In 2007, The 700 Club did a story about my college age conversion from Judaism to Christianity. Their brief biographical documentary, referred to me as a “Jew for Jesus.”
My story is interesting but not unique. There are many converted Jews today. Some call themselves Christians. Others choose to describe themselves as “Jewish-Christian,” “Hebrew-Christian,” “Messianic Jew,” or perhaps “Completed Jew.”
I myself am comfortable with any of the terms, even though “Christian” is the one I use primarily. To me, it is the same cereal, just in a different box. But such descriptions are very controversial amongst my fellow Jews who have NOT converted to Christianity.
This brief 700 Club biography is now posted in “television heaven” otherwise known as YouTube. Needless to say, the show has garnered many comments.
I would especially like to respond to the comment reprinted below:
“It is absurd to claim you are a Jew for Jesus…It’s like saying you are a Christian against Christ…You can say you are confused as a Jew and need to study more…
Shalom.”
RESPONSE:
With all due respect to this gentleman and other fellow Jews who may feel the same way, you have apparently not studied either ancient Judaism or Christianity.
Jesus claimed to be the fulfillment of OLD TESTAMENT prophecy (or prophecy in the Tannach, as you may want to call it.)
“Christian” merely means “follower of the Messiah.” You seem to be defining Jewish in terms of a negative, i.e. “Jews don’t believe in Jesus.”
Well, some of us do and if you think we are mistaken, the burden or proof is on you to show that Jesus was NOT the Messiah as opposed to merely pointing out how “absurd” it sounds.
While exploring some of the Biblical prophecies about Messiah, such as Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9, here’s a question for those who may first need a motive before even considering the legitimacy of this particular investigative process: Is being Jewish a religion or a race?
If your answer is “religion,” then how come so many Jewish atheists today are still considered Jewish by the Jewish community?
If the answer is “race,” then one can be Jewish and believe anything, Buddha, Humanism, Martians, even Jesus. Your race is still your race. One remains a member of the same race regardless of personal beliefs. This would remain the case even if (hypothetically) Jesus were not the Messiah.
But as if happens, Jesus is the Messiah. Allow me to make the understatement of the century: Belief in the Jewish Messiah does not disqualify a person from calling himself Jewish.
This is Bob Siegel, making the obvious, obvious.
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