God’s love for the Jewish people drives our work here at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.

The basis for His calling of His Chosen People lies in Genesis 12 in which He made a covenant with Abraham to bless him and his descendants. That covenant has affected the rest of human history. 

But what about the people in the 11 chapters of Genesis prior to this moment? Did God take interest in them, or were they left to their own devices to earn God’s favor? Was God’s grace present then, too?

There’s plenty to digest here. Eleven chapters of human history pass before God speaks to Abraham. And there are some pretty serious, universe-defining moments that build up to that moment. 

From the Beginning

Let’s start with Adam. God’s plan for man seems pretty clear here: Govern the earth and live in perfect relationship with Him. But sin ruined this perfect plan and brought sin nature into every new birth. 

God was not deterred. Adam’s son Abel honored the Lord and looked to be enjoying fellowship with God as He intended. Abel’s older brother Cain killed him, seemingly ruining God’s plan. But God continued to show His grace through a different means. He allowed another son, Seth, to be born to Adam and Eve, and through Seth’s line came followers of God, culminating in Noah, a God-fearing man in an unparalleled time of rebellion against the Creator.

A Second Chance

God can use just one person when all the rest of humanity is against Him. In the midst of a global rejection of Him, God promised a worldwide flood to decimate the earth, but He pledged to spare Noah, who was obedient to the Lord and built an ark for the survival of himself and his family. 

God can use just one person when all the rest of humanity is against Him.

Through Noah’s son Shem, God continued preserving a remnant of those who feared Him. Again man tried to disrupt God’s plan by building a tower at Babel to reach the Lord in heaven, but He confused their plans and dispersed the wicked, perverse people of Earth. Through God’s grace, the bloodline of Shem’s people, the Semites, reached Abraham, with whom God made a covenant of blessing among His people.

Unchanging Salvation

While God’s covenant with the Jewish people didn’t start until after so much human history, we can see that His qualities have never changed. Just as faith in Him and His saving grace was the program of salvation for Old Testament saints starting with Abraham, we can see the same elements at play in those before Abraham. Genesis 4:26 records that at the time Seth had a son, people “began to call on the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ.” Genesis 6:8 encompasses God’s salvation of man well, as it says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lᴏʀᴅ,” followed by Noah’s physical salvation from the flood and covenant with God.

Eternal Jesus

Most of all, let’s not forget Jesus’ words in John 8:58. After a lengthy conversation with His unbelieving Jewish listeners, He was asked if He had seen Abraham. He replied, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” 

Jesus was present during this pre-Abrahamic period. In fact, He has never not been present. Colossians 1:15-16 notes His existence since the beginning of eternity: 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 

God’s plan for Jesus to come to Earth as a sinless Man, die on the cross to bear the sin of the world, and be resurrected to life was in motion since the beginning of history. Adam’s sin did not catch God off guard. His plan to reconcile humanity to Himself started before the first man was born, is evident through the Jewish people, and is available to all—”for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).

Past, Present, and Future

It’s comforting to see that even though His methods may have looked different in the early days of the created world, God is constant in His character and purposes for man. He tells us of His unchanging ways all throughout Scripture, as in Malachi 3:6, when He says He does not change; James 1:17, when James says there is no variation or change in Him; and in Hebrews 13:8, when we see that Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

The world may have operated a lot differently in the first 11 chapters of Genesis than it has at any time since. But to see God’s sovereignty in action in the early days of humanity is a reassuring reminder of His grace toward us.

About the Author

“Ty, I have a question,” he said. “When did Jesus stop being Jewish?”

Jacob and I have had many great conversations over the past few years about the Bible, Jewish history, and Israel in God’s plan. But his question took me aback. My dear friend, who was once severely persecuted by “Christian” anti-Semites, essentially wanted to know when Jesus betrayed His people.

So, let’s consider the question. When did Jesus stop being Jewish? 

Jesus was born a Jew.

Every December, the thoughts of Christians turn to the night of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. When we study the Christmas narrative, however, we usually brush across the account of what took place after Jesus’ birth, after the shepherds and the gifts and the angels in the highest. What happened after the Christmas story tells us a lot about the Jewishness of Jesus and His earthly family.

