The Wild Branch-graft of the Cultivated Olive Tree

[Soulfyre]

Marvin H. Wilson, who wrote the provocative and seminal work
Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith
, challenges us with these words:

“The Bible reflects a view of reality which is essentially Hebraic. Indeed, for the earliest Church, to think 'Christianly’ was to think Hebraicly...Jesus was a Jew, not a Christian of Gentile origin. His teachings, like those of his followers, reflect a distinct ethnicity and culture. The evidence fount in the New Testament is abundantly clear: as a mother gives birth to and nourished a child, so Hebrew culture and language gave birth to and nourished Christianity."

I would go so far as to say that understood properly, the Hebrew culture and language continues to nourish Christianity. There is much to be said and discussed here. I believe that the key to understanding...in fact...the key to BEING Christian lies with this vital link. This link extends beyond what is conventionally called “church” history, for it is rooted in the land and people God—it is rooted in Hebraic culture, ethnicity, and world-view. It's categories of thought are not Hellenistic or Western, but Near Eastern and Hebrew. Paul and Peter may have communicated using koine Greek, but they reasoned as Jews for whom Jesus was the Messiah.

I believe that this is a conversation worth having. in fact, I believe that this should be the seminal discussion of our church communities today. Some say that the arc of development of the Christian community after approximately 200 A.D. veered subtantially from its Jewish roots, and caused it to grow in a manner inconsistent with its moorings. We struggle with mirroring our surrounding culture because we have divested ourselves of our intended culture, the culture of our birth and breeding, and have gone a-whoring to foreign cultures and ideas to express essentially Jewish thoughts.

Is Christianity in fact the continuation and forerunner to the perfection of Judaism in Y'shua ha Meshiach?

In the name of our Savior, our Lord, our Lover, our Life...Y'shua Adonai...

Matthew (soulfyre)

[melinky]

I'm currently involved in a 34 week Bible study program that requires reading approximately 70% of the Bible. This program starts at the beginning and goes through the end. Last week, our 13th week, the topic was "Comfort" with readings from Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. One of the things we learned, from the tape that goes along with the series, was that the Hebrew/Jewish and Christian cultures are the only cultures that encourage hope. It also said that Christians learned hope from their Jewish roots.

Personally, I believe that there is a lot to be learned from our Jewish brothers and sisters about the roots of our faith.

There is one other section of the tape I'd like to discuss, but I'll need to watch it again to be sure exactly what it says. Unfortunately it may be next week before I can do so.

Melinda