A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XY Z

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Intro ← Index → ©

JEW

Judean, belonging to Judah. The short form of the English word was developed from the French. The underlying Hebrew word is used first in 2 Kings 16:6 (RV · LV · Read together) as a national term, meaning citizens of Judah. It came into general use in the period of Jeremiah just before the exile (late sixth century BC; see Jer 32:12 (RV · LV · Read together)). It reflects a growing sense of national identity among foreign nations in an international world. In Jeremiah 34:9 (RV · LV · Read together), a statement concerning the national principle that an individual citizen had the right to freedom from slavery uses the term “Jew.” In Jeremiah 52:28 (RV · LV · Read together) it is poignantly used in giving the number of deported citizens.

Once the people were in exile, the term’s national meaning was expanded with a religious one. The Jews were different from surrounding peoples in that they preserved a living religious tradition of one true God. A Jewish-Gentile polarization developed. Thus in Daniel 3:8-12 (RV · LV · Read together) certain Jews are accused of deviating from otherwise acceptable Babylonian religious practices. The book of Esther is concerned with the problem of Jewish identity and survival in a hostile alien environment. Esther 8:17 (RV · LV · Read together) speaks of Gentiles declaring themselves Jews in the religious sense of becoming proselytes.

After the exile, the strongly religious meaning of “Jew” is expressed in the prophecy of Zechariah 8:23 (RV · LV · Read together) that the Jew would be courted by Gentiles because God was with him. In Ezra 4:12 (RV · LV · Read together) the term “Jews” is the national designation of the returned exiles, as it is in the book of Nehemiah (e.g., Neh 1:2 (RV · LV · Read together); 4:2 (RV · LV NEH 3:34 · Read together)). In Nehemiah 13:24 (RV · LV · Read together) there is a consciousness of the social exclusiveness of the Jews: on religious grounds, marriage to foreigners is deplored.

In the NT “Jew” continues to have the same national and/or religious meaning. Culturally, Jews have religious and other customs that NT documents addressed to Gentiles find it necessary to explain (Mk 7:3 (RV · LV · Read together); Jn 5:1 (RV · LV · Read together); 19:40 (RV · LV · Read together)). Jews are contrasted with Gentiles (Acts 11:19 (RV · LV · Read together)), Samaritans (Jn 4:9, 22 (RV JHN 4:9 · RV JHN 4:22 · LV JHN 4:9 · LV JHN 4:22 · Read together JHN 4:9 · Read together JHN 4:22)), and proselytes (Acts 2:10 (RV · LV · Read together)). Jewish Christians can be called “Jews” (Gal 2:13 (RV · LV · Read together)), but there is an increasing stress on the religious distinctions between Jew and Christian. In Romans 2:17-29 (RV · LV · Read together) Paul gives an interesting theological analysis of the term “Jew.” He is at pains to emphasize that the true meaning of the word lies not in outward religious profession but in an inward attitude to God. Paul was doubtless thinking of the inadequacy of his own life as a Jew before he was converted to the Christian faith (cf. Phil 3:3-6 (RV · LV · Read together)). His mention of “praise” in Romans 2:29 (RV · LV · Read together) is the climax of the passage. It is a forceful play on words: in Hebrew, Judah means praise (Gn 29:35 (RV · LV · Read together); cf. 49:8 (RV · LV · Read together)).

The apostle Paul is here moving in the direction of regarding Christianity as the true heir of the faith of the OT. Revelation 2:9 (RV · LV · Read together) and 3:9 (RV · LV · Read together) express similar sentiments: to be truly a Jew is much more than a matter of birth and synagogue observance. Underlying these passages in both Revelation and Romans is obviously the issue of the messianic claims of Jesus (cf. Rom 9:3-5 (RV · LV · Read together); 10:1-4 (RV · LV · Read together)). The NT bears sad testimony to the opposition of Jews to the Christian message. The gospel proved a cause of offense to the Jews (1 Cor 1:23 (RV · LV · Read together)). Paul himself, despite his claim of impeccable Jewish credentials (Acts 26:4-7 (RV · LV · Read together)), found himself the object of bitter Jewish attacks (21:11 (RV · LV · Read together); 23:12, 27 (RV ACT 23:12 · RV ACT 23:27 · LV ACT 23:12 · LV ACT 23:27 · Read together ACT 23:12 · Read together ACT 23:27)). Revelation 2:9 (RV · LV · Read together) and 3:9 (RV · LV · Read together) describe the Jews’ opposition as satanic: they were carrying out the work of God’s adversary, Satan.

These negative overtones are especially attached to the use of the word “Jew” in John’s Gospel. It is found some 70 times, versus about five or six instances in each of the synoptic Gospels. Some passages, such as those already cited, have no associations of hostility. But in most cases the fourth Gospel uses “Jews” in the sense of the religious authorities, especially those in Jerusalem, who were hostile to Jesus (see, e.g., Jn 5:18 (RV · LV · Read together); 9:18 (RV · LV · Read together); 11:8 (RV · LV · Read together); 18:36 (RV · LV · Read together)). It is noteworthy that in 9:22 (RV · LV · Read together) the parents of the blind man, clearly Jews themselves, are said, literally, to fear the investigating Jews. In 18:14 (RV · LV · Read together) “Jews” stands for the chief priests and Pharisees of 18:3 (RV · LV · Read together). It must be emphasized that the author, who was obviously a Jew himself, was not expressing an anti-Semitic viewpoint as such. He condemned not race or people but those who opposed Jesus. He gladly acknowledged that some Jews put their faith in Jesus (8:31 (RV · LV · Read together); 11:45 (RV · LV · Read together): 12:11 (RV · LV · Read together)). Nathanael is featured as a type of the Christian Jew, a true Israelite “in whom is no guile” (1:47 (RV · LV · Read together); cf. v 31 (RV · LV · Read together); see Gn 27:35 (RV · LV · Read together); 32:28 (RV · LV GEN 32:29 · Read together)).

See also Diaspora of the Jews; Israel, History of; Judaism; Judaizers; Pharisees; Postexilic Period.