Our Jewish Heritage

This is my script for "Our Jewish Heritage".

Recently my grandson came to visit me. I was really taken back when he made a negative statement about the Jewish people. Where did he learn that I asked myself?? That is something that is taught and there is a mindset that still permeates our society that Christianity is a religion unto itself rather than a fulfillment of our Jewish roots. My grandson was really shocked when I told him that Jesus was Jewish. He attends a great church, one of the fastest growing churches in America, attends Sunday school, he goes to vacation Bible school at both his church and his other grandmother's church, and even goes to a neighbor's church for VBS. Yet, he had never been taught that Jesus was Jewish and the fulfillment of the Old Testament, the old covenant given by God. It made me wonder how many listeners today have not been taught about our Jewish heritage. In order to understand the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament you must first understand the foundation taught in the old covenant. Since Jesus was teaching a group of Hebrews, or “Jews” as we call them, he did not lay again the foundaton that had been studied and taught for thousands of years. Therefore, we must go back to the old covenant, the old testament, to study and know the foundation upon which Jesus was teaching. The slang term “Jew” is a shortened form of Ju-dah, a tribe of Israel, but only one of the 12 tribes of Israel. We have westernized the scriptures and do not study the word of God for what it is, our covenant agreement with the God of this universe. The foundation of this covenant is given in the old testament and fulfilled in Jesus, a Hebrew from the tribe of Judah. He was a “Jew”. The plan of salvation was first given to the nation of Israel, the Jews, and then when they rejected Jesus we, the Gentiles, were engrafted into the vine. John 4:4-26 tells of the encounter of Jesus and the woman at the well. At verse 22 Jesus clearly states that salvation is by the Jewish people and they were the ones that were to share the plan of salvation. During the tribulation they will once again share God's salvation and evangelize the world.

Throughout the old testament or old covenant, God uses symbolism to reveal Himself to us and to point to Jesus. Jesus taught on this earth as a teacher of the old covenant. He was called, “Rabbi”. There are several different groups or types of people in the scriptures who refer to Jesus as “Rabbi” or “Teacher”.

His disciples referred to him as Rabbi for at Mark 9:5 Peter says, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here, so we could make three booths. He is also called Rabbi when Peter says in Mark 11:21, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You had cursed has become withered”.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, calls Him Rabbi in John 3:1-2 when he says, “Rabbi, we know that You, a teacher, have come from God”.

John the Baptist's disciples call him Rabbi at John 1:35-38:

“Rabbi, which being interpreted says “Teacher”, “where are You staying?”.

The blind man calls Him Rabbi at Mark 10:51: when he answers Jesus and says to Him, “My Rabbi, that I would regain my sight”, and at John 6:24-25 when the common people said after finding Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”.

A scribe calls Him Teacher, which is Rabbi, at Matthew 8:19 when he says to Him, “Teacher, I shall follow You wherever You would go.”

Jesus also refers to Himself as Rabbi at John 13:12-14 when He says, “You call Me, “The Teacher” and “the Lord” and you say rightly, for I am. Even Jesus' technique of answering a question with a question was a rabbinic technique used for teaching.

Many things that Jesus did and said were from the old covenant. A prime example of how we do not fully understand the scriptures without understanding the old covenant is found in the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Jesus as a Jewish male wore the traditional tallit under his garment. We see this in several scriptures and we will look at them in just a moment. First let me tell you about the tallit or prayer shawl. We find God's instructions about the prayer shawl in Numbers 15:37-41.

