Judaism
Due to the Old Testament, most Christians know more about Judaism than other religions. Judaism is a religion that believes in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but denies Jesus as the Messiah.
Author
Travis Agnew
Lead Pastor
Missions
Judaism
Due to the Old Testament, most Christians know more about Judaism than other religions. Judaism is a religion that believes in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but denies Jesus as the Messiah.
Travis Agnew
Lead Pastor
General Overview
- Judaism is a monotheistic religion that believes in one God.
- It is one of the world’s oldest religions, dating back nearly 4,000 years.
- Judaism states that God made a covenant with Abraham, promising that he and his descendants would become a great nation.
- Today, there are about 15 million Jews worldwide.
- Most Jews either live in the United States or Israel.
- Israel has 46.1% (6,998,000) of the world’s Jews.
- The United States has 48.1% (7,300,000) of the world’s Jews.
The Basics
- Texts
- The Jewish sacred text is the Torah, the Bible’s first five books.
- Besides the Torah, the Mishnah, compiled around 200 A.D., describes and explains the Jewish code of law.
- The first version of the Talmud, finalized around the 3rd century A.D., is a collection of teachings and commentaries on Jewish law.
- It includes the interpretations of thousands of rabbis and outlines the importance of the 613 commandments of the Jewish law.
- Worship
- Jews worship in synagogues through prayer, study, fellowship, and the reading of the Torah.
- Synagogues are community centers or religious schools.
- A spiritual leader or religious teacher of Judaism is known as a rabbi.
- When Jewish children turn 12, they recite part of the Torah before the congregation (bar mitzvah for boys or bat mitzvah for girls).
- This rite of passage highlights their transition into adulthood.
- Kosher eating comes from Judaism as dietary laws that prohibit certain foods.
- The Sabbath day of rest starts on Friday night and ends at Saturday’s sundown.
- Beliefs about God
- God exists.
- God is one.
- God has no form.
- God created the world.
- God is eternal and is actively involved in world events.
- God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
- The Messiah will come.
John 8
John 8:56-58: 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
