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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Romans 3:3-2 and The Value of Jewishness: Question 16

Romans 3:3-2 says "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God."

Question 16:

What sort of "advantage" is Paul talking about here when he says "unto them were committed the oracles of God"?

7 comments:

  1. In being chosen for such a great responsibility and being selected by God to receive His wisdom is amazing. Something the nations know nothing about, unless they join Israel or unless Israel spreads and lives His instructions to the nations, as described in Deut 4. I think it could have easily been reworded to say, "What advantage have a Jew, knowing the wisdom of God?" The answer is obvious, the reality is even bigger, everyone would have an advantage if they knew the wisdom of God. Of course in today's world, the Wisdom of God has traveled all over the world. You can read and pick up a bible almost every where. But I still think the Jews have an advantage here as well, due to the Bible not being written to the Chinese, or to the Europeans or the Russians, etc. The context of the Bible is Jewish, not gentile, and thus a Jewish cultural understanding is needed.

    Now I am side stepping to point out what purpose this advantage serves, which people tend to forget. If Deut 4 is correct, then the purpose of such wisdom was to spread to the nations, not to hold for themselves, simply to be above everyone else, or isolate themselves from the world. Without Yeshua's order, most likely Judaism would have never come to fulfill Deut 4. Sadly, you still have many today, even Messianics, who believe that the purpose of Israel receiving such instructions was purely for themselves, and not to be shared with the world. Both defying Yeshua and the Torah's instructions.

    All that being said, Jews have the highest calling, being chosen as a nation for God.

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  2. Zion,

    I'm curious what you think about UMJC's stance (at least it was back when I attended a UMJC synagogue) regarding evangelism. If I'm not mistaken, their position was to not evangelize. They believed in in-reach as opposed to out-reach. I'll see if I can find a source for their position.

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    Replies
    1. Here's where the UMJC describes their position on outreach:

      http://www.kesherjournal.com/Issue-21/Postmissionary-Messianic-Jewish-Outreach

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    2. Simply, there is nothing wrong with ministries dedicated to people in Jail, or to Central America, or China, or to Jews... So technically I don't see a problem with it. In fact it is good that someone is finally reaching the Jewish people on a level that is not gentilized, and I say that as a gentile. :D

      So the problem only comes about, when they hold a different view of Gentiles among the body, that is the prejudice and racist aspect among these organizations that need to be confronted, they basically act like Peter, in Galatians, separating themselves, once the circumcision part shows up.

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    3. There's NO systemic racism or any other racism. It's one of the most vile accusation one can levy against Messianic Jews. Davids Rudolf's wife is Japanese, for example. Many other MJ leaders are intermarried to all sorts of ethnicities. There are many converts and advocates for Messianic Judaism today who were converted under the auspices of MJTI. Vile, vile, disgusting libel.

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  3. "There's NO systemic racism or any other racism."

    Assuming they do not share the same beliefs as you?

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