In this episode of the Theopologetics Podcast I am joined by a close friend of mine, asking and answering the question, “Who is a Jew?” This will be the first in a periodic series discussing Israelology, the study of Israel and her people.
Music
- Paul Wilbur, Roni Roni Bat Zion, from the Jerusalem Arise! album, 2002
Promoted Resources
- Stand to Reasonwith Greg Koukl
- The Stand to Reason radio program is live on the air every Sunday 2-5 pm PST AM on 740 KBRT.
- Also available in podcast form; each episode is published to the podcast the day after it airs.
Terminology
- Israelology: the subdivision of systematic theology incorporating all theological doctrines concerning the people of Israel (Fruchtenbaum).
- Systematic Theology: the attempt to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs.
- Replacement Theology: also known as supersessionism, a view which holds that the Church has “replaced” Israel as God’s people and as the recipients of the promises originally made to them.
- Jew: any physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
- Gentile: any non-Jew.
- Samaritans: Jews by descent whose ancestors syncretized with pagans whom they married, and thus no longer worshipped God in truth, and were thus outside the Israelite community.
- Proselyte: a Gentile who completely converted to Judaism, and was thus treated as a Jew, but never called one.
Biblical References
- Jews
- The “people of the sons of Israel,” the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
- Distinguished by foreigners from themselves using the word “Hebrews”
- Genesis 14:13 (Abram the first “Hebrew”)
- Genesis 40:15
- Exodus 1:15-19
- “Jew” originally a member of the tribe of Judah or kingdom of Judah, distinct from Israelites
- Later extended to descendants of all the twelve tribes, distinguishing them from Gentiles
- Samaritans
- 2 Kings 17
- Ezra 4
- John 4:7-9
- Acts 8:14-17, contrasted with Acts 10:44-47
- Proselytes
- Suggesting Gentile believers are “spiritual Jews”
- Distinction between believing Jews and believing Gentiles