My lovely first cousin “J”, with whom I spent 100s of joyful hours growing up, is a Protestant lass who married a Jewish chap. She has converted to Judaism herself. They have raised their 3 lovely kids Jewish and celebrate Shabbat every Fri night in their home.
I may also have some Jewish blood, as my Paternal Grandmother’s maiden name was Adams. If so, I’m deeply grateful to God.
* * * *
But there is a beautiful irony in Messianic CHRISTIANITY: some Jewish people have come to believe in Jesus by rediscovering that Jesus was Jewish. Avi Snyder of Jews for Jesus, a Messianic ministry, eventually trusted Yeshua (Joshua, ie Jesus) as Israel’s Messiah. He concluded that it was “the most Jewish thing that I could ever do.”
Another Australian story is David Lewinsohn’s. Born Jewish, he initially regarded Jesus as incompatible with Jewish identity. But through Scripture, the Alpha Course, and a Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) service led by Bob Mendelsohn (Director of Australian Jews for Jesus for 25 years), he became convinced that Yeshua was his Messiah.
These stories capture something central about Messianic Christianity: Jesus is not a Gentile Christian invention imposed upon Judaism, but Israel’s Jewish Messiah.
Messianic Unity WA, associated particularly with Nathanael Ministries in Baldivis, is not simply a Jewish-flavoured evangelical church. Its published theology is substantially orthodox concerning Scripture, Trinity, and Christ’s deity. Also sin, grace, and faith. And atonement, resurrection, and the Spirit. In addition, Christ’s return and final judgment.
Its distinctive emphases are Torah, Shabbat, and biblical feasts. Also Hebrew language and culture, Israel’s continuing significance, and its restoration.
The deeper question is therefore not, “Do they believe in Jesus?” They plainly do. It is: “What does Torah mean after Yeshua’s death, resurrection, and ascension. And after the inauguration of the New Covenant?
Jews for Jesus makes a relatively sharp distinction: Jewish believers may retain Jewish practices, but Gentile Christians are not required to become Jewish or keep Mosaic law. Jews remain Jews; Gentiles remain Gentiles; both belong equally to Messiah.
That makes my friend, Conservative Evangelical Rev Martin Pakula, whom I greatly admire and esteem, especially interesting. The Melbourne Jewish Christian and Anglican minister has worked extensively in Jewish mission and evangelical theological education, arguing that the gospel remains “first for the Jew” while maintaining an evangelical, Christ-centred theology.
Romans 1:16 expresses the principle:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.”
Martin seeks to hold together Jewish identity, biblical Israel and salvation through Messiah, without creating a Jewish spiritual hierarchy.
Martin’s relative Ben Pakula brings a similar Jewish-Christian identity into Sydney Anglican ministry. A minister at Grace Anglican Church and a musician, Ben was brought up Jewish and came to know Jesus at nineteen.
His ministry brings together Jewish background, conservative Anglican Christianity, and biblical theology. Also evangelism. Significantly, he remains within mainstream Sydney Anglican evangelicalism rather than treating Messianic identity as requiring separation.
Another Australian example is Mark Leach, an (originally South African) Anglican minister who was in my year at College. Mark’s Jewish family background is involved with “Celebrate Messiah” and “Never Again Is Now”. Also Paul Cohen, an evangelical Bible teacher associated with Jewish mission and Western Sydney Bible School.
Beit Shalom in Sydney likewise brings Jewish and Gentile believers together around Yeshua, through Shabbat worship, prayer, and teaching. Also Messianic Jewish practice.
The wider Messianic movement contains both enthusiastic affirmation, and serious criticism. Jews for Jesus argues that Jewish believers need not surrender Jewish identity. But also that Gentile Christians should recover their faith’s Jewishness without pretending to be Jewish.
Other Messianic ministries similarly stress Jewish continuity. Conservative evangelicals generally welcome the biblical Jewish context, but warn against turning Torah observance into a condition of justification. “Torah” (lit.”instruction”, “teaching”, or “law”) is the compilation of the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible. Namely Gen, Ex, Levi, Num, & Deut. It is also known as the Pentateuch, or 5 Books of Moses. In Rabbinic Judaism tradition it is also known as the Written Torah.
“Jews for Judaism” is an international organisation focussing on preventing Jews from converting to other faiths &, reclaiming those who have already converted. It provides counseling services, education, & outreach programs to all Jewish denominations. It was established in 1985 by Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz.