The Gospel of Luke records that eight days after He was born, Jesus’ parents had Him circumcised and named Him Jesus, in Hebrew Yeshua (Lk. 2:21). The circumcision and naming ceremony is called the brit milah (literally, “covenant of circumcision”). It is a rite given to Israel in the Mosaic Law that binds the male child to the people of Israel, the Law, and God (Lev. 12:3). 

In addition to the brit milah, the Torah teaches that a Jewish woman who gives birth to a baby boy is considered unclean for a total of 40 days (Lev. 12:2,4). Following this time of purification, she and her husband are to take their son to the priest in Jerusalem, where they are to bring a lamb as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering (Lev. 12:6). 

Jesus was born to observant Jewish parents, who loved God and knew the Tanakh by heart (Lk. 1:46-55). After the 40 days of her purification, Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Jerusalem and did exactly as the Law commanded (Lk. 2:22-24). 

From His first day on Earth, Jesus, under the direction of His observant parents, was obedient to the Law. He was born a Jew.

Jesus lived as a Jew.

We do not have many details about Jesus’ life prior to His ministry; but we do know that He was raised in a distinctly Jewish home. 

For example, Jesus’ parents, in accordance with the Law, annually took their family to Jerusalem for Passover (Dt. 16:16; Lk. 2:41). In fact, it was after the family observed Passover in Jerusalem and began their return trip to Nazareth that 12-year-old Jesus went missing. When Joseph and Mary backtracked to Jerusalem, they eventually found him sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers of the Sanhedrims (Sanh. 88b) and asking them questions that astonished those who heard Him (Lk. 2:46).

In addition to Passover, Jesus, as the Son of God and an observant Jew, celebrated the other feasts proscribed in the Law, as well as the non-biblical Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah (Jn. 10:22).

At no point in His life or ministry was Jesus anti-Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived a Jewish life, and died a Jew.

Additionally, when Jesus was 13, He would have had His bar mitzvah. The term bar mitzvah literally means “son of the law.” Rabbinic tradition dictates that a boy becomes a bar mitzvah at the age of 13, meaning that he is responsible to keep the Law of Moses from then on. Observant as He and His family were, Jesus undoubtedly had a bar mitzvah.

We also know that Jesus attended synagogue. He was a regular participant in the life of the synagogue (Lk. 4:16) and taught in synagogues throughout Israel (v. 15).

Jesus kept the Torah, observed the festivals, participated in Jewish traditions, and was active in His local synagogue. For all of His 33 years on Earth, Jesus lived a Jewish life.

Jesus died a Jew.

Not only was Jesus born a Jew and lived a Jewish life, He was a Jew when He died, too. 

Throughout His life, Jesus never distanced Himself from the Jewish people or disavowed them. True, He called out the Jewish leadership for their hypocrisy (Matt. 23) and pronounced judgment on them (v. 36); but so did the prophets throughout Israel’s history. Jesus rebuked His people, cared for His people, taught His people, healed His people, and forgave the sin of His people.

At no point in His life or ministry was Jesus anti-Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived a Jewish life, and died a Jew.

Jesus will return to Earth a Jew.

For the Jewish people, the thought of living in a world void of anti-Semitism is unfathomable. Persecution and attempts to annihilate them have become a part of the fabric of the Jewish experience. The Bible teaches, however, that there is coming a time when anti-Semitism will be dealt with once and for all by the King of the Jews, Jesus.

When Jesus returns to Earth, He will do so as the world’s Jewish judge and king (Matt. 25:31; cf. Is. 9:7). He will gather all the people of the world to Israel, where He will judge them. This judgment is hinged on one factor: How did these Gentiles treat their Jewish neighbors in their time of distress (Joel 3:2; Matt. 25:31–46)? In accordance with God’s promise to Abraham, Jesus will bless those who cared for the Jewish people, and He will curse those who did not care for them.

