The Jews Have A Mission: The Case For Judeo-Christian Values, Part XII (Ethical Monotheism Alert)

Townhall.com ^ | 05/10/05 | Dennis Prager

[goldstategop]

The Jews do have a mission: to spread among mankind the message there is One God who demands decent conduct from all people. Its also the reason Judaism has remained and will remain, a minority faith. God decided after The Flood, He needed a special people to serve as a role model for humanity on how to live a holy life. He did not mean every one needed to be a Jew. God loves all decent people and they all have a place in the World To Come and all He wants is for them to act justly with one another and to acknowledge they all have One Father who loves them. That is and has always been the Jewish mission on Earth.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[strategofr]

Well, as a largely secular Jew who is nonetheless a Conservative Republican, my response is this. That sounds pretty good, but it is the first I heard of it (the mission there described of spreading monotheism and a single moral standard.)

Where did this "definition of mission" come from? Not the Bible, as far as I know.

The fact is, Judaism is not missionary. It is basically fairly self-contained. Jews are not supposed to convert others, and this sounds like a watered-down version of missionary-ism.

[goldstategop]

Judaism does allow conversion but has never encouraged it. Unlike Christians, Jews have never been interested in making more Jews inasmuch as they've been interested in bringing others to live more spiritual lives. The famous exchange between Rabbi Hillel and a pagan doesn't address Judaism or conversion at all. Rather, it addresses what the essence of the Torah's message means. And it does not mean, become a Jew. Rather it means, act in accordance with the Golden Rule: behave ethically. All the rest is commentary. Now go and learn (actually, go and practice) it. Judaism is unique among world religions in being more concerned with what people ought to do rather than in what people ought to believe. Do the right thing and it will bring you to a relationship with God. In contrast, the two major missionary religions, Christianity and Islam, place more emphasis on personal beliefs: believe in our dogma and you will be closer to God. What God wants of people is a purely secondary consideration. The aim of Judaism is to correct this thinking and make people aware human behavior matters as much, if not more, than particular religious dogma. And its a notion that's never exactly made the Jews popular with the rest of the world.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Irish Rose]

"The Jews' mission is as it always has been -- to bring the world to ethical monotheism. Ethical monotheism means there is one God and therefore one moral standard that He has revealed, and He holds all humans accountable to it. This is the point of Jewish chosenness. God chose a people -- a particularly small undistinguished people (chosenness has never implied inherent superiority) -- to make the world aware of the God of ethical demands and moral judgment. Jews have never been required to bring the world to Judaism, but they were chosen to bring the world to God and to the values found in the Torah and the rest of the Old Testament."

I am a Christian, and I don't compromise on my beliefs, but I find this an extremely interesting idea. I like fresh thinking, whether I agree with it or not.

[goldstategop]

I keep being drawn back to David Klinghoffer's book on Why The Jews Rejected Jesus and the more I think about it, the more I agree the early Christians had to change the Judaism Jesus left to them to win souls in the pagan world. Or else Christianity would have remained just another minority faith as Judaism is today. (And the world perhaps might be Muslim). So Christians should be glad Jews rejected Christianity or we would not have had Western Civilization and we would not be living in America today as we know it.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[little jeremiah]

Ping to self for later pingout.

[Irish Rose]

I can't speak for Islam, but in Christianity, what you do and what you believe are ineluctably bound. In the book of James, the author lectures the readers about the connection between faith and deeds. The Bible teaches that you confirm (or deny) your Christian faith with your deeds. Jesus Christ instructed His followers that "by their deeds you shall know them."

What God wants of people is a purely secondary consideration [in Christianity].

I take issue with this statement. What God wants of people, in Christianity, is very clear and of paramount importance. Jesus said, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." Jesus Himself gave this succinct invitation, or perhaps command: "Take up your cross and follow Me." Obedience is stressed throughout the Gospel. Indeed, Jesus mentions it in the famous Great Commission, "Make disciples of men, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." The whole Sermon on the Mount was about behavior. Read it. It's not some nice, fluffy be-nice-to-people speech. It's about living - and it's heavy-duty and extremely radical.

You see, behavior matters, but faith is vital. Firstly, fhe fruit of faith is deeds. Secondly - deeds don't save you, they can't redeem you or reconcile you, the sinner, with God. Only faith in Christ redeems you and reconciles you. Jesus declared, "No one comes to the Father except through Me."

[Irish Rose]

My theory is that Jesus split Judaism into two branches: Those who accepted Jesus as the Christ promised in Jewish Scripture, and those who didn't. After all, Jesus and all the early Christians were Jews. In Acts, it was quite a revelation to the first Christians that the Gospel was intended for Gentiles as well as Jews.

I've heard the basic premise of that book, and the information it gives on Jews and Judaism during Jesus' time. Very intriguing.

[goldstategop]

What God wants of people is a purely secondary consideration [in Christianity].

