Introduction to Messianic Judaism: Its Ecclesial Contextand Biblical Foundations. Edited by David J. Rudolph and Joel Willitts. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, 335 pp., $26.99.
David Rudolph and Joel Willitts have put together an
important collection of essays addressing a contemporary religious movement (Messianic
Judaism) that many are unaware of and a contemporary hermeneutical shift
(post-supersessionism) that is beginning to take hold in some quarters of the
biblical studies world. The book begins, after an important introduction by
Rudolph, with 13 essays written by self-identified Messianic Jews and then 14
essays written by several leading NT scholars and theologians. It concludes
with an extensive summary of each essay written by Willitts and an integrative
conclusion pointing out the contemporary significance with regard to the book’s
topic. This volume brings together authors who share a general outlook with
regard to the continuing covenantal identity for Jews and represents an
excellent model of cross-communal dialogue. The highly recommended book would
be useful as a supplemental text in New Testament and theology courses,
especially graduate seminars focused on ecclesiology and hermeneutics. It is
written at a scholarly but accessible level and the short chapters keep the
arguments moving forward while directing the reader to locations for more
extensive coverage of the topic being discussed.
It would be unwise to cover all 28 chapters in this brief
review and Willitts’ chapter already does this. So, I will focus my comments on
four chapters from each part, those that highlight several issues I found
particularly probative, especially since I write and research from a similar
post-supersessionist perspective. In chapter 1, Rudolph defines what he means
by Messianic Judaism, “we are referring to a religious tradition in which Jews
have claimed to follow Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah of Israel while continuing
to live within the orbit of Judaism” (p. 21). This distinguishes the approach
put forth in Part 1 from those who align more closely with Messianic Judaism as
a sub-group identity within Protestant Evangelicalism. Rudolph notes that
Jewish followers of Jesus continued for the first four centuries of our era and
only disappeared under the threat of Constantine's sword and canon law (p. 25). It emerged again during the 18th century and
continues today in rather diverse expressions. The diversity evident among
Messianic Jews is expressed in several important ways, e.g., Stuart Dauermann’s
essay on “Messianic Jewish Outreach” is indicative of a critical debate over
evangelism or, as Dauermann prefers, the not-synonymous-term “outreach” (p.
94). Outreach does proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah but the social
implications of this message go beyond the individualistic discourse often
associated with evangelism. It finds itself more closely aligned with the wider
Jewish community in the way discipleship is expressed. The most intriguing
aspect of Dauermann’s essay is the idea that gentile and Jewish repentance
differs (p. 95). This insight is very important and sets a framework for a
Torah-informed repentance that is oftentimes overlooked (see Rom 2:12; p. 96).
Another area in which diversity is expressed is found in
Mark Kinzer’s essay, one whose influence is found throughout the first part of
this book. Kinzer’s concern is the liminal state Messianic Jews find themselves
with regard to Evangelical Protestantism on the one hand and the wider Jewish
community on the other. His essay describes the way Hashivenu and the UMJC have
sought to carve out a place for Messianic Judaism within the contemporary
expressions of Judaism. This is clearly a hotly debated but intriguing
development. Most of the debates relate to “the evangelical theological tenets
of biblical and soteriological exclusivism” (p. 128). Kinzer’s broader
influence has been felt in the publication of Postmissionary Messianic Judaism, the term “postmissionary” was
chosen to make an ecclesial point: “Messianic Jews are not called to be
representatives of the Christian community operating within another religious
community (i.e., the Jewish people) but to be fully part of the Jewish world in
both religious and national terms. In fact, they are to represent the Jewish
community in relation to the Church, rather than the reverse” (p. 132). What
Kinzer’s work does is to allow the church to think through the social
implications of what it means to be part of the commonwealth of Israel (Eph
2:12). While the debates over a more inclusivist soteriology will undoubtedly continue,
Kinzer’s “bilateral ecclesiology” should not be lost in the discussion for the
way the church could relate to the Jewish people (p. 137). One final area of
diversity should be noted, Daniel Juster’s essay brings to the fore the debates
over the way Messianic Jews relate to the broader gentile Christian world. Here
the debates over supersessionism and the sordid history of anti-Judaism create
significant communal tensions. The idea of one body of Messiah that
is expressed in two different ways is crucial for the continuation of “unity
with distinction? (pp. 137, 142). This is seen as Jews are encouraged to
continue to relate to God as Jews and, with the exception of the “One Law”
movement, gentiles are encouraged to relate to God as gentiles, all in a
relationship of “interdependence” and “mutual blessing” (p. 142; see further on
this Tucker, Remain in Your Calling,
pp. 115-35).