After crushing anti-Semitism, the King of the Jews will become “King over all the earth” (Zech. 14:9). But even then, Jesus and the character of His kingdom will be Jewish.

Each year, the nations of the world will convene in Jerusalem, where they will worship the God of Israel and keep Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech. 14:16). On their way to Jerusalem, when they see a Jewish person, they will grab his sleeve “saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you’” (Zech. 8:23).

Throughout their existence, the Jewish people have perpetually had their sleeves grasped by the Gentiles, almost always to throw them to the ground, oppress them, or even to throw them into concentration camps. Under the rule of the King of the Jews, however, the world will be rid of anti-Semitism, and Gentiles will honor the Jewish people in their role as God’s Chosen People.

Conclusion

So, When did Jesus stop being Jewish? He never did. From His birth and brit milah, to His life on Earth, to His imminent return and reign as King, Jesus has never stopped being Jewish. Both Jews and Gentiles would do well to remember this. 

Gentiles should never assume God has divorced His Chosen People. Jewish people should not cast Jesus off as a traitor to His people. He never denied the Jewish people, and His message of salvation by grace through faith is for all people, the Jew first and also the Gentile (Rom. 1:16).

About the Author

What is Christmas? This question has been running through my mind this month. Just what is Christmas all about?

For sure, it is not dressing up our house to look like tinsel town. For sure, it is not lavishing the latest toys on our children. For sure, it is not seeing how many expensive gifts we can accumulate from family or friends. For sure, it is not a happy holiday where we take a mid-year break from school or job. And for sure, it is not “THE REASON FOR THE SEASON,” a popular phrase that many churches and Christian organizations are filling the air and billboards with today.

For sure, Christmas is a time when people are lifted in spirit. There is joy in the air, and folks seem to be more giving to one another. But Christmas is much, much more than this! 

Christmas is . . .

→ about a PERSON who was willing to step over the galaxies of heaven, take on flesh, and be the Redeemer of mankind (Jn. 3:16; Phil. 2:5-8).

→ about a PROMISED sign of Messiah’s miraculous conception. The virgin birth confirmed His identity—that Jesus is the Son of God, sent by God the Father (Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:20-23).

Christmas is about a person who was willing to step over the galaxies of heaven, take on flesh, and be the Redeemer of mankind (Jn. 3:16; Phil. 2:5-8).

→ about a PLACE called Bethlehem—a small, insignificant village where Jesus the Messiah would be presented to planet Earth (Mic. 5:2; Mt. 2:5–6). 

→ about a PLAN for the nations in which the Messiah would be a light to the world, dispel the darkness of sin, shatter the shackles of Satan’s power, and bring light and life to all who put trust in His work on the cross (Isa. 49:6; Jn. 1:4; 8:12).

→ about a PROCLAMATION to be heralded throughout the world by His ambassadors: that God has sent His Son to reconcile an alienated world to Himself (2 Cor. 5:17-21).

→ about a POTENTATE who will return to Earth to sit upon the throne of His father, David. He shall reign forever, and of His Kingdom, there shall be no end (Lk 1:32-33).

→ about the PREEXISTENCE of the Messiah. The apostle John said, 

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life” (1 Jn. 1:1). The word was is a verb of being, not coming into existence, and shows Jesus the Messiah preexisted (Jn 1:1)—a claim for Messiah’s eternality. He initially created all things (Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:16-17). 

Christmas is . . .

→ about those who, for the first time this year, will contemplate the true meaning of Christmas. They will see Him, not as a babe in Bethlehem, but a resurrected Redeemer whom they have embraced as their Messiah. 

→ about God’s incredible love for mankind, described in John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

→ about the remembrance of God’s gift in sending Jesus Christ as Savior to provide redemption to all that put faith in Jesus.

Emily E. S. Elliott said it well in her hymn, “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne.” The first stanza goes like this:

“Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, when thou camest to earth for me; but in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room for Thy holy nativity. O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for Thee. My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus, when Thou comest and callest for me.”

The text for the hymn was based on the haunting phrase taken from Luke 2:7, “but there was no room for them in the inn.” Dear reader, is there room in your heart for Him?

