One New Man

Jew and Gentile One in Messiah

Throughout this lesson we have been uncovering the distinction between the children of Israel. We have discovered that they belong to either one of the two kingdoms, the House of Judah or the House of Israel. (Ephraim). We have read scripture and have seen the prophecies fortold in accordance to each house. Now we are going to look into the New Testament and we will see that these two houses take on new or different connatations.

Although there may be exceptions, one could broadly define the House of Judah as the Jews and the House of Israel (along with the strangers who sojourn with them) as the gentile church. We have alsready touched on this subject when we studied parts of the Book of Romans. If you keep in mind the historical attributes of the name Jews, you will recall that the word Jew only encompasses those who came back from the Babylonian exile. Those who came back were the same ones who left, t hat was the three tribes: Judah, Benjamin, and Levites. The other ten tribes were not called Jews. In fact, the famous historian Josephus exclaims they , the ten other tribes, were still separated from the Jews several years after Jesus had came.

The ten tribes were not called Jews. They had been separated from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for so long that they had become assimilated into the pagan world around them. They had become gentiles in every aspect. No longer did they look like children of Israel. They worshipped false gods, took on pagan rituals and customs. They had completely forgotten all of their heritage.

Keeping these things in mind we can now look at the distinction of Jews and Gentiles in the New Testament in a new light or pretext. Broadly defining them we can relate the Jews to the House of Judah and their sojourners and Gentiles to the House of Israel and all those who are sojourning with them. In the scope of things the House of Judah has taken on the name Jews. The House of Israel by "assimilation default" have taken on their names as Gentiles. (Not to confuse thing any further, but there are and will always be gentiles in the purest sense who are not physical children of Jacob. Howevere, ac cording to the laws which God has enforced, they are to become completely like the Israeli children and seen no differently, or specifically, inferior, if they keep God's commandments and ways then they are seen as not His children and have no hope.) The House of Israel is more closely viewed as a gentile because they have forgotten the way of God. They are not Jews by definition. So if you had to attribute them to one of the two c ategories they would be placed with the Gentiles. With that said let us look at what God has to say about the Jews and Gentiles.