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[[Image:Messianic seal.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The Messianic Seal]]
[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol of Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement, composed of both [[Jew]]s and [[Gentile]]s who:
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*Believe that [[Yeshua]] of Nazareth ([[Jesus Christ]]) is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Hebrew Scriptures]] ([[Old Testament]]).
*believes that [[Yeshua]] of Nazareth ([[Jesus Christ]]) is the [[Messiah]] spoken of in the [[Tanakh]] ([[Old Testament]]).
*Believe that they are following the practices and beliefs of the very early [[Christian]] movement.
*believes that it following the practices and beliefs of the very early [[Christian]] movement.
*Follow an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].
*follows an [[Evangelical Christian]] [[theology]].
They differ from [[Reform Judaism|Reform]], [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative]], and [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in culture. All celebrate Jewish Holidays and support the State of [[Israel]] and most have their main service on the Sabbath, Saturday. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the [[Tanakh]] and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by God, and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long awaited Jewish Messiah.
They differ from other Jews over their beliefs about the Messiah. Messianic Congregations are made up of people of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, and are distinctly Jewish in [[culture]]. All celebrate Jewish [[Holy Days]] and support the State of [[Israel]], and most have their main service on the seventh day [[Sabbath]]. They believe that all of the [[Bible]], both the Tanakh and the [[New Testament]], is inspired by [[God]], and that the New Testament was written by Jewish writers to announce to the world the arrival of the long awaited Jewish Messiah.
Virtually all other Jewish denominations reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Yeshua automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of apostacy, worse even than Christianity. However, Reform [[rabbi]] [[Dan Cohn-Sherbok]], Professor of Jewish Theology at the [[University of Wales]], has pointed out that the Jewish community, and Judaism itself, no longer holds to a single authority to determine correct belief and practice, and as such Messianic Judaism is as valid a form of Judaism as any other.
Virtually all other Jewish [[denomination]]s reject Messianic Judaism on the principle that belief in Yeshua automatically makes them Christian, and therefore outside of the Jewish community. Many view Messianic Judaism as a dangerous and subversive form of [[apostate|apostacy]]. However, Reform [[rabbi]] Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Professor of Jewish Theology at the University of Wales, has pointed out that the Jewish community, and Judaism itself, no longer holds to a single authority to determine correct belief and practice, and as such Messianic Judaism is as valid a form of Judaism as any other.
==Early history of Messianic Judaism==
Many people wrongly assume that Messianic Judaism originated from Christianity, or that it is a hybrid religion formed comparitively recently by combining Jewish and Christian beliefs and practices. However, Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. Yeshua and his [[disciple]]s (''talmidim'') were all Jews, and did not convert to another religion; furthermore, as the Bible clearly states He came to earth to be the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion.
The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. To escape this persecution, Gentile Christians sought to widen the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish. By the time of the [[Council of Nicea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>
Messianic Judaism was presumed by many to have died out after the Council of Nicea. However, in the records of the [[Inquisition]] there are accounts of Jewish believers in Yeshua who were persecuted by the inquisitors well into the 12th and 13th centuries, but as persecution from the Roman church became stronger, Messianic Judaism became almost invisible to history.<ref>Chaimberlin, Richard Aharon [http://www.petahtikvah.com/Articles/MessianicForDummies.htm ''Messianic Judaism For Dummies''] Petah Tikvah. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>
==Messianic Judaism in the 19th century==
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==References==
{{reflist|2}}
[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]
[[Category:Messianic Judaism]]
[[Category:Judaism]]
[[Category:Judaism]]