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Can you tell us about the Jewish race?


Introduction. The term "Jew" originally denoted an inhabitant of Judah. Later, however, "Jew" was extended to embrace all descendants of Jacob/Israel. Jesus was born a Jew (Matt. 1: 1-16, John 1: 11).

The Jews had many spiritual advantages. Israel or the Jews were God's chosen people (Jere. 2: 3). Paul raised the pertinent question: "What advantage then hath the Jew?" (Rom. 3: 1). He answers, "Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God" (vs. 2). Israel received God's written law (the Ten Commandments, Deut. 5). The Jewish race, however, in the main did not exercise this increased responsibility very well. Hear Paul: "Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you..." (Rom. 2: 23,24).

The Jews rejected Christ. Jesus "came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1: 11). Peter charged the Jews with crucifying the Messiah, Jesus (Acts 2: 36). They, the Jewish leaders, had Jesus arrested and tried based on their false charges (Luke 23: 1-6). They clamored for the release of a known criminal, Barabbas, and demanded the crucifixion of the innocent Son of God (vss. 13-23). Peter said to the Jews, "...I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers" (Acts 3: 17, see vss. 14-19). The Jewish race forfeited their status of being God's chosen people (Rom. 11). There was a self-imposed stigma (Matt. 27: 25).

 In a spiritual sense, all the saved are Jews or Israel (Rom. 11: 26). Spiritually speaking, the Jew today is inwardly a Jew (Rom. 2: 28, 29). The gospel was first given to the Jews (Rom. 1: 16). Jews (physically speaking) can be saved today just as Gentiles (Rom. 11: 24). Acceptance of Christ the Messiah for both Jew and Gentile is a must (John 8: 24).
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