Jews, Judaism, Christianity – Weaver 2015
This is PART 1 of a 5 PART series as titled above. The audio message and transcript text included, with the PDF transcript message BELOW to read or print.
To begin turn to Matthew 27:29 – And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
- Is Christ Jesus the King of the Jews?
- If so, how and why is he their King?
- Have you ever considered the term Jews in the Bible?
- When did the term first appear in Scripture?
- What is meant by the term?
- Who are the Jews and how is this term used throughout the Bible?
You see, in our day and time, most people ignorantly and unbiblically refer to all Israelites as Jews. It’s improper as well as unbiblical to refer to all Israelites as Jews.
It is important to know the difference! Well you have to ask several questions. These questions need answered.
- Who was it that persecuted and harassed and ultimately crucified Jesus Christ in the Bible?
- And then you have to ask who was it that persecuted and harassed his disciples, his apostles? Who were the enemies of Jesus Christ?
- Who were the enemies of the apostles and why were they enemies?
Let me ask you a question that might pique your curiosity for the second lesson (see part 2). Were any of our Lord’s original apostles Jews? That’s an interesting question. So why am I asking these questions. Well my purpose in asking these questions is to make sure that we are not just asking, but these questions can be given to you negatively and positively.
Let me give you the negative first. I’m not asking these questions for the purpose of creating strife or animosity. I’m not asking these questions for the purpose of harassing, condemning, or stirring up fleshly hatred. I do not have as my purpose to create division or separation between any believers. Many will see and understand the truth that I’m going to be showing you from Scripture. Some will not. But it’s not my intention to cause division or separation between any of the brethren.
But if these questions separate you, or upset you because of these truths, then one will just have to be upset over truth. That is not my intent. Well, positively, why am I bringing this series of messages?
First, it is my purpose in asking and endeavoring to answer these questions, to clarify terms avoid confusion and to correct misunderstanding.
Second, it is my purpose and my intention to instruct in hermeneutical principles. That is the art and the science of interpreting the Bible.
Thirdly, it is my purpose and my intention to identify the enemies of Christ and the enemies of His people and to demonstrate that basically we face the same enemies today.
Fourthly, it is my purpose and my intention to convey a biblical understanding in order that we may see the issues in the days of Jesus Christ are the same issues that we’re facing today. Listen carefully, circumstances may have changed, but the issues remain the same.
Now let me tell you two things that I’m not going to be dealing with. I’m going to tell you about them, but I’m not going to be dealing with them in this series. First of all, it is not my intention in this brief study to deal with the Edomites. The Edomites occupied the land south of the Dead Sea. You’ll see that on a map. When you read in the Old
Testament and you run across the word Edumia or Idumean, the word Idumea or Idumean[1] refers to an Edomite or for the land of Esau.[2] Esau was the twin brother of Jacob. Esau is just as much a son of Abraham as was Jacob. Isaac had Jacob and Esau. And so fleshly speaking, Esau is just as much a descendant of Abraham as is Jacob.
If you would hold Matthew 27, but look in your Bibles very quickly to Genesis 36:1, and notice if you would, begin reading there with verse one.
1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 And Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan. 6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. 7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. 8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. 9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:
The Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin was under the authority of the Herods who was under the authority of the Roman emperor. The Herods came to power in 47 BC when Julius Caesar appointed Antipater, the son of the Edomite governor of Edom, to be governor of Judea.
And Herod was one of Antipater’s two sons. In 40 BC, the Parthenians, and now you call them the Iranians, but in 40 BC, the Parthenians or the Iranians attacked the Roman Empire Eastern fringes and briefly conquered Judea.
Herod escaped to Rome where the Roman Senate then named Herod king of the Jews and commissioned him to retake Judea, which he did in 37 AD. Hence that family, the Herods, ruled in that southern kingdom for year after year after year.
And by the way, there were more Herods than one in the Bible. And they were all of the same family. So it’s not my intention today to deal with the Edomites. And they were and still are what you would call Edomite Jews. In that sense of the word, they were from Edom. And they are the descendants of Esau.
Secondly, it’s not my intention to deal with what I’m going to just simply refer to as the Kzar issue. I’m going to give you a brief overview of that. If you want to do further study, help yourself. I can recommend books and materials. But I’m just going to give you a brief overview of it.
