What is Messianic Judaism?

Do you ever wonder how to define Messianic Judaism? Have you ever wondered about the history of modern Messianic Judaism? Do you ever find it difficult to explain what Messianic Judaism is? Are you frequently asked, “So aren’t you a Christian?” These are the crucial questions we discuss in this video!

Correction: Dr. Carol-Shapiro is a Reconstructionist rabbi.

0:00 - Introduction
5:11 - Definitions of “Messianic Judaism” by Messianic organizations
9:58 - Definitions by Messianic Jewish scholars
11:32 - Definitions by Social Media followers
14:38 - Definitions of a “Messianic Jew” by Messianic Jewish scholars
22:06 - Why is there such a diversity of opinion for what “Messianic Jew” means?
24:05 - The history of modern Messianic Judaism
36:12 - Why do we call ourselves Messianic Jews rather than Christians?
40:58 - The definitions of "Messianic Jew" and "Messianic Judaism" we currently hold to

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What is Messianic Judaism?

Thumbnail image used with permission from the UMJC

What is Messianic Judaism? | Definitions of Messianic Judaism

[EmetHaTorah]

Guys - this is my first video of yours that I’ve seen and I have to say it was excellent. Since I’m not familiar with your channel I wasn’t sure where your definition of Messianic Judaism would fall, because you presented the information with such objectivity. This is a great video for anyone wanting to know the arduous development of Messianic Judaism! Keep up the good work!

[TwoMessianicJews]

Guidelines for Tough Conversations
Foundational principle:
1. Pursuing truth is more important than proving your point.
As we listen:
2. “Assume that the person you are listening to knows something you don't." - Dr. Jordan Peterson
3. Seek to understand before being understood.
4. Understand that feeling uncomfortable is often a good sign.
5. Know that you can passionately hold to an opinion while still listening, understanding, and being open to the contrary.
6. Don't assume anything about their moral character or intellectual position based on hearsay or stereotypes.
7. Recognize that everyone has biases. Pointing out their bias does not make them wrong.
8. Remember that talking is thinking.
As we speak:
9. Understand how easy it is to be wrong.
10. Know that admitting you are wrong is not a display of weakness, but of courage.
11. State what you believe as precisely as possible. The only way to be understood is to be understandable.
12. Communicate what you believe to be true in love.
Link to Top 12 Guidelines for Tough Conversations

[pastor-josh]

I found this Channel trough Mike Winger's Tactics. Awesome topic. As a Gentile Christian I'm really looking forward to hearing your perspective!

[JetADR]

Note: I grew up in Messianic Judaism and my family was fully apart of the movement.
I define a Messianic Jew as a person with Jewish Heritage who believes in Jesus and practices some form of Jewish Life with Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.
I often make a distinction between a Messianic Jew and a Jewish Believer: a Jew who is a believer and lives a life a part of the Christian world and doesn't practice any form of Jewish life/practice (ex. shabbat, the Jewish Holidays, and/or other practices from the Torah/Tanak).

[yakovmatityahu]

Hello from an Indian Gentile Believer in Jewish Masiach Yeshua HaNazri🙏

[brodyfiske]

I think taking viewers through a history of how the MJAA came about is important. Your point that definitions really do matter cannot be stressed enough. As for Jewish conversions to Christianity - historically - Jewish "converts" were simply not afforded to practice any of the practices of Judaism because this was seen as anathema. There are a few examples of professions of faith extracted from Jews from Visigothic Spain and Byzantium from the early medieval period on Fordham's Medieval Sourcebook website that you guys might be interested in if you haven't looked at those yet. So for centuries - and through the Reformation, Jews who did come to faith in Yeshua were expected, unfortunately, to abandon their Jewish identity whether they wanted to or not. In Spain, the Inquisition largely targeted these "New Christians" to ensure they were no longer Jews. I think Messianic Judaism is a well-needed corrective to centuries of Christian triumphalism regarding this issue.

[lakakalameaoija]

can a gentile identify as a messianic jew?

[catalina]

I am honestly befuddled why Messianic Jews are against gentiles converting to Judaism as Messianic Jews. I feel like there is a fear that Messianic Judaism will be even less acceptable to other Jews.

[sonofblessed]

Saying _Messianic Judaism_ is like saying _Mohammedan Christianity._

[sonofblessed]

The more I listen to this the more it sounds like "spiritual non-binary genders."

From my understanding, both the Jews of the first few centuries and the early Church were interested in doing away with ambiguities related to Torah observance among the small group of (Jewish and Gentile) people that believed in Jesus. The Church was eventually successful in this regard in that it deemed that believers in Jesus were not required in observance of the Law, and soon after that population dwindled into non-existence. If true, the interest in believing in Jesus and practicing Torah observances is actually a new movement designed to revive a movement that faded away a long time ago; it is not a remnant of that original movement.

[gabrielleangelica]

Tye problem is that you kept the paganism 🗿 of Christianity. The Trinity, the communion, and the human sacrifice of the cross. You guys are like the evangelicals when it comes to narrow mindedness and prejudice of Muslims and Catholics.