"Remember you do not support the root; the root supports you."
Romans 11:18

Before getting too deep into this discussion, I want to share with all that the information here was originally a version, by one Barbara Richmond, a former teacher of the Hebraic Roots of Christianity. Barbara since has converted to non-Messianic Judaism and the last I heard of her, has been she is living in Jerusalem. I have made some minor revisions to some of the her original statements in an effort to more clearly show what I believe to be the true history of the early church and what has transpired over the last two thousand years since the Lord came the first time. I do it with her permission as she no longer holds a claim to the material. I honor her still. Now to the topic at hand.

Two words, Jew and Judaism are tossed about by so many these days. At one time I myself did not have a true understanding of what they really meant. By the time Jesus / Yeshua showed up in Jerusalem, out of the original twelve tribes of the sons of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, there were only three of the original tribes that came to Canaan recognizable. These three tribes were made up Judah, Benjamin along with many out the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe. The leaders out of the tribe of Judah were in turn made up of three distinct groups called the Pharisees, Sadducees and the scribes. There was the sect of the political party called the Herodians but we will not involve them here. The scribes were considered the lawyers of that time. They maintained the accuracy of the scrolls and knew what they said from writing them by hand.

The Pharisees were over the interpretation of the Law, better known as the Torah. In fact Yehshua has accused them openly of seating them selves in the seat of Moses. The Sadducees were over the Temple worship of that day. It is an interesting note that the Sadducees did not believe in a literal resurrection of the dead nor angels. Their world was for the now and then that was the end of it  upon their death. That may very well been the reason why Sha'ul said the following:

I Corinthians 15:16-21 NASB  For if the dead are not raised (like the Sadducees taught), not even Christ has been raised; (17) and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. (18) Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (19) If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. (20) But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. (21) For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.

We have evidence that there were other representatives of the other tribes such as the eighty-four year old widow, Anna, a prophetess of the tribe of Asher we read about in the gospel according to Luke. She ministered in the temple continually. The other tribes along with a portion of Levi had gone into idolatry after Solomon's son came to the throne and were no longer considered to be under covenant with the God of their forefathers after about721 BC, when Assyria came in and totally conquered them and removed them from Northern Canaan. History records that the majority of these people of the other tribes, ended up scattered abroad and became inter-married with the heathen nations to an extent that they were known as Samaritans or Gentiles in and around Jerusalem and Judea.

The people of the remaining tribe of Judah were first known as Judahites but later were simply labeled Jews for short. So the first clarification we need to come to is the following little riddle so to speak.

                        "All Jews are truly Israelites! But . . . .  not all Israelites are Jews!".

A similar statement is: All women are truly human beings! But  . . . . not all human beings are women". Saul of Tarsus walked in the ways of the Jews (Jewish leaders) but he states in several places in the book of Acts that he was a Benjaminite. In other words he was from the tribe of Benjamin.

John in his gospel account is found to say in several places something confusing to the reader if we don't understand the above:

And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: (John 2:13-14 KJV)

We know almost for certain that John was not of Judah but more than likely of the tribe of Levi. It's like John is saying what the Jews practiced as  Passover he himself might not have observed in the same way. Some though have interpreted the way it is put in the gospel of John, to say that John did not write the gospel of John but someone else did it for him. But if you see the separation of the tribes you can more readily see where John was coming from.

The daily Torah practiced by the Pharisees was quite different to the practices one could see in this man of Nazareth named Yehshua ben Joseph [Yehshua Son of Joseph. Once again the first thing to help us in our understanding of the Hebraic Roots of Christianity is agreeing that "All Jews are truly Israelites! But  . . . . all Israelites are not Jews." 

The woman of Canaanite ancestry was not a Jew although she laid claim to being qualified for Yehshua to agree to her request. It's obvious she did not practice what was referred to in that day as Judaism.  Listen to what Yehshua told this non-Jewish woman on that occasion when she had sought Him out to cast a demon from her daughter:

Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to dogs.

Dogs here is a reference to Israelites (the house of Israel outcasts) that had inter-married with people that God Himself had declared that they should not do. Listen to her comeback at him.

And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.   (Mat 15:21-28 KJV)

Once again, the Jews taught that any person not Jewish was a dog. However, she must have come with the belief that she was a member of the lost sheep of the house of Israel. She knew the Word of God concerning the future redemption of the House of Israel. However that is another study.

So we press on in our study on: "Why Study the Hebraic Roots of Christianity" with the understanding that Judaism was the practice of living according to God's standards, as defined by the only remaining active tribe of the nation of Israel. The tribe of Judah, Benjamin and the Levitical Priesthood.

GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE AND THEIR PURPOSE

The Jews are a group of people on the earth who comprise less than 1% of the world’s population which is around six billion and should not therefore by all human standards significantly affect the rest of the world. Many nations and kingdoms have tried to exterminate them: Egypt under a Pharaoh that did not know Joseph one of Jacobs twelve sons was really the first. The Philistines were the next as the twelve tribes of Israel made their way across the wilderness toward the Promised Land during the Exodus. Assyria taking the 10 northern tribes into captivity in 721 BC which resulted in them becoming the so-called lost tribes of Israel. Then Haman, a Jew hater during the Babylonian captivity of Judah after 586 BC when the remaining tribe of Judah along with the tribe of Benjamin were carried away into Babylonian captivity. A lady known as Queen Esther was used by God to save His people from death at the hands of this mad man. A holiday is practiced every year called Purim in honor of this woman of God.

