Session One:A Brief History of Messianic Judaismand some of it’s implications...

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A Brief Timeline of Messianic Judaism1894 - Joseph Rabinowitz’s Messianic Synagogue in Kischineff, Russia “Synagogue of Congregation of Israelites of the New Covenant” 2700 Jews attended during the 68 meetings in 1894. Rabinowitz was raised Chassidic, and in 1882 while on the Mount of Olives had a vision of Yeshua coming and being rejected - leading to the Dome of the Rock (Mosque of Omar) being built on the Temple Mount. Joseph went back to his room opened a New Testament he had brought along as a guide book and read from John 15: “I am the true vine...without me ye can do nothing.” from that moment on he believed Yeshua was the Messiah. Distinctively Messianic Jewish rather than “Hebrew Christian.”

1930‘s - American Board of Mission to the Jews (ABMJ - which later became Chosen People Ministries) is founded by Leopold Cohn in Brownsville and Williamsburg PA. By 1937 over 1,000 Jews have received Yeshua and been funneled into existing churches. This brings out the idea of assimilation versus distinction for mutual blessing. Thousands of years of anti-semitism, mainstream Judaism’s rejection, America’s culture of assimilation, misreadings of Rav. Shaul’s letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, etc. Lead to ministries (even present day ministries like J4J) to adopt assimilation as a default position. To some degree they are correct about culture being optional - and on the other hand assimilation is a real “danger” for continued Jewish identity within families.

1922 - John Zacker, a Hebrew Christian, founded The Hebrew Christian Synagogue of Philadelphia in 1922 in order to increase evangelistic effectiveness, to gain Hebrew Christian independence from Gentile denominational control, and to challenge the Jewish community by creating strong Hebrew Christian parallel institutions.

1934 - John Nelson Darby formulates “premillennial dispensationalism” and it is popularized in the United States by C. I. Scofield in his Reference Bible. This taught that replacement theology was wrong and that God is not “done with the Jews” but in fact they need to return to the land and believe in Yeshua for the fulfillment of ancient Biblical Promises. This leads directly to Bible Colleges in the U.S. (like Moody Bible Institute in Chicago) no longer ignoring proclaiming Yeshua to Jews.

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The Third (1919–1923) and Fourth Aliyahs (1924–1929) brought an additional 100,000 Jews to Palestine. Finally, the rise of Nazism and the increasing persecution of Jews in the 1930s led to the Fifth Aliyah, with an influx of a quarter of a million Jews. This was a major cause of the Arab revolt of 1936–1939 and led the British to introduce restrictions on Jewish immigration to Palestine with the White Paper of 1939. With countries around the world turning away Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust, a clandestine movement known as Aliyah Bet was organized to bring Jews to Palestine. By the end of World War II, the Jewish population of Palestine had increased to 33% of the total population. (Wiki)

1965 - Manny Brotman forms a “Young” Hebrew Christian branch of the Hebrew Christian Alliance.

1934 - David Bronstein receives permission from The Eleventh Presbyterian Church in Chicago to found the First Hebrew Christian Church. David Bronstein has to constantly defend the “Hebrew” in the name of the Church. The service was much more similar to church than synagogue - yet many in the Presbyterian community were concerned. By 1950 the FHCC has an attendance of over 100 people and is 70-80% Jewish. David becomes the spiritual father and pillar for the “pre-explosion” generation of Messianic Jews: Ed Brotsky, Martin Chernoff, Paul Liberman, Dan Juster (who transitioned FHCC into Adat Ha Tikvah.)

1967 - The Israeli-Arab Six Day War in which Israel gained control of Jerusalem. At the same time the height of the “Jesus Revolution” occurs and there is a spiritual release of the revelation of Yeshua among many young Jewish people. Asher Intrater, Eitan Shishkoff, Richard Rubinstein, etc.

1971 - The Young Hebrew Christian Alliance Conference is “invaded” by “Fink’s Zoo” some 25 wild-eyed hippie young people. Signs and wonders followed them! This is when David Chernoff feels that “the Alliance changed to more of a youth orientation.”

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Jewish

Christian

ity,

Christoc

entric

and Refo

rmed

TYPE 1 of 8

BARUCH MAOZ

Dispensationalist

Hebrew Christ

ianity

TYPE 2 of 8

ARNOLD FRUCHTENBAUM

Jewish Christianity, Christocentric, and Reformed Baruch Maoz

Maoz works with the presuppositions of Reformed Protestantism and is highly critical of rabbinic Judaism. His theology is shaped to correct what he sees as the error of Messianic Judaism of compromise on Christian essentials by acceptance of rabbinic Judaism.

The Law is fulfilled in Christ, with Jewish observance permitted only when in conformity with New Testament practice.

The key theological concern is the elevation of Jesus as Messiah, the uniqueness of his saving work, and the challenge to Rabbinic Judaism that this poses.

Strong loyalty to the State of Israel.

Within the Land of Israel such views are popular with those disaffected with the more superficial elements of the Messianic movement and unimpressed with more engaged forms of Torah observance.

Separates an ethno-cultural “Jewishness” from religious “Judaism”.

Dispensationalist Hebrew Christianity Arnold Fruchtenbaum

Fruchtenbaum’s God is the God of Protestant evangelicalism, articulated in the mode of revised Dispensationalism, with little room for speculative thought or contextualization.

There is no use for rabbinic or Jewish tradition unless it confirms and illustrates biblical revelation as reflected through a dispensationalist hermeneutic. (John Nelson Darby again!)

The Abrahamic covenant is fulfilled in the Messiah, and the Torah - seen as the dispensation of the Mosaic Law - has come to an end.

Practice of those national and cultural Jewish elements that do not go against the NT is permitted, but the rabbinic reinterpretation of the Torah and its claims to authority are false.

The key concern is an effective rooting of gospel proclamation within a Jewish context, and with a strong eschatological agenda of Dispensationalism, which looks forward with certainty to the imminent return of Messiah, the rapture, tribulation and millennial kingdom.

This clear political support for Israel and a strong eschatological emphasis will continue to influence the Messianic movement.

Important TermsHebrew Christian -

Messianic Jew -

Jew -

Gentile -

Observance -

Torah -

Tanakh - ! Torah! Nevi'im! Ketuvim

UMJC -

MJAA (Hebrew -

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Important Terms Continued

Chosen Peoples Ministries -

Jews for Jesus -

Legalism -

Judaizing -

Religious Spirit -

Ephraimite/One Law/Two House -

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