several different big factors, but I don’t want to get into all of them. I don’t even understand or know them all to be honest. But here’s the answer as I understand it. (feel free to chime in anyone with other thoughts or disagreements) Oh yeah, one disclaimer. Through my studies I have learned Church history but it’s not my strong suit by any means.

As of today, yes I think people take issue with Jesus being Jewish bc it is so far out of our western culture view of Jesus. We have so removed Jesus from His culture and context that I think many honest believers would be shocked to learn Jesus never went to Church but instead went to the Temple and to Synagogue (even though it says it in Scripture). We have no frame of reference for a Jewish Jesus so we don’t know what to do with Him when someone begins to suggest the idea. Now, how did this begin?

Early on in the life of the Church (not long after Paul and the Apostles died) there was a big split between Jewish believers and Gentile Believers, not to mention between Jews and believers (Jews and Gentiles) in general for different reasons. Very quickly the Church began to seperate themselves from their Jewish identity in different ways and even were (at times very) antagonistic towards Jews. The Jews did everything they could to seperate themselves from any concept of Jesus and any “possiblity” of His being their Messiah.

Then along comes Martin Luther. Now believe me, I am extremely grateful for the Reformation and think Martin Luther was definetly used by God. BUT, believers today are so influenced by Luther without even realizing it that we look at Paul as a previous Martin Luther and 1st cent Judaism as another works-righteousness religion. Instead of realizing that Paul wasn’t Martin Luther. He was a 1st century Pharisee who knew his Messiah. Also, Judiasm and the religion that Martin Luther decried aren’t the same thing. But we now read Paul through the eyes of Martin Luther, instead of letting Paul be Paul. So today we no longer have a Jewish Jesus and the Paul we read obviously thought very badly of 1st cent Judaism so we do as well.

Through the centuries the distrust and at times hatred on both sides has both been so strong that there’s now a huge wall seperating Christianity and Judaism. Now, believe me, there is definitely a difference between the two, but as believers there is a lot we could learn about the Old Testament and the New Testament (including both Jesus and Paul) from the Jewish people.

I have heard it stated (I don’t remember where I need to ask Bryan) that two forms of Judaism surived after the Temple fell in 70 AD. Christianity and Pharisaical which became Rabbinical Judaism.

Does that answer the question or did I totally confuse you???
———-
Oh, I put up our one idea of a girl’s name on the baby website without thinking. You can read it there and respond here if you want.