Rome following on the heals of the Greek empire originating with Alexander the Great and finally Antiochus Epiphanies assisted in the removal of the inherited customs of the nation of Israel, especially Judah. The Greek culture was introduced into Judaism and paganism came in strong right behind it..

THE FATE OF THE JEWS AFTER THE COMING OF YEHSHUA

The Jews were kicked out of Rome around 48 AD, less than twenty years after the ascension of Yehshua and twenty-two years or so before Rome destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem. Multitudes either died or ran. Paul wrote the letter to Rome sometime around 56 AD because the people were already in the hands of the gentiles, who called themselves Jews, and he was warning them of the coming wrath. (Romans chapter two)  The Roman church was never to return to it's Jewish leadership.

The Crusades came along after Constantine (a gentile) came to power in Rome around 325 AD. He supposedly converted to Christianity, because of a supposed vision of a cross with the words Go and Conquer. He made "Christianity" Rome's official religion. But it was was a warped form from biblical Christianity. Many changes were instituted into the original. Thousands of Jews as well as Muslims were murdered because they would not convert to Rome's form of Christianity. The Jews were given the name of: 'The Christ Killers."  That declaration has carried over even to today.

Lets jump ahead about a fifteen hundred years later and we find the Spanish Inquisition of 1492 when all Jews were commanded to leave Spain. Some say, Columbus saw it coming and that is why he asked for the ships from Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Some historical writers claim Christopher Columbus was of Jewish heritage along with many that sailed away from Spain with him. That also means that many of the original settlers in the Americas were Jews.
 

Hitler in WW-II murdered six million JEWISH
Men, Women & Children  during the Holocaust

It is a recordable fact with much evidence that this Holocaust  actually happened, even though their are people like the Leader of Iran that claims it did not. But it wasn't over then or is it over now. Now the Palestinians in Israel, possible descendants of Esau, as well as the Arab nations surrounding Israel today, do not recognize Israel's statehood. declared in 1948 and have sworn to destroy them by driving them into the Mediterranean Sea.

How have they survived? Why have they survived? There is only one possible reason: because more than 5000 years ago, God set them apart (sanctified them) to testify of His integrity and give credence to the absolute authenticity of His scriptures. The world calls them the Jews. God calls them a special treasure to Himself.

            "He that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps..." Psalm 121:4

" For thus says the LORD of hosts, "After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. "For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me. "Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," declares the LORD.  (Zechariah 2:7-10 NASB)

the church was not created to replace Israel

God is serious about Israel and the church was not raised up to replace her but rather to enlarge her already existence. Consider carefully the words penned by the apostle to the Gentiles in the city of Ephesus:

‘Therefore, remember that formerly you Gentiles (including the former lost sheep of the house of Israel) in the flesh remember that you were at that time (prior to the Messiah's first coming) separate from the Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth (citizenship) of Israel and strangers (aliens) to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in this world." Ephesians 2:11-12 NASB

The first recorded Gentile to come into the church was a man named Cornelius. He was not allowed in until some ten years after Jesus' ascension into heaven. Remember, the Great Commission was to begin in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and then go to the utter most parts of the earth. Cornelius was prior to Peter's visit a stranger or alien also referred to as a God fearer and obviously practiced some of the things that the Jewish people practiced according to Torah. (Before jumping to a possible false conclusion, we need to remember, that the house of Israel was looked upon by the Jews as Gentiles also.) In other words he followed the Torah life style to some extent. Why the uttermost parts of the earth? Because God had promised the people of Israel that if they did not follow His instructions, that would be where He would scatter them to, with the promise that someday, He Himself would come like a shepherd and gather them back. (Hosea. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel along with almost every other prophet in the Tanakh.

And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and you shall be left few in number among the heathen, where the LORD shall lead you.  Deuteronomy 4:27 KJV

 And the LORD shall scatter you among all people, from one end of the earth even unto the other; and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known, even wood and stone.  Deuteronomy 28:64 KJV

I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:  Deuteronomy 32:26 KJV

Do you ever hear someone say they are a Benjaminite or Reubenite or a Gadite. Only in recent years have we heard of the re-establishment of the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe. Do you know any people with the last name of Cohen? Cohen comes from the Hebrew word for priest. But, as stated above, there has always been a hope left to the ones that were to be scattered. For God always leaves hope in judgment.

Deuteronomy 30:1-10 NASB  "So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, (2) and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, (3) then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. (4) "If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. (5) "The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. (6) "Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. (7) "The LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. (8) "And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. (9) "Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; (10) if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.