If you are aware the Khazars came from Khazaria. I’ll explain more a little bit later. And around the 8th century, or sometime in the 8th century, the ruler of Khazar embraced Judaism, Talmudic Judaism. And since he was the ruler, he then commanded all of his people to embrace Judaism as well.
A lot of the Jewish people today have absolutely no connection with Abraham. They are Khazars. I’m going to show you this just momentarily. There’s no Semitic blood in them at all. They’re not the physical descendants of Abraham.
If you wish to further study this, let me encourage you to get a book and read it. The title of the book is The Thirteenth Tribe by Arthur Kessler. Arthur Kessler is a Jewish individual himself, and he has booked The Thirteenth Tribe, teaches and shows and demonstrates how the Khazars basically came in.
I’m going to give you a quote so that you will understand this issue. And sometimes the Khazars are called the Ashkenazi Jews. Here is one article. The article, DNA research sheds light on the ancestry of Ashkenazi Jews.
“Date, October the 8th, 2013, Source. University of Huddersfield, Summary. Many of the material ancestors of modern Ashkenazi Jews were European converts according to new research. Now listen, analysis of DNA samples has shown that on the female line, the Ashkenazim, are descended not from near East, but from Southern and Western Europe.
If you wish further information on the study, here’s another book, DNA Science and the Jewish Bloodline by Tex Mars. I’m going to give you a quote where he quotes two Jewish studies. And he says this:
The undeniable evidence of this has become clear that with the advent of DNA research in 2001, Dr. Ariel Oppenheim and her team at Tel Aviv University released their study which found that the Jews were mainly Khazars from Khazaria, a Caucasus country which is now called Kazakhstan, Georgia and other names.
The Khazarians converted from pagan religions to Talmudic Judaism after the 8th century, but of course racially they remained Khazars. The Khazars were and are a genome that is mainly Turkish and Mongolian blood.
Thus when you see many Jews today you are actually encountering a Khazar who practices Judaism. The Khazar has no Israelite blood. His ancestors are not the Israelites of the Bible. They did not worship the God Jehovah but instead were a phallic cult.
He goes on, listen carefully. Oppenheim’s earlier findings and the went even further. I’m quoting now:
“There are no blood or family connections among the Jews, reported Dr. El -Haq.” Remember now, he is Jewish himself. “The various groups of Jews in the world today do not share a common genetic origin. Their genome is largely Kzar.“
Here’s his last quote:
In late 2012, yet another Israeli born scientist, Dr. Iran Al -Qa ‘i, of the McCusick Nathan’s Institute of Genetic Science, John Hopkins Medical University, published his research, The Journal of Biology and Evolution, considered by geneticists worldwide as the definitive study and peer-approved, this authoritative research confirmed Dr.
Whatever Israel like blood the Kzar Jews have added, Dr. El -Haq, is minuscule.
In other words, it would be a small amount. So certainly in the Bible, we’re warned about those who claim to be Jews and who are not. For instance, if you look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation 2:9, the Bible says this, then we’ll look in Revelation 3. The Word of God says this:
Rev. 2:9 – I know thy works in tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Then if you look in Revelation 3:9, he goes on to say: “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee.“”Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee.
So there were many even in the New Testament times that claim to be Jews who were not Jews as well. Now listen, it is ignorance as well as unbiblical to refer to all Israelites as Jews. Listen carefully.
The original Judahites were Israelites, but not all Israelites were Judahites. In fact, there were some Israelites that obviously did not claim to be Judahites. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Romans 11:1 – Look what the apostle Paul says concerning himself.
I say then, have God cast away his people. God forbid, for I also am an Israelite, of the seat of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin.
Now wait a minute. Paul said, I am also an Israelite of the seat of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. Did you know and do you realize that Benjamin had their inheritance in the land of Judea along with the tribe of Judah?
Paul at this point could have correctly claimed to be a Judahite, but he did not. He said, I am an Israelite. I’m of the seat of Abraham and I’m of Benjaminite. But Benjamin had their inheritance in Judah.
Now, did Paul ever claim to be a Jew or a Judahite? And the answer is yes. Because he was actually born in Judea, because that’s where the tribe of Benjamin had their inheritance. So if you look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 9:19 – Paul writes –
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all that I might gain the more. unto the Jews I became as a Jew.
