Biblical Law and Government

Lesson Six - Page 13

A Study Into The Meaning Of The Word “Jew” As Used In The Bible Moses discusses several topics in the Book of Deuteronomy that can not be properly understood with out a correct and accurate knowledge of several words. A major key to Bible understanding has to do with the words “Jew,” “Israel,” and “Gentile.” Part two of this lesson deals with the definition of the word Jew. It is generally understood that:

1.Jesus was a Jew. 2.The Bible is a Jewish Book.

3.The Bible is the history of the Jews. 4.Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were Jews. 5.All the prophets were Jews. 6.The Jews are God’s “chosen people.” 7.If we don’t bless the Jews, God will curse us. 8.The Jews rejected Christ. As a result, the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. The Gentiles accepted Christ, whereas the Jews still reject Him.

An example of this teaching and understanding is found in the September 24, 1979 edition of U.S. News And World Report. On page 41, Evangelist Jerry Falwell is quoted as saying, “God’s promise to Abraham was that He would bless those that blessed the Jews. So, we have His promise that, as long as we (America) uphold Israel, He will uphold us.” To explain the words “Jew,” “Israelite” and “Gentile” is somewhat like explaining confusion, so please be patient with us. If the material hereafter is new to you then you will most definitely find good news in Lesson Seven! Let’s begin our study with a few definitions. Down through the ages the word “Jew” has had several dif ferent meanings. These can include Jew by race, Jew by tribe, Jew by religion and Jew by nationality. Some definitions are relevant today, some are not. Here are several definitions of the word “Jew.”

(15) Definition #1 - Jew: A descendent of Judah, the son of Jacob of the House of Israel. By this definition, was Jesus a Jew? (Tribe) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ( ) Yes. ( ) No.

(16) Definition #2 - Jew: A citizen of the land of Judea. By this definition, was Jesus a Jew? (Nationality) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ( ) Yes.

( ) No.

All citizens of The United States are Americans. Not all Americans are Caucasian. Some Americans are Negro. Others Mexican and so on. Likewise all citizens of Judea were Jews, however, not all citizens of Judea were descendants of Judah (Tribe). (17) Definition #3 - Jew: A member of a race of people generally adopting Judaism. However, some are atheists such as Madylin Murry or Budhists such as Ben Gurrion. By this definition, was Jesus a Jew? (Race) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ( ) Yes. ( ) No. (18) Definition #4 - Jew: A member of a religion classed with Catholics and Protestants. Sammy Davis Jr., a Negro, is an example of a Jew by religion. By this definition, was Jesus a Jew? (Religion) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ( ) Yes. ( ) No.

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Ten Commandments Bible Law Course Sovereignty Education and Defense Ministry (SEDM), http://sedm.org