Topical Bible: The Jews: National Character of Cowardly

◄ The Jews: National Character of Cowardly ►

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The perception of the Jews as possessing a national character of cowardice is a stereotype that has been perpetuated throughout history, often rooted in misunderstanding and prejudice. This characterization is not supported by a comprehensive reading of the Bible, which presents a more nuanced view of the Jewish people, highlighting both their moments of fear and their acts of courage.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites, the ancestors of the Jewish people, are depicted in various lights. At times, they exhibit fear and reluctance, particularly when faced with daunting challenges. For instance, in the Book of Numbers, the Israelites express fear upon hearing the report of the spies about the land of Canaan: "We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them" (Numbers 13:33). This reaction is often cited as an example of their lack of faith and courage.

However, the Bible also records numerous instances of bravery and steadfastness among the Jewish people. The account of David and Goliath is a quintessential example of Jewish courage. David, a young shepherd, confronts the Philistine giant Goliath with unwavering faith in God, declaring, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:37). David's victory over Goliath is celebrated as a triumph of faith and courage.

Similarly, the Maccabean revolt, though not recorded in the canonical books of the Bible, is a historical example of Jewish bravery. The Maccabees, a group of Jewish warriors, successfully led a revolt against the Seleucid Empire to reclaim and rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem. This event is commemorated in the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

In the New Testament, the Jewish people are portrayed in various roles, with some individuals demonstrating remarkable courage. The Apostle Paul, a Jew himself, faced numerous hardships and persecutions for his faith in Christ, yet he remained resolute. In his letter to the Corinthians, he recounts his sufferings: "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked" (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). Paul's endurance and commitment to his mission exemplify the courage found within the Jewish community.

It is important to recognize that the Bible presents a complex and multifaceted view of the Jewish people, one that cannot be reduced to a single characteristic such as cowardice. The narratives within the Scriptures reveal a people who, like all nations, have experienced moments of fear and doubt, but who have also demonstrated profound courage and faith in the face of adversity.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 14:10
And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Numbers 14:3
And why has the LORD brought us to this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
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Isaiah 51:12
I, even I, am he that comforts you: who are you, that you should be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Paul in Corinth.
... decide concerning the interpretation of their national law, and ... The Jews who heard
the voice of Moses and ... sinners of the most worthless character, are "washed ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxi paul in corinth.htm

In Pilate's Judgment Hall
... What a light it sheds upon the character of Him ... opponents of the Roman rule, the
Jews were most ... most tyrannical in enforcing their own national and religious ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 77 in pilates judgment.htm

Pastor in Parish (I. ).
... every door, within his portion of the national vineyard. ... there were many Roman Catholics,
and not a few Jews. ... unless we quite forget our true character) as the ...
/.../moule/to my younger brethren/chapter vii pastor in parish.htm

The Church as She Should Be
... What is usually the most correct character which is obtainable of a ... is known by its
standard and the national colors ... It was believed by the later Jews that "the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the church as she should.htm

The Religious Revolution
... The appearance of organised Christian bodies, completely national in character,
accepting the civil ... he turned his attention once more to the Jews, upon whom ...
/.../chapter ii the religious revolution.htm

Acts 26:24-29. Portraits.
... of pictures in London called the National Portrait Gallery. ... at the bottom of his
character, which, however ... Jewish extraction, and brought up among Jews, if not ...
/.../chapter x acts 26 24-29 portraits.htm

The Destroyers and the Restorer
... no record of this question which the Jews asked, nor ... wince"from the face and from
the character of Jesus ... now is the destruction of your national worship and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/the destroyers and the restorer.htm

Doctrine of Non-Resistance to Evil by Force must Inevitably be ...
... by the Americans, and the Jews persecuted by ... taken from the people, of national fetes,
spectacles ... Some believers in the supernatural character of Christianity ...
/.../the kingdom of god is within you/chapter viii doctrine of non-resistance.htm

The Seventh Book
... whom they now live are of such a character that these ... only the Romans in their land,
by national and titular ... that the saying of the Lord to the Jews might be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the seventh book.htm

Tendencies of Religious Thought in England, 1688-1750.
... the late Act for the admission of the Jews to Parliament ... before Butler had insisted
on this character of the ... to substitute the voice of the national Church for ...
/.../tendencies of religious thought in.htm