Y Not I

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua. -Galatians 3:28

So what does it mean that there is no Jew nor no Greek? It seems to me that often Christians take that to mean that there is only Greek, since being Jewish in anyway can get criticized. It is often said that the verse means that Jews no longer have to do the Jewish things, that they can become like the Greeks. That if you were a Jew who accepts Jesus, then you are no longer a Jew, but become a Christian, and this verse is one proof.

Of course the traditional Rabbi’s will agree with this and so a lie becomes truth just because enough people say so. Well, the verse is pretty clear that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, and it also mentions man and woman and slave and freeman, yet women are not no longer women, men are not no longer men, slaves are not no longer slaves (except to sin) and freemen are not no longer free.

Check out this passage from Sam Nadler on the Association of Messianic Congregations site. I think this pretty much tells the story of what I am getting at:

There’s a lot of “stinking thinking” on this subject even among “Christians”. A few years back, I was invited to speak on a secular radio call-in show in Miami, Florida. I received a number of “you’re-no-longer-a-Jew” calls from Jewish listeners. Suddenly a call came in from a more polite gentleman: “Mister Nadler, now that you’re a believer in Jesus, you’re no longer a Jew, for the Bible says ‘that in Messiah there’s neither Jew nor Greek’”.
I recognized the portion and responded over the air “Oh, do you mean Galatians 3:28, ‘There’s neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female; for are all one in Messiah Jesus.’”
“Exactly”, the caller replied.
“Well”, I quickly said, “then let me ask you a question, please. Are you a believer?”
“Yes, I am”, he answered.
“Great. Are you married?” I asked
“Well, yes, I’m married”, he slowly answered.
I asked again, “Is your wife a believer?”
“Yes, she’s a… believer”, he responded with a longer pause
“Well”, I said, pausing to catch my breath. “If you’re a believer and still a male,
and you’re wife is a believer and still a female, then I’m a believer and still a Jew. The verse in Galatians is not teaching that we lose our identities in Messiah,
but that there’s only one way to God for all people.”
An extremely long pause, then, “You mean I’m still Jewish, too?”
“If you were born a Jew”, I responded, “then you’re still a Jew.”
“Hallelujah!” he shouted over the airwaves, “they told me I was no longer Jewish”.
So, if someone says “you can’t believe in Jesus and still be Jewish”, they need to read what the Jewish Bible teaches:
Yeshua is our Messiah, and trusting in Him is the most Jewish decision
you can ever make!

It seems to me that so often Christians look at all believers as Gentiles, and thus make their theology based upon it. It is a very myopic way of thinking and it mirrors the theories and methodologies of some of the early Jewish believers who are often called “Judaizers”. If you want to be saved, you must not get circumcized and you must eat pork and shellfish and you must not celebrate the Shabbat (at least not on the seventh day).

I was listening to a message by Pastor Ron Hyre on 2 Corinthians 1 (You can find that message and many more here). He was speaking about how much the word comfort is used in the chapter and how the word means to come along side, in other words to be a comfort by being able to relate. I think if Gentiles could come along side of Jews and Jews along side of Gentiles, then I think we could get to the place where neither Jew not Greek is not a competition, but a place where you actions (or inactions) have nothing to do with salvation, with your access to G-d. For a Jewish believer to still follow the Torah and the customs that they were brought up in does not make them better before G-d and it does not make them worse. A Greek who does not do these things is no better, nor no worse. We all fall short of the glory of G-d, and as believer we should walk in how G-d leads us.

I pray that as believers we can draw along side of each other and comfort each other and encourage each other and help one another and let the Ruach work in our lives leading us and guiding us in His path. Pray on these things.