Christmas is . . .

→ about a Person called “Jesus Christ” who has a plan, a place, and a promise for you! There was no room for Jesus to be born in the inn! Is there room for Jesus in your heart? I hope so!

About the Author

Do you have a heart for Israel and the Jewish people?

I hope so. Yet someone could ask the question, “How do I acquire this heart for the Jewish people? What do I have to do?” One thing you could do is take the time to read about the Jewish people. Read about their history. Read about their culture and customs. Read about modern Israel. But most of all, read about them in the Bible (The Friends of Israel has a number of resources that can help you).

Doing this will accomplish two things. First, it will help you understand Jewish people today, where they are coming from, what is important to them, and how they define themselves. Second, it will help you to love and appreciate who they are and how you are spiritually indebted to them (Rom. 15:26-27).

Is Context Truly King?

As you read your Bible, use a method that takes the Bible literally or normally within its various contexts. This approach to interpreting Scripture utilizes three elements.

1. The grammar of the text

2. The historical background of the text

3. The cultural conditions surrounding the text

Considering these three elements is part of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). For example, when we study the life of Jesus Christ we realize that Jesus was not born in a vacuum. There was a historical context into which He came (certain events surrounding His life). There was a cultural context (the environment in which He lived). And there was a theological context (the ethics or teachings of His day). These contexts were predominantly Jewish.

Jesus Himself was Jewish. He had a Jewish mother and adoptive-father. He was raised in a Jewish environment in the land of Israel. How He dressed, how He taught, how He lived were all in a Jewish historical, cultural, and theological context. When you learn the value of these contexts, they will richly enhance your understanding of the Scriptures. If you have ever taken a trip to Israel, seen the sites, and have come back and read your Bible, you know what I’m talking about. 

A Deeper Understanding

What Is the Tower of Flock?

We read in Genesis 35:19-21, “So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.”

The phrase “tower of Eder” literally means “tower of flock.” In those days when a flock of animals, particularly sheep, were being cared for and watched, the shepherd would oftentimes be in a tower overlooking his flock, keeping an eye out for bandits or wild animals. This particular tower of the flock was near Bethlehem of Judea, and it was here that Jacob pitched his tent after Rachel died.

The only other place in the Old Testament where the Hebrew phrase “tower of flock” is found is Micah 4:8: 

And you, O tower of the flock,
The stronghold of the daughter of Zion,
To you shall it come,
Even the former dominion shall come,
The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

Targum Jonathan (an ancient Aramaic translation) sees the word “tower” in this verse as referring to the Messiah, and the word “flock” as referring to Israel. It therefore translates the beginning of the verse as, “And you, O Messiah of Israel . . . .” 

Based on these verses, therefore, later Jewish tradition taught that when the Messiah would come, He would be revealed from Migdal Eder, the tower of the flock (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Gen. 35:21).

No Ordinary Shepherds

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, the Scriptures say, “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Lk. 2:8). What is interesting about these shepherds is that according to Jewish law, small animals from herds and flocks were not allowed to be raised in the land of Israel because they could damage people’s fields (Mishnah, Baba Kamma 7.7; Demai 2.3; Talmud, Sukkah 29a; Midrash, Exodus Rabbah 2.3). They were, however, allowed to be raised “in Syria or in the wildernesses that are in the Land of Israel” (Mishnah, Baba Kamma 7.7). 

But in Luke 2:8 it states “in the same country,” meaning the same region of Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching their flock. If there was a prohibition against keeping flocks so near a community with cultivated fields, why were these shepherds in the same region as Bethlehem?  

When you learn the value of these [Jewish] contexts, they will richly enhance your understanding of the Scriptures.

One explanation could be that by the phrase “in the same country” Luke meant a wider territory than first thought, a territory that included a nearby wilderness area used for keeping sheep.

