Jesus The Jew
'Jesus the Jew' has proven to be a
controversial and offensive statement for something that is plainly
common sense and so apparently obvious.
Jesus was raised
a Jew from His birth, as is indicated by His very Jewish genealogy
(Matthew 1.1-17).
He was
circumcised the eighth day (Luke 2.21), bore a common Jewish name,
Yeshua, 'He [God] saves' (Matthew 1.21).
In fact, Yeshua
was the fifth most common Jewish name. Four out of the 28 Jewish
High-Priests in Jesus' time were called Yeshua.
After His birth,
Jesus was presented to God in the Jerusalem temple (Luke 2.22;
cf. Deuteronomy 18.4; Exodus 13.2,12,15) according to Mary's period
of uncleanness (Leviticus 12).
A sacrifice was
offered for him - a pair of doves and 2 young pigeons - which
indicated that His family were not wealthy (Leviticus 12.2,6,8; Luke
2.22-24).
Jesus was raised
according to the Law (Luke 2.39).
So when they had
performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned
to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. (NKJV)
Physically, Jesus was a Jew. Being faithful to the Law, He wore the
tsitsith ('tassel', Numbers 15.37-41; Matthew 9.20; 14.36; Luke
8.44; in English these are obvious by the translations 'hem' or
'fringe of His garment' which the crowds were keen to touch in order
to be healed).
He may also have
worn the tephillin ('phylacteries', Deuteronomy 6.8), small
boxes bound to arm and head containing the Scriptural verses (Exodus
13.1-16, Deuteronomy 6.4-9 and 11.13-21).
Jesus only
criticised the exaggerating of these for ostentatious exhibitionism,
a practice also condemned by later rabbis.
"But all their
works they do for to be seen of men. they make broad their
phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments" (Matthew
23.5, KJV).
Conventionally,
these were meant to be discreet and the arm one was invisible under
clothing. A rabbinical source suggests that the head one should only
be worn in Winter under a head band and not in Summer when it would
have been conspicuous.
Every year,
Jesus' family went up to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover (Pesach)
(Luke 2.41-43). Jesus observed and continued this Jewish tradition
(John 12.12; Mark 14.12-26). Jesus also kept Tabernacles (Sukkoth,
'booths') (John 7.1-39).
John 10.22-23
may also indicate that Jesus celebrated the Hanukkah festival which
commemorated the 2nd century B.C. rededication of the Temple under
the Maccabees.
"As was His
custom," He also attended synagogue every Sabbath (Luke 4.16) even
during His travelling ministry (Mark 1.39; Matthew 4.23; 9.35; Luke
4.15,16-27,44).
In tithing, fasting and almsgiving, Jesus was totally Jewish.
Although He opposed excessive worrying about the minutiae of tithing
"mint, dill and cumin" (Matthew 23.23), He still argued that the
crowds and His disciples should do as the scribes and Pharisees said
(Matthew 23.3; "but not as they do"!). In fact the law only
specified tithing of grain, wine, oil and livestock.
Jesus said
grace, or rather a blessing, before and/or after meals (Deuteronomy
8.10; Matthew 6.41; 26.26 and Luke 24.30 which is post
resurrection).
The object of
the blessing was not the food but God, when the New Testament
inserts 'it' or 'the bread' in such verses it is not found in the
Greek. It was inconceivable that a Jew would bless the object and
not the Originator/Creator. The traditional blessing is.
"Barukh
attah 'Adonai 'elohenu Melekh ha-olam ha-motsi lechem meen ha-arets"
"Blessed are You, our Lord God, King of the Ages/Universe, who
brings forth bread from the earth"
In every
respect, therefore, Jesus was a Jew, and was not ashamed to call
Himself one.
"we know what we
worship, for salvation is from the Jews" (John 4.22)