In Whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus.
Paul to the Galatians 3: 28, Concordant New Testament
Unless you've been hiding under a rock lately, you can't help but notice the wave of anti semitic behaviors directed at the nation of Israel in response to it's retribution against the terror group Hamas. This is something we would expect to see in 1940's Germany or in some third world communist nation, but this is right here at home. Jewish students at universities worldwide have been harassed while Jewish owned businesses have been vandalized. All the while protestors chant for the end of the so called illegal Israeli war. No matter where you stand on this issue, ask yourself one question, has your own view of Jesus changed? Yes? No? But why in the hell would I even ask such a question? What does Jesus have to do with anti Israel sentiment? Well, every now and then we need to be reminded of the roots of Christ Jesus. Jesus wasn't just a simple man born in a simple village. Jesus was a Jewish child born unto Jewish parents in a Jewish community. This is the Jesus we seem to have forgotten. This week our group discussed the issue not only of the genealogy of Christ, but our own genealogy as well. Popular Christian teaching tells us that the child Jesus grew up like any normal boy, even working with Joseph in his workshop. We have learned that the child often attended synagogue with his parents as well. But the church leaders often stop short of describing Jesus in His rightful Jewish heritage. Why is that? Now, I'm not saying that it is our race which defines who we are, but to forgo the heritage of Jesus? That just doesn't seem right. Many of us have seen the whitewashed depictions of what Jesus must have looked like. The flowing perfect hair, the well trimmed beard. Yet scripture is quick to tell us that Jesus "Had no beauty that we should desire Him" {Isaiah 53:2}. If you were to ask me, Jesus was a average, hairy, smelly man who foraged in the wilderness with His followers. But this does not fit the Hollywood image of our beautiful savior. Dare I say that the traditional image which we have of Jesus is a lie.
He shall grow up like a young shoot before Him, and like a root spread out from arid earth; He has no shapeliness nor honor that we should observe Him.
Isaiah 53: 2, Concordant Old Testament, The Pentateuch
Growing up, I was exposed to the whitewashed version of Jesus on a regular basis. Every bible and movie image portrayed Jesus as a well groomed white guy. Perhaps this was to fit our own lens of who we thought He was. The truth is, that whitewashed image of Jesus was invented by some Christian guy centuries ago and has become accepted as the real image of the Christ. I'm not buying it. The apostle Paul speaks not only to our true identity but to that of Jesus Himself in Galatians. Paul proclaims that all of those classifications which we use to describe one another, race, sex and nationality in no way define us. We are not defined by our nationality. What we ARE defined as is being one in Christ {Paul to the Galatians 3:28}. Although knowing our own genealogy is important, it is also important to know that it is not who we truly are. It is the Lord who declared the Israelites His chosen people and rose up His Son among them. Yet Jesus did not come to save the Israelites alone, but all of Gods children {Johns Account 3:16-17}. If you disagree with the nation of Israel and it's people, know that it is a Jewish man who holds your salvation. But also understand that it was never Gods intent to classify His children by their genealogy. That was mans plan all along.
~Scott~
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