WHO ARE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL?
By Dr. JIM R. SIBLEY
Definitions can be tricky. When it comes to defining the Jewish people, definitions are especially fraught with difficulty, even with dissension. The modern State of Israel has its own parameters, Rabbinic Judaism has its rulings, and modern sociologists have theirs. In our day, questions of identity are often based on subjective feelings rather than on more objective realities.
The answer to the question “Who is a Jew?” most often depends upon the identity of the one who raises the question.
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL?
Perhaps partly in reaction to the large numbers of Jewish believers in Yeshua, their “reforms” included a change in Jewish identity from an ethnicity to a religion.
Yet, the topic is important because too often it impinges not only on biblical and theological issues but also on issues with sociological and missiological significance. Moving beyond the “Who is a Jew?” discussion, this article will examine the biblical material in order to arrive at some clarity regarding the nature of what it means to be a part of the people of Israel. Before we can begin to define the Jewish people in a positive sense, it will be necessary to clear away false concepts that clutter the discussion and hinder our efforts to comprehend the biblical identity of this unique people.