In contrast to Messianic ministries, it rejects Messianic Judaism entirely. It argues that belief in Jesus, the Trinity & incarnation makes Messianic Judaism Christian rather than Jewish.
Some Jewish critics regard Messianic mission as particularly problematic, because Christian claims are presented through Jewish symbols & terminology.
That criticism nevertheless exposes a genuine danger: Messianic Christians imply that ordinary evangelical churches have lost the “real” faith because they worship on Sunday. Also because they neglect biblical feasts or do not use Hebrew terminology. So that Jewish restoration can become spiritual superiority.
The NT gives a different picture: Jews and Gentiles are reconciled in one Messiah without one needing to become the other.
Paul says in Romans 11:25-26,
“I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the full number of the Gentiles comes in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.”
This helps explain Martin Pakula’s conviction that God has not simply discarded his OT people. Yet Paul does not teach that Jewish ancestry automatically saves anyone.
The Jewish Messiah saves Jews and Gentiles, by grace, through faith.
The most useful questions for examining Messianic Unity WA come therefore from Acts 15, Galatians, Romans 9–11, Ephesians 2, Hebrews. If fact, a strong argument can be mounted that every single word in the entire NT actually has as its background, the Jew/Gentile grace/law salvation tension. The second covenant is dripping with Jew/Gentile issue, pregnant with it, steeped in it.
So what does Torah mean for Gentiles? Are Shabbat (Sabbath), & the feasts, obligations, or gifts? How does the New Covenant fulfil the old? How does Israel relate to the church? Does Christ’s finished atonement remain absolutely & solely central?
The most constructive evangelical assessment is therefore neither romantic nor dismissive. Messianic Unity’s published theology contains substantial orthodox Christian doctrine, while its Torah, Shabbat, and feast; its Israel & Hebrew emphases, make it distinctly Messianic.
It is not simply ordinary evangelical Christianity with Hebrew vocabulary.
And perhaps that is the most encouraging thing. This is not merely an argument about labels.
Martin and Ben Pakula, Mark Leach, Paul Cohen, Bob Mendelsohn, David Lewinsohn, Avi Snyder, & others, represent different stories & ministries, but all touch the extraordinary Christian claim that Israel’s Scriptures ultimately point to Israel’s Messiah.
The gospel does not require the Jewish believer to pretend not to be Jewish, nor the Gentile believer to pretend to be Jewish.
It announces that Yeshua HaMashiach (The Anointed One) has come, died, and risen. He has ascended, & reigns, bringing salvation “FIRST to the Jew, & ALSO to the Greek.” (That’s most of us, praise Yeshua.)
Prayers:
For our Jewish family & friends:
Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, our King),
Thank You for Your love for Your dear Jewish people, including those in Killara & Bondi, after the awful trauma they have suffered. Please open Your people’s hearts to Yeshua HaMashiach (The Anointed One), the promised Messiah of Israel. Please strengthen Jewish believers who proclaim Him, & unite Jew & Gentile in his peace.
For the sake of His mighty Name,
Amen.
For the Church
Adonai Eloheinu (Lord our God),
Please keep your Church faithful to your Word. Help us Gentile Christians honour Israel without boasting, & help Messianic believers treasure Torah without obscuring Yeshua & his finished work. Please let us give You Your worth, in truth & love.
In the international Name of Messiah Jesus, Your Christ,
Amen.
For Messianic Unity
Dear Yeshua, Messiah & Lord,
Please bless your people in WA, Australia, & the world. Please strengthen every Messianic congregation, Jewish believer, & Gentile disciple. Please help our Shabbat, worship, & witness point beyond ourselves to you, the risen Mashiach (Messiah), Baruch Hashem (blessed be G-d), blessed be Your name.
That the all-powerful, everlasting, universal, all-wise Name of Jesus is shouted in the highest heavens,
Amen.
Image: Bob Mendelsohn.
An interesting amalgam of ministries, both those primarily focused on outreach and those designed to strengthen and challenge believers. Did you happen to read two articles in the Sydney Morning Herald this week? One related to Anglicans newly committing to sharing the Gospel with Jewish people written by another Jewish Anglican. The other about Exclusive Brethren and calling Jewish people ‘wicked.'”