Scott Broberg Fig Tree Ministries

Messianic Jews maintain their Jewish identity and faith practice but see Jesus (Yeshua) as the Messiah. 

Everything about a Messianic congregation is the same as a Jewish congregation save for the Jesus part. They meet on Shabbat in a synagogue. They maintain their Jewish customs. They don't take communion (Eucharist) as a Christian congregation but rather they celebrate the Jewish holidays. 

My wife and I will occasionally join a congregation here in San Diego for Shabbat. We are not Jewish. The congregation is about 25% gentile - as many gentiles are attracted to the customs and worship. In particular, many Christians find it quite enriching to their faith to gain a better understanding of the Hebraic root of Christianity. 

As I have interacted with Messianic Jews over the past twenty years I have seen that they fill a very particular role for God's people. Many Christians don't understand what a Messianic Jew is. Many Jews do not understand either. They straddle the gap between the two. Many see their mission as twofold. One, helping their Jewish brothers and sisters see how Jewish the New Testament is and that Jesus is the Messiah. And two, to help Christians understand that Jesus was a practicing Jew in the first century and that the only way to truly understand the New Testament is to explore it through the lens of 1st-century Judaism. 

I hope this helps you on your journey. Chazaq and shalom.

November 17 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report