Articles
Are Christians Anti-Semitic?
In a world where most in the West likely thought anti-Semitism had been conquered (“No more holocausts!”), we have seen shocking and disgusting demonstrations chanting for jihad and genocide against the Jews. These videos are not from Tehran, Tripoli and Turkey, mind you. They are from London, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Satan doesn’t need new tactics; he just keeps on recycling the old ones because they work so well.
Why the Jews seem to cyclically inspire such hatred – especially, but not exclusively, in the Muslim world – is an article for another day. The focus of this article is upon the spiritual nation of which we are a part, one that is inextricably related to the Jews from antiquity. To wit: Are there any grounds for anti-Semitism among Christians?
The short answer is, “No; absolutely not,” but this deserves more comment. First, hatred is the very thing Christ is intent on eradicating in His people and from the world in general. There is no justification for a Christian to hate anyone. Rather, we are expected to rise above all ethnic and religious animosity and build bridges if possible between us and all men, including our enemies (cf. Mt 5:21-26, 43-48; Rom 12:17-21; etc.). Jesus pronounced the peacemakers, not the pugilists, blessed (Mt 5:9). Paul says that anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy and filthy language should be banished from our speech (Col 3:8). Both Jesus and Paul call upon us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart … soul … and mind … and … love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt:22:34-40; Rom 13:8-10).
Second, when it comes to Jews in particular there is an interconnectedness with Christians that deserves respect. Those with a mere smattering of Bible knowledge understand that Abraham’s posterity (we’ll grant for the moment the genetic relation between modern Israelis and Abraham) is the ethnic and religious root from which the Son of God entered the world. Both genealogies (Mt 1:1-17; Lk 3:23-38) link Jesus to Abraham, David and other Hebrew ancestry. The whole reason for Israel’s existence and preservation for two millennia preceding Jesus’ birth was to provide an platform and identity which would evidence the divine source of Jesus’ life, work and teaching. Jesus was a Jew; the apostles were Jews; the writers of the NT except for Luke, were Jews; the Scriptures that foretold of the Messiah’s coming and work were Jewish; the ante-types for so many elements of Christianity are Jewish (temple, sacrifice, priesthood, incense, Passover, the Sabbath, and much more).
Thus Paul uses an analogy from horticulture to describe the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the first century: “And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree …” (11:17). Paul is here pointing to the heritage and primacy of the Jews and their regrettable unbelief in failing to keep the Law of Moses as diligently as they should. But Paul further warns the Gentiles not to let this inclusion go to their heads lest they “boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you” (Rom 11:18).
Third, sound gospel preaching often reaches back into the OT for prophetic scriptures, personal examples and various warnings/exhortations to be faithful to God, to trust in God, to revere God. We understand that these writings are no longer viable as law; i.e., the Law of Moses has been fulfilled and abrogated, but this does not mean that we disregard what we learn from God’s long history with Israel: “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom 15:4). Both Jesus’ and the apostles’ teaching drew heavily upon Mosaic and prophetic texts in order to build a foundation for new covenant truth. I recently heard of a congregation where the preacher had been forbidden by the elders to preach from the OT. I suppose such men would bar Jesus from their pulpit?! Such skewed notions are not the norm of Christianity, for we realize the vital connection between the ancient Scriptures and the revelations of the new covenant under which we live today. Even though modern Jews don’t accept this dichotomy (they resent the term “Old” Testament), we do not hate or malign them for their failure to grasp the meaning of the whole story. Rather, as Paul says to the Corinthians, “to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews …” – 1 Cor 9:20. The object is to win Jews, not despise them.
But what about the charge that accusing the Jewish leadership for the death of Jesus makes one necessarily anti-Semitic? The main response to that is, “The facts are the facts”:
Ø “And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled … Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? … What do you think?’ They … said, ‘He is deserving of death’” (Mt 26:37, 65-66).
Ø “When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate” (Mt 27:1-2).
Ø “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders …” (Acts 4:10-11).
Many other such passages could be marshalled the prove the same point: it was by Jewish instigation and political pressure, born of sheer hatred for Jesus, that Pilate was maneuvered into crucifying their own Messiah. Any claims to the contrary amount to sheer sophistry and obfuscation. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (Jn 1:11). However, these are not grounds for hating Jews. Why would rational people hold modern Jews accountable for what their ancestors did two millennia ago?
Christians don’t fight spiritual battles with carnal weapons (2 Cor 10:3-5). We defend Jewish rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” as we do all others, and we echo Paul’s sentiments, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Rom 10:1).