Now, he didn’t become a Jew, but he became as a Jew, he says, that I might gain the Jews, to them that are under the law as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law, to them that are without law as without law, but being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
So notice in 1 Corinthians 9:22 – “To the week I became as weak, that I might gain the weak, I made all things to all men that I might all mean save some.“
So in this sense he said I became as a Jew. Now, did Paul ever claim Jewishness? The answer is yes. When he was defending himself against the Jews, for instance, look in your Bibles to Acts 21:37. Remember now there’s been an uproar. The chief captain has come down and rescued Paul.
And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art thou not that Egyptian which before those days, or these days, made a snuck roar, and led us down in the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? I’m a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia.
By the way, that’s an Asia minor. That’s not even in the land of Israel. That’s an Asia minor.
He’s a citizen of no mean city and I beseech these suffer me to speak into the people and we’d given him license Paul stood on the stairs and beckoned with his hand and the people and when there was made a great silence He spake into them in the Hebrew tongue saying Men and brethren fathers here you my defense which I make now to you and when they heard him heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them. They kept the more silence and Seth and he said I am barely a man Which I’m a Jew that and he could claim that because he was a Jew to Iike born in Tarsus a city of No, a city in Salicia yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the law And of the fathers and was zealous toward God as all of you are.
So Paul is saying yes I was a Jew, you remember what he said back in 1 Corinthians 9 –
to the Jew I became as a Jew why that I might save some. But actually what are you saying here? Yes I was of a Jewish nation. He was a Benjamin. The Benjamin’s had their inheritance in Judea so yes he could claim that I suppose as well, but let me show you something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Joshua 19:1 – Now if you look on maps you will see the southern kingdom. There were three tribes that had an inheritance in the southern kingdom. We know the Benjaminites were there. We know the Judahites were there. Okay, watch in Joshua 19:1
Wow. Skip down to Joshua19:9. Look what he says.
And the second lot came forth to Simeon Even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families And their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon, for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
So, the Simeonites could also claim to be Judeans if they wanted to, because their inheritance was in the land of Judea. So in the southern kingdom then you had the Judahites, that is those people from the tribe of Judah.
You have the Benjaminites, those people from the tribe of Benjamin. You have the Simeonites from the tribe of Simeon, and all three of these lived in the land of Judea. So their inheritance was in the land of Judea.
So here’s what Paul was saying in Romans 11:1 – He said, I’m of Benjamin. And I’m an Israelite. I’m a descendant/seed of Abraham. Well, if he was a Benjamin, his inheritance was in Judah, so he could claim to be a Judahite as well.
The Semeonites, you hardly ever find them claiming to be Judahites, but they lived in the land of Judea as well. Now, let me tell you something. The Hebrew word for Jews is Yehudi. And it literally means a Judahite or a descendant of Judah. It is used in the Bible. Here’s how it’s used. I’m going to add one additional way before I get to the last message. But the way it’s used in the Bible is this. It refers to a person or persons from the tribe of Judah.
Secondly, the kingdom of Judah. Thirdly, the land of Judah or Judea. Or fourthly, the nation of Judah. Or fifthly, the house of Judah. Thus, anyone belonging to the tribe, land, nation, or house of Judah could be called a Judahite.
It is also used to refer to the religion of the Jews. In the New Testament, the Greek word is Udaios, which simply means Judean. Judean in the sense of a country or a land, it means someone then from the land of Judea or from the country of Judea.
Or sometimes it could refer to someone of the tribe of Judah. The very first time the word Jews is used in the Bible is 2 Kings 16:6. If you will turn there you see the first time the word Jews is used in the Bible. And by the way, in hermeneutics this is called the law of first mention. The law of first mention just simply means this. That once the word is used for the first time, that is normally and usually the way it’s going to be used throughout the Bible unless the context dictates otherwise.
So in 2 Kings 16:6 the Bible says,
At that time, resin king of Syria recovered Eloth to Syria and draped the Jews from Eloth. And the Syrians came to Eloth and dwelt there to this day.
Now, if we were to take the time to read the context of the Bible, we would need to read the context. Beginning in 2 Kings 16:1-9 you would find that there was a war between Judah, Israel, and Syria. And this war was over Elath. Elath was a port on the Red Sea that had formally belonged to Edom. It was captured by David and held by Judah until the time of Jorah when Edom revolted against him. It was recaptured by Amaziah because his son Azariah rebuilt the port.
