The Right Stumbling Block

1 Corinthians 1:23 says that Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the Jews. That indeed was the stumbling block put forth in the ministry of Jesus and the apostles. For example, Peter says in Acts 2:36, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” In response to the message of the Messiah crucified for their sins, Jews either repented and believed or rejected it. Thus Peter writes elsewhere, “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and, ‘A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall’” (1 Pet 2:7-8, NIV). Moreover, this was intentional by God: “And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Isa 8:14). It was “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23) to make the cross a stumbling block to unbelieving Israel. 

Unfortunately, throughout church history Christians have put before the Jews other kinds of stumbling blocks. An obvious one is persecution. Anyone unfamiliar with the deplorable history of Christian persecution against Jews ought to acquaint themselves. Another stumbling block is theology that makes such persecution conceivable to Christians to begin with. Supersessionism, also known as replacement theology, which views the Christian church as replacing Israel in the plans and purposes of God, is the classic culprit. Such a delegitimization of Israel’s place in the Scriptures cannot and should not be accepted by Jews whose identity and history as a people have been so deeply shaped by God’s special calling upon them. Another kind of theological obstacle is the revision of Jewish promises. Throughout history Christians have had the habit of spiritualizing, de-ethnicizing, and relocating promises regarding the nation of Israel, the land, the throne of David, the kingdom of God, and related concepts such that they find fulfillment in someplace other than the Israel to whom those promises were given, whether it be heaven, the state, the church, the person of Jesus, the activity of the Spirit, or people’s hearts. 

These are the wrong stumbling blocks to put before Jews. They bring disrepute to the Christian witness and obscure the real issue that God wishes to highlight. The sharp edge of our message to the Jews is not the changing of Israel’s election and promises; rather, we uphold and honor their place in redemptive history and the heart of God while boldly proclaiming Messiah crucified for our sins.

Faith Working Through Love

Galatians 5:6 contains a wonderful expression for describing the life of a Christian: “faith working through love.” Each lends meaning and clarity to the other. Faith must be primarily evidenced and demonstrated by love, without which it loses its credence, integrity, and quality. Love, which includes serving one another (5:13), loving others as oneself (5:14), and the fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23), therefore takes precedence over and also guides other potential expressions of faith. At the same time, love is shaped and directed by faith. In the context of the letter, faith is believing in Jesus, “who gave himself for our sins” (Gal 1:14) so that we might “be justified by faith in Christ” (2:16). Love therefore is not to be generic or indiscriminate; rather, it particularly reflects and witnesses to the faith from which it proceeds. Faith thus produces a love that is theologically informed.

Paul is also making the point that this is what ultimately matters before God. The full verse reads, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” Human beings are notoriously adept at coming up with all sorts of different achievements to boast in and judge others by, whether circumcision or some other standard. Yet Paul would say that anything that is not faith working through love counts for nothing, that is, adds nothing to one's righteousness before God and standing on the day of judgment. This is a reprimand to those “who want to make a good showing in the flesh” (6:12), but for the humble it is good news. It means we can be freed from the anxiety of trying to “please man” (1:10) by meeting their contrived standards. Rather, we need only to believe in the sound teaching about Jesus and do good to others, and in so doing we can be assured that we have approval with God.

“The Superman Exists, And He Is Jewish”

In the 2009 film adaptation of Watchmen, flashbacks detail how scientist Jon Osterman was accidentally trapped in a radioactive test chamber and disintegrated. He later reconstitutes as a blue, luminous humanoid with near-limitless power and knowledge and is named “Doctor Manhattan” by the U.S. government. The movie then cuts to a reporter on television who announces, “The superman exists, and he is American.”

I found this statement fascinating because of the questions and concerns it raises. What are the implications of “the superman” being American? Does it merely mean that he is American in ethnicity and nationality? Or will he actually prioritize and act in American interests? What is his foreign policy, so to speak? Even if he were to work for the good of all humanity, could he be trusted to do so as an American?

Similarly, we can say, “The superman exists, and he is Jewish.” Jesus is the Messiah, the Word become flesh, God in human form. And he is Jewish! What are the implications of that? Some understandably may be worried. Some might minimize or even try to erase Jesus’ Jewish identity. Indeed, that is exactly what many throughout history, even in the church, have done. But this issue ultimately cannot be avoided. As events unfold and this age draws to a close, Israel, the church, and the nations will all have to reckon with what it means for the Savior of the world to be Jewish.

Appendix - An Assortment of Verses

I hope that this study has demonstrated the potency of Jewish apocalypticism as a context for Bible study. To provide additional examples and reinforce the point, here is an assortment of individual verses, interpreted in light of Jewish apocalyptic expectation.