I take issue with this statement. What God wants of people, in Christianity, is very clear and of paramount importance. Jesus said, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." Jesus Himself gave this succinct invitation, or perhaps command: "Take up your cross and follow Me." Obedience is stressed throughout the Gospel. Indeed, Jesus mentions it in the famous Great Commission, "Make disciples of men, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." The whole Sermon on the Mount was about behavior. Read it. It's not some nice, fluffy be-nice-to-people speech. It's about living - and it's heavy-duty and extremely radical.

Well, its obedience to faith that's the key message in Christianity. Obedience to the idea of God's love in Jesus. That's why Christianity is its various forms is committed to orthodoxy = true dogma or the understanding thereof in the life of the faithful.

You see, behavior matters, but faith is vital. Firstly, fhe fruit of faith is deeds. Secondly - deeds don't save you, they can't redeem you or reconcile you, the sinner, with God. Only faith in Christ redeems you and reconciles you. Jesus declared, "No one comes to the Father except through Me."

This is where Jews and Christians part company. Judaism doesn't have a revealed dogma and righteous conduct is the key to the knowledge of God. Orthopraxy = true conduct is the essence of the Jewish approach to God. Any one can enter the next world, not just Jews, as long as they acknowledge One God and act justly towards their fellow men. For Christians, it is faith in Christ that is the mediating agent between man and God. For Jews, it is what people do and then how God sees it that determines how God separates the good from the bad in His flock. Not that there is anything wrong with faith but becoming better persons externally as well as internally is also very much a part of our mortal existence. Christians have shown men how to live rich interior spiritual lives and now Jews should show people how to realize it with others and make it a reality in the world around them through conduct that ends man's estrangement from true communion with God.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[goldstategop]

The last millenium was the century of faith. After the Holocaust, faith will no longer be enough. People will be learning how to connect their faith with ethical conduct. In other words, not that religion will change but that people will be increasingly attracted to doing what is right as well as loving God. And it is a form of idealism that especially attracts the young and Judaism is uniquely suited in this new millenium to exhorting people to realize their Godly potential as well as the sum of their talents.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Elsie]

God loves all decent people ...

Please: define DECENT

[Elsie]

Well, as a largely secular Jew who is nonetheless a Conservative Republican, my response is this. That sounds pretty good, but it is the first I heard of it (the mission there described of spreading monotheism and a single moral standard.)

Where did this "definition of mission" come from? Not the Bible, as far as I know.

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NIV Isaiah 9:1-2
 1.  Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--
 2.  The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

 

 

NIV Isaiah 42:6-7
 6.  "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
 7.  to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

 

 

NIV Isaiah 49:5-6
 5.  And now the LORD says-- he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength--
 6.  he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

 

 

NIV Isaiah 49:22
   This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

 

 

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NIV Matthew 4:13-17
 13.  Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali--
 14.  to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
 15.  "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--
 16.  the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
 17.  From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

 

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Sounds like a mission to me.................

[goldstategop]

Those who abide by the Noahide laws. All non-Jews are obligated to observe six don'ts and one positive duty: to establish courts of justice. A total of seven laws binding upon all humanity.

Killing
Stealing
Committing Sexual Immorality
Eating the flesh of a living animal
Serving idols
Blaspheming against God

Establishing a system of legal justice

Every civilized society observes these basic moral norms. They are sufficient to make a person decent in God's sight.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[investigateworld]

bttt

[Convert from ECUSA]

Very interesting - Ping!

[Mark in the Old South]

Not being Jewish please forgive me but I always thought their mission was to be a living testimony of the Living God.

[Elsie]

Killing
Stealing
Committing Sexual Immorality
Eating the flesh of a living animal
Serving idols
Blaspheming against God

Establishing a system of legal justice

Every civilized society observes these basic moral norms. They are sufficient to make a person decent in God's sight.

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Dang!

 

If that Jesus fellow had known THIS, He could have saved Himself a lot of grief!

NIV Matthew 5:21-22
 21.  "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder,  and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'
 22.  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca, ' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. 

NIV Matthew 5:27-28
 27.  "You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.' 
 28.  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

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NIV Luke 23:2
   And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."

 

NIV John 8:24-25
 24.  I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be],  you will indeed die in your sins."
 25.  "Who are you?" they asked.   "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied.

 

NIV John 8:28
   So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.

 

NIV John 8:54-55
 54.  Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.
 55.  Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.

 

NIV John 10:33
   "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."

 

NIV John 19:7
   The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God."

 

NIV John 19:12
 1  From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."

 

NIV John 19:21-22
 21.  The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write `The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."
 22.  Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

[Alouette]

The bottom line is that the less Jewish a Jew is, the more he is likely to feel he has a mission to humanity, and the more Jewish he is, the less likely he is to feel such a mission.

Ask any Chabad Jew what the Jewish Mission is, and he or she will tell you that it is to bring G-Dliness to every human being.