Another explanation could be this. The rabbis taught that if a male sheep, one year old or younger, had strayed and was found one month before Passover roaming around in the area between Jerusalem and Migdal Eder, or the area equidistant from Jerusalem to Migdal Eder in any direction, then the sheep could be used for sacrifice at Passover (Mishnah, Shekalim 7:4). The inference is that sheep found anywhere from Migdal Eder near Bethlehem to Jerusalem were most likely used for Temple sacrifices.

Therefore, could it be that the shepherds watching over their flock by night when Jesus was born were not ordinary shepherds? Instead, could it be they were shepherds specifically hired to watch sheep that were destined for sacrifice? 

If so, then how appropriate it would be that God should first reveal the arrival of the Messiah to those particular shepherds near the tower of the flock not far from Bethlehem. And how appropriate that these shepherds wanted to go to Bethlehem and watch over the baby Jesus, lying in a manger, who was destined to be, as the Lamb of God, the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice that would take away the sin of the world.

Leaving Room for Error

Despite such examples of how historical, cultural, and theological background data can help in understanding Scripture, one still has to be careful as to how much weight is put into that data. There are inadequacies and deficiencies.

For example, ancient documents, from which we get much of our information on early cultures, are not divinely inspired texts. They often contain errors. In fact, a number of Jewish stories and writings are mere myths and legends. When it comes to formulating true doctrine, then, the Bible warns us against using such myths and legends (1 Tim. 1:3-4; Titus 1:10-14).

Another problem when considering ancient Jewish sources is that it is often difficult to determine when exactly certain customs and rituals were practiced. Just because Jewish men wore head coverings in AD 400 does not mean they did so in AD 30. On the other hand, since many of the ancient Jewish customs and teachings had been passed down orally from generation to generation until they were recorded in written form by AD 500, it is still possible that many of these customs had been practiced for centuries prior.

Still another issue when interpreting Scripture is determining at times who borrowed what from whom. In some instances, New Testament passages are obviously using similar language to that of certain ancient Jewish teachings that existed previous to the New Testament timeline. The Jewish teachings may have been used in those instances because they confirmed a truth already taught in Scripture, or because they could be used as a cultural springboard to teach something else. Whatever the reason, it is clear the Jewish teachings historically came first.

But then there are examples where even though there are similarities, it is unclear as to which came first–the Jewish teaching or the Christian. For instance, the Babylonian Talmud (dated c. AD 500) speaks of the time of the Judges. “Conditions in [Israel] were of such a nature that if a judge said to a man, ‘Remove the speck from your eye,’ his reply was, ‘You remove the log from your own’” (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, Vol. 4, 30; Vol. 6, 187 [Talmud reference is Baba Batra 15b]).

Does that sound familiar? It should. Jesus said,

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Mt. 7:3-5).

Did the Lord say this because it contained a Jewish idiom already familiar to His listeners, or did He invent a new expression which the rabbis borrowed later for their own purposes?

Scripture Over Stories

All of this is to say that there are aspects of the historical and cultural data that we cannot be dogmatic about. And in those cases where there may be discrepancies between the Scriptures and the historical data, it is, of course, wiser and better to put the Scriptures before the data.

Having said that, it is still important to comprehend when studying the Scriptures that there was a definite Jewish historical, cultural, and theological context in which our Savior lived and breathed and had His ministry.

Remembering that will aid you greatly in developing a heart for Israel and the Jewish people.

About the Author

Let’s face it—Christmastime may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also one of the most confusing times.

Who would want their true love to give them eight maids-a-milking or six breeds of fowl? And why do singers of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” so rudely demand their figgy pudding? What is figgy pudding, anyway?

Then there’s the pop culture theology of the Christmas season. For example, while Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a Christmas classic (and my favorite movie), its angelology, epitomized in Zuzu Bailey’s immortal words, is decidedly not biblical—“Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” And the meme floating around social media of Santa Claus bowing at the manger is downright cringeworthy.

It’s not just the secular world that muddles Christmas theology, though. Consider the popular song “Mary, Did You Know?” It’s a beautiful song filled with references to the life and ministry of Jesus, but the title’s question is one we can answer authoritatively from Scripture: Of course Mary knew.

What Did Mary Know?

