Spring 2002 Issue 214

Church structures and governments have evolved throughout history. The New Testament model sees the Pastor – the spiritual leader, placed in a plural eldership which governs the church. "The elders who direct the affairs of the church are well worthy of double honour especially those whose work is preaching and teaching" (1 Timothy 5:17). This simple model has grown more complicated as the church has grown through history.

Dr. Michael Schiffman’s book Return of the Remnant asks, "Who are we? Where did we come from? What are we? What is our theological basis? What is our relationship to the law, to the whole body of believers, and to the people of Israel?"

"Ray Pritz holds the view that Jewish believers were not simply hemmed in on both sides, but in fact rejected the Gentile church and Pharisaic Judaism, just as they rejected the church’s setting aside of the Law of Moses, so they refused the rabbis expansive interpretation of it." (Schiffman p19)

In the early centuries the Church developed from the Ekklesia (assembly of believers) into an established institution. The Church saw itself as the New Israel replacing the Old Israel. Any forms of Jewish life were looked on as heretical. Jewish believers had to embrace Gentile culture to be accepted by the church. All Jews who sought to live a Jewish lifestyle were ostracised.

There has been a huge growth in the Messianic Congregational movement this century, both in the West and Israel. Is there a biblical basis for this movement? I believe that the Lord has strongly hinted that He will work among the Jewish synagogues independently of denominational Jewish evangelism. "Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech---unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:12-18).

There are objections by the established Church and existing denominations to the forming of Messianic Congregations. The world has changed dramatically this century, and we now live in a multi-national, multi-cultural society. But national characteristics are still strong and give a person a sense of identity. Many Christians and non-Christians seek to keep their national characteristics and culture alive. But should culture be brought into the Church? The Church is founded on belief not culture. There can still be unity without uniformity. Churches formed with a distinct national characteristic can still display unity in faith, without uniformity in culture.

Does the Messianic movement create a spiritual apartheid with the Gentile churches? What about 2,000 years of Church anti-Semitism against the Jews? How can Jew and Gentile come together under Messiah Jesus?

Jesus has broken down the spiritual wall between Jew and Gentile: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace" (Ephesians 2:14-15). Although, clearly, the spiritual barrier between Jew and Gentile has been broken down and no longer exists, there appears to be a cultural and psychological barrier.

The Apostle Paul had a strict Orthodox Jewish upbringing and was secure in Judaism. He lived a Jewish lifestyle practising the Torah. He lived in a Greek society but was clearly Jewish by practice and culture. He knew that there had to be some changes made for Jew and Greek to come together in one church: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). In Messiah Jesus all cultural class distinction and sex discrimination have been broken down and no longer exist in the Kingdom of God.

A Jewish believer fears legalism exhibited in some churches, and losing his or her Jewish identity in a sea of Gentile culture. The non-Biblical solution is to separate from the Church and to form separate Jewish Christian churches. The Biblical solution is to go in a local church and have fellowship with the Gentiles: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrew 10:25). Retaining Jewish identity and culture is done by forming Messianic Jewish fellowships.

A pastor who is interested in evangelising Jewish people and discipling new Jewish believers, must take these problems on board and seek a solution. He must shepherd the new believers with loving care in order to bring them to maturity. God is working through the Jewish community and bringing many to faith, but we can’t expect things to fall into place naturally without problems arising. The pastor leading new Jewish believers must be sensitive to these issues.

Derek Rose (BMJA member)