Origins of Messianic Judaism
By
James Scott Trimm
In recent blogs we have learned that the term “Messianic Judaism” is a non-biblical term as well as a contradiction in terms. We have also learned that there are three key differences between Messianic Judaism and Nazarene Judaism, especially the Messianic “One Faith, Two Expression” theology.
In order to understand why this theology is being taught, one must understand the origins of so-called Messianic Judaism as opposed to Nazarene Judaism.
Nazarene Judaism is a serious effort to restore the ancient sect of Nazarene Judaism, the original followers of Yeshua as the Messiah. By contrast so-called “Messianic Judaism” originated within Christianity as a Christian mission to bring Jews to “Jesus”.
For example the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA) changed its name in 1975. It was originally called the Hebrew Christian Alliance of America (which had been its name for 60 years). The organization was created in 1915 as a Christian mission to the Jews, in an effort to convert Jews to Christianity and reach Jews with “Jesus” (this was not the Torah observant Yeshua, but the “Jesus” who came to “free you from the law”.)
In 1976 A seminar was held at Fuller Theological Seminar in Pasadena California on how to reach the Jews with Jesus. Among the participants were David Stern. One of the ideas that grew out of this Seminar was the establishment of “Messianic Jewish Synagogues” which would be established around the country in an effort to create a culturally palatable form of Christianity for Jews.
Under the auspices of the MJAA, the International Association of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues (IAMCS) was quickly created.
The problem is that this quickly backfired on them. Scattered among the Gentiles are untold numbers of descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel who are discovering their identity and their kinship to the Jewish people. These Messianic Jewish synagogues were supposed to be filled with a huge influx of Jews wanting to learn about “Jesus” and instead they became flooded with Gentiles (or in many cases people form the Lost Tribes who had a Gentile identity) wanting to learn about Torah. Messianic Judaism quickly became like a box of Grape Nuts… there aren’t any Grapes, but an awful lot of nuts.
The problem was that this was all a Christian mission to the Jews, financed by major Christian denominations. If a bank loans you money to start a new business, they are not going to be very happy if that new business turns out to be another bank across the street. Now they were drawing Gentile Christians away from the very Gentile Christian Churches that were bank rolling the whole thing! One Faith Two Expression Theology was set up to resolve any conflicts.
This distinguishes Nazarene Judaism from Messianic Judaism. Nazarene Judaism is not a Christian creation to evangelize Jews with a culturally palatable form of Christianity (Christianity in a Kippah). Nazarene Judaism is an authentic effort to restore the ancient sect of Nazarene Judaism, the original Jewish followers of Yeshua. We invite you to join us in this last days restoration of Nazarene Judaism!
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