Voice of the Jews

The HB is strongly particular in the Jewish context. Simply because all these Narratives are speaking to the Jews.  They are the stories of the Jews. They are the story about the testament between God, in the name of YWHW, and Israelites through Abraham. (Of course, there is no doubt that in between the lines, God wants the whole world to abide to HIS law as He judges and punishes other ancient tribes and nations. But these are not the central line of the HB) No wonder why Judaism is so defensive about their 'pure lineage'; how proud they are with the identity as the chosen people; and how they alien themselves from Christianity. 

Indeed, it is through Christianity (or should be Jesus, Amen! to be politically correct as a Christian😅) that breaks the Jewish boundary and extends it to a universal level. Jesus in the NT does criticise about the Jews and how pathetic they are in rigidly abiding the 'law' of Moses. Sunday school teachers have taught us from the day of our confession that Jews are bad followers. Somehow, the doctrinal teaching in church has stereotyped the Jews. We see how the Pharisees, the Scribes, the Jews have put Jesus to the cross, Jews are depicted like the 'murderer' of Jesus. Under this stereotype, Christians also alien themselves from the Jews. 

Yet, Jesus' intention should be a universal inclusiveness to accommodate all peopleS. HE said on the cross, 'Father, forgive them! They know not what they do.' There is no doubt that the Jews were lost in the Exile and Diaspora. Their religion, their God has somehow become a dissolution when Jerusalem was lost. Even when they were back, the sense of diaspora continues. The old promised land is lost, the tradition is lost. Thats why Ezra had to write down the Torah and upheld its law and rituals. These are all emergency rescue to preserve the Jewish identity. From then on, the Pentateuch became the authority of the Jews. We should have pity on the Pharisees, Scribes and Jews, all the 奸角 in the NT, if we understand   all the trauma that they have experienced. (The Liberation Theory and Psychological approaches should be helpful to raise our compassion for them) 

Should we all be more compassionate to the Jews? I am sure Jesus would like us to make no alienation but to respect and accommodate each other.