Living Room Study

MATTHEW 20

While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the 12 disciples aside privately and said to them on the way: “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death. Then they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and He will be resurrected on the third day.” Matthew 20: 17-19

Every summer my wife and I have gone to Israel with a tour geared for college students, called eXperience Israel. One of our goals is to assist Israeli Messianic congregations in their mission to share the truth about Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus).

Most of the time, the Israelis are receptive to conversations about Jesus. But they always bring up three eras in Western history as defenses against following Him. The Crusades, the Catholic Inquisition, and the Nazi Holocaust.

In all three instances, millions of Jews were persecuted and killed in the name of Jesus. Jesus would never have approved of such treatment. Yeshua (Jesus) came to earth as a Jew and He continues to love and redeem Jewish people… as well as anyone else who comes to Him by grace through faith.

One of the reasons apostate Christian leaders have given to justify Jewish persecution is that God cursed the Jews for killing Jesus. That rationale is completely false.

Jesus, Himself testified to the contrary. Yes, the Jews beat and condemned Jesus, but it was the Gentile Romans who administered the near-death inducing “cat of 9 tails” flogging, and administered His crucifixion. One of the reasons Jesus allowed those particular circumstances to surround His crucifixion, is so Jew and Gentile would be collectively guilty of His death.

The good news is that Jesus rose on the 3rd day! As Jew and Gentile share the guilt of His death, we also share in the hope of His mercy & grace!!

Pray for our efforts in Israel as we share the truth of Messiah, Yeshua. Also pray for the true Shalom of Jerusalem: That restoration through Yeshua would come to the Jewish people, as well as the Nations.

Barucha (Blessings).

Steve Wiggins