For instance, look in 2 Kings 14:21-22.
And all the people of Judah took Azariah who was 16 years old and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. And he, Azariah, built Elath and restored it to Judah. After that the king slept with his fathers. So there’s a war. When the Syrians now recover Elath, they drive the Jews or the Judahites out who possessed it.
So who were the Jews? In this context they were people who lived in the southern kingdom. They were from the land of Judea. Now you have to remember something. The land of Judea had the Benjaminites and the Simeonites as well as the Judahites. When they drove the Jews out, what’s it mean?
It means they drove all of those people from the southern kingdom out of Elath and they claimed it. Now let me point something else out. You remember there was kings over the southern kingdom. Just like there were kings over the northern kingdom.
The kings and the southern kings. kingdom would be kings of the Judahites, of the Benjaminites, and the Simeonites. So the king then would command all three of these tribes. It would not be unusual for the Benjaminites and the Simeonites to help the Judahites.
And thus they could have been included in this term when he drove the Jews out lords. He drove out those people who lived in the southern kingdom and Syria then just simply reclaimed it.
Now Dr. John Gill, the great Baptist historian and preacher says this and I’m quoting –
They were called Jews but from the time the ten tribes were carried away captive and not before.
So he was saying that the southern kingdom, the people who lived there, were not called Jews until… that the 10 Northern tribes had been carried away. That was 722 BC. Now, the word Jew today does not necessarily denote a relationship to a land or tribe or country, but it primarily denotes someone who embraces the religion of Judaism.
I want you to look in your Bibles to Acts 26. Then we’re going to the book of Galatians 1. Look in Acts 26:3, if you would please. Paul is talking to King of Gryppa and he says,
Especially because I know thee to be expert in all the customs and questions which are among the Jews. Wherefore I beseech you to hear me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews, which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify that after the most straitest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
Note if you would, he’s talking about Judaism. Phariseeism is Judaism. Now, if you would turn over in your Bibles to the book of Galatians 1:13-14 – He’s still now talking about Judaism
For you’ve heard of my conversation or my conduct in time past in the Jews’ religion. How that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my own equals in my own nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
So he’s talking here about the Jewish religion or the religion of the Jews. That is Judaism. That is Phariseeism.
Now it’s important for you to note right here that the Jews’ religion is not only antagonistic to Christianity. It is an opposition to Christianity. What did he say in verse 13? Look at it. For you have heard of my conversation, my conduct, my life in times past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I did what? I persecuted the church of God and wasted it. So Judaism is not just simply antagonistic to Christianity. It is an opposition to Christianity.
Now listen carefully. I’m not trying to upset anyone, but I want you to listen carefully.
There is no such thing as a Judeo-Christian religion. You have to understand that. Judaism and Christianity are opposite. They are not complementary one to the other. Totally, completely opposite. Now, there may be a Hebrew-Christian connection or an Israelite-Christian connection or an Old Testament-Christian connection, but there is not a Judeo-Christian connection.
Note: The following is added and is not part of the transcript of the message on Jews, Judaism, Christianity.
The below is an inaccuracy of the term and is how Wikipedia defines Judeo-Christian
The term Judeo-Christian is used to group Christianity and Judaism together, either in reference to Christianity’s derivation from Judaism, Christianity’s recognition of Jewish scripture to constitute the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, or values supposed to be shared by the two religions. Wikipedia
For a more complete understanding read paper and embedded here below, or at this LINK. Another view at this LINK.
Why? Because Judaism is the religion of the Pharisees. And Phariseism is a perversion of God’s law of the Old Testament and our Lord condemned it repeatedly in the New Testament. Matthew 5, Matthew 15, Matthew 23, and numerous other passages as well.
So our Lord fought against Judaism. Understand this. And I want you to get this. In this sense of the word, since Judaism is a religion, in this sense of the word, Jesus Christ was not a Jew. He did not embrace, advocate, or teach, or submit to Judaism. That is why they hated Him. That is why they despised Him. That is why they ultimately and eventually crucified Him. Let me just quote three verses.
Mark 14:1 – After two days was the feast of the Passover and of unleavened bread and the chief priest and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft and put Him to death.
