If Jews supposedly don't believe Jesus to be the messiah...?

Question

then why don't they still sacrifice animals? I've failed to find anything in the old testament that says they should stop sacrificing. However Christians should've stopped sacrificing because God provided them with their unblemished lamb. I know many Jews still EAT lamb on Passover but they don't actually sacrifice one. Is this because of religion or because of society?

P.S. I'm not affiliated with the following website which does sum up my point and also brings up a good question for some other time. Why don't Christians celebrate Passover?
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/passover.html

So far some interesting answers, thanks

Without the arc, Jews still sacrificed. Why can't they sacrifice without the temple? Just wondering.

Paperback: You truly are Jewish (absolutely NO offence meant by that). I'm stating that you haven't read the new testament. Jesus's death actually is very interesting. He was actually similar to the unblemished lamb. No bones were broken, he came to the temple 5 days before Passover, etc. Remember that he also died on the eve of Passover (on the high sabbath). He and the apostles referred to the leavening in bread as sin. This is why many believe that unleavened bread is so important for Passover. It's a time to leave behind "Egyptian culture". We leave our old life and enter God's kingdom. Some christians believe that Passover should be commemorated with Jesus since he had the "last supper" ceremony implemented shortly before Passover. He was considered the sacrificial lamb that ended all sacrifices. I needed to find a Christian website that would connect these two together. Please forgive me, I wasn't trying to use a poor reference or be deceitful.

Paperback. I like you. I'll be looking for your answers more often. And being Jewish... I tend to state the obvious. Opposed to nothing. Christians adding Jesus to Passover seems to me like it shouldn't be real offensive because if they believe that Jesus is the messiah, then adding him to Passover makes sense. I know what it's like to have people add things to time old traditions. Tell me that the festival celebration of Halloween isn't a rip off of the Feast of Tabernacles. Both are giving thanks for the harvest, only one involves God. Which one don't Christians observe? How about Easter? I'm sure it wasn't intentional that a festival sprang up around the time of Passover where people eat HAM! Pagans should truly be angry. Christians added Jesus to their winter's solstice festival with absolutely no Biblical reasoning.

Paperback (again :) I truly understand passover as you see it. There is a difference however between christians adding to Passover and Muslims doing it. The Quran practically rewrote Judaism and Christianity. Even the "Adam and Eve" event is portayed definitely. I'd be ticked if they adopted a Jewish holiday but I doubt that'll happen. The Quran reminds me of the Mesopotamian religious system. It has some resemblences to Jewish texts but tells a different story. Jesus constantly recited Jewish texts. Mohammed didn't rely on the Old Testament or the New Testament. I get your point, but I see a difference there.

Mark S: Try using a recipe with olive oil, crushed pine kernels and oregano. Along with grilling the meat, these ingredients tend to get rid of the game taste. I just moved so I can't find my actual recipe. Everyone who has had my lamb thought it was awesome. These are people who normally hate lamb and venison.

Thanks Francine but we are talking about Jews. Galatians isn't in the Torah.

Answer 1

Blood sacrifice was never necessary for atonement, in Judaism. Yes, animals were sometimes sacrificed, but they were usually eaten afterwards!

There are other ways to atone in Judaism and so we have no need for animal sacrifice whatsoever. For accurate info that comes from a Jewish source, I would recommend you check out this: http://www.whatjewsbelieve.org/

Hope you find it helpful :)

EDIT TO SOROR

- I should point out that you are not experiencing an authentic Jewish seder night, if as you say you are 'adding a Christian explanation'.

That's like saying you're eating an authentic vegetarian dinner - and adding some meat!

The Christian interpretation of Passover invariably get it totally wrong, from what I've heard and read. There is only one interpretation of a Jewish festival and that is the Jewish interpretation.

I would not presume to re-interpret something from another faith and it amazes me that many Christians apparently feel entirely happy about doing this with Judaism.

RICK

- you don't know any 'jewish christians' because there are no such thing. A person cannot be BOTH Jewish and Christian. These two faiths are mutually exclusive. If your friends accept Jesus as messiah, then they are CHRISTIAN. Simple as that.

EDIT TO ASKER ******************************************

- just checked out your link. please be aware that the reasons given on that site for passover are WRONG. Passover had and has nothing to do with any 'sins'. If you really want to know what Passover represents you need to go to the website I have suggested.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but I fail to understand the logic in seeking information on a Jewish festival, from a Christian source. Where is the common sense in that?


TO THE ASKER

- I know you intended no deceit. I should just note, though:

- I am familiar with the NT. I just happen to disagree, naturally.

- it is not valid nor logical to place a Christian interpretation on a Jewish festival. How would you feel if Muslims reinterpreted and altered Christian theology?

- Passover is not about 'sin'. It is about a crucial event in the history of the Jews i.e. the Exodus, when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt.

It is simply not logical to place a Christian slant on a Jewish festival - I'm sure you can appreciate that? You seem like a reasonable person :)

As for me being 'truly Jewish' - er, yes, as opposed to....???


RE UNLEAVENED BREAD

- sorry :) but you are entirely mistaken. Matzoh, unleavened bread, is eaten throughout Passover PURELY because the Israelites ate that as they had no time to make 'proper' bread in their urgent hurry to flee Egypt. It has NOTHING to do with sin!!!

You cannot, with all due respect, use a Christian website to 'link' Christian theology to a Jewish festival. Jesus died a practising Jew. He never said that matzoh = sin. These remarks were attributed to him decades after his death by the men who wrote the NT - men who never met Jesus.

