Covenant and Controversy - Part Three: Jewish Persecution by Christians
Introduction
Anti-Semitism has deep and pervasive historical roots, manifesting in various forms across different cultures, religions, and political regimes. This study continues to delves into the complex and painful history of Jewish persecution, specifically at the hands of the Christian Church. By examining historical events and personal testimonies, we aim to understand the persistent struggle against anti-Semitism and its implications for the present and future. This exploration also addresses the role of replacement theology and its devastating impact on Jewish-Christian relations, urging a reevaluation of the Church's approach to Israel and the Jewish people.
Christian Anti-Semitism
When examining pagan anti-Semitism, it often stems from the perception that Jews are different—they don't conform to societal norms. When a society doesn't understand a group, it can react with hostility, especially if it perceives that group as thinking itself superior. This lack of participation in shared customs and traditions can breed resentment.
In contrast, Christian anti-Semitism is unrelated to these cultural differences because Christians themselves stood out and were distinct. Instead, Christian anti-Semitism centers around the accusation that Jews are "Christ killers," responsible for the death of God. This belief was so pervasive that during the Crusades, a slogan emerged among the Crusader armies on their way to recapture Christian lands from Muslims: "Kill a Jew and save your soul."
The conversation about the Jewish people and their covenant with God is not just saying they are chosen as if it is all about ethnic superiority or favoritism. Fundamentally, it really comes down to a conversation about the faithfulness of God. Can He be trusted? Does He keep His word?
The ethical issue surrounding the treatment of Jewish people and the nation of Israel by the Christian Church cannot be overstated. This is not merely an academic discussion or a minor historical matter to be quickly reviewed and set aside. It is a profound moral issue that should move us to tears and prompt us to ask, "How could the Church have acted so cruelly? How could it have been so degrading?" The principle is clear: you do not get good fruit from a bad tree. In the aftermath of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, a significant rift developed between the Church and the synagogue. This initial division in the first century has continued throughout history, reaching a devastating peak during the Holocaust in so-called Christian Europe. Poland, in particular, suffered immensely, with its Jewish population reduced from 3.3 million to 300,000—a tragic loss of nine out of every ten Polish Jews.
The Holocaust and Christian Anti-Semitism
In March 1942, Auschwitz was equipped with its first five gas chambers at Birkenau. By the following year, with the addition of four more chambers, Birkenau had become a killing factory operating around the clock. Over 20,000 people were gassed and cremated daily, resulting in the murder of more than 1.3 million individuals on the site, including 1.1 million Jews from across Europe and 200,000 children.
What makes this even more unimaginable is that some of the hatred towards Jews was fueled by the Catholic Church, which played a significant role in Polish society. There are accounts of Jews recalling how, after Sunday sermons, enraged Catholics would seek out Jews to kill. Among the 10% of Jews who survived the Holocaust and returned to their homes and farms, some were killed by Poles who resented their survival. While there were undoubtedly godly Polish Christians who helped Jews, the prevailing sentiment was one of hostility.
The story of Krakow during World War II is particularly harrowing. Prior to the war, Poland was home to the largest Jewish population in the world, serving as the cultural epicenter of Jewish life. With Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the implementation of the Final Solution, Jews in Krakow were rounded up and herded into ghettos just blocks away. As the ghettos became overcrowded, the Nazis began liquidating them, separating men, women, and children into slave labor camps and extermination camps like Auschwitz, Belzec, and Treblinka. Families were herded along the streets to the ghettos and then to cattle cars, which took them to their deaths in gas chambers, ovens, and mass graves.
Walking the streets of Krakow today, the burden of genocide and anti-Semitism is palpable. Every man, woman, and child forced into the ghetto passed by dozens of churches, both on their way in and on their way out to execution. This silent complicity is deeply troubling. Throughout history, the very people who called themselves Christians were often the persecutors of Jews. The question remains: Where was the Church? Where were the Christians during this time of unparalleled suffering?
Historical Perspective
Throughout the entire history of the Christian church, from Pentecost to the present day, one sin has overshadowed all others: the shameful attitude of the Christian church toward Israel and the Jewish people over the past 2000 years. Some may argue that this is an exaggeration, but it is not. The evidence is clear. Whether you look at the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, Protestant churches, Reformed churches, evangelical churches, or even liberal churches, they all reach the same historical conclusion about the church's treatment of Jews.
