Do Jews still consider themselves to be the "The Chosen People of God"?

Question

What does this mean to them nowadays?
Do they think themselves superior to others?

please don't give thumbs down.

Answer 1

There is a huge misconception about what "chosenness" means to us.

Being "chosen" means that we have 613 commandments to fulfill rather than the 7 Noahide Laws all other nations must fulfill. Anyone can become a Jew by accepting many obligations to God, but there is no punishment for simply being a non-Jew.

When the Torah refers to the Jewish people as "chosen," it is not in any way asserting that Jews are racially superior. Americans, Russians, Europeans, Asians and Ethiopians are all part of the Jewish people. It is impossible to define choseness as anything related to race, since Jews are racially diverse.

Yet while the term "Chosen People" (Am Nivchar) does not mean racially superior, choseness does imply a special uniqueness.

What is this uniqueness? Historically, it goes back to Abraham. Abraham lived in a world steeped in idolatry, which he concluded was contradicted by the reality of design in nature. So Abraham came to a belief in G-d, and took upon himself the mission of teaching others of the monotheistic ideal. Abraham was even willing to suffer persecution for his beliefs. After years of enormous effort, dedication and a willingness to accept the responsibility to be G-d's representative in this world, G-d chose Abraham and his descendents to be the teachers of this monotheistic message.

In other words it is not so much that G-d chose the Jews; it is more accurate that the Jews (through Abraham) chose G-d.
Chosenness was not part of G-d's "original plan." Initially all of humanity was to serve the role of G-d's messengers, but after the fall of Adam, humanity lost that privilege, and it was open for grabs. Only Abraham chose to take the mantle. If others would have (and they were offered the choice), they too would have joined in this special covenant which was sealed upon the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

The essence of being chosen means responsibility. It is a responsibility to change the world -- not by converting everyone to Judaism, but by living as a model community upheld by ethics, morals and beliefs of one God. In that way, we can influence the rest of mankind, a "light unto the nations" (Isaiah 42:6).

Answer 2

Please look at it this way: God had a plan to deal with sin and idolatry once and for all. When we speak of "chosen people" it basically means that God chose a people to be set apart to bless them, make His name great. He would be their God and they would be His people and keep His commandments, oral and written. God promised, through Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, that he would be the father of many other nations. They are not superior, just chosen by a sovereign God.

Through the Israelites, the plan of salvation was to the Jew first, then the gentile. The last part of God's promise began to be fulfilled in Christ at His first coming; but will not be completely fulfilled until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth as Lord of Lord and King of Kings to sit on the Throne of His father David and reign in righteousness. <><

Answer 3

Yes, but did you know some of the greatest revivals were among the Gentiles

1) Nineveh (book of Jonah)
2) Jerusalem (Acts ch2)
3) the Reformation (Rev 10:3)

and there should be another one, before the fall of Babylon in Rev 17-18

Answer 4

Yes; we consider ourselves to be "chosen," but no, it doesn't mean that we consider ourselves to be superior. We believe that God chose us for a task - to receive the Torah, and to be an example to others. You have to remember, this was back when the notion of monotheism didn't exist, so it was a pretty radical idea. Our tradition holds that God asked MANY other peoples to accept the covenant and receive his words, but it was the Hebrew people (actually our Patriarch, Abram, aka "Abraham"), who said, "Yes." We were given a job, and we're still trying to do it; that's what God chose us for. Since an awful lot of the people in the world know about God now, several thousand years later, it seems to me we did SOMETHING right :-)

Answer 5

Yes, Jews are god's chosen people. Personally, I don't think of it in context to other religions. How could my religious values impact yours if you don't believe in mine? I don't think Jews are superior anymore than I think a christian would think themselves superior because of Jesus. It just means that god is still with us in a very profound way and recognizes us as his children.

Answer 6

Yes, but... ALL religions consider themselves chosen people who hold special favor in god's eyes. If this were not true, they would switch to the one they thought was THE chosen religion/people.

Answer 7

I would think they still belive they are Gods chosen people, yet again what major monotheist religion doesn't?
I think it gives them a since of pride.
No, I highly doubt that, all the Hebrews I know are wonderful people.

Answer 8

i'm Jewish and that i don't evaluate myself "chosen" or in spite of you pronounced. end being so judgmental. faith isn't even that significant in my opinion. all of it makes a speciality of the previous and the destiny, once you're able to truly be focusing on the instant.

Answer 9

they should, I do, the old testament was God's covenant with the descendants of Abraham.
the fact that as we Christian believe that God created a new Covenant, does not nullify the old one.
the old covenant is still as valid to day, to those that adhere to it and it did in the days of Abraham.

and no I don't think that they feel superior to us, anymore than we as Christians should feel superior to others.

but on the other hand, we should all feel blessed.

Answer 10

They should. They are the people who carried the scriptures through those many years. And they by their own scriptures will know God again, that's in Zechariah 14.

I just feel sorry for those Muslims though! They don't even have a clue who God is.