Jews, Gentiles, and Torah: Exploring the Contours of the Messianic Torah Spectrum (original) (raw)

There exists a growing trend among followers of Yeshua (Jesus) to embrace elements of Torah observance and live out their faith in a Jewish and/or Hebraic context. This phenomenon can be categorized into two primary movements: (1) the Messianic Jewish movement, which is the movement of Jewish believers in Yeshua toward embracing and maintaining their Jewish identity, and (2) the Torah movement, which is the movement of (primarily non-Jewish) believers in Yeshua toward Torah observance. While much has been written on the former, very little research has been conducted on the latter. There is significant overlap and interrelation between these two movements. The approach of this thesis is to view them as representing a spectrum—herein labeled the Messianic Torah movement—rather than discrete entities. Moreover, this thesis contends that neither of these two movements can be properly understood in isolation from the other. The primary issue that divides the Messianic Torah movement concerns the roles of Jews and non-Jews and the theology of Torah. There is a wide diversity of opinions on these issues, but one can generalize a difference in approach between the Messianic Jewish movement and the Torah movement in this regard. The Messianic Jewish movement approaches Torah as a matter of Jewish identity and emphasizes a distinction between Jewish and non-Jewish believers. By contrast, the Torah movement approaches Torah as a matter of obedience to Scripture and emphasizes the unity between Jewish and non-Jewish believers. Both sides routinely misunderstand and misrepresent the other side, with the result that there is much confusion and animosity between them. For progress to be made, it is essential that both sides come to better understand one another even amid disagreement.