It was Christians who persecuted the Jewish people, driving them from one nation and city to another, kidnapping Jewish children and forcing them to be baptized, and confiscating Jewish property. While this may seem like a strong comparison, a thorough examination of the history of Christian mistreatment of Jews reveals that it is neither an overstatement nor an unfair comparison. The Christian Church has blood on its hands. This is not a peripheral matter; it is a significant issue that demands serious reflection.
Personal Testimonies
Scott Volk, a Messianic Jewish speaker, author, and teacher, recounts when his uncle told his parents about becoming a Christian:
“I'll never forget the day when my Uncle Paul revealed to my Orthodox Jewish grandparents that Jesus was the promised Messiah for the Jewish people. It was a Shabbat meal in the early 1970s, with our entire family gathered around the table. When my Uncle Paul shared his news, my grandfather stood up and sternly told him, "If you don't recant what you just said, you're no longer my son. I will have a mock burial service for you and never speak to you again." These were remarkable words from a father to his son. To my grandparents, Christianity was synonymous with persecution; it was the religion of Hitler, who sent Jews to gas chambers while wearing crosses around their necks. Christianity was also the religion of the Crusaders, who marched Jews into synagogues, locked them inside, and set the buildings on fire while singing "Christ, We Adore Thee." “
Dr. Michael L. Brown is a Jewish believer in Jesus (often referred to as a Messianic Jew) and a well-known Christian apologist, theologian, and author, talks about when he came to Christ:
“When I came to faith in Jesus, my dad was thrilled to see the positive changes in my life. However, he reminded me, "We're Jews, we don't believe in Jesus." He encouraged me to speak with the local rabbi, who handed me a book about Christian anti-Semitism. I thought, "What in the world is that?" I knew very little about the history of Christian teachings and beliefs, and the book was quite a shock to me.”
Christian Exclusion of Historical Facts
Christians have often excluded certain historical facts from their narratives, facts that Jews have committed to memory. Jewish people do not forget the atrocities committed in the name of Christ. This brings to mind scripture about the sins of the fathers being passed down through generations. When I consider the church fathers in Christian history, I think of brilliant theologians and remarkable Christians. However, I am also reminded of a darker legacy.
Initially, Jesus and all his followers were Jewish. The early question wasn't whether a Jew could follow Jesus, but whether a Gentile could follow Jesus without first becoming Jewish, as he was the Jewish Messiah. By the second century, as more Gentiles converted, the Church became predominantly Gentile, and Jews were increasingly seen as resisting the message. They were labeled as stiff-necked and hard-hearted, just as Israel was depicted in the past. Church leaders began to demonize Jews, caricaturing them as obstinate and their beliefs as misguided.
Justin Martyr made a pivotal declaration, asserting that the Christian church had replaced the Jewish people as the new spiritual Israel. According to him, the historical nation of Israel no longer had any ethnic, national, or territorial significance.
Many Christian’s hold to replacement theology. If confronted, they often recoil, saying, "This is not replacement theology; it is covenant or fulfillment or inclusion theology." However, if your theology of Israel strips away their national, ethnic, or territorial identity or destiny, you have embraced replacement theology. You may not use the term, the language, or even realize you believe it, but the essence remains.
Fulfillment Theology and Its Consequences
Fulfillment theology ultimately leads to the same conclusion as replacement theology: that no promises remain for the Jewish people on a national level. It seems as though the Gentile Church, perhaps envious of the privileges, adopted them and held onto them, resulting in what can be described as identity theft.
There is no doubt that without the legacy of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism in European church history, the Holocaust would not have been possible. Holocaust historian Raul Hilberg explained the progression: first, the Church told the Jewish people they couldn't live among Christians unless they converted. Over time, this escalated to expelling Jews who did not convert, as seen in the 1492 expulsion from Spain. The Nazis took it a step further, deeming Jews as vermin unworthy of life and the cause of all world problems, leading to their systematic extermination.
We cannot ignore the causal relationship here. The deadly logic of supersessionism—where the Church believed it had replaced Israel—set the stage for such atrocities.
When we examine Martin Luther's later years, the story becomes even more troubling. Old and ailing, he encountered blasphemous literature—a reaction from Jews to Church persecution. Influenced by Luther, some Christians showed interest in Jewish teachings and the synagogue. While these factors provide context, they do not excuse Luther’s reprehensible 1543 document, "On the Jews and Their Lies."
When a theology claims that God has dissolved the Jewish people as His chosen ones, it logically follows that His followers would act to implement this disillusion. Historically, Christians have adopted the belief that God has permanently dispersed the Jewish people among the nations and have sought to carry out this perceived divine will.
