Replies

You typed, "Isn’t that like being a Corporal-Captain?"

No.

Remember when the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote,

For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Phil 3:3-8a emphasis added for skimmers)

Here is something from a great website (that all of the Catholics on FR should bookmark and ask their questions):

Paul was a Jew who took great pride in his Jewish heritage. He lays out his Jewish credentials in Philippians 3:5–6: “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee.”

The fact that he was circumcised on the eighth day means that his parents followed the commandment God gave to Abraham in Genesis 17:2. He was an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, one of the two tribes that remained loyal to David’s line after the kingdom divided (see 1 Kings 12). It is also interesting that Israel’s first king, Saul, was of the tribe of Benjamin and Paul’s Hebrew name was Saul.
Although Paul was a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28) of the city of Tarsus (Acts 21:39), he was “a Hebrew of Hebrews,” meaning that he was raised according to Hebrew law and culture. He eventually moved to Israel and became a Pharisee (cf. Acts 26:5), which means that he was dedicated to keeping the Law in minute detail.

SOURCE: GotQuestions.org

Finally, to whom was the Book of Hebrews written? Catholics? No! it was to Jewish believers in Jesus Christ.

A Messianic Jew - sometimes called a "completed Jew" IS a Christian (because they have received our Lord and Savior and have trusted Him, by faith to restore the broken relationship with God that was evident since the day of their conception) and IS a Jew.

Your question exposes your misunderstanding - but that's okay, until now.

Go Deeper

kinsman redeemer -- Philippians 3:3–8 proves the opposite of your point: Paul declares that true circumcision (the real people of God) is no longer defined by physical descent, tribe, or law-keeping, but by worship in the Spirit and glorying in Christ alone, with zero confidence in the flesh (v. 3). He lists his impeccable Jewish credentials only to say they are rubbish compared to knowing Christ (v. 8).

There is now one new man (Ephesians 2:15), one olive tree (Romans 11:17–24), one fold and one shepherd (John 10:16), one body (Ephesians 4:4). Ethnic Israel’s privileges have been fulfilled and universalized in Christ; the middle wall is abolished (Ephesians 2:14).

kinsman redeemer -- As to the book of Hebrews, this was indeed written to Jewish-background believers, to show thatthe old covenant is obsolete (Hebrews 8:13) and that Jesus is the once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10–14) who has sat down forever at God’s right hand (Hebrews 10:12). It never teaches a future restoration of animal sacrifices or a rebuilt temple system (Hebrews 9:26: “He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself”).

Your “Messianic Jew is still a Jew in a separate program” idea is demolished by the very passages you cite: in Christ, the distinction is gone.

There is only one people of God, purchased from every tribe and tongue (Revelation 5:9), worshipping the Lamb who was slain, not awaiting a future earthly kingdom with reinstated old-covenant shadows that have already been fulfilled in Him (Colossians 2:16–17).