Why do some Messianic Jews celebrate Hanukkah, but not Christmas?

Question

They claim that the Bible does not say to celebrate Christmas. But it doesn't say to celebrate Hanukkah either.

I'm not criticizing this practice. I just really was wondering the reason

Answer 1

because Hannukah is a celebration of an event, a miracle, and a turning point for the Jews- it is the festival of lightes and Jesus is the light of the world. Regardless of whether or not Hannukah is in hte Bible (though some believe there are references to lead us to believe that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah) the roots of the celebration are solid and pure- in every way it was meant to honor God, and show gratitude to the one true God for the miracles performed- Christmas on the other hand is completely unbiblical- it is pagan in origin and most of the traditions and practices still very much mirror the pagan traditions they came from. Messianic Jews are serious about the word of God and (as should be Christians) do not wish to offer up strange fire or make a holy day out of something that started as an abomination to God. It is not just about the Bible saying to celebrate it or not- it is a question of what we are really celebrating and if just because you slap Jesus' name on something, does it make it holy and acceptable unto the Lord- and as far as Christmas goes- I don't think so.
The feasts that God ordained, the ones followed by the Jews are as a whole a perfect picture of the Messiah- it is hard to explain but all of the feasts together tell the story of who Jesus is and bring understanding regarding his purpose- why when you have the perfect picture given by God, would you trade it in for a cheap and impure substitution- the traditions of man?

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why do some Messianic Jews celebrate Hanukkah, but not Christmas?
They claim that the Bible does not say to celebrate Christmas. But it doesn't say to celebrate Hanukkah either.

Answer 3

Jews do not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ.Jews celebrate Hanukkah not Christmas

Answer 4

It should be noted that Hanukkah has significant importance only in America, where they are fighting against the Christian influences involving Christmas. In European countries, where Christmas is not as big a deal, Hanukkah is not either.

Answer 5

Actually the Bible says in old and new testament to keep the feasts, so all CHristians should do it and loose this pagan Xmas. I have my menorah up and have total peace with Jesus, while everyone else is worshipping Santa.

Hanukkah is mentioned in the Bible, in the book of John. I'll get back to u on the verse. "festival of light"

Blessings
David

Answer 6

I guess they are more Jewish than Christian. I have a Messianic friend who celebrates both.

Answer 7

Chanukah is not a commanded celebration in written Torah, however it is a Biblical celebration.

Christmas, on the other hand is an anti-Biblical celebration. Jeremiah 10:3ff, for example, clearly speaks against those who cut down trees in the forest and bring them in to the house to be decorated. The pagans saw trees as being male phallic symbols. This is why they would "erect" them in their houses. This is why they would hang "balls" upon them.

Chanukah is the feast of dedication ("Chanuk" being the root word here). You find in John 10:22ff that Yeshua went to the Temple for this celebration. Christians generally reject modeling their lives after Yeshua and prefer to do as the pagans did.

The prophet Daniel prophesied about Chanukah in Daniel 12:11 when he wrote about the Abomination of Desolation being set up. Yeshua also refered to this Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14). The original Abomination of Desolation occured when Antiochus set up a graven image in the Temple and burned a pig on the altar in the Temple on the 25th of this month. The Maccabees fought back and captured the Temple back on the anniversary of that event.

Christians understand their bodies are the Temple as it is written:
1 Corinthians 3:16 ¶ Do you not know that you are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the Temple of God, God shall destroy him. For the Temple of God is holy, which you are.

So, the Catholic Christians looked to how Antiochus defiled the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar on the 25th of this month and so they instituted the practice of eating pig on the 25th of this month, calling it "Christmas ham", and likewise setup a tree. They recommemorate that the Temple was defiled in this way by defiling themselves this way year after year.

Of course, the Abomination of Desolation is also a future event when someone like Antiochus will again defile the Temple, declaring himself to be God. Some suspect that this will be a false "2nd Coming" of another "Jesus". That explanation makes some sense since Christians already practicing the Abomination of Desolation will have little problem accepting the words of a false Jesus declaring himself to be God, decieving even the elect.

There are many false gods that were said to have been born at this time of the year - Tammuz, Sol Invictus, Mithra, etc, etc. Since the Roman pagans were already celebrating the birth of their gods at this time, it seemed reasonable to them to assign the birth of Jesus to this same date. This is yet another reason that the majority of Messianics reject this date as even being a possibility.

However, there are some Messianics who believe that the "Light of the world" did come at the "Festival of Lights" (Chanukah), believing that this was when the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) came over Mary and placed the Messiah within her. This means that Messiah would have actually been born on the 1st day of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) and would have been circumcised on Sh'mini Atzeret (the 8th day). The parallel of Yeshua coming to "Tabernacle" with us at that time fits nicely.

Most Messianics try to distance themselves as much as possible from the paganism of the traditional Christian church. There are better parallels to be made with Chanukah: The Light of Chanukah is the Light of Messiah. The oil of Chanukah is the oil of the Ruach HaKodesh or the oil of Wisdom. Just as oil floats on water, so too wisdom rises to the surface. But just as the Greeks defiled the oil in the Temple, leaving only one sealed container, so too the Greek Sophia (wisdom) has contaminated the philoSOPHY of Christianity. True uncontaminated Wisdom comes to us through the Scriptures. It may not seem like much, but it will last until the 8th day. Store it up now and keep it uncontaminated for the 7 years of Tribulation are coming and you need that oil to last until the 8th year. Yes, I know the Christians think the Bridegroom is coming before the 7 years. The 10 virigins went out the meet the Bridegroom at the time when they thought he was coming, but that wasn't the time! It was only those who had the *oil* who made it through the darkness! Store up the oil of the Word (Scripture) now, because just as the 5 foolish virgins were not able to go buy oil, it will be the same in the Tribulation:

Amos 8:11 ¶ Behold, the days come, says the Lord YHVH, that I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the Word of the YHVH. 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the YHVH, and shall not find it. 13 In that day the beautiful virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst.

Answer 8

atleast messianic judaism is a start for the Jews to finally reclaim their messiah>

Answer 9

Confusion.

Answer 10

which group believe that Jews should fight for freedom from the romans?