Now one can see where Paul was coming from when he said the following:

Galatians 3:8-14 NASB The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles (including but not limited to the house of Israel) by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS (KJV heathen; in either case, the same Greek word 'ethnos' is translated Gentiles elsewhere) WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." (9) So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (10) For as many as are of the works of the Law (Oral Law - Talmud) are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW (Mosaic Torah), TO PERFORM THEM." (11) Now that no one is justified by the Law (More than likely the Oral Law or Torah) before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." (12) However, the Law (Oral Law) is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." (13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us - - for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- (14) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles (ethnos), so that we (all Israel Romans 11:25-27) would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Notice Paul is more or less referring to himself as a gentile (ethnos) or grouped in with them. He talks about himself doing good in the traditions of the Jew's religion but I don't believe he ever referred to himself as a Jew (of the the tribe of Judah). He did claim himself to be a Hebrew.

For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.     (Gal 1:13-14 KJV)

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law (oral law of the Pharisees), blameless.      (Philippians 3:4-6 KJV)
 

THE CHURCH IS NOT AN INDEPENDENT CREATION

The church is not an independent creation. We have been grafted into Israel, to that unique people with whom God made covenant and through whom He has imparted to the world His truth, His grace and His love in His written and Living Word (Torah). Therefore once again, if we claim to be gentiles (ethnos - heathen, nations) then we must line up with what Paul said:

Judaism is not connected to a withered or dead root (Mark 11:20); it is connected to a living root and is essential to our true biblical identity! At the very foundation of this nation of people is an "everlasting covenant made by God with Abraham"; a covenant initiated by God Himself. The reader would do well to spend some time reading and meditating on the scriptures found in Genesis 12 through 17.  This covenant between God and Abraham was and is binding, unconditional, everlasting and literal. It includes the three fold provision of:

    1.   Provision Of Land (Gen. 15:18, Numbers 34:1-12, Joshua 1:1-4.        
          Ezekiel 47:15-20)

    2.   Establishment As A Nation (Gen.17:18-19, 22:17, 28:13-14, 35:10-12,
           II Sam. 7:12-13)

    3.   Supernatural Blessings (Gen.22:18, Jer. 31:31-34, Zech. 12:8-10, 13:1,
           8-9).

Since the fourth century the Church has been divested (stripped) of her Jewish heritage and consequently significant issues of Biblical interpretation, doctrine and theology have been handicapped. Catholic scholar, Edward H. Flannery rightly declared,

On the day of Pentecost in the city of Jerusalem, the community of believers that we now commonly call the Church was born (empowered) by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of the promise of Jesus that he made just before His ascension (Acts 1:1-7) This community of believers was intrinsically Jewish (more than likely former Israelites, its members steeped in the teachings, the culture and the traditions of the Torah that Jesus himself not  the Jewish Rabbis) followed and taught when He walked this earth. The Torah that had been created by His Father, delivered through Moses, was what they observed and practiced. While there may be numerous religions on the face of the earth besides Christianity, only one was created by the same God we worship as Christians. Living according to the Torah was born in the heart of God and given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Therefore Christianity is essentially Hebrew, having been birthed from the root of Messianic Judaism. The words Messianic and Christian should mean the same thing. They should both mean followers of Christ or Messiah which are also synonymous words.

Important Note: There is significant differences with the Torah that the Pharisees were teaching and the Torah that Jesus taught. Pharisaic Judaism was steeped in traditions, nullifying much of the Word of God. One needs to remember that Jesus said very plainly to the people of Judah that He had not come to destroy, remove or misrepresent the Law or Torah but contrarily he came to fulfill it or present it correctly by not only teaching it but living it before the people. Another way of saying it, He came to shed light on an understanding of it that had become shrouded in darkness.

Matthew 4:12-17 NASB Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; (13) and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. (14) This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: (15) "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES-- (16) "THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED." (17) From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

THE OLDER TESTAMENT IS NOT ABOUT  JEWISH THINGS

The Bible is not about things Jewish or Christian. It is about things divine, eternal and universal; and therefore applicable to all. However understanding it correctly requires, even demands, a deep awareness and comprehension of the people, nation and culture through whom God chose to reveal Himself, His Ways and His Word. Therefore, the more biblical you become, the more Jewish you will appear to others. Therefore, the more biblical you become, the more Jewish you will appear to others.

The study of the Hebraic Roots of the Church is not some new fad; neither is it some divergent trail from the heart of biblical theology. It is a major thrust into the restoration of all things which is to happen in the last days as prophesied by Peter in his great sermon recorded in Acts 3, specifically verses 21 through 22:

B.   The Church was EMPOWERED in Jerusalem and from there
       the Messiah will rule and reign in time to come FROM        
       JERUSALEM

D.    To equip ourselves to fulfill the exhortation to
         provoke to jealousy.

1.  Consider the statement: "The more biblical you become, the more Jewish you will
     appear." How would you explain this statement to a friend?

2.  Why must we study the Hebrew Roots of Christianity?

3.  Explain the term "grafted in."

4.  At this point in your life, before proceeding further into our study, what is your
      personal understanding of Judaism? We will evaluate this understanding at the end
      of the course and you will have opportunity to comment on your own initial
      comprehension and how it was changed and/or modified.