In his book They Called Her Miriam, Dr. Victor Buksbazen points out that in the whole New Testament narrative, there are only 23 references, both direct and indirect, to Mary (or Miriam, as she would have been known in Israel). She is portrayed as a common, young Jewish woman betrothed to a common Jewish carpenter in Nazareth (Mt. 13:55; Lk. 1:27). What is extraordinary about Mary, however, is that she knew quite a bit about the Messiah, her baby, because she evidently was a young woman who knew the Scriptures.

Mary’s statement of praise (her “Magnificat”) following her initial meeting with her pregnant cousin Elizabeth demonstrates her familiarity with the Hebrew Bible. She references passages from Genesis, the Psalms, 1 Samuel, Isaiah, and Habakkuk.

Throughout the Scriptures, God made clear what the Messiah’s life and ministry would be like. And while not every detail was revealed to Mary, she knew that the little baby she would soon carry would be a miracle-worker, the Son of God, and her salvation.

Although surprised that she would be the mother of the promised Messiah, Mary was not baffled by the pronouncement that there would be a Messiah. In fact, when the angel Gabriel told her that she would be the mother of the coming King of Israel, her only question was, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (Lk. 1:34).

Mary knew her Bible, a remarkable feat, considering individuals, especially poor individuals, did not have their own copies of the Scriptures, like we do today. The young woman would have heard the reading of the Scriptures at her local synagogue each week and hidden the words in her heart, which is how she knew about the Messiah to come.

Given Mary’s familiarity with the Hebrew Scriptures, she likely knew a great deal about the identity of the Messiah, particularly His miracles, His deity, and His offer of salvation.

He Would Perform Miracles

“Mary Did You Know?” asks if Mary knew her son would perform miracles. The answer is yes. She would have known Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah’s Kingdom, where “the eyes of the blind shall be opened,” “the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped,” “the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing” (35:5-6).

In fact, years later, Jesus cited this verse as proof to John the Baptist that He was indeed the Messiah. “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see,” He said. “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Mt. 11:5).

Yes, Mary knew her Son would perform miracles.

He Would Be God in the Flesh

Mary knew her Son would be more than merely a miracle-worker. Throughout Israel’s history, God performed miracles through His prophets (Ex. 14:21; 1 Ki. 17:17-24). Although it must have been a mysterious thing for her to contemplate, Mary knew that her Son was God Himself.

As a student of the Scriptures, Mary would have been familiar with Isaiah’s pronouncement that the Messiah would be “called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). She would likely also have known that the promised King of Israel would be called “The LORD our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:6).

Not only would Mary have known about Jesus’ deity through the Hebrew Scriptures—a messenger from Heaven told her directly. When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah, he told her that the child would be “called the Son of the Highest” (Lk. 1:32). The “Highest” or “Most High” is a common reference to God throughout the Hebrew Scriptures (cf. Gen. 14:18; Ps. 47:2, 91:1; Dan. 7:18), so the message to Mary was clear.

Yes, Mary knew her Son would be God in the flesh.

He Would Save

The expectation of Israel, Mary included, was that the Messiah would save them from their enemies. Indeed, the Hebrew Scriptures teach that the Son of David would “execute judgment and righteousness in the earth” and that “[i]n His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely” (Jer. 23:5-6).

The salvation Jesus would offer, however, would go beyond the political. It would be personal, too. Mary knew this, because she had doubtlessly read Isaiah’s description of the Messiah, who would bear the grief and sorrows of the Jewish people, the one on whom the LORD would lay the sins of Israel (53:4, 6).

Additionally, after Mary’s time of purification, following giving birth, she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to dedicate Him to the LORD. At the temple, they met an elderly man, Simeon, who God had promised “would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Lk. 2:26). Simeon held the baby and praised God for allowing him to see the Lord’s salvation. He described the baby as a light “to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel,” and as the one who was “destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel” (vv. 30-34).

Yes, Mary knew her Son would save.

