A Quick Bible Study: Jesus was Jewish – Fact not Opinion
Myra Kahn Adams ~ April 28, 2024

Born and raised Jewish, Jesus found me at age 20. He “found me” because I was not seeking someone about whom I knew nearly zero. However, I did know that Jesus was Jewish, a startling fact I learned at age eight.

One day, my paternal grandmother talked about numerous famous, talented Jews, both living and dead. Considering the Jewish population's size, she marveled at their tremendous impact, influence, and contributions to every aspect of society. Then Grandma Kahn exclaimed, “Even Jesus was Jewish!” That shocking news contributed to my growing confusion, disgust, and dismay over why our family did not celebrate Christmas.

Throughout my life, I have met adult Jews who did not know that Jesus was Jewish, which I believe is an intentionally hidden and rarely discussed fact. Here is a true story:

Years ago, I chatted with a gentleman at a party who mentioned he was an Orthodox Jew. That information prompted me to ask what, at the time, was my favorite question: “Why was Jesus born Jewish?” His answer was memorable, “Jesus wasn’t Jewish,” he replied. My jaw dropped, and initially, I thought he was kidding until realizing he was not. After a short conversation volley, he said, “Well, that’s your opinion,” I answered, “Not an opinion but a fact,” and he walked away.

Among my fellow Jews, there is much misinformation and “fake news” about the Jewish Jesus, starting with my deceased parents. During Christmas time, a few years before my mother passed, I told her that she had something in common with Mary. I said, “You are both Jewish mothers.” She looked at me quizzically and said, “I thought Mary was a Catholic statue.”

Years before that, when visiting my parents in Florida, my extremely non-religious father was arguing with me about wearing a cross and upsetting my mother. I calmly asked him, “What religion was Jesus?” He yelled, “Jesus was Catholic.”

Now, let's turn to what the Bible says about “Catholic Jesus,” who descended from King David. We learn he was a rabbi who taught and quoted Hebrew scripture in synagogues, celebrated Jewish holidays, debated and interpreted the Torah, met face-to-face with Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration, was buried according to Jewish customs, and so on.

Due to space considerations, most of today’s passages are about Jesus speaking in the synagogue, proving He was Jewish.

Matthew’s gospel, the first book of the New Testament, was written to educate and prove to Jewish readers that Jesus was their Messiah. Matthew showed that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament scriptures and Messianic prophecies through His ministry. Matthew’s opening verse was intentionally provocative:

“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham..” (Matthew 1:1). Matthew mentions that Jesus taught in specific synagogues:

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

“Coming to his hometown, [Nazareth], he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked” (Matthew 13:54).

In the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus proclaims his mission:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

The “Law” to which Jesus refers is the first five books of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, also known as the “Torah” or “Law of Moses.” The “Prophets” are Hebrew Bible books such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and many more. When Jesus states that He came to fulfill “the Law or the Prophets,” He refers to the entire Hebrew Bible.

Mark’s gospel records that Jesus healed a man in a synagogue, while Luke wrote about Jesus’s dramatic confrontation with a demon who knew Jesus:

“In the synagogue [at Capernaum in Galilee], there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, ‘Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!’ ‘Be quiet!’ Jesus said sternly. ‘Come out of him!’ Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him” (Luke 4:33-35).

Before that revealing story, Luke reported a synagogue event where Jesus quotes from the prophet Isaiah. Jesus reveals that Father God has anointed him to preach, heal, liberate you from sin, proclaim salvation, and announce the arrival of the Messianic Age. As a result of His reading, Jesus had a public relations problem that we quote afterward:

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day, he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.

“The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing ’ ” (Luke 4:16-21).

The synagogue audience understood the gravity of Jesus, saying, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” and reacted accordingly:

“All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way” (Luke 4: 28-30).

We only scratched the surface, proving that Jesus was Jewish. Spread the word to your Jewish friends if you dare. Some might be as startled as eight-year-old Myra.