posted ago by SwampRangers ago by SwampRangers +3 / -4

Repost.

A circulating graphic is entitled "Titles of the Jews". However, proper exegesis shows exactly what the Bible (NKJV today) says about it, and it does not apply these to "the Jews" as a collective.

  1. "The fig tree which You cursed" Mk11:12-25: application not stated.

  2. "Serpents, brood of vipers" Mt23:33: only "the scribes and the Pharisees" 2.

  3. Who "know neither Me nor My Father" Jn8:19: only "the Pharisees" 13; "Who denies the Father and the Son" 1J2:22: only "antichrist".

  4. Who "do not receive Me" Jn5:43-47: "the Jews" 18, not all, but possibly as a group as by representatives. "He who denies that Jesus is the Christ" 1J2:22 (not "10:22"): only "a liar".

  5. "Antichrist" 1J2:22 (not "John 10:22"): only "who denies the Father and the Son".

  6. "A liar" 1J2:22 (not "John 10:22"): only "he who denies that Jesus is the Christ".

  7. "Of your father the devil" Jn8:44: only "those Jews who believed Him ... And ... answered ... 'we ... have never been in bondage'" 31-32.

  8. "The one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her" Mt23:37: only "Jerusalem". "Of the Just One ... the betrayers and murderers" Ac7:52: only "the council" 6:15.

  9. "A synagogue of Satan" Rv2:9: only "those who say they are Jews and are not". "The synagogue of Satan" Rv3:9: only "those ... who say they are Jews and are not, but lie".

  10. "Who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets" 1Th2:14-16: "the Judeans" (same word as "the Jews") 14, not all nor as a group, because distinguished from other Jews (thus translated Judeans).

  11. Who "said, 'His blood be on us and on our children'" Mt27:25: only "the multitude" 15.

  12. "Who ... have persecuted us" 1Th2:14-16: "the Judeans" 14, as above.

  13. "Who ... do not please God" 1Th2:14-16: "the Judeans" 14, as above.

  14. "Who ... are contrary to all men" 1Th2:14-16: "the Judeans" 14, as above.

  15. Who "bind heavy burdens ... on men's shoulders" Mt23:4: only "the scribes and the Pharisees" 2.

  16. "They ... forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved" 1Th2:14-16: "the Judeans" 14, as above.

  17. "They ... always to fill up the measure of their sins" 1Th2:14-16: "the Judeans" 14, as above.

  18. Who "carried Sikkuth your king" Am5:26: the "house of Israel" 1-25, not all, but as a group as by representatives. Who "took up the tabernacle of Moloch" Ac7:43: only "the council" 6:15.

  19. Who "carried ... Chiun, your idols, The star of your gods" Am5:26: the "house of Israel" 1-25, not all, but as a group as by representatives. Who "took up ... the star of your god Remphan" Ac7:43: only "the council" 6:15.

  20. "Insubordinate" Ti1:10-11: only "Cretans" 12, "especially those of the circumcision" 10.

  21. "Idle talkers" Ti1:10-11: only "Cretans" 12, "especially those of the circumcision" 10.

  22. "Deceivers" Ti1:10-11: only "Cretans" 12, "especially those of the circumcision" 10.

  23. "Who subvert whole households" Ti1:10-11: only "Cretans" 12, "especially those of the circumcision" 10.

  24. "Teaching ... for the sake of dishonest gain" Ti1:10-11: only "Cretans" 12, "especially those of the circumcision" 10.

  25. "Whose mouths must be stopped" Ti1:10-11: only "Cretans" 12, "especially those of the circumcision" 10.

  26. "Giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth" Ti1:14: (implied) only "Cretans" 12, "especially those of the circumcision" 10.

  27. Whose "house is left to you desolate" Mt23:38 (not 37): only "Jerusalem" 37.

  28. "Blinded ... this day ... in the reading of the Old Testament" 2Co3:13-16 (not 11:13-16): "the children of Israel" 13, not all, but possibly as a group as by representatives.

  29. "Blind guides" Mt23:16-17: only "the scribes and the Pharisees" 2.

