bobb (01/28/83)
It has been my experience that most Christians think that
Christianity has a deep relationship with Judaism while
most Jews think that Christianity has the appearance of a
relationship with Judaism but is very different.
Not knowing many Jews, I can't comment on the different outlook of Christians
and Jews on the relationship between the two religions. What follows is my
personal view -- as a Christian.
I believe that both Christianity and Judaism -- speaking of the original
religions and not all of their historical and present forms -- were instituted
by God in His plans to unite man with Himself. The Bible traces the unfolding
of these plans:
The first couple, Adam and Eve, was given the choice of obeying or disobeying
God. They chose to disobey, and so brought upon themselves the judgement of
God. God, since he had warned them that disobedience would bring punishment,
was under no obligation to them or to mankind. However, He did set up a way
for mankind to come to God. This way was set down -- years later -- in the
Law of Moses. A person who perfectly kept the Law would have perfect fellow-
ship with God. I believe that this is still true -- a person who perfectly
keeps the Law will have perfect fellowship with God.
The trouble is -- no one can perfectly keep the Law. With Adam's and Eve's sins,
the human race became unable to keep from sinning. [This, by the way, is the
meaning of original sin: one's inborn inability to keep from sinning. "Original
sin" does not mean that each person is judged for the original sin.] Once again,
God is under no obligation to do anything further for man.
God, however, set up a system of sacrifices, that would pay, or atone, for sin.
These, again, were first completely set down in the Law. However, sacrifices
started before this, as evidenced by God's making of skin coats for Adam and
Eve (Gen. 3), Abel's offering (Gen. 4) and Noah's offering (Gen. 8).
The sacrifices illustrate the fact that sin brings pain and suffering, often
-- as in the case of the sacrificial animals -- to those not involved. It
was not a little thing when Adam and Eve disobeyed God!
Because the animals were only animals, their sacrifice could not permanently
pay for sin. Sacrifices had to be repeated at intervals. The main sacrifices
were done yearly on the Day of Atonement (still observed by Jews in October.)
God promised from the beginning that "the seed of the woman" would produce
a permanent solution for sin: "it [the seed of the woman] shall bruise thy
[Satan's] head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Gen. 3:15)
To Christians, God's solution for sin is Jesus Christ, the Messiah. I once
asked a Jewish friend why the Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah.
His answer, as I remember it, was that the Messiah was expected to come as a
conquering king, not as one who would die. Yet the Old Testament prophet
Isaiah painted a clear picture of a suffering Messiah: "But he was wounded for
our transgressions, he was bruised. . . ." (Is. 53:5) For one illustration of
why Christians believe Christ is the Messiah, compare Isiah 52:13-53:12 with
any of the gospel accounts of the crucifixtion. There are many more prophecies
concerning Christ in the Old Testament: from His birthplace (Micah 5:2-5) to the
disposition of His clothing at the crucifixtion (Psalm 22:18).
In the context of God's plan, Christ's life, death, and resurrection are all
important. Jesus is the first (and only) person since Adam and Eve to not have
had original sin. His sin-free life proved that the first couple could have
obeyed God, and that God was not unreasonable in demanding obedience. Christ's
death provided the permanent solution for sin. His resurrection proved that
God has ultimate power over sin.
Thus, to Christians, Judaism and Christianity form a coherent description of
God's dealings with mankind. The important fact in those dealings is that God
has provided a way for man to come back back to God. Just as man could chose
whether or not to bring the acceptable Old Testament sacrifice (Gen. 4:3-7),
so he can choose whether or not to accept God's permanent solution. To those
who ignore God's way, His warning is ever the same: ". . .thou shalt surely
die." (Gen. 2:17) The choice is everyone's. It has eternal consequences.
Bob Bales
Tektronix
hdj (02/01/83)
Very enlightened. Quack quack. Sure, Jews and Christians form a coherent mass (no pun intended) in your view - except that Jews are going to fry in Hell, while you'll reside in Paradise for eternity, right? My apologies if I'm misrepresenting your religious beliefs, but people like you scare the s--- out of me. And not because I'm Jewish... because I'm human, and I don't believe that because a person doesn't hold some particular world-view, that person is not one of the Preterite. Wasn't last Sunday some kind of fiftieth anniversary?... never mind. Stirring up trouble, and thought, I hope, Herb Jellinek SDC (a Burroughs Company) R&D burdvax!hdj 215-648-7456