The relationship between Christianity and Judaism has always been a sensitive and complex matter, touching on profound questions of faith, identity, tradition, and the role of Israel in God’s plan. In the decades following World War II, new theological movements emerged, seeking to redefine how Jewish believers in Jesus relate to both mainstream Judaism and the broader Christian Church. Among these are Messianic Judaism, the Hebrew Roots Movement, and various strands of post-Holocaust theology. Each of these movements reflects a sincere effort to engage with the Jewish roots of the Christian faith, but ultimately, I find myself unable to fully align with their theological conclusions.
This is not due to a lack of respect or appreciation for these movements. Quite the opposite—I hold many within them in the highest regard. I deeply admire Jews for Jesus and other Messianic groups for their courage and faithfulness in proclaiming Christ in Jewish contexts. I also recognize the significance of honoring Jewish heritage and the role of Israel in salvation history. However, my concerns arise from a deeper theological conviction—one that insists on the universal call of the Gospel while cautioning against theological frameworks that risk creating unnecessary divisions within the body of Christ.
As a missionary, humanitarian and pastor, I have always believed that the Gospel is for all people, and that salvation is an individual matter of faith in obeying Jesus Christ and living the New Testament books. While cultural and ethnic backgrounds are meaningful, they must never overshadow the centrality of conversion, faith, and discipleship. Over the years, I have observed that Messianic Judaism and the Hebrew Roots Movement sometimes struggle to navigate the fine line between preserving cultural heritage and maintaining the unity of the Church or Edah (see article on Ecclessial authority). Similarly, some strands of post-WWII theology—though rooted in a noble attempt to correct historical wrongs—have at times overemphasized Jewish distinctiveness to the point of obscuring the universal nature of Christ’s message.
The Identity Challenge of Messianic Judaism and Hebrew Roots
One of the greatest theological tensions in Messianic Judaism is its struggle to define identity. While seeking to uphold its Jewish heritage, it often finds itself caught between two worlds—affirming Jesus as the Messiah while maintaining elements of Jewish law and tradition. Jewish believers in Christ rightly affirm their enduring Jewish identity, yet this raises a crucial question: Should they maintain a distinct religious identity, or fully integrate into the body of Christ? Is their calling to bear Jesus’ yoke, or the one described by Peter in Acts 15?
This question has led to diverse theological responses. Some, like Mark Kinzer, advocate for bilateral ecclesiology, arguing that Jewish believers in Jesus should maintain their distinct identity within the Church. Others, like Michael Wyschogrod, emphasize the ongoing covenantal significance of Jewish identity, even for those who believe in Christ. While these perspectives are theologically nuanced, they risk recreating the very divisions that Paul sought to overcome in his teachings on the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ.
The Hebrew Roots Movement, though distinct from Messianic Judaism, raises similar concerns. This movement, which is predominantly Gentile, seeks to reclaim what it perceives as the “original” Jewish-Christian faith. While I appreciate the impulse to explore Christianity’s Jewish foundations, this movement often assumes that first-century Christianity was merely an extension of Judaism, overlooking the fact that Jesus inaugurated a new covenant that embraced all nations. Many within this movement place undue emphasis on Hebrew language and Torah observance, sometimes suggesting that modern Christians have lost their way by not following Jewish law.
However, this assumption misunderstands history. The notion that Hebrew was the universal language of first-century Jews, for example, is misleading. While Hebrew was revered for prayer and Scripture reading, most Jews spoke Aramaic in daily life, while those in the Diaspora primarily used Koine Greek. Later, Jewish communities developed Judeo-Arabic, Yiddish, and Ladino, adapting linguistically while maintaining their religious identity. The idea that recovering Hebrew alone revives the original faith fails to account for the multilingual nature of early Judaism.
Furthermore, Jewish religious identity was never meant to be an exclusive cultural marker, but rather a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). Jewish tradition, even in its most observant forms, has always had a degree of openness to those outside, whether through God-fearers in the synagogue era or through the moral witness of Torah-centered life. While many misunderstand Jewish faith as rigidly legalistic, in reality, it has always contained an element of calling all peoples toward righteousness.
The Gospel and the Great Commission: A Call to All Nations
Beyond issues of language and heritage, there is a deeper theological concern. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) commands believers to make disciples of all nations, not to restore them to a Jewish framework. When the early Church confronted the question of whether Gentiles needed to adopt Jewish law, the apostles ruled in Acts 15 that they did not. Paul later reinforced this in Galatians 3:28, declaring that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek. This does not mean Jewish and Gentile identities disappear, but rather that one’s status before God is not determined by ethnicity or Torah observance. The mission of the Church is to proclaim Christ to all nations, not to re-establish first-century Jewish customs.
Post-Holocaust Theology, Zionism, and the Role of Israel
Another crucial aspect of this discussion is the impact of post-Holocaust theology and modern Zionism. The horrors of the Holocaust led to deep reflection within Christianity, prompting many theologians to reject supersessionism (the idea that the Church replaced Israel) and to reaffirm Israel’s significance in God’s plan. This was an important and necessary corrective to centuries of anti-Jewish rhetoric. However, in some theological circles, this has led to an overcorrection, where Jewish identity is emphasized to the point that the centrality of Christ is sometimes diminished.
