Sacrificial Atonement: Did the Jews Have to Die for Israel?
"The Land Belongs to Israel"is a tried and true statement: all Old and New Testament Scriptures have taught this from the beginning. In 70a.d, however, the nation of Israel was dispersed into the four corners of the world by Roman edicts that declared no Jew would live as a Roman Citizen under Roman protection. As they
were dispersed into every nation of the world for the next 2000 years, they remained a people: this remains one of the most unusual events in history, for most 'nations' when dispersed or conquered, within a generation or two become assimilated into the conquering culture, and through intermarriage and indoctrination, usually become
indistinguishable in a few generations without a homeland.
Israel as a people survived, in fulfillment of scripture and went on generation after generation, contributing to and helping to build the countries they were dispersed to. They helped to build the Arts, the Economics,Academics and Politics
of the countries they resided in, although almost always being severely persecuted in pogrom after pogrom over the centuries. The Jews often found themselves without home or homeland, robbed, murdered, and martyred. After martyrdom,
they were found by their persecutors to be deserving of their punishment.
Sources of Problems
While in another section we deal with the heretical belief that the Jews alone are responsible for Christ's death,
the idea that the Jews deserved to suffer in the holocaust because they denied Christ for centuries is also rampant in
the Christian Church. Many believe that the Jews had to suffer the events of the Shoah in order for Israel to be given
back, or to be born. Others believe that the Shoah was an arch nemesis for two thousand years of rejecting Christ,
although the cruelty was often in the hands of those who named a Jewish Messiah. The doctrinal teachings of Christians
in the Scriptures is clear, but because centuries of denominational dogma stands in the way, it is often the case,
from liberal mainline WCOnote Churches down to fundamental and pentecostal Churches that many persons repeat
what they have been taught or heard or assumed, without investigating the scriptures themselves. Teachings regarding
the Jews as a 'sacrificial atonement' are also obscured because many churches, most significantly the Catholic Church
build on a foundation of "Fides et Ratio or "Faith and Reason" wherein human reason is given equal or greater
status than reveal scriptural truth. While those since Martin Luther who rely on scripture alone cry 'sola scriptura
, others argue that human reason must take the place of revealed truth.1 Bultmann, who influenced much modern
theology in Protestantism also taught the 'reign of human rationale' over 'revealed truth'. In Pope John Paul's 13th
encyclical, a statement reaffirming the position of "Fidelis et Ratio" of the Aquinas tradition, faith in the revealed
inerrant truth of scripture alone was decried as a heresy referred to as "Fideism." Those more liberal churches
which claim the efficacy or even superiority of human reasonings over an inerrant and preserved Bible, often rely heavily on
historical philosophies in a mix or over-riding of philosopy, and in this strange admixture, anti-Semitism often arises
subtly, although it is not by any means the sole possession of those that mix reason with faith.
Did the Shoah have to happen?
There are two prevailing but erroneous and dangerous beliefs which often circle among diverse groups in Christianity.
They are:
1. The belief that the Jews 'deserved' the holocaust; that it was a punishment for killing Christ, and that therefore
they had to go through it before Israel could emerge, or
2. The belief that God gave Israel back to the Jews as a 'reward' for going through the Shoah.
Most other views of this nature are variations on these themes. Both positions are usually not formally stated,
but either assumed or discussed. There are some traditional Catholic theologians such as St. Hilary, Ambrose and
even Augustine who have set the stage for blaming the Jews both for Christ's death and their subsequent persecutions.
(This will be discussed in Did the Jews Kill Jesus)?.
So while there is some precedent among Catholic theologians to blame the Jews for their afflictions, and therefore
require suffering of them for God's reward, this form of Anti-Semitism is often found also among those with either
manifest or sereptitious doctrines who believe that the Jews cannot be saved, either at all or in this dispensation
(see Hyperdispensationalism) and some with outright but non-scriptural prejudices
who take certain scriptures out of context and declare that God is finished with the Jews, and that therefore, they
are under the wrath of God. (see above.)
The answer to these charges include the following:
1. All who fail to believe in Messiah are under the Wrath of God, and the Jew is not singled out.
Their participation and rallying in Christ's death was at the same time, a)amongst Gentiles Acts 1-2; and b) as
b)Priests in an offering. Hebrews
2. The Jews did not actually kill Jesus, the Romans did.
3. All nations were present in or near the Gabbatha on the day he was sentenced. (16 mentioned.)
4. The "Jews" of the time were both believers and unbelievers: Christ (Greek for Meschiach, or Messiah) was
a Jew, his followers were Jews, his persecutors were Jews, and the events were totally immersed in the Judaism
of His day.