In his document, Luther advised on how to handle the Jewish "burden": by destroying their synagogues and businesses. This ideology resurfaced on November 9, 1938, which many historians consider the true beginning of the Holocaust. The Nazis targeted Jews, setting synagogues on fire and destroying Jewish businesses to test societal reactions. When society did not react, they escalated their actions. Notably, November 10, 1938, Martin Luther’s birthday, was marked by some German bishops as a fitting coincidence for the destruction of synagogues.
There is a clear causal link between the theology of supersessionism and the resulting violence and hatred towards Jews. A survey of Christian history shows this deadly logic of supersessionism at work, leading to grievous consequences for the Jewish people.
Theological Reflection
It is essential for us to confront not only the troubling statements of the early Church Fathers but also the harmful declarations made by some of today's respected theologians and pastors. We must recognize the destructive force of replacement theology within the Church. This unbiblical teaching has historically opened the gates to anti-Semitism, a fact that cannot be denied. This is why Paul warned explicitly in Romans 11, cautioning against ignorance and arrogance. He explained that Israel has experienced a partial hardening until the full number of Gentiles has come in.
Replacement theology, also known as supersessionism or divestment theology, is inherently arrogant. Paul warned that arrogance towards the unbelieving Jews could lead to being cut off in the same way they were for their unbelief. This theological truth must be addressed seriously in our seminaries, theological institutes, Bible schools, home groups, and Sunday services.
Fathers often take disciplining children very seriously. It should pain a father to correct the child, but we understand the necessity. However, most fathers would find it intolerable when someone else takes it upon themselves to discipline their children. This analogy helps us understand, in a small way, what the Lord might feel when His people, Israel, are disciplined by others.
Call to Action
It is crucial for us, this generation of believers, to embrace God's heart for His people, who have endured centuries of persecution. The Church must rise to the occasion, not to provoke Israel to anger, but to provoke them to jealousy through our love and support.
Jesus embodies the Jewish Gospel and fulfills the Jewish Scriptures. He initiated the Jewish new covenant into which Gentiles are grafted. If I love Jesus, the supreme Jew, how can I not love His people?
Paul expressed profound sorrow and grief for his kinsmen, Israel, even willing to be accursed and separated from Christ for their sake. He was prepared to sacrifice not just his life but his eternal destiny for the lost sheep of Israel. Where is that burden in us today?
Conclusion
How can Christians not be grateful for our heritage through Jesus, rooted deeply in the Jewish people and their Scriptures? Everything we hold dear in our faith comes from this Jewish foundation, and we should take great pride in that. We can happy Gentiles with no desire to be Jewish, but still revel in what our Jewish Savior has done for us, reconciling us to His Father and granting us peace with God. Lord, give us a burden for Your people, Israel.
The Church's failures during the Holocaust have left a lasting impact, and the landscape has drastically changed since then. In 1839, the Church of Scotland sent ministers to Palestine to understand the Jewish community and plan evangelistic efforts. Robert Murray McCheyne, a 26-year-old minister, saw a unique opportunity to bring the Gospel to the Jews. Despite opposition from local authorities in countries like Italy, Constantinople, Cairo, and Austria, Jewish communities welcomed and protected these missionaries, eager to discuss Scripture and the nature of Jesus. McCheyne and his colleagues founded the Scottish Mission to the Jews, launching a mission across Europe to reach Jews with the Gospel. They could not have foreseen that, a hundred years later, an Austrian-born man would attempt to annihilate European Jewry.
Why is Israel so important to the missions movement? The missions movement will either spread divestment theology, which strips Israel of her covenantal identity and destiny and can lead to anti-Semitism, or it will preach the Gospel that upholds God's future grace and covenant faithfulness. The middle ground will soon disappear as the pressures that affected Europe in the 1930s and 40s touch our generation, influenced by the Islamic world.
The impact of the Holocaust on Christian evangelism to the Jewish community is immense. Christian criticism of Jewish resistance often carries a condescending tone, yet we must consider how much of their resistance is due to the pain we've inflicted. We must confront this reality and not hide from it.
Despite the suffering the Jews have endured, they still need to hear the Gospel. Paul states in Romans 3:9 that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin. There is nothing more profound than meeting a converted Jew who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus warned that without belief in Him, they would die in their sins. Therefore, we must preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles without hesitation.
When we sit down for a meal, we wait for all our children to be present before we begin. If one is missing, we don't start without them. Similarly, the Church must recognize that Israel is missing from our table. Let's embrace God's heart for Israel and believe for the salvation of His people. All Israel shall be saved.