Orthodox Christian Theology

What is a Jew?

by Hadley Robinson
updated November 1, 2022

When Romans 9-11 and other New Testament Scripture speaks of Jews/Israel/Abraham’s seed of whom does it refer? What does Scripture say?

1. Abraham and his descendants of the Promise

However, this means that being related to Abraham by blood does not necessarily make one a Jew. Ishmael was Abraham's son but is not a child of the Promise.  Esau was a blood descendant of Abraham but he is not a Jew.  The children of the Promise (c.f. Romans 4:9ff) have circumcised hearts and are also descended by blood from Abraham, e.g., Alfred Edersheim, the Apostles, King David, and many others.  These are referred to as "the remnant" in Romans 11:5, Isaiah 37:32, Zechariah 8:12 – the ones who have experienced special grace.

2. The ancient nation of Israel

Established by God and founded by godly priests and men through many miracles.

3. Those who claim to be Jews but, according to Scripture, are not

See Rev 2:9; 3:9; and, especially, Rom 2:29

4. Those who have circumcised hearts but are not related by blood to Abraham

E.g., Ruth, Rahab, and Uriah the Hittite. See Galatians 3:29, Philippians 3:3  “It is we who are the circumcision…”

5. The modern nation of Israel

It has citizens of many different religions or no religion at all and was founded by those claiming to be Jews.  How are they different than the ancient Danites who founded their heathen city in northern Israel (Judges 18)? “Then they took what Micah had made [the idol], and his priest, and went on to Laish, against a peaceful and unsuspecting people.”

Consider the terrorist bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on July 22, 1946 by the Irgun whose members included a later Prime Minister of Israel, Menachem Begin. It was the worst terrorist attack of the 20th century on largely innocent people, mostly Arabs who had nothing to do with the British/Zionist conflict.

It would betray justice to suggest it is somehow like the destruction of ancient Jericho (Joshua 6).  How, therefore, can the modern nation of Israel have any distinction in God's economy greater than other democratic republics of our age, including the United States?  In the eyes of some, modern Israel is nothing less than a reincarnation of the Israel of David, Solomon, and Hezekiah – a questionable assertion for a host of reasons.

Conclusion

Anyone can call himself a Jew.  But of whom did Paul and Jesus (both Jews) mean when speaking of "the Jews"?

Paul recognized that there were men blood related to Abraham but were not true Jews (Romans 9).  Instead, the true Jews are all those who have circumcised hearts, whether descended from Abraham by blood or not.  Nonetheless, a small remnant has received God's grace for no other reason than that they are Abraham's blood descendants but we have no way of knowing who they are.

Since all of the records of blood ancestry to Abraham that were present in the 1st century A.D. have been destroyed or lost, who alive today can prove blood relationship to Abraham, as did Paul the Apostle, the Pharisees and Sadducees of his day, and, of course, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah?
 
For a broader and more detailed discussion of this topic, read John Stott's essay here.  He addresses the issue raised in paragraph 5 above with more detail.  He stresses the point that not equating the ancient and modern state of Israel as being anti-Semitic in any way.

"There is no doubt that we need to conclude at this point by saying, “Away with anti-Semitism:” If there is anybody in church today who has any anti-Semitism feeling let us bow down in penitence. Away with anti-Semitism." – John Stott

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