5. While there is teaching regarding the 'cutting off' of Israel, it is described as a suspension and not a death.
The Jews are eternal, they are in an eternal Covenant with the Lord, and the oracles, promises, salvation and Messiah
are through them. (Romans) In the endtimes, it is prophesied and promised that when the "fulness of the Gentiles
comes in " that then, the fulness of time comes with the complete and total restoration in belief of the Nation of Israel
which will bring the fullness of God's plan and promise. (Romans 9-12).
This is not to say that Christian scripture teaches that it good or right to be separate from belief in the Messiah.
Quite the contrary, scripture teaches that the abundant life (John 10:10) comes only in belief, and only in Christ.
That the power of God dwelling in the believer, and the utter forgiveness of all Sin, comes only in belief. This is
the most central division among Jews and Christians.
Did Israel Have to Die?
The answer to the question, did Israel have to suffer through and die in the holocaust for Israel to be given back, is
clearly , No. A more appropriate scriptural position is the following: In every great event in God's dealing with
the Jews, there was often a great void and darkness right before and at the doorstep of the Glory of God appearing to and
delivering Israel from harm and wrath. The Covenant of the Land belonging to Israel is clearly established. (see
"Land Belongs to Israel". and
"The Minority Report".) In Genesis 15 right before the Land of Canaan is given as an eternal
Covenant, there appears a "horror of Great Darkness" which falls on Abraham, and birds of prey must be fought off the sacrifice
he has made. A darkening of the Sun appears in Gideon's battle against the Midianites. Psalms refers to darkness at the edge of glory (e.g. Psalm 18), and a great darkness fell right before the
deliverance of Israel from Egypt. The Christian notes that right before the Deliverance of Golgotha, the sky turns totally
black, and the endtime prophesies of Revelation before the Great Messianic Return, is heralded first by the darkening of the
Sun. In the battle of the heavenlies, for both Jew and Christian, darkness almost always appears on the doorstep of glory,
and Great Deliverance, usually of Israel.
FOOTNOTES
note WCC: World Council of Churches: The larger, older, established denominations often support this ecumenical political body, more political than religious, including Methodists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians,(USA) American Baptists, Lutherans, and others. Fundamental and Evangelical groups seldom participate in this organization because of severe doctrinal differences, and a willingness to include all faith positions as equally true, opposed to scriptural teachings for both Jews and Christians that 'friendship with the world is enmity with God".
1Papal Bull: The 13th Vatican Encyclical on Faith & Reason; http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/
documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_15101998_fides-et-ratio_en.html
© 1997,2008 Elizabeth Kirkley Best PhD; Shoah Education Project Web, shoaheducation.com
Sacrificial Atonement: Did the Jews Have to Die for Israel?
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Israel as a people survived, in fulfillment of scripture and went on generation after generation, contributing to and helping to build the countries they were dispersed to. They helped to build the Arts, the Economics,Academics and Politics of the countries they resided in, although almost always being severely persecuted in pogrom after pogrom over the centuries. The Jews often found themselves without home or homeland, robbed, murdered, and martyred. After martyrdom, they were found by their persecutors to be deserving of their punishment.
Sources of ProblemsWhile in another section we deal with the heretical belief that the Jews alone are responsible for Christ's death, the idea that the Jews deserved to suffer in the holocaust because they denied Christ for centuries is also rampant in the Christian Church. Many believe that the Jews had to suffer the events of the Shoah in order for Israel to be given back, or to be born. Others believe that the Shoah was an arch nemesis for two thousand years of rejecting Christ, although the cruelty was often in the hands of those who named a Jewish Messiah. The doctrinal teachings of Christians in the Scriptures is clear, but because centuries of denominational dogma stands in the way, it is often the case, from liberal mainline WCOnote Churches down to fundamental and pentecostal Churches that many persons repeat what they have been taught or heard or assumed, without investigating the scriptures themselves. Teachings regarding the Jews as a 'sacrificial atonement' are also obscured because many churches, most significantly the Catholic Church build on a foundation of "Fides et Ratio or "Faith and Reason" wherein human reason is given equal or greater status than reveal scriptural truth. While those since Martin Luther who rely on scripture alone cry 'sola scriptura , others argue that human reason must take the place of revealed truth.1 Bultmann, who influenced much modern theology in Protestantism also taught the 'reign of human rationale' over 'revealed truth'. In Pope John Paul's 13th encyclical, a statement reaffirming the position of "Fidelis et Ratio" of the Aquinas tradition, faith in the revealed inerrant truth of scripture alone was decried as a heresy referred to as "Fideism." Those more liberal churches which claim the efficacy or even superiority of human reasonings over an inerrant and preserved Bible, often rely heavily on historical philosophies in a mix or over-riding of philosopy, and in this strange admixture, anti-Semitism often arises subtly, although it is not by any means the sole possession of those that mix reason with faith.