Who was behind it? The chief priests, the scribes. Look here at this verse:
John 7:30 They sought to take Him. but no man laid a hands on him because his hour was not yet come.
They’re still trying to kill him.
John 10:39 Therefore they sought again to take him, but he escaped out of their hands.
Now, let me explain something. And this is where I want you to look at your map in just a moment. Jesus Christ was not a Jew, but he was a Judahite. He was born in the tribe of Judah and in the land of Judea.
Our Lord was of the tribe of Judah. He was born in Bethlehem, which is in Judea, but he was also a Nazarene and a Galilean. I’m going to show you that just momentarily. If you look on your maps, you will see that Nazareth and Galilee are in the northern kingdom.
Bethlehem and the land of Judea is in the southern kingdom. So there’s a difference. This may surprise you, but our Lord was conceived and lived in the northern kingdom, but was born in the southern kingdom.
Look in your Bibles at Luke.
Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin, espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Where was our Lord conceived? Nazareth and Galilee. Where was Nazareth in Galilee? It’s in the northern kingdom. So his conception was in the northern kingdom. Now, if you will turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter two.
Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth. That is, he’s traveling from the north to the south. Into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. Why? Because he was the house and lineage of David to be taxed with Mary, his espouse wife, David. being great with child. Notice if you would please, to be taxed with Mary espoused wife being great with child. And so it was that while they were there, that is in Bethlehem, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
So our Lord was conceived in the Northern Kingdom, but yet he was born in the Southern Kingdom.
Now, turn to Matthew 2:4-15. We’re talking about Herod now, Herod the Great. He’s the one that hated Christ. Of course, all of them did, but. Herod the Great was the Idumean Jew. Okay? Begin in verse 4.
Matthew 2:4-15 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily, or privately, called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. And when they had heard the king, they departed, and lo the star which they saw on the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. And when they saw the star, they were rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary’s mother and fell down and worshiped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, out of Egypt, have I called my son.
Now, I want you to note, if you would, Herod demands where Christ is to be born. Bethlehem of Judah. And of course, that is exactly where he was born. I want you to note that the Lord was born. When the wise men came to worship Christ, they did not go to a manger.
There were never any wise men at a manger. I don’t care what you see around Christmas time. If you will look in Matthew 2:10 –
when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and when they were come into the house, they saw the young child, not a baby as such, and Mary’s mother fell down and worshiped him.
So he’s no longer in a manger when the wise men get there. They’re in a house in Bethlehem of Judea. And so the wise men are warned by God, do not go back to Herod, and so they go back a different way.
Now, I want you to note something. Herod, of course, wanted to kill it. Listen carefully, because I’m going to ask you a question. I’ve already pointed out that Jesus Christ was conceived in the northern kingdom. Yet he was born in the southern kingdom. How long did Jesus Christ live in the southern kingdom? Here’s the answer. Less than two years. How do we know? Because do you not remember Herod?
When he found out that he was mocked, he sent and killed all the young children two years and under. Look beginning in Mat. 2:16
Matthew 2:16 – Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men and was the exceeding roth and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and all the coasts there are from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men, then was fulfilled, which was spoken by Jeremy or Jeremiah the prophet saying, and Ramah, there was a voice heard, lamentation and weeping in great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and would not be confident because they were not.
Well, notice if you would, God had already told Joseph in a dream to take the child and flee into Egypt. So Christ then was born in Bethlehem and they lived in that area for less than two years until he fled into Egypt.
Now what happened after Herod was dead? Well, look in verse 19.
Matthew 2:19 – And when Herod was dead, behold, an angel, the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying a rise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel. And when he heard that Arkelius did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither, not withstanding being warned of God in a dream.
He turned aside into the parts of Galilee, and he came into Elton, a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets. He shall be called a Nazarene.
So Jesus Christ lived less than two years in the southern kingdom. He was born in the southern kingdom. He’s conceived in the northern kingdom. The rest of his life, he was raised in Nazareth and Galilee, which is a northern kingdom.
Now here’s my question. Since Jesus Christ lived less than two years in Judea, how could Jesus Christ be called the king of the Jews?
Well, I want to answer that for you. Go back to Matthew chapter two, look at verse one.
Matthew 2:1 – Now, when Jesus was coming to Bethlehem of Judea, or when Jesus was coming to Bethlehem of Judea, and the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men, when Jesus was born, I’m trying to read, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea and the days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, where is he that is born king of the Jews?