Likewise, modern Zionism has significantly influenced Christian perspectives on Israel. While supporting the Jewish people is a noble endeavor, there is often confusion between political Zionism and biblical Israel. Some evangelicals, in their zeal for Israel, have developed theological frameworks that conflate the biblical promises to Israel with modern geopolitics. While I recognize Israel’s historical and prophetic significance, I believe that the mission of the Church must remain centered on the Gospel, rather than on political or national concerns. In many ways, the message of the Gospel—the announcement of the end of ungodliness—resonates more with Orthodox Jewish spirituality than with secular nationalism.
Jewish Identity in the Church: A Unified Body in Christ
At the heart of all these discussions is a key question: What is the role of Jewish identity in the Church? Paul acknowledges in Romans 11 that Israel retains a special role in salvation history, yet he also insists that faith in Christ is what ultimately defines the people of God. Jewish believers in Jesus do not cease to be Jewish, but their primary identity is now in Christ, alongside their Gentile brothers and sisters. Likewise, Gentiles who come to faith are grafted into the promises of Israel, but they are not required to become Jewish or follow Torah law. The Church is one body, composed of many nations, and it is this unity that Paul passionately defends.
I do not reject these movements out of hostility or dismissal. Quite the opposite—I deeply respect their desire to engage with Scripture and tradition. Like many in these movements, I have had a personal encounter with the living Lord Jesus Christ. However, my concern is that identity-centered theology can obscure the core message of the Gospel and its call to godliness. When faith in Christ becomes secondary to ethnic, cultural, or linguistic identity, we risk losing sight of the mission to bring the Good News to all people.
In the end, my faith is not Jewish-centered or Gentile-centered—it is Christ-centered. The unity of the Church is found not in cultural traditions but in the shared confession that Jesus is Lord. While I honor and value Jewish heritage, it must always remain subordinate to faith in Christ. Our highest calling is not to build an identity-based faith, but to be one body, united in Christ, bringing the Gospel to all nations. And that, above all else, must be our greatest pursuit.
Recommended Sources
- The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) & The Septuagint (LXX) – Essential for understanding the Jewish roots of Christian theology and early translation traditions.
- Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews & The Jewish War – Provides historical background on first-century Jewish sectarianism, Hellenistic influences, and Roman rule.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls (García Martínez & Tigchelaar, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition) – Sheds light on the linguistic and theological diversity of early Judaism.
- The Mishnah and Talmud (Jacob Neusner, trans. and commentary) – Fundamental for understanding rabbinic law and Jewish interpretative traditions.
- The Apostolic Fathers (Michael W. Holmes, trans.) – Early Christian writings reflecting the transition from Jewish to Gentile-majority Christianity.
- Daniel Boyarin, Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity – Examines how Christianity and rabbinic Judaism developed as distinct yet intertwined traditions.
- Jacob Neusner, Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism: A Parallel History of Their Origins and Early Development – Explores the shared foundations and divergence of both faiths.
- Michael Wyschogrod, The Body of Faith: God and the People Israel – A Jewish perspective on covenantal identity and theological challenges in Messianic Judaism.
- Moshe Halbertal, People of the Book: Canon, Meaning, and Authority – Explores the evolution of Jewish textual authority and transmission.
- Harvey Falk, Jesus the Pharisee: A New Look at the Jewishness of Jesus – Argues that Jesus was aligned with the School of Hillel, highlighting his continuity with Pharisaic traditions.
- Mark Kinzer, Postmissionary Messianic Judaism: Redefining Christian Engagement with the Jewish People – Advocates for bilateral ecclesiology, maintaining Jewish distinctiveness within the body of Christ.
- Jason Staples, Paul and the Resurrection of Israel – A fresh take on Paul’s theology, focusing on Israel’s national restoration.
- Mark Nanos, The Mystery of Romans: The Jewish Context of Paul’s Letter – Challenges traditional interpretations of Paul’s stance on Jewish law and identity.
- E.P. Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism – A foundational work for understanding covenantal nomism and the Jewish context of Paul’s theology.
- Richard B. Hays, Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul – Examines Paul’s engagement with Jewish Scripture in forming Christian theology.
- David H. Stern, Messianic Jewish Manifesto – A key theological work from within the Messianic Jewish movement.
- Stan Telchin, Messianic Judaism is Not Christianity – A critique of Messianic Judaism’s distinctiveness from mainstream Christianity.
- John Gager, Reinventing Paul – Reassesses Paul’s theology, questioning traditional Protestant readings.
- R. Kendall Soulen, The God of Israel and Christian Theology – Explores the implications of supersessionism and Jewish-Christian relations.
- Brad Gregory, The Unintended Reformation – Examines how the Reformation shaped modern Christian perspectives, including views on Israel.
- N.T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God – Discusses Paul’s vision of Israel’s role in God’s redemptive plan.
- Walter Brueggemann, The Land: Place as Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith – Explores the theological meaning of land in the biblical narrative.
- David Novak, Zionism and Judaism: A New Theory – A Jewish critique of Zionism from a theological perspective.
- Gerald McDermott, Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land – Engages with Israel’s theological significance beyond political Zionism.
