So Now I'm Jewish?

4/21/2024

By:Ray Pompa

 

The concept of being "grafted in" to the promises given to Israel, and thus becoming part of the spiritual lineage of Abraham is Mentioned in both the New and old Testament. The Apostle Paul, in particular, addresses this topic in his letters to the early churches, explaining how Gentile (non-Jewish) believers in Christ are included in the covenant promises through faith. Here are some key Bible references from the King James Version (KJV) that illustrate this concept:

1. Romans 11:17-24: Paul uses the metaphor of an olive tree to explain how Gentiles have been grafted into the promises made to Abraham and his descendants. He warns the Gentile believers not to boast over the branches (the Jews who were 'broken off' due to unbelief), emphasizing that they are supported by the root (the promises made to Abraham).

> "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee." (Romans 11:17-18)

2. Galatians 3:7-9, 29: Paul makes it clear that those who have faith in Jesus Christ are the true children of Abraham. He states that the promises made to Abraham are extended to the Gentiles through faith in Christ Jesus.

> "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Galatians 3:7-9)

> "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:29)

3. **Ephesians 2:11-22**: In this passage, Paul speaks to Gentile believers, reminding them that they were once separated from Christ and alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. However, through Christ's sacrifice, both Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled to God and are now part of one family, breaking down the "middle wall of partition" that separated them.

Isaiah 11:10:
"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious."

Isaiah 60:3:
"And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

Psalm 22:27:
"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee."

Zechariah 2:11:
"And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee."

> "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;" (Ephesians 2:19-20)

These passages emphasize the inclusion of Gentile believers into the promises God made to Israel, not through natural descent, but through faith in Jesus Christ. This spiritual grafting allows Christians to be considered part of Abraham's spiritual lineage and heirs to the promises, including the promise of salvation and eternal life.

 

The event of the temple veil being torn in half at the moment of Jesus' crucifixion is a significant event recorded in the New Testament. This event symbolizes the end of the old covenant and the establishment of a new covenant, providing direct access to God through Jesus Christ. Here are the verses from the King James Version (KJV) that describe this moment:

Matthew 27:50-51:
"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"

Mark 15:37-38:
"And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom."

Luke 23:45-46 (Luke’s account mentions the sun being darkened and then speaks of the veil of the temple being rent):
"And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."

Each of these passages describes the moment of Jesus’ death and highlights the tearing of the temple veil as a significant event, marking a new era in which believers have direct access to God without the need for a human mediator like a high priest. This act symbolizes the removal of the barrier between God and humanity, making the way for all who believe in Jesus to come boldly unto the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).