In this episode of the Theopologetics Podcast I am joined by a close friend of mine, asking and answering the question, “Who is a Jew?” This will be the first in a periodic series discussing Israelology, the study of Israel and her people.

Music

Paul Wilbur, Roni Roni Bat Zion, from the Jerusalem Arise! album, 2002

Promoted Resources

Stand to Reasonwith Greg Koukl

The Stand to Reason radio program is live on the air every Sunday 2-5 pm PST AM on 740 KBRT.

Also available in podcast form; each episode is published to the podcast the day after it airs.

Terminology

Israelology: the subdivision of systematic theology incorporating all theological doctrines concerning the people of Israel (Fruchtenbaum).

Systematic Theology: the attempt to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs.

Replacement Theology: also known as supersessionism, a view which holds that the Church has “replaced” Israel as God’s people and as the recipients of the promises originally made to them.

Jew: any physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Gentile: any non-Jew.

Samaritans: Jews by descent whose ancestors syncretized with pagans whom they married, and thus no longer worshipped God in truth, and were thus outside the Israelite community.

Proselyte: a Gentile who completely converted to Judaism, and was thus treated as a Jew, but never called one.

Biblical References

Jews

The “people of the sons of Israel,” the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Exodus 1:1-14

Acts 7:8

Exodus 3:6, Matthew 22:32, Acts 3:13

Distinguished by foreigners from themselves using the word “Hebrews”

Genesis 14:13 (Abram the first “Hebrew”)

Genesis 40:15

Exodus 1:15-19

“Jew” originally a member of the tribe of Judah or kingdom of Judah, distinct from Israelites

2 Kings 16:5-6

Jeremiah 32:1-3,12; 40:11

Later extended to descendants of all the twelve tribes, distinguishing them from Gentiles

John 2:13

Acts 2:5; 14:1-2

Romans 3:29

Samaritans

2 Kings 17

Ezra 4

John 4:7-9

Acts 8:14-17, contrasted with Acts 10:44-47

Proselytes

Exodus 12:48

Matthew 23:15

Acts 2:10

Acts 6:3-5

Acts 13:43

Suggesting Gentile believers are “spiritual Jews”

Luke 3:8

Romans 2:28-29; 4:11; 10:12

Galatians 3:7,28-29

Colossians 3:11

Distinction between believing Jews and believing Gentiles

Acts 15:5-6,23-24,28-29