COMMENT TO ASKER *************************************

I often answer and post in this forum so you'll have no trouble finding any of my comments! :)

If a Muslim told you they were going to celebrate an important Christian festival or occasion BUT reinterpret it according to Islamic belief, what would you say about that? 'Cause it's the same logic :)

Jesus plays no part whatsoever in Judaism. Christians and any other non Jews are ALWAYS welcome at authentic Jewish seder/passover nights, and I wish more would go! Then they would understand the real symbolism and significance of this very important event, the Exodus.

*****************CHEERS MARK :)

Answer 2

I will just add that, as usual, paperback_writer has given a truly authentic Jewish standpoint, and so far the only valid answer for this question.

And to reiterate: you cannot be Jewish and Christian at the same time. Period. Passover is a comemmoration of the Exodus from Egypt and matzoh is unleavened only because the Israelites had no time to bake it. Period. Sacrifices were one--not the only--way to achieve forgiveness for sin, and when the Temple was destroyed sacrifices were no longer possible and were supplemented by prayer, forgiveness and charity.

Also, while I'm at it, I like lamb at Passover but I like turkey better--lamb is just too gamey. Owing to the ensuing difficulty of getting the shankbone of a lamb for the Seder, I have re-used the same bone now for about 20 years. It comes out of the freezer for two nights a year, then back in.

Answer 3

The truth is that some Jews I have talked to don't want a temple and a religious hierarchy. One told me that the last thing he wanted was a Roman Catholic like institution complete with priests who dictate the religious views of all Jews.

I understand that. The practices of the Law were many, and it is proven impossible to keep all of the practices, said to be 613 laws.

So the sacrificing of animals is trouble for them. They can make the excuse that they do not have a temple, but that does not excuse them from having a Tabernacle. They could still have a Tabernacle sitting anywhere that there is room.


EDIT: TO PAPERBACK
If there are none who can be both Jewish and Christian, then there are no Jews in the world. They are not practicing the Law of Moses without sacrifices. Since there are no more sacrifices made according to the Law of Moses, then I guess that there are not any Jews either.

If you allow those who are proudly calling themselves Jews call themselves Jews, then you are at least being something other than an idiot.

Answer 4

If one believed that a blood sacrifice was necessary before God would forgive you, then even one example where God forgave without a blood sacrifice would prove that this idea is UnBiblical. There are many such examples, but the most interesting is found in the Book of Leviticus. The reason this is so interesting is that it comes right in the middle of the discussion of sin sacrifices, which is found in the first chapters. In Leviticus 5:11-13, it states, "If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering." One can also see that one does not need a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins in the Book of Jonah 3:10. There, the Bible simply states that God saw the works of the people of Ninevah. Specifically it says that the works God saw were that they stopped doing evil, and so God forgave them. There are plenty of other examples, and the idea that one needs a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins is UnBiblical.
The Bible is clear, and it is consistent. One person cannot die for the sins of another. This means that the guilt from the sins committed by one person cannot be wiped out by the punishment given to another person. First, in Exodus 32:30-35, Moses asks God to punish him for the sin of the Golden Calf, committed by the people. God tells Moses that the person who committed the sin is the person who must receive the punishment. Then, in Deuteronomy 24:16, God simply states this as a basic principle, "Every man shall be put to death for his own sins." This concept is repeated in the Prophets, in Ezekiel 18 "The soul that sinneth, it shall die... the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."
According to Jewish law, if someone commits a sin, he can be forgiven for that sin if he performs 'Teshuva', which includes:

Ceasing to commit the forbidden act
Regretting what he or she has done
Confessing before God
Firmly resolving never to repeat those actions
Aside from this standard process of Teshuva, someone who has committed a crime against another human being is required to ask the person for forgiveness, and make it up to them. If one stole from his fellow, he must return the stolen item; if one has pained his fellow in any way, he must placate his fellow to achieve forgiveness.

The High Holidays are times that are especially conducive to Teshuva. Yom Kippur (the day of atonement) is a day of fasting at the culmination of which Judgement for that year is sealed. Therefore, Jews strive their hardest to make certain that they have performed Teshuva before the end of the day.

When the Temple in Jerusalem was active, a Jew was required to bring various sacrifices for certain types of sins. Although sacrifices were required, the most essential part of atonement was performing Teshuva. Presently, with the Temple destroyed, atonement may nevertheless be granted even for such sins.

Answer 5

I don't know why Jews no longer sacrifice. But I can speak to the Passover question. There are lots of Christians who do celebrate Passover. My family celebrates using an authentic Jewish Seder (the meal, as well as the order of the meal and sacraments). They add their own Christian explanations of things, and do not celebrate on the traditional Jewish Passover, but on the Thursday before Easter, which supposedly would have been the day jesus celebrated his last passover before crucifixion.

Answer 6

Scripture says that when Christ returns everyone will acknowledge Him as the Messiah. I know many Jewish people one of whom is also a Christian. He celebrates Passover as well as Christian holidays. I think that each person should celebrate as they see fit.

Answer 7

Blood Sacrifice was only valid in the Temple.

As the Temple currently does not stand, blood sacrifice is invalid.

Further, since Jesus was crucified outside the Temple, any sacrifice he MIGHT have been was rendered invalid as well (not to mention that human sacrifice is forbidden in Jewish tradition).

Answer 8

Hebrews10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
also read Galatians 3:11-14 and Galatians 3:21-25

Answer 9

"Christians" ignore the first 2/3 of Scripture, as "Jews" ignore the last 1/3. Both are an insult to the Creator. Some of us do observe (celebrate) passover. Passover is a tricky word. It has about 6 definitions. I like to say "feast of unleavened bread".- which is one of the meanings of "passover".

Answer 10

Again Valid at Temple only, waiting for reconstruct.

Feel the love this morning?
Shalomzies