Mary Knew, and So Can We

Christmastime can be confusing, but it doesn’t need to be. Throughout the Scriptures, God made clear what the Messiah’s life and ministry would be like. And while not every detail was revealed to Mary, she knew that the little baby she would soon carry would be a miracle-worker, the Son of God, and her salvation.

As believers, we should join her in praising God for His revelation to man of Himself and the gift of the Messiah. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Lk. 1:47).

About the Author

As I sat in a pastor’s office he asked me, “Why should I have a Passover in my church?”

The pastor had recently taught through the book of Hebrews and exclaimed, “ It was rich!” Using his response I replied, “Because your people will be as enriched by going through a Passover seder as you were teaching through Hebrews!” I’ve seen the impact Passover has made on believers in Jesus countless times and I am one that was impacted too.

I believe that Passover has such a significant impact on believers because it is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus. All of the Passover is fulfilled in Him. On that night before His death, Jesus took the bread and the cup, declaring that we are to remember Him with these two elements from the Passover meal (Matthew 27).

All of the Passover is fulfilled in Him.

Passover itself commemorates the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt. It celebrates their deliverance from death and bondage. Those two words speak clearly of what the Lord Jesus does for us. He delivers from a greater death and a greater bondage. The death He delivers us from is an eternal death, our separation from God for eternity. He delivers us from the bondage of sin. For the Jewish people, Passover began their existence as a nation on that night. For us it represents our Savior and salvation in Him.

The Haggadah, the text used to follow the order of the seder, states that the participants must make the celebration personal, as though they were delivered that night of the first Passover. “This is not just what God did for them, but this is what God did for me.”

Two items in the ceremonial meal remind them of their experience in servitude and bondage.  The first is the taste of the bitter herb, usually horseradish. As they eat, tears come to their eyes representing the pain of bondage and the harshness of servitude. The second is the salt water. As they dip parsley into the salt water, they remember the tears of bondage in Egypt. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are reminded that sin brings pain and bondage, and that Jesus bore our sin, bondage, and pain on the cross.

Passover also reminds us of the life in bondage with the sweet charoset made up of grated apples, nuts, cinnamon, and wine. It represents the mortar used to make bricks in Egypt. The cinnamon and wine allow the mixture to take on a brownish hue, giving an appearance of clay.

As believers, our mind can go back to the fact that God made man from the dust of the earth. The Lord Jesus became flesh for us so that He would restore us to God. God gives us joy and life when we receive Jesus as Messiah and Savior. As I write this I just celebrated my spiritual birthday. Fifty years ago my life began anew when I received Him as my Savior. In the words of the hymn, “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.” I experienced joy l had never had. I had come from death and bondage to eternal freedom and life.

In the matzoh, a thin, crisp unleavened bread eaten at Passover, we are reminded of our Savior. “Unleavened” means without leaven or yeast. The bread was made without leaven because they didn’t have time on that night to allow the bread to rise. But the bread has a deeper significance. The unleavened bread represents a sinless Savior. Interestingly enough, there are three matzohs on the Passover table. To us, as believers, they represent the Godhead, and as the middle matzoh is pulled from the center, it reminds us that Jesus is holy and sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21). However, as we eat the bread we are reminded that as He is holy, and our God is holy, He has made us holy. Peter affirms this in 1 Peter 1:13–16 and 2:9. God desires us to be like Him, holy. For the Jewish people, this middle matzoh is broken in the hands of the father, wrapped in a napkin, hidden, brought back, and shared with those at the table. This matzoh has a special name, afikomen, a word of Greek origin. Our Jewish friends say it means dessert, as it’s eaten at the end of the meal. However, it literally means, He came.

For us the Lord’s table reminds us of what Jesus did that day on the cross. As we eat the bread and drink the cup we remember Him until He comes. As Passover signifies for Jewish people their freedom from bondage and entrance into freedom, so we remember Him who delivered us, and will come for us one day. “Hallelujah, what a Savior!” You see, Passover is truly a portrait of our Messiah.

We would love to come to your church, small group, or Sunday school next year and host a Passover Seder! Go to www.foi.org/passover2020 and someone will contact you soon.

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