Copyright 2024 Joseph Shulam
I am sure that most of you who call yourselves Christian would agree that antisemitism is an ugly thing that ought to be repudiated. Some of you might be very astute and have a better understanding of the meaning of "Christian" and, therefore, claim that there is no such thing
as "Christian antisemitism." All those who are anti-Semitic, by your definition, would not be Christian.
I should get right into the lesson to really explore this subject and understand the problems involved in dealing with it.
What is antisemitism?
The term "antisemitism" was first coined by Wilhelm Mar in 1879 to designate the then-current anti-Jewish campaigns in Europe. However, soon, the term denoted all forms of hostility manifested toward Jews throughout history. Today, it has the primary connotation of prejudice against Jews based on their race and religion. In other words, when we are dealing with antisemitism, we are dealing with racism against the Jews.
A biblical example of Antisemitism:
ESTH 3:8. "Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. 9. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business." 10. So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11. "Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please." 12. Then, on the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal secretaries were summoned.
They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's satraps, the governors of the various provinces, and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring. 13. Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews-- young and old, women and little children--on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. 15. Spurred on by the king's command, the couriers went out, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered."
This passage is, of course, from the book of Esther. In the passage are a few elements that need to be examined more carefully:
1. There is a blanket condemnation of a whole people.
2. The fact that the Jews are a nation set apart bothered Haman. Israel is commanded to be a nation set apart by God. The world can not stand the idea that Israel ought not to interfere in the affairs of the world. In fact, Israel itself can not stand it. Throughout Israelite history, they wanted to be like the other nations.
3. The Jews do not believe in the idols of the nations. "Their customs are different, said Haman.
4. Jews are scattered all over the world. This kind of phenomenon is a rare occurrence in history. Nations usually disappear when they are uprooted and scattered among other cultures and nationalities.
5. "They do not obey the king's laws ." This accusation is made because Israel has a divine law. When the earthly king's laws contradicted the divine law, Israel held to God's words and not the earthly king's. We see this principle very clearly in ACTS 5:17:
"Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19. But during the night, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20. "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life." 21. At daybreak, they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—-the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported. 23. "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside." 24. On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. 25. Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people." 26. At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force because they feared that the people would stone them. 27. Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28. "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. " Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 29. Peter and the other apostles replied: W" We must obey God rather than men! 30. The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32. We witness these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
Antisemitism existed in the Greco-Roman world from the 1st century B.C. to the A.D. Greco-Roman anti-Jewish feelings became intense in the years 175-164 B.C. during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
Antiochus was angry at the Jews because the majority sided with the house of Ptolemy in Egypt and not with the Seleucids from Antioch. Antiochus wanted to spread the Greek culture and religion in the world. He said of the Jews:
"No other nation as denied the gods of its neighbors; on the contrary, It recognized them, identifying them with its own deities. None of the people refrained from dining at one table with their neighbors and from partaking in the sacrifices offered to their gods, except the Jews. None of the peoples refused to send gifts to this neighbors' temple, except the Jews. None of the peoples was unequivocally hostile to intermarriage, except the Jews."
The refusal by the Jews to accept the imperial cult in any form was equated in the minds of the Greeks and the Romans with the refusal to recognize the authority of the state. As a result, they were seen as having no respect for whatever the rest of humanity held sacred.
Acts 18:2 states,
"There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontius, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them."
Two outside sources witness this event.
1. Josephus, Ant., 19:279-290. Josephus tells us that Claudius gave the Jews freedom to keep their laws but with this stipulation: "I enjoin upon them also by these presents to avail themselves of this kindness in a more reasonable spirit, and not to set at nought the beliefs about the gods held by other peoples, but to keep their own laws."
2. Claudius warns the Jews that if they do not content themselves with the rights accorded them, he will employ against them all such means as should be used against people who spread a general plague throughout the world." In the end, Claudius sends the Jews out to Rome. (from the Idris Bell Papyrus to the Alexandrians.)
Throughout the whole history of Israel, anti-Jewishness comes from the fact that people do not seem to understand the task and calling of the Jewish people. Just like the brothers of Joseph could not understand the role that God had prepared him for. The world could not understand the role and calling for God and the seed of Jacob until the end of days.
What about Christian antisemitism?
MARTIN LUTHER'S WORDS:
"...Let me give you my honest advice. Synagogues or churches should be set on fire, and whatever does not burn up should be covered or spread over the dirt so that no one may ever be able to see a cinder or stone of it. And this ought to be done for the honor of God and of Christianity in order that God may see that we are Christians and that we have not wittingly tolerated or approved of such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of His Son and His Christians... His Christians... Secondly, their homes should likewise be broken down and destroyed, for they perpetrate the same things there that they do in their synagogues. For this reason, they ought to be put under one roof or in a stable, like gypsies, in order that they may realize that they are not masters in our land, as they boast, but miserable captives, as they complain of us incessantly before God with bitter wailing. Thirdly, they should be deprived of their prayerbooks and Talmud in which such idolatry, lies, cursing, and blasphemy are taught. Fourthly, their rabbis must be forbidden under threat of death to teach any more... Fifthly, passport and traveling privileges should be absolutely forbidden to the Jews, for they have no business in the rural districts since they are not nobles or officials, nor merchants, nor the like. Let them stay at home... To sum up, dear princes and nobles who have Jews in your domains, if this advice of mine does not suit you, then find a better one so that you and we may all be free of this insufferable devilish burden - the Jews."
These words are from Martin Luther's treatise titled "On the Jews and Their Lies" (Von den Juden und ihren Lügen), written in 1543. In this work, Luther expresses vehement anti-Jewish sentiments, advocating for the destruction of synagogues and Jewish homes, among other extreme measures. This treatise has been widely condemned for its hateful rhetoric and has been cited as an influence on anti-Semitic attitudes and actions in later periods, including Nazi ideology.
The things that the great Martin Luther, the founder of the Protestant Reformation, said in 1543 A.D. were carried out by his nation in the mid-twentieth century. The Nazis did not get their racist attitudes from atheism and communism. The seed of destruction and shame came to them from the founder of the Protestant Reformation.
Therefore, a Jew could never in good conscience follow Yeshua in a protestant church, and the reason why I have returned to the Bible is to emulate the early church in their understanding and teaching.
I briefly mention the persecution of the Catholic Inquisition in Spain, the Pogroms of the Russian Church against the Jews, and the anti-Jewish groups in America. An excellent book called "Conflict between the church and the synagogue." by Dr James Parkes is resource for these events.
I want to stress that as followers of a Jewish Messiah, Like it or Not, We are OBLIGATED TO ERADICATE RACE PREJUDICE FROM OUR HEARTS FIRST, AND ALSO FROM OUR SOCIETY.
Some might say: "There are some pretty harsh things written in the New Testament about the Jews!" Yes! There are. But, there are some pretty harsh things written about the Jews in the Old Testament as well, in fact, much harsher. And they are all true in God's word.
God has the right to exile and punish nations and peoples; he has not given this right to his church. And the attitude of the church of Yeshua the Messiah still has to reflect the Love of God and his desire. Look at Paul's attitude toward the Jews in Romans 10:1:
"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 5. Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law:" The man who does these things will live by them."
Conclusion:
Christian history has contributed to the rejection of Yeshua by the world and is especially true in the relationship between Israel and the Jewish people. We can not divorce ourselves totally from all the ugly things that went on in the name of Jesus throughout history.
We must show that the actual GOOD NEWS is different.