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The truth about the Great Commission [Part 1] For the better part of two millennia the Christian church has claimed that the words of Matthew 28:19 were a mandate to evangelize the world. This, of course, was necessary for the eventual distribution of the Tanakh throughout the world. The Christian church became the vehicle for reaching the “lost ten tribes” of Israel with the “word of God” (i.e. the Torah). With the rise of modern Messianism, however, a new twist has been added to this evangelizing effort. Well, okay, maybe the proselytizing of Jews isn’t exactly a new twist, but “two house” Messianics should certainly know better. The problem actually goes clear back to Marcion in the second century and the earliest beginnings of anti-Semitism in the Christian church. The rejection of the Jews made the Jews ready targets for forced conversions. This was even true for the Nazarene sect who believed that Rabbi Joshua ben Joseph (a.k.a. Jesus) was the promised Moshiach (Messiah). Christianity rejected the message of Rabbi Joshua ben Joseph and replaced it with a message about the messenger. Thus the messenger became more important than the actual message. Clearly the message of Matthew 28:19 was for the Jews to evangelize the goyim (gentiles). It was never meant for the reverse to happen. Because most Messianics and so-called Nazarenes are really just Christians, they take a Christian approach toward the Jews. They have no concept of the true mission of Rabbi Joshua which was to bring the northern kingdom (the ten lost tribes) back into the true faith as taught by Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher). Defining the Great Commission The “Great Commission” is defined in Matthew 10:5-6: Joshua (Jesus) sent these twelve out with these instructions, “Do not go the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but go, rather, to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” It was also defined in Matthew 15:24:
Clearly, there was no mission to evangelize Jews into Christianity, but rather, the mission was to evangelize Gentiles (the lost ten tribes) into Judaism. Even the wording of the text of Matthew 28:19 attests to this fact: “Go and teach all Gentiles in my name.” (This from the early Greek text. The early Hebrew text only had the word “Go” thus referring back to the previous instructions in Matthew 10:6) This fact was further attested to by the prophet Zechariah when said:
This is a reference to the “lost ten tribes” coming to learn from the Jews, not to teach the Jews. What arrogance these Messianics and Nazarenes have that they believe that they have something to teach to the Jews. Even most two-house Messianics and Nazarenes retain far too many Christian beliefs to understand the true nature of redemption and salvation – and they certainly do not understand that redemption and salvation apply only to the House of Israel and not to the House of Judah (nor to the gentiles). It will only be when the House of Israel gives up her haughty arrogance and comes to the House of Judah in humility and with a teachable spirit that she will find redemption. Those who persist in attempting to proselytize the Jews will only find judgment. q The truth about the Great Commission [Part 2] Help this ministry with a tax deductible donation. |