Are the Gospels anti-Semitic?

By By Craig Ziemba / guest columnist
March 14, 2004
Amid the renewed attention given to the life and death of Jesus Christ in the popular media, some have claimed that the biographical accounts of Christ found in the gospels are anti-Semitic and fear that portrayals of the crucifixion might stir up hatred and misunderstanding between Jews and Christians. That assertion is certainly serious enough to warrant an honest examination.
It's true that throughout history some hate groups that claimed to be Christians attempted to justify their malice toward Jews by calling them "Christ killers." But was the message of Jesus Christ really anti-Semitic? Or did anti-Jewish bigots miss the point of Calvary completely?
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ at the hands of the Romans and religious leaders was not a tragic disruption of God's plan. On the contrary, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus was God's preordained vehicle to redeem mankind through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son his Jewish Son.
The first chapter of the New Testament begins with the genealogy of Jesus through Mary's husband Joseph, who was a direct descendant of David, Judah, and Abraham. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were all Jewish disciples of Jesus. All 27 books of the New Testament were written by Jewish followers of Christ.
From the call of Abraham in Genesis to the Battle of Armageddon in the Book of Revelation, it is clear that the children of Israel have always been God's chosen people through whom He would demonstrate his love, justice, mercy and faithfulness to mankind.
Secular history
Secular history bears this out as well. No other ancient group of people has survived as much or accomplished as much as have the Jews.
Sumerian, Hittite, Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations have all vanished, but to this day the Jewish people stand as a collective who's who in the world of science, finance, music, medicine and the arts.
To an even greater extent, the impact of the life and message of Jesus Christ on world events validated the promise given to Abraham that all mankind would be blessed through his offspring.
Hundreds of years before Mary gave birth in Bethlehem, the Jewish prophet Isaiah wrote, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (meaning God with us). For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."
Rather than seeing Judaism as a separate religion, orthodox Christians view the entire Mosaic law from the Passover to the temple sacrifices as a foreshadowing of the redemption that would come through the sacrifice of the Messiah. That connection to the sacrificial law of Moses is what prompted John the Baptist to exclaim when he saw Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."
No contradiction
The gospel of Jesus Christ isn't a contradiction of Judaism; it is the continuation of God's redemptive plan as revealed through the prophesies found in the Scriptures. Both religions worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The key difference is that Christians (many of whom are of Jewish ancestry) believe Jesus is the Messiah while orthodox Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to come.
This is a big difference, to be sure. But nothing in the teachings of Jesus or the apostles could ever be logically construed to mean that Christians should hate those who have not accepted Christ.
We are commanded instead to love non-Christians, to share our faith in the risen Saviour, and to always remember that it was our sins as much as any one else's that nailed the Lord to the cross.
Craig Ziemba is a pilot who lives in Meridian. His book, "Boondoggle," is available at Meridian Bible Bookstores.