How is Messianic Judaism a Form of Judaism?

Who is a Jew? Judaism is both a faith and a family. It’s a family of people who share a history as the descendants of Abraham, and a future as the people through whom God will bring the Messiah to the world.

It’s also a faith – the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A faith that has stood the test of time for thousands of years and through which the world would know who the true God of the universe is.

Introduction

Messianic Judaism considers itself a legitimate form of Judaism because it maintains a Jewish identity, honors Jewish traditions, and follows the Hebrew Scriptures. Though distinct from Rabbinic Judaism because of our belief in Yeshua (Jesus) as the promised Messiah of Israel, Messianic Judaism remains deeply rooted in Jewish beliefs, practices, and covenantal history.

Modern Messianic Judaism began with Jewish men and women who, through study of Scripture and personal revelation, came to believe that Yeshua must be the promised Messiah of Israel. But in their conviction, they also felt they must continue walking out their Jewish faith. They believed that this conviction in the Jewish Messiah did not change their identity. They continued to study the Torah, keep Shabbat, circumcise their sons, and keep kosher, which was very difficult to do in the Christian church.

If you walk into a modern Messianic synagogue, you will likely find many of the same things as in a Reform or Conservative synagogue. You’ll see a Torah scroll, an ark, a bima, men wearing talliyot and kippot, and hear many of the same liturgical blessings. Most follow the same Torah reading schedule as greater Judaism. The greatest difference? Our belief in Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel.

According to Chabad, there’s no way out of being Jewish: “And here’s perhaps the greatest mystery of Jewishness: Once in, there’s no way out. You can join the team, you can fumble the ball, but you can’t quit. No one can throw you out—not even G‑d.”1

While we recognize that Messianic Jews are not considered Jewish by the majority of Jewish ruling bodies due to their belief in Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah, we believe that an honest, unbiased assessment of Messianic Judaism would agree that Jewish people practicing Jewish rites should still be considered Jewish in every sense of the word.

Upholding Jewish Identity

Messianic Jews are Jewish, descended from Jewish ancestry, and maintain their connection to the Jewish people. Unlike Christianity, which historically has viewed itself as a separate religion from Judaism, Messianic Judaism sees itself as the continuation of God’s covenant with Israel and part of the greater body of Judaism.

While most Messianic Jews do not accept the Talmud as the divine word of God, we do believe that the Tanakh is God’s holy word and still relevant today. We follow kashrut, Shabbat, and the rest of the Torah to the best of our ability (with varying halachah between communities, just as in mainstream Judaism). In Messianic synagogues, we pray Hebrew prayers and celebrate Jewish life-cycle events. Our sons receive their brit milah on the eighth day and our children go through their bar/bat mitzvah.

We also stay engaged with the concerns of the greater Jewish community and the state of Israel. The vast majority of Messianic Jews are strong Zionists. We grieve when Israel is attacked and pray for her protection. We stand against antisemitism in all its forms in our synagogues and communities.

Shared Core Beliefs

As a people rooted in the Torah of Moses, we share the same core beliefs as mainstream Judaism. Unlike Jews of other beliefs (atheism, Buddhism, etc.), we stand firm in our faith as children of Abraham.

Monotheism: Messianic Jews believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the same God worshiped in traditional Judaism. We believe in one God, present throughout history.

The Messiah: Belief in a coming Messiah is inherently Jewish. Messianic Jews believe that Yeshua fulfilled many Messianic prophecies but also anticipate His return to establish the Kingdom of God and fulfill the rest of Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh.

Covenantal Identity: Messianic Jews affirm God’s eternal covenant with Israel (Genesis 17:7) and reject replacement theology, which claims that the Christian Church replaced Israel. We view the world through the lens of God’s covenant with the Jewish people.

1st Century Yeshua Faith

A critical historical fact that often gets missed is that the first believers in Yeshua were Jewish and continued practicing Judaism for decades (Acts 2:46, Acts 21:20, 24:14). Yeshua taught that the good news of His coming should be shared with the Jewish people first (Acts 1:8).

Often referred to as the apostle Paul, Rabbi Shaul was a dedicated Pharisee and the main teacher of Gentiles. And even while sharing the good news of the Messiah with Gentiles, Rabbi Shaul always went to the local synagogues and the Jewish people first. Yeshua-faith has been centered on the Jewish people since its beginnings.

Even when Gentiles began joining the Yeshua-sect of 1st century Judaism, they did so with an understanding of coming alongside the Jewish people (Acts 15:21). God’s design was for the Jewish people to be the root on which the Abrahamic faith centered on Yeshua’s messiahship would flourish (Romans 11).
Messianic Judaism seeks to restore the faith of these early Yeshua-believers, who followed him while maintaining their Jewish way of life.

Nuanced from Christianity

While sharing a belief in Yeshua, Messianic Judaism does not embrace many Christian traditions that depart from Jewish practice (such as Sunday worship, Christmas/Easter, etc.). Messianic Jews emphasize Yeshua’s Jewish identity rather than presenting Him as separate from His Jewish heritage.
The Messianic Jewish community resists historical Christian antisemitism and anti-zionism, and affirms that Jewish believers in Yeshua remain part of Israel. We do not teach “conversion” of Jews away from Judaism and the law of Moses.

While mainstream Christianity focuses their teaching on the New Testament – the writings of Yeshua’s followers in the 1st century CE, Messianic Judaism attempts to keep a healthy balance of teaching from all of Scripture. This approach helps keep us grounded in a more full understanding of God’s word which was written by Jewish people to a primarily Jewish audience.

The Role of the Jewish People

While modern Judaism is primarily focused on maintaining identity and fidelity to the Torah and the teachings of the rabbis, Messianic Judaism seeks to fulfill its mandate given by HaShem to be a light to the nations.

In Exodus 19, HaShem told Moshe: “Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” This was reiterated by the apostle Peter: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

In Messianic Judaism, we see the God-ordained role of the Jewish people to be God’s light to the nations of the world. Not insular, but reaching out with the hope of eternity with HaShem.

Gentile Inclusion?

While the inclusion of non-Jews in Messianic communities can be controversial, the Tanakh sets a precedent of Gentiles who have chosen to walk alongside the Jewish people. Caleb, Rahab, Ruth, and others have been instrumental in the formation of our faith.
In Messianic Judaism, we accept Gentiles who feel called by God to walk alongside the Jewish people to participate in our lifestyle and communities without formal conversion.

In Conclusion…

Unlike Christianity, which historically viewed itself as separate from Judaism, Messianic Judaism is a legitimate form of Judaism because it maintains Jewish identity, follows Jewish customs, and adheres to core Jewish beliefs. While distinct from Rabbinic Judaism, it aligns with the Tanakh and seeks to restore the Jewishness of faith in the Messiah Yeshua.