Did the Shoah have to happen?There are two prevailing but erroneous and dangerous beliefs which often circle among diverse groups in Christianity. They are:
1. The belief that the Jews 'deserved' the holocaust; that it was a punishment for killing Christ, and that therefore
they had to go through it before Israel could emerge, or 2. The belief that God gave Israel back to the Jews as a 'reward' for going through the Shoah. Most other views of this nature are variations on these themes. Both positions are usually not formally stated, but either assumed or discussed. There are some traditional Catholic theologians such as St. Hilary, Ambrose and even Augustine who have set the stage for blaming the Jews both for Christ's death and their subsequent persecutions. (This will be discussed in Did the Jews Kill Jesus)?. So while there is some precedent among Catholic theologians to blame the Jews for their afflictions, and therefore require suffering of them for God's reward, this form of Anti-Semitism is often found also among those with either manifest or sereptitious doctrines who believe that the Jews cannot be saved, either at all or in this dispensation (see Hyperdispensationalism) and some with outright but non-scriptural prejudices who take certain scriptures out of context and declare that God is finished with the Jews, and that therefore, they are under the wrath of God. (see above.) The answer to these charges include the following: 1. All who fail to believe in Messiah are under the Wrath of God, and the Jew is not singled out.
Their participation and rallying in Christ's death was at the same time, a)amongst Gentiles Acts 1-2; and b) as
b)Priests in an offering. Hebrews 2. The Jews did not actually kill Jesus, the Romans did. 3. All nations were present in or near the Gabbatha on the day he was sentenced. (16 mentioned.) 4. The "Jews" of the time were both believers and unbelievers: Christ (Greek for Meschiach, or Messiah) was a Jew, his followers were Jews, his persecutors were Jews, and the events were totally immersed in the Judaism of His day. 5. While there is teaching regarding the 'cutting off' of Israel, it is described as a suspension and not a death. The Jews are eternal, they are in an eternal Covenant with the Lord, and the oracles, promises, salvation and Messiah are through them. (Romans) In the endtimes, it is prophesied and promised that when the "fulness of the Gentiles comes in " that then, the fulness of time comes with the complete and total restoration in belief of the Nation of Israel which will bring the fullness of God's plan and promise. (Romans 9-12). This is not to say that Christian scripture teaches that it good or right to be separate from belief in the Messiah. Quite the contrary, scripture teaches that the abundant life (John 10:10) comes only in belief, and only in Christ. That the power of God dwelling in the believer, and the utter forgiveness of all Sin, comes only in belief. This is the most central division among Jews and Christians.
Did Israel Have to Die?The answer to the question, did Israel have to suffer through and die in the holocaust for Israel to be given back, is clearly , No. A more appropriate scriptural position is the following: In every great event in God's dealing with the Jews, there was often a great void and darkness right before and at the doorstep of the Glory of God appearing to and delivering Israel from harm and wrath. The Covenant of the Land belonging to Israel is clearly established. (see "Land Belongs to Israel". and "The Minority Report".) In Genesis 15 right before the Land of Canaan is given as an eternal Covenant, there appears a "horror of Great Darkness" which falls on Abraham, and birds of prey must be fought off the sacrifice he has made. A darkening of the Sun appears in Gideon's battle against the Midianites. Psalms refers to darkness at the edge of glory (e.g. Psalm 18), and a great darkness fell right before the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. The Christian notes that right before the Deliverance of Golgotha, the sky turns totally black, and the endtime prophesies of Revelation before the Great Messianic Return, is heralded first by the darkening of the Sun. In the battle of the heavenlies, for both Jew and Christian, darkness almost always appears on the doorstep of glory, and Great Deliverance, usually of Israel.
note WCC: World Council of Churches: The larger, older, established denominations often support this ecumenical political body, more political than religious, including Methodists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians,(USA) American Baptists, Lutherans, and others. Fundamental and Evangelical groups seldom participate in this organization because of severe doctrinal differences, and a willingness to include all faith positions as equally true, opposed to scriptural teachings for both Jews and Christians that 'friendship with the world is enmity with God".
© 1997,2008 Elizabeth Kirkley Best PhD; Shoah Education Project Web, shoaheducation.com |