Now, why did Herod get so upset when he heard that? Remember the Roman Senate had crowned Herod king of the Jews. And now Herod hears there is another king. Now we just read this. You remember Herod now demands where Christ is to be born, and they tell him in Bethlehem of Judea.
Now, how could Christ be called the king of the Jews since he lived less than two years in the land of Judea? It is true, he was a Judahite, he was a tribe of Judah. But he lived less than two years there.
Here’s my answer, listen carefully, I’m gonna show you the scriptures. Jesus Christ is king of the Jews, but Jesus Christ is also king of Israel. Before I get through, I’m going to show you he’s king of everything.
But listen carefully. The reason Christ was called the king of the Jews or the king of the Judeans or the king of the Judahites was not simply because he was born in Judea. There were plenty of individuals who were born in Judea who were never crowned king.
So the question has to be then how can Christ be the king of the Jews since he only lived less than two years in the land of Judea. And yes, he was born of the tribe of Judah. That is true. But the answer is not that he’s king of the Jews or king of the Judahites simply because he was born of the tribe of Judah because a lot of people are born in the tribe of Judah who were not king and a lot of people born in Judea who were not king but Jesus Christ is king of the Judeans and he is King of Israel, why?
Because he is the true seed of David. Let me go further. Look in your Bibles to Matthew 1:1 – We’ll look at other scriptures. How does the New Testament begin? Interestingly enough, it begins with – The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. – He’s the true Son of David. Just like he’s the true Son of Abraham. Solomon was a type but Jesus Christ is the fulfillment.
Isaac was the type but Jesus Christ is the fulfillment. If you’ll look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 1 and verse 32. Luke chapter 1 and verse 32. Watch carefully. In fact, let’s begin with verse 30 where the angel Gabriel is speaking to Mary.
Luke 1:30-32 – And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive and thy woman bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. And he shall be great and shall be called the Son of the highest. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever out of his kingdom. There shall be no end. Note if you would, the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David.
Jesus Christ is the Son of David and is the true seed of David. Just like Jesus Christ is the true seed of Abraham. If you will look in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 13. Acts chapter 13, and let’s begin reading there with verse 21. Watch carefully, we’re given some history.
Acts 13:21-23 – And afterward they desired a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Cish, or Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin by the space of 40 years. And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king. To him also he gave testimony and said, I found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine, on the heart, which shall fulfill my will. of this man’s seed that is David’s seed have God according to his promise raised unto Israel a savior, Jesus.
What did we just read? Jesus Christ is the true seed of David. He said it in Matthew 1:1 –
He said it in Luke 1:32. Jesus Christ is the true seed of David. Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to Romans chapter one. And let’s begin reading there with verse one.
Romans 1:1-3 – Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated in the gospel of God, which he had promised of four by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead.
Note if you would in verse three, he was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. So how can Jesus Christ be called the king of the Jews or the king of Israel or the king of the Judeans? And the answer is because he is the true seed of David. He’s the true seed of Abraham. Moreover, he’s not only the seed of Abraham. He’s not only the seed of David. He is the son of God. He is the God man. He is king of everyone and king of everything because he has been divinely appointed and ordained by God the Father. So he’s not just simply the son of David. He is the son of God. He’s king of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods.
If you look in your Bibles to Psalm two beginning in verse 6; we’ll go back to the New Testament.
Psalm 2:6-8 – Although the kings of the earth are raging, yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree the Lord has sent my son this day, have I begotten thee?
What did God say? Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Now watch verse eight. What does God tell his son?
Verse 8 – Ask of me. And I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
So Jesus Christ, It’s not just simply the son of David or the son of Abraham. He is that, but he is the son of God. And he was ordained king by God the father. So when the wise men came, they wisely said, where is he that is born the king of the Jews or the Judahites? They could have also said, where is he that is born the king of Israel? They could have also said, where is he that is born the king of everything and everyone?
Turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians 1:15. Look what the Bible says concerning Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15-17 – Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature? For by him, that is by Jesus Christ, where all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things and by him, all things consist.
Did you hear that? Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is the firstborn of every creature. Jesus Christ created everything. Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is King.