“And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:3). God is speaking to Abraham, whom he promises to make into a great nation through which the rest of the world will be blessed. This has not been fulfilled yet. Israel has yet to become that great nation that will bring blessing to the other nations. Both Jews and Gentiles can look forward to the day that becomes reality.

“I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (Psa 2:6). Jesus the Messiah will be king in Zion. He will rule the nations from his throne in Jerusalem. We do not see this happening yet. Jesus is in heaven, not on the earth. He is not king in Jerusalem right now. But one day he will be.

“I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Eze 36:26). Here God is speaking to the house of Israel. Even though they have profaned his name, he still promises to gather them from the nations, bring them into their land, and cleanse them of their sin. Moreover, God will put his Spirit within them and give them a new heart, enabling them to follow and obey him. Thus, the gift of the Spirit and newness of life that believers receive when they put their faith in Jesus can be regarded as an advance enactment of what Israel will corporately experience at the end of the age.

“They brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them” (Matt 4:24). There are many stories of healing in the gospels. Healings did not merely prove that God exists or that Jesus is powerful; they also confirmed Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. They convinced the people that he really was the one appointed by God to bring the kingdom, raise the dead, and judge the wicked in the future.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt 6:33). What is the kingdom? Gentile Christians have come up with all sorts of ideas throughout the ages. Within a Jewish apocalyptic understanding, however, the kingdom retains its most natural meaning as an actual geopolitical entity, headed by a king, ruling over a people and land. When Jesus returns, he will set up a kingdom that will govern from Jerusalem to the nations. We are to seek first this kingdom by eagerly anticipating it and also by living our lives in a worthy manner, that is, by also seeking first his righteousness.

“Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15). We should be able to explain why we believe that in the future the Messiah will come and fulfill the promises God gave to Israel in the Law and the Prophets.

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him” (Rev 1:7). Referencing Daniel 7:13 and Zechariah 12:10, this verse describes the coming of the Messiah and Israel’s profound repentance upon beholding the one whom they crucified. Revelation details the events leading up to this climactic conclusion to redemptive history and the glorious aftermath.

Part of: The Most Important Context

Example #3 - Peter’s Sermon in Acts 3

An important question to ask when we come to the New Testament is how the ministry of Jesus in his first coming relates to the Jewish apocalyptic context that we have been exploring. While some believe that it altered or even overturned previous Jewish expectations concerning the future, I would like to argue that Jesus’ ministry too ought to be situated and understood within this “most important context.” The apostles continued to hold to the same Jewish apocalyptic expectations as before and incorporated the life, death, and resurrection of the Jewish Messiah into their theology as the ultimate means by which God's promises to Israel would be fulfilled. Peter’s speech in Acts 3 is an excellent example of this apostolic formulation of the gospel.

Acts 3 begins with Peter and John healing a lame beggar and attracting an amazed crowd. Peter then explains to the Jews gathered there that the beggar was healed in the name of Jesus, whom they rejected and crucified (Acts 3:12-18). In light of this, he tells them, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago” (vv. 19-21). The apostle viewed the death of the Messiah as instrumental to producing repentance in Israel that would lead to the return of Jesus and the restoration promised by the prophets. Thus, we can see that he maintained the same eschatological expectations that his predecessors had and understood Jesus' redemptive work as a key part of God's plan in bringing those hopes to fruition.

The rest of his sermon confirms that this was Peter’s thought process. He references Deuteronomy 18:18-19, pointing out that Jesus is the prophet whom the people of Israel must listen to and those who do not will be cut off (vv. 22-23). This reinforces that Israel’s salvation turns upon faith in Jesus. The apostle then states that all the prophets since Samuel “proclaimed these days” (v. 24). He is most likely referring to the “last days” (cf. Acts 2:17), which he believed were happening because he expected Jesus’ death and resurrection to bring about Israel’s national repentance and restoration and the return of the Messiah. Next, he reminds the audience that they are “the sons of the prophets and of the covenant” and are called to bring blessing to the nations (v. 25). Thus, it was all the more necessary for Jesus to be sent to them, that they might come to corporate repentance and fulfill their covenant calling: “God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness” (v. 26).

Of course, the national repentance and return that the apostles envisioned did not happen in their day. Instead, Israel was divided, with some believing in Jesus but many rejecting him. Moreover, God opened the door for the gospel to go to the Gentiles. However, did all this mean that God's plans for Israel were canceled? As Paul emphatically insists, “By no means!” (Rom 11:1, 11). Yes, “a partial hardening has come upon Israel” (Rom 11:25) and “salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Rom 11:11), but this serves “to make Israel jealous” (Rom 11:11) in the anticipation that one day “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26). Therefore, even as we proclaim repentance and faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins to all nations (Lk 24:47), we continue to look forward to “the hope of Israel” (Acts 28:20) as the ultimate end goal in accordance with Jewish apocalyptic expectation.

Part of: The Most Important Context