In the Bible, “Jewry” refers to the collective group of Jewish people or the Jewish community, particularly in relation to their cultural, religious, and ethnic identity as descendants of the ancient Israelites. It often signifies a sense of belonging to the covenant established between God and the people of Israel.
Scripture
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Meaning of Jewry in the Bible
In the Bible, the concept of Jewry encompasses not only the ethnic and cultural identity of the Jewish people but also their profound relationship with God as His chosen people. This covenant is established in texts such as Exodus 19:5-6, where God promises that if Israel obeys His voice and keeps His covenant, they will be a treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. This indicates a dual identity of Jewry: as descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and as those called to live out God’s commandments in their daily lives, thus participating in a communal life that reflects divine principles.
Moreover, the significance of Jewry expands further through the prophetic writings, such as in Isaiah 49:6, where God emphasizes that Israel would be a light to the nations, ensuring that their role transcends personal identity to encompass a mission of sharing God’s glory with the rest of the world. This calling underlines the importance of Jewish identity not solely as ethnic descent but as a relational and missional existence. The idea of Jewry thus encapsulates a sense of purpose and responsibility, encouraging the Jews to uphold their covenantal obligations while being a testament to God’s faithfulness and mercy across generations, as highlighted in passages like Deuteronomy 7:6, which asserts their unique status as a people set apart for God’s plans.
The concept of Jewry in the Bible also encapsulates the idea of collective memory and cultural heritage that shapes the identity of the Jewish people. Throughout the scriptures, there are numerous instances where the Jewish people’s history is recounted, reminding them of their origins, trials, and triumphs. In texts like Genesis, the narratives detail the covenantal promises made to the patriarchs, tracing a lineage that is not only physical but also spiritual. This foundation fosters a sense of belonging and responsibility among the Jewish people, as they recognize that their identity is woven into the larger tapestry of God’s salvific plan, wherein their faithfulness serves as a testament to God’s enduring covenant.
In addition to this historical aspect, the role of Jewry involves ethical and moral obligations that are articulated in the law. The Torah provides a framework for living that delineates right from wrong, grounding the Jewish identity in a commitment to justice, compassion, and community. Passages throughout Leviticus and Deuteronomy outline various commandments that reflect the values God wanted His people to embody, encouraging them to be a model of righteousness. This call to ethical living reinforces the understanding of Jewry as not merely a matter of heritage but as an active engagement in embodying divine principles in everyday life. Therefore, Jewry is not static; it is dynamic, inviting each member of the Jewish community to contribute to an ongoing narrative of faithfulness and responsive action within the world.
The Chosen People and Covenant Relationship
In the biblical context, Jewry represents the concept of a chosen people, set apart by God for a unique covenant relationship. This idea emphasizes the special status of the Jewish people as bearers of divine promises and responsibilities. Their identity is deeply intertwined with the notion of being selected to fulfill God’s purposes on earth, which includes the preservation of His laws and the eventual coming of the Messiah.
Cultural and Religious Identity
Jewry also signifies a rich cultural and religious identity that encompasses traditions, laws, and practices that have been passed down through generations. This identity is not merely ethnic but is also defined by adherence to the Torah and the observance of Jewish customs and festivals. The sense of belonging to a community with shared beliefs and values is a central aspect of what it means to be part of Jewry in the biblical narrative.
The Role of Jewry in Salvation History
In the broader scope of salvation history, Jewry plays a pivotal role as the lineage through which the Messiah would come. The biblical narrative often highlights the Jewish people’s journey, struggles, and faithfulness as integral to God’s redemptive plan for humanity. This perspective underscores the significance of Jewry not only in the context of the Old Testament but also in the New Testament, where the fulfillment of God’s promises through Jesus Christ is seen as a continuation of the Jewish story.
How to Embrace Your Faith and Heritage Fully
Embracing your faith and heritage fully is a beautiful journey that invites you to explore the depths of your spiritual roots while living out the teachings of Christ in your daily life. Start by immersing yourself in Scripture, allowing the stories and lessons to resonate with your own experiences and cultural background. Reflect on how your heritage shapes your understanding of God’s love and grace, and consider how you can honor those traditions while integrating them into your faith practice. Engage with your community—whether through church activities, cultural celebrations, or service projects—where you can share your unique perspective and learn from others. Remember, embracing your faith is not just a personal endeavor; it’s about building relationships and fostering a sense of belonging within the body of Christ. As you navigate this path, pray for guidance and openness, trusting that God will lead you to a richer, more fulfilling expression of your faith that honors both your spiritual and cultural identity.
Bible References to the Meaning of Jewry:
Exodus 19:5-6: 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
Deuteronomy 7:6-8: 6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Isaiah 2:2-4: 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,
3 And many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”
4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
Isaiah 49:6: 6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Jeremiah 31:31-34: 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.
33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord.
Ezekiel 37:21-28: 21 then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land.
22 And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms.
23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions.
24 “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.”
25 They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever.
26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore.
27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.
Zechariah 8:20-23: 20 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities.
21 The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.’
22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord.
23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
Matthew 5:17-20: 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
John 4:22: 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
Romans 2:28-29: 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.
29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
Romans 9:4-5: 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Romans 11:1-2: 1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Romans 11:25-29: 25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Galatians 3:28-29: 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
Ephesians 2:11-22: 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—
12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Philippians 3:3: 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
Hebrews 8:8-12: 8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.
Revelation 7:4-8: 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,
12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,
12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000 were sealed,
7 The tribe of Simeon 12,000
8 the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, the tribe of Joseph 12,000, the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.