Look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 6:14. 1 Timothy chapter six, beginning there with verse
1 Timothy 6:14 – That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we’re talking about Christ, which in his times, he shall show who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords who only have the immortality dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, who no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting.
Now, I hope you know the answer to this question. How can Jesus Christ be called the King of the Jews? Not because he was a Judean, lived there for two years, not simply because… He was born into the tribe of Judah, but because he’s the true son of David and the true son of Abraham, and he’s the son of God, and thus he’s king of kings and Lord of lords, and he’s king over everyone.
Here’s my implications. I want you to think about this again. Jesus Christ was not a Jew. He was a Judean by birth, but he did not embrace the religion of the Jews. He was not a Pharisee. He was not a Sadducee.
He’s the founder of Christianity. He’s the firstborn of every creature. The word Christian just simply means to be like Christ. But notice if you would please, he was hated and persecuted and crucified because he was against all of the traditions, misinterpretations, and misapplications of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Over and over, they ask him, why do you violate the traditions of the elders? And he would say, why do you buy your traditions? Make void the law of God. So Christianity and Judaism are not only antagonistic, they’re absolutely opposite.
You cannot be Jewish and be a Christian. When you embrace Christianity, you leave Judaism. I was going to tell you this later. In fact, I will probably go ahead and say it again because I’ve got it in a message, but I’ll just illustrate it.
So you’ll hear this again in a few weeks. When Alice was a young girl, teenager, she worked for a Jewish family at a shoe store. The man had married a woman who embraced Judaism. She was not from a Jewish family originally, but she married him, and so she embraced Judaism.
Remember, I’ve been preaching 50 years, so this was almost 49 years ago. So we saw her on the street and we’ve always been friends, always been friends. And I told her about a good friend of mine who was Jewish and had converted to Christianity.
In fact, this man had five earned doctorates. If I were to tell you about this man’s conversion, it was, it’s absolutely astounding. It’s absolutely unbelievable. So we stopped on the sidewalk and we were talking to this lady.
And I, I said to her, and I called this brother’s name. I said, um, he’s a Jewish Christian. And the reason I said that was I was trying to get a little opening where I could witness to her. And when I said that, it looked like I had slapped her in the face.
She bowed up and she said, let me tell you something. There is no such thing as a Jewish Christian. You’re either Jewish or you’re Christian. There’s no in between. And she was right.
So Christianity and Judaism basically have nothing in common. There are a multitude of people today that profess to be Jews who are not Jews. That’s what Revelation two nine says in Revelation three and verse nine, there are those who say they’re in Jews that are not just like there are people who today who profess to be Christians and or not.
We have to learn to examine everything by the Word of God. We have to do what the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:13. We have to compare spiritual things with spiritual, or I could say that another way. We have to compare scriptural things with scriptural things. And the term Jews is not a catch-all term for all Israelites. It only refers to those people who lived in the southern kingdom, and particularly those who were of the tribe of Judah.
When you read the Word in the Bible, look at the context. And many times when you see the word Jews, it is nothing more than Judahites. It refers to someone either of the tribe of Judah. or the land of Judea or someone of the southern kingdom or the southern nation as we would say, or it would refer to someone who embraced Judaism.
You make sure that you compare scripture with scripture. I never will forget when I first saw a friend, an acquaintance, not a close friend, but an acquaintance. He had a cap on and the cap written across it was this. My boss was a Jewish carpenter. Really, that’s what the cap said. And I looked at him and I just shook my head and I said Christ was a Galilean. And he was a Nazarene. He was not Jewish. He did not embrace Judaism.
He was born of the tribe of Judah. But he’s the Lord and Savior and the Redeemer and he’s God of god’s and King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And everyone will bow to him.
Let’s pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank you for your love.
We thank you for your grace. We thank you for your mercy. We pray that you would teach us, that you’d build us up in the most holy faith. Help us to see things that differ, Lord, and correct our misunderstanding, correct our ignorance, and make us more biblical and more holy and more Godly.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
[1] Noun – A member of the race inhabiting ancient Idumea or Edom, represented in the Bible as descendants of Esau; an Edomite. Adjective – Of or pertaining to ancient Idumea, or Edom, in Western Asia.
[2] Yᵉhûwdîy, yeh-hoo-dee’; patronymically from H3063; a Jehudite (i.e. Judaite or Jew), or descendant of Jehudah (i.e. Judah):—Jew.