Was Jesus A " Jew"

Actually Friendship, the OT or Tanakh was written down from oral tradition around 600BC by Jews in Babylon, Alexandria and other locations. The NT's earliest books are about 60AD - 100AD. The Quran was revealed in the 7th Century...if anything the Quran is a continuation of the previous two books.

The problem here is one must separate the term Jew into the secular. You are talking about a time period where of the two Israelite kingdoms only the Kingdom of Judah was surviving. The 10 tribes had been smashed and scattered and the "Israelites" were no more, it was only the tribe of Judah with a few Levite priests.

Those monotheistic worshipers in the area of the Kingdom of Judah were called Jews by their comtemporaries. Muslim (an arabic word) was not used to describe monotheistic followers of God did not come into practice until after Muhammed (pbuh) was called as a Prophet.

One thing that can be agreed upon is that the line of Prophets descended through the tribe of Judah to John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazerath. Despite what came after them, they lived and "died" as Jews. They worshipped in the Jewish Temple which meant they had to circumsised, bar mitzvah'd and purified as Jews/members of the faith of the Jewish people.

There success or failure at changing the hearts of their brethern. But, we have to recognize that even though Muhammed (pbuh) was born to a pagan family, but returned Islam to his people, didn't change his "Arabness."

As citizens of Judah, as members of the tribe of Judah, John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazerath were jews. Their religious definition can be debated until the Last Day, but in the end they were Messangers, Jewish Men and great teachers.

I always find any denial of their birthrites to smack of anti-semitism and racism. Its not about being of the "chosen" people or God being racist. Its a simple tribal/political/racial fact that Jesus was a Jew. I don't believe God is a racist, but God has promised blessings to the progeny of Abraham and Isaac....he did this also with Ishmael. Recognizing these covenants is important because they are promises from the Lord to his people.

Assalamu alikum.

I posted that :They initially called themselves the children of Israel and Allah accepted. I think the name 'Jew' was stolen from the Qur'an as Muhammad called them with that name in Madina

Friendship wrote: Assalamu alaikum. Angela posted: Therefore Jesus was a Jew. By blood, by religion and through adoption by tribe. Response: Technically I am wright. I do not consider the apocryphal state of the NT. They initially called themselves the children of Israel and Allah accepted. I think the name 'Jew' was stolen from the Qur'an as Muhammad called them with that name in Madina. I do not think Ezra called them "Jews" since after compiling the Torah he dared called them so in defiance of Exodus 3:13-15. I met a lot of Jews who confirmed to me what you said. The Qur'an in reality told the Children of Israel what was their true position. They are Muslims. Friendship.

Edited by Nazarene - 15 December 2008 at 5:22am