How to Understand the Jews as Being a Chosen People: An Orthodox Analysis

Are the Jews, even in light of Christ’s death and resurrection, still in some way the chosen people of God? If so, how should we understand them and their role in God’s providence? Who are the true Jews and what role do Jews and Judaism have in the prophesied rise of Antichrist? Note from Metropolitan Vitaly ( 2006) Chief Hierarch of ROCOR, 1986-2001: “The author of the following article lives in Russia. We received it some years back. The whole tone of the article in composes, discrete, and sober. Its ideas are profound, clear, and in complete agreement with the teaching of the Orthodox Church and the Holy Fathers.“ This article is found in Orthodox Life, Vol. 41, No. 4, Jul-Aug 1991. Orthodox Life is the journal of Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary in Jordanville, NY, USA. -READ the article here: -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: _______ Quotes from this article: If the Old Testament is understood as a foreshadowing, then one sees that the true Jews of the Old Testament are a foreshadowing of Christians, since all true Jews of the Old Testament are a foreshadowing of Christians, since all true Jews of the Old Testament lived spiritually in expectation of Christ the Savior, the Messiah. On the other hand, their enemies in the Old Testament are a foreshadowing of contemporary Judaism, that is, those who either consciously or unconsciously confess the Jewish religion, the very foundation of this religion being a rejection of Christ [Once one accepts the Christian Gospel, traditional Judaism loses its validity]. The Jewish religion which accepts Christ is the Christian religion. The first decree, the covenant with the Jewish people made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is never revoked, and therefore, in remaining a “special, different” people, since they do not accept Christianity, they repudiated their being the chosen people of God.… Even those Jews who do not accept Christianity, being infected by the bacillus of anti-Christianity, manage to preserve their identity supported by the Old Testament covenant. For this reason the hope of the Jews for universal supremacy is not in vain. This people will be preserved through all times; they will not be exterminated nor will they disintegrate. One cannot doubt that those who consciously confess the Jewish religion strive for the universal supremacy of Judaism, or rather of the Jews. If one were to read the Old Testament as the Jews do, that is, not spiritually, not interpreting the prefigurative meanings, but in a carnal way, then it would seem that the prophecies speak about a future supremacy. For this reason the religion of the Jews is directed towards the future, to meet the Messiah, not Christ, but rather the Antichrist, who must establish the supremacy of the Jews and Judaism upon the whole world. In this way we see the difference between the philosophies of Judaism and Christianity. That is, while Christians seek the Heavenly Kingdom, the Jews seek an earthly kingdom, the improvement of the world under the supremacy of the Jewish people… This Jewish materialistic approach openly and more subtly, under the appearance of various social theories and philosophical systems, encroaches upon the consciousness of Christians, breaking down Christian nations. In particular the penetration into the Christian consciousness of this Judaistic idea explains many heresies, the rise of Islam, the substitution of Christianity with humanism, altruism, Marxism, and separatist nationalism. What common denominator do some people seek in order to equalize black and white, Christianity and Judaism? — Judaism being a deified materialistic philosophy of earthly justice, worldly good, earthly freedom, and worldly well-being. Just as the deification of one’s aspiration for all that which is worldly comes from Judaism, for the Christian that which is worldly is used only in so much as it is necessary in one’s striving for the spiritual. It therefore follows that those who strive to equalize Judaism and Christianity, black and white, using the worldly as a basis, allow the spirit of Judaism to conquer them. In other words, having exchanged Christian spiritual goals for worldly ones, those that call themselves Christians lose that which distinguishes them from Jews and thus seek a union with Judaism, [perhaps unconsciously] rejecting Christ. They become co-workers in preparing for the kingdom of Antichrist. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!