There is a divide between the two sides of Christianity. One is lined by a rosary, the other with tallit (prayer shawl). In the west we tend to come from a Greco-Roman understanding of The Bible and Jesus Christ. We are saturated with images of the Crucifixion and see through the red lens of Calvary. Now The Messianic or Jewish perspective is becoming more prevalent as people begin to study the roots of the Christian faith. After all, Jesus was a Jew and his Twelve Disciples were all Jews of different sects and positions in society. By studying the Jewish roots of Jesus we come to understand the ancient customs, practices, rites, and traditions that are featured in the Old and New Testaments. We learn in Jewish tradition that a Rabbi had to be ordained by two rabbis and that when Jesus was asked, "by who's authority do you say these things?, (Luke 20:2)" the Pharisees were asking who had ordained Jesus and where he got his yoke (teachings), and Jesus responds, "where did John (The Baptist) get his authority?" (Matthew 21:25). Jesus was baptized by John and the Father and Holy Spirit both made their presence known, to a Jew this means that Jesus was ordained in public by His Father, The Holy Spirit and John.
The Greco-Roman view has It's own merits. Orthodox believers tend to focus on Christ. This is important because Messianic believers tend to get caught up in the teaching of the Law and lose sight of the New Covenant and the Cross. Zionistic believers become more concerned about Jewish blood than the Blood of Jesus Christ and thus error. However, Orthodox Christianity also errors in placing the yoke of penances on people when God already "paid in full" the price for our sins. While it is worth reforming our ways daily and striving to become more like our Savior, focusing on sin takes our eyes off Jesus and his sufficient sacrifice.
St. Paul said, "That we are grafted in," (Romans 11:11-31) and he mentions the branches who are the believers of Gentile linage and the roots who are the Jews. It is important to remember that wither we be a Messianic Christian, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, or Other, that we are all part of the same tree that is Christ's Family. Each believer brings something unique and beautiful to the faith. The understanding of the Jews regarding Jesus is important, as is the focus on Jesus and Calvary among the Greco-Roman Christians. It would be wonderful if a balance could be found, and that both Western and Eastern Believers could appreciate Rabbi Yeshua Ha'Mashiach and Master Jesus Christ.
What created the divide in the first place was an argument that started long ago between the See of St. Peter and the See of St. Paul. Peter sided with the Church of Jerusalem, which was predominately Jewish Christians in imposing some laws on the Gentiles. St. Paul disagreed and did no believe the Gentile Christians should have to adhere to any Jewish customs and need only have faith in Jesus Christ alone to be saved and be apart of the Church. These opposing view points divided St. Peter and St. Paul for much of their lives. Both were right. The Apostle Peter was right that the Gentiles needed to reform some of their customs, because they had been pagan and thus needed to cease, "fornication or eating food offered to idols." The Apostle Paul was right in that you need not follow any law in order to be saved; that grace alone through Jesus Christ's sufferings makes you clean.
It is important to understand that the Jews were the forerunners and that we serve the same God as the Jews, but the Jews fail to accept Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah (which is no minor issue, Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father and life everlasting, John 14:6). This is where Messianic and Orthodox believers tend to part ways. A Messianic believer does not see the problem of the unbelieving Jew as an offense, and desires to evangelize them through teaching the Torah (Law) and then The Brit Chadashah (New Covenant). The Orthodox believer takes great offense at the Jew not believing in Jesus (understandably) and finds that the unbelieving Jew can be Luciferian and a threat to the Church.
I understand both dispositions. For the Messianic believer, Jesus was a Jew and He practiced Jewish rites and traditions and thus we should be at least interested in such traditions. For a Orthodox Believer, Jews are the ones who condemned Jesus to be crucified and their unbelief has power and singles them out for judgment, unless they convert. The Messianic believers are right in that Jesus was Jewish, and trying to Romanize or turn a Jew into a Greek to become a Christian is folly. However, the Orthodox believer is also correct, because the Jewish laws, rites, and rituals do not have any power to save the soul from sin, nor are they necessary to know, believe, and follow Jesus. No one can merit eternal life following the Old Covenant, codes, and creeds of the Jews. The customs and practices of the Jews are merely beneficial to understand the heritage, times, context, and details of things in the Bible.
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| Tallit (left) and Rosary (right) |
I believe there is merit to the Jewish-Messianic and the Greco-Roman methods and mindsets. In the end what is important is that we keep our focus on Christ. If you picture the Lord with a Tallit, great! If you picture the Lord with a Crook (Cruciform staff) that is great too! The point is that Jesus Christ has done everything that is necessary to save us and reconcile us with the Father. My hope is that we can benefit from both Messianic and Orthodox understandings. To me it is all apart of the same mystery of the Almighty; each viewpoint is like a thread in the Trinity's tapestry.
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