The tallit, its Hebrew name, or prayer shawl the English translation, was a reminder of God's commandments and it also reminds us of the promises of God. The original prayer shaw was more like a poncho. It was a large, square sheet with a hole in the middle for the head. The front piece was tied behind the back, then the back was lapped over and tied in the front. The fringes on the tallit are called tsitsit in Hebrew and were placed on the corners of the outer garment and represented 613 commandements and promises of God. When the prayer shawl was worn by an anointed man of God the fringes represented the power of God. This explains why the woman with the issue of blood reached for the fringe of his garment in Matt. 9:20 and Luke 8:44: Matt 9:20 says, “And behold a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment”. The amplified Bible and many other translations cross reference this to Numbers 15:38 where God instructs the Israelites on the making of the Tallit. Luke 8:44 says, “ Came up behind Him and touched the tassel of His garment and immediately her flow of blood ceased”. This also explains why so many sought to touch the tsitsit of His tallit in Matt. 14:36 and Mark 6:56. Matt 14:36 says, “And begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were perfectly restored”. Again this is cross referenced to Numbers 15:38 where God instructs the Israelites on the Tallit. Mark 6:56 states, “ that they might touch even the fringe of His outer garment; and as many as touched Him were restored to health”. If you don't know about the tallit you read about this fringe and won't understand what it is referring to. They were reaching out to take hold of the promises of God which included the promise of health and wholeness from Jehovah Rapha, The Lord our Healer, represented by the fringe and tassels on the tallit or prayer shaw, worn as an outer garment.

Another instance where we read but do not understand what the scripture is referring to as it comes from a Hebrew understanding is regarding Paul and his tent making. We are told in Acts 18:2, 3 that Paul, Priscilla, and Aquilla were tent makers. To be under the prayer shawl was referred to by men as “tenting” with God or what we would call a prayer closet because it was placed over the head to shield the eyes while praying. Making of a prayer shawl required Rabbinic training which Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila had. Many scholars believe they were making prayer shawls to have income.

Another place that is of prime importance to understand is our communion service. Did you know that even our communion service comes out of the old covenant and is a remembrance of the covenant we have with God first through Abraham-the old covenant, and then ratified through the blood of Jesus for the New Covenant. The Communion service is part of the Feast of Passover. God instituted the Passover with the children of Israel before they left Egypt to protect them from the death angel. It is to be celebrated throughout all generations. Through the blood of Jesus we too are protected from the death angel and given eternal, everlasting, life. In the book of Hebrews Jesus is called our Passover Lamb, the final sacrifice. To fully understand Paul's discourse on Jesus being the final Passover lamb you need to understand the foundation given in the old Testament about the Passover. I recently heard Perry Stone who studies continually with Rabbis in Israel state that Rabbinical tradition teaches that when the High Priest would offer up the very last Passover Lamb he would say, “It is finished”. What did Jesus say upon offering Himself as the final Passover Lamb? He said, “ it is finished!”.

Another interesting note taught by the archeological school in Jerusalem is that the tunic that the soldiers gambled for in John 19:23, the seamless garment, was the inner garment worn by the Levitical priesthood. It was one piece woven together without seams for the arms and body and therefore they could not divide it. This same type of inner garment was made by Hannah for Samuel to serve with Eli. Jesus Himself offered up His life as the High Priest offering up the final sacrifice and after so doing states, “It is Finished”. Imagine the surprise of the Jewish Hierarchy when they found and saw Jesus wearing the inner garment of the High Priest under his outer garments when He was striped of His clothing. Every Jewish male wore a Tallit, but only the Priesthood wore this inner seamless garment.

We are told in Galatians that we are redeemed from the curse pronounced by not adhereing and following the law given in Deuteronomy and it is through the blood of Jesus that we are redeemed. Galations 3:13 states, “ for it is written Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree to the end that through receiving Christ Jesus, the blessing promised to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit”. What was the blessing promised to Abraham? You can not understand what this is saying if you don't understand the cutting of covenants and being a seed of Abraham, an engrafted “Jew” through adoption. The blood covenant is the foundation for our redemption. If you did not hear my teaching on the blood covenant you can read it on my blogspot which is announced at the end of this program.

There are countless teachings in the New Testament that are first given in the Old Testament. Do you see how we must understand our Jewish roots and the old Testament Covenant in order to understand what was said and taught in the New Testament?

Be sure to not just read the scriptures but begin to be an investigative reporter who constantly searches for the hidden truths and meanings revealed in the Word of God.