  30. Upon whom "wrath has come ... to the uttermost" 1Th2:14-16: "the Judeans" 14, as above.

  31. "Sodom and Egypt" Rv11:8: only "where also our Lord was crucified". "Egypt" Is19:3-10: only "Egyptians" 2-23, not "Judah" 17 or "Israel" 24-25. Upon whom "He will bring ... all the diseases of Egypt" Dt28:60: "all Israel" 27:9, as a group as by representatives.

  32. "Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears" Ac7:51: only "the council" 6:15.

  33. Who "reject ... salvation" Ac13:46-47: only "Antioch ... synagogue" 14.

  34. "Wise ... fools" Ro1:22 (not 5:22): "men" 18.

The conclusion given is "True Israel is the Church", citing Ro8:27-28 which does not contain that thought, and Ga6:16 which speaks of "the Israel of God", application not stated. There is no verse in many translations containing both "Israel" and "church".

I conclude then that there are only two verses here from which titles for 'the Jews' might be taken (John 5:18 and 1 Thess. 2:14); and 'the Jews' usually refers to a contextual subgroup of Jews and not to all Jews either individually or collectively as the phrase "Titles of the Jews" would imply.

If we were to use the data above to attempt a further conclusion accurately, we'd note there are several terms that can be taken to represent the national entity Judea and its predecessors, though it does not appear there is a simple term intended to mean every citizen of the nation without exception. These terms might be used to construct a more accurate list of national curses currently imputed to the Judean nation and its successor people. Of course, these curses are similar to Biblical curses on other nations, and have their compensating blessings too. But seeking to give full credit to the meme creator's intent it would seem the best that could be said is that the Bible does impose a few negative statements about the national-political entity once named Judea.

If the highly disorganized creator had desired to make a proper list of "titles of the Jews", exegetically he would have searched for Hebrew Yehudi, Aramaic Yehudai, and Greek Ioudaios. This would turn up:

Of whom "the eye of their God was upon the elders" Ezr5:5; for whom "relief and deliverance will arise" Es4:14; who "had light and gladness, joy and honor ..., a feast and a holiday" Es8:16-17; of whom "JESUS ... has been born King" Mt1:25-2:2; of whom "IS JESUS THE KING" Mt27:37; who "do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders" Mk7:3; of whom "the Passover ... was at hand" Jn2:13; of whom "was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler" Jn3:1; who "have no dealings with Samaritans" Jn4:9; of whom "salvation is" Jn4:22; of whom "the Passover ... was near" Jn6:4, 11:55; who "sought to kill him" Jn7:1; of whom "Feast of Tabernacles was at hand" Jn7:2; of whom "there was a division ... because of these sayings" Jn10:19; of whom "many ... believed in Jesus" Jn12:11; whose "officers ... arrested Jesus" Jn18:12; who "Caiaphas ... advised ... it was expedient that one man should die for the people" Jn18:14; who "in synagogues and in the temple ... always meet" Jn18:20; of whom "many ... read this title" Jn19:20; whose "custom ... is to bury" Jn19:40; "devout men, from every nation under heaven" Ac2:5; among whom "Cornelius ... has a good reputation" Ac10:22; for whom "unlawful it is ... to keep company with or go to one of another nation" Ac10:28; of whom "all things ... He did ... in the land" Ac10:39; of whom "they preached the word of God in the synagogues" Ac13:5; of whom "many ... followed Paul and Barnabas" Ac13:43; of whom "a great multitude ... believed" Ac14:1; of whom "many myriads ... believed, and they are all zealous for the law" Ac21:20; for whom "the gospel of Christ ... is the power of God to salvation ... first" Ro1:16; to whom "God ... will render ... tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil ... first ... but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good ... first" Ro2:5-10; "under sin" Ro3:9; of whom "is He the God" Ro3:29; who "request a sign" 1Co1:22; from whom "five times I received forty stripes minus one" 2Co11:24; who "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ ... have believed in Christ Jesus" Ga2:15-16.

This is a quick pass for Scriptures that reasonably could apply to all "the Jews" as a nation with agents, rather than to a subgroup, besides John 5:18. With a single concordance review I found 35 real titles compared to the 34 fake titles presented. It appears good exegesis is easy, and yet some people seem to pretend it without making any attempt at it, indicating that good exegesis is not their true intent.

(The same methodology can be used to discuss how Jesus was a Jew, which can be proven separately.)