In Part 2 the essays focus on the church and Messianic
Judaism. I will highlight four of these essays, all of which are crucial for
the development of a post-supersessionist approach to the NT. William S.Campbell’s essay “The Relationship between Israel and the Church” provides a
post-supersessionist reading of Romans 9-11. This programmatic essay provides
several interpretive trajectories for future scholars thinking about issues of
supersessionism. For example, Campbell in reflecting on the purpose of Romans and
the interdependence between gentiles and Jews in Christ concludes that “Israel
is not merely a historical antecedent to the church, and the church has not
replaced, and cannot displace, her in the divine purpose. Israel belongs to the
present and future of the church and not merely to her inception” (p. 204). Anders Runesson’s essay “Paul’s Rule in All the Ekklēsiai”
discusses 1 Cor 7:17-24 and argues that this passage provides scholars with a
potential center for Paul’s theologizing. Runesson understands Paul’s rule to
include the view that “socioethnic differences between the two groups [Jews and
gentiles] ‘in Christ’” was expected by Paul and that the way each obeyed God’s
commandments will look different based on this pattern of thought (p. 218).
Also, Runesson is undoubtedly correct in noting that the use of ekklēsia by Paul should be understand as
pointing to the idea that the Pauline movement was still within the broader
synagogue community at this point (rather than disconnected from it) (p. 220).
Justin Hardin’s essay addresses whether Gal 3:28 and
Ephesians 2:14-18 should be understood to indicate that Paul sought to collapse
ethnicity. He concludes, with regard to Gal 3:28 that Paul does not seek to
obliterate ethnic identities: “On the contrary in this verse Paul announced the
glorious universal reality that through faith in the Messiah, there is equality
as children of Abraham across ethnic (as well as gender and social) boundaries”
(pp. 228-29). In a similar way, Eph 2:14-18 does not erase ethnicity in the
creation of the “one new humanity”; rather, it is a metaphor of “oneness” used
by Paul to address the nature of the peace given in Christ (p. 231). Thus,
those who claim that Paul develops a “race-less people” have overstated their
position (p. 232). The idea that existing identities continue in Christ is a
theme that is developed in Campbell, Runesson, and Hardin; however, Joel
Willitts’ essay develops this further and in a way that provides an
eschatological rationale for the continuation of ethnicity in Christ. Willitts
researches Revelation 19-22 from a Jewish context (e.g., the bride imagery and
Isaiah) and concludes that the New Heavens and New Earth are patterned on a
Davidic city. Thus, Israel’s identity is never superseded and that “John
teaches that Israel’s distinctive role in God’s administration of creation continues
eternally” (p. 253). This interpretive approach provides a challenge to aspects
of both amillennialism and premillenialism. Israel’s distinctive purposes are
never supplanted (p. 246).
Rudolph and Willitts are to be commended for putting
together such a substantial volume. This book deserves wide attention from
scholars, pastors, seminary students, and obviously those within the Messianic
Jewish movement. It provides insights into the religious diversity evident in
our contemporary context as well as alerting the reader to the emergence of a
new paradigm for New Testament interpretation, i.e., post-supersessionism.
