Topical Bible: Unbelief: The Jews

◄ Unbelief: The Jews ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Unbelief among the Jewish people is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, reflecting a complex relationship between God and His chosen people. This unbelief is often depicted as a failure to trust in God's promises and a refusal to accept His messengers, culminating in the rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah.

Old Testament Context

The roots of Jewish unbelief can be traced back to the Old Testament, where the Israelites frequently struggled with faithlessness despite witnessing God's mighty works. In the wilderness, after their deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites repeatedly doubted God's provision and protection. In Numbers 14:11 , the Lord says to Moses, "How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them?"

The prophets also addressed the issue of unbelief. Isaiah lamented the spiritual blindness and deafness of the people, saying, "Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving’" (Isaiah 6:9). This passage highlights the persistent unbelief that plagued Israel, leading to their eventual exile.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, Jewish unbelief is most prominently seen in the rejection of Jesus Christ. Despite fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and performing numerous miracles, Jesus was not accepted by many of His own people. John 1:11 states, "He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him."

The Apostle Paul, himself a Jew, expressed deep sorrow over the unbelief of his fellow Israelites. In Romans 9:31-32 , he writes, "But Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works." Paul identifies a reliance on the law and works, rather than faith, as a key factor in their unbelief.

Theological Implications

The unbelief of the Jews serves as a profound theological lesson in the Bible. It underscores the importance of faith and the dangers of relying on human wisdom and tradition over divine revelation. Hebrews 3:19 reflects on the Israelites' failure to enter the Promised Land due to unbelief: "So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter."

Furthermore, Jewish unbelief is portrayed as part of God's redemptive plan. In Romans 11:25 , Paul speaks of a "partial hardening" that has come upon Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. This suggests that Jewish unbelief has a role in the broader narrative of salvation history, allowing the gospel to spread to the Gentiles.

Contemporary Reflections

The issue of Jewish unbelief continues to be a topic of discussion and reflection within Christian theology. It raises questions about the nature of faith, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the ongoing relationship between God and the Jewish people. Christians are encouraged to approach this topic with humility and a desire for reconciliation, recognizing the shared heritage and future hope in God's redemptive plan.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 5:38
And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Unbelief of Jews and Scoffing of Greeks. The Former Confounded by ...
... Section 33. Unbelief of Jews and scoffing of Greeks. The former confounded by their
own Scriptures. Prophecies of His coming as God and as Man. ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 33 unbelief of jews.htm

Whether the Unbelief of Pagans or Heathens is Graver than Other ...
... err on more points than Jews, and these in more points than heretics, the unbelief
of heathens is more grievous than the unbelief of the Jews, and that of the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the unbelief of pagans.htm

Of the 69Th Psalm, in which the Obstinate Unbelief of the Jews is ...
... Book XVII. Chapter 19."Of the 69th Psalm, in Which the Obstinate Unbelief
of the Jews is Declared. But when the Jews will not ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 19 of the 69th psalm.htm

The Cause of Unbelief.
... a lie and be damned." The men who are the champions of unbelief, such men as ... will
find this passage from Isaiah quoted and applied by the Savior to the Jews. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the cause of unbelief.htm

Whether the Children of Jews and Other Unbelievers Ought to be ...
... OF UNBELIEF IN GENERAL (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether the children of Jews and other
unbelievers ought to be baptized against their parents' will? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the children of jews.htm

Miracles no Remedy for Unbelief.
... lest there be in any of you" (as there was among the Jews) "an evil heart of unbelief
in departing from the Living God." Moses had been commissioned to say the ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon vi miracles no remedy.htm

The Blasphemy of These Heretics is Worse than the Jewish Unbelief.
... come, resemble nevertheless those who insulted our Lord's bodily presence by their
wanton unbelief. ... In the eyes of the Jews it was a crime that our Lord should ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 21 the blasphemy of.htm

Salvation to the Jews
... Christian church was founded, it was composed of these faithful Jews who recognized ...
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 35 salvation to the.htm

Whether There are Several Species of Unbelief?
... pagans or heathens; or the Christian faith is resisted after it has been accepted,
and this either in the figure, and such is the unbelief of the Jews, or in ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether there are several species.htm

Against those who Fancy that in the Judgment of God all the ...
... whom, if not all those of whom he was speaking, just as if he had said, "Both you
and them?" God then concluded all those in unbelief, both Jews and Gentiles ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 24 against those who fancy.htm