The Christians can thank the Jewish people for our entire structure of believing and for Jesus. The Old Testament of our Bible is the entire Jewish Bible. Jesus and the twelve disciples were Jewish, as was Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The New Testament part of our Bible tells us that we should respect and love the Jewish people even though they don't believe that Jesus is their Messiah.
"What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God" (Rom. 3:1-2 NIV).
"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.... For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath" (Acts 15:19, 21 NIV).
We can see that our Bible is speaking positively about the Jewish people. Out of the Law of Moses (the first part of our Old Testament), come types and shadows of God, Jesus, and Heaven. We are to study and meditate on these Scriptures.
For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."Our entire faith is based on the Jewish Bible. We believe that Jesus was their Messiah, and that He also will save the non-Jew.
(Heb. 8:4-5 NKJV)
We are to love and respect the Jewish people. Our Bible teaches us that God isn't finished with them (Rev. 7:1-8, 14:1-5).
All rights reserved. Used by permission.