I've been hearing alot about messianic judaism what is it?

Answer 1

Contrary to popular belief, Messianic Judaism was not founded by Moshe Rosen in the 1960's. And the modern Messianic movement has very little to do with his "Jews for Jesus" organization. If you want the origins of the modern movement you have to look back to men like Alfred Edersheim and David Barron in the 1800's.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Edersheim

There were a number of "Hebrew Christians" in the 1800's that were looked down upon by the Gentile Christians, so they formed "The Hebrew Christian Alliance" where they could practice Christianity away from the Gentile Christians that hated them. As the years went on, they became more and more concerned with actually studying Torah and that drove them further and further away from Christian practice, so they started to refer to their movement as Messianic Judaism. (This change in terminology started perhaps as far back as the 1950's, but really started gaining in the 1980's.)

The reasons for the rejection of Christian terminology and practice primarily have to do with how Christianity was paganized some 1900 years previously. Messianic Judaism rejects the practice of Easter (the goddess Ishtar known for Ishtar bunnies, Ishtar eggs and other pagan fertility symbols). Nor do they celebrate Christmas (why do non-Catholics practice the Christ Mass anyway?) since the date is incorrect, and Dec 25 was the day on which Saternalia, Mythra, Sol Invictus and many of the other pagan gods were said to have been born. Likewise, the practice of Christmas ham relates back to the fact that the original "Abomination of Desolation" was when Antiochus Epiphenes sacrificed a pig in the Temple on the 25th of that month. So Christians who think their body is a Temple are actually commemorating the Abomination of Desolation every year on Christmas by eating pig.

Instead, Messianic Judaism practices the Feasts of the L-rd found in Leviticus 23. They reject the standard Christian belief that Messiah came to terminate the Torah, believing instead that the Word of the L-rd is eternal in nature and will always be in effect.

As a result much of Christianity believes Messianic Judaism is heretical. Likewise normative Judaism believes Messianics to be heretics. Many Jews would claim that Jews who become Messianic are no longer even Jews. However, the Lubavitcher Rebbe disagreed and said that Jew is always a Jew, even if they have gone so far as to convert to Catholicism as seen here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4462924665331442133

The Messianic was very much of a "missionary" movement in previous decades, attempting to convince normative Jews that Messiah had come 2000 years ago. This seems to be less so now, and some term the current movement as Post-Missionary Messianic Judaism:
http://www.amazon.com/Postmissionary-Messianic/dp/1587431521

Many Gentiles have been impressed by the solid Biblical emphasis on the nature of the Biblical Feast Days, and have begun to practice Messianic Judaism themselves. Today, it is possible to find entire Messianic congregations that don't even have any Jewish members. Many of these Messianic Gentiles believe themselves to be the descendants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel that was divorced by G-d (Jeremiah 3:8) and scattered by Assyria into all the nations. Which to some extent may explain why the "Cohen gene" has been found in people in India and Africa.

The Jewish portion of Messianic Judaism largely tends to reject this "Ephriamite Movement" (as it is often termed) and feeling that Gentiles somehow water down Messianic Judaism's legitimacy in the eyes of the Jewish world. Of course, Messianic Judaism is rejected by the majority of the Jewish world, so that hardly makes a difference.

Nevertheless, Messianic Judaism in all of its forms continues to grow. Increasingly their teachings are having an effect on the Gentile Christian church and churches are starting to lose members as a result. The effect has been that individual Gentile Christians start studying the Bible and getting convicted about celebrating the Holy Days. They start teaching this in their Sunday Schools and leadership doesn't like this so they kick the person out. Those few pastors that do allow a Sunday School class on keeping the Feast Days frequently find that the entire class drops out and forms a Messianic Congregation. It is a pattern that is being repeated across the country. So the modern Messianic Movement tends to be a thorn in the side of modern Christianity.

Answer 2

Messianic Jews follow the jewish religion, as Christ did, but unlike the Jews they believe Jesus was the messiah, so are also christians. Personally, I think its the closest denomination to true christianity and only wish there was a Messianic Judaism church near me.

Answer 3

A Messianic Jew is defined as a person who was born Jewish or converted to Judaism. They call Jesus Yeshua, and acknowledge His Jewishness. The "Evangelic" wing of Messianic Judaism has religious beliefs similar to those of Evangelical Christianity. These beliefs include: G-d as a Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the virgin birth, resurrection, ascension, and salvation.

Most Messianic Jews belong to Messianic Jewish congregations or synagogues. More than ninety percent are charismatic and believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues. Their leader is called a Rabbi. A typical congregation will be composed of Christians who are not Jewish, Messianic Jews who do not practice Jewish customs, and Messianic Jews who follow strict orthodox practices such as kosher methods of food preparation and eating.

Most observe the Shabbat (Sabbath), starting at sundown Friday. All Jewish holidays are observed. These include Passover, Succoth, and Shavuot. Only a few celebrate Yom Yeshua on December 25. The Hebrew Scriptures are referred to as the Tanach (Old Covenant Scriptures). The Christian scriptures are called the B'rit Chadasha (New Covenant Scriptures).

Some Messianic Jews believe that the second coming of Jesus will only come when a sufficient number of Jews accept Yeshua as their Messiah and Savior. Others believe that Jesus could come at any time.

Sometimes they are referred to as "completed Jews"

Best wishes to you in your search for knowledge!

Answer 4

The Orthodox Jews, are still expecting the Messiah to come. The Messianic Jews, are the Jews that read the New Testament and understand that Jesus is the Son of God, who is our Savior. That Jesus is the Messiah, therefore they are the Messianic Jews.

Answer 5

This is going decrease back to formerly Jesus, The Jewish faith had in some sects that there replaced into to be a Messiah. those who trust Yeshua or Yeshiva might want to look, might want to ok evaluate Jesus replaced into that Messiah. So in this question Messianic Judaism is a valid idea. the shown truth that there replaced into this idea from formerly the time of Jesus doesn't make that concept incorrect, because the Messiah might want to acknowledged to them as Gods Son . And as Gods chosen people this isn't a problematical ingredient of trust that God despatched them Yeshiva, or Jesus because the promised Messiah.

Answer 6

Messianic Judaism was formed by a former Jewish man named Rosen in the 1960's. He became a minister and sought ways withing the Christian Church to win converts. His solution was to form a branch of Protestant Christianity that themed itself on Judaism. It would celebrate all the religious laws, customs, etc. of the Jews but it would incorporate Jesus into them. The lay leaders would be called rabbis. This was very deceptive as they were not trained by any rabbinate (school of Jewish law.) The places of worship where not synagogues but replicas that in all but religious symbols was a church. In Judaism, every branch, the messiah has not yet come to earth. When the messiah does come, according to custom, peace will abound, war will cease, and the temple in Jerusalem (the Kotel) will be built. Messianics usually target immigrants (whom have limited knowledge of their faith.) college students, and the elderly (to build companionship.) By any means, it's not part of the Judaism.

Answer 7

messianic judaism is actually a sect of christianity, not judaism. its made up of christians, including some former jews, who practice christianity but follow the biblical commandments.

Answer 8

Judaism is messianic, it's not a special sect or anything. It means Jews who believe that one day a messia is going to come. It's just like Christians, except christians think that Jesus was the messia and he is going to return and Jews think that no messia has come yet and they don't know who it's going to be.

Answer 9

they are Jews who know that Jesus Chirst DID come to fulfill the prophecy and accept Him as their Saviour.

Answer 10

Christianity with some jewish symbols. Primarily used to missionize.