Have you ever heard someone dismiss portions of scripture by declaring, “That was given to the Jews”? Is this a valid method of interpreting scripture? Does God’s will change over time? Does God have different sets of instructions for people based on their birth, their nationality, or their ethnicity?
Let’s objectively examine the “given to the Jews” argument.
What’s the Argument?
I taught a class on the Sabbath and the Feasts. The class was at a traditional Sunday church where nobody keeps the Sabbath or the Feasts. During the class we read about the Passover in Exodus 12. We arrived at the following verse:
This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to YHWH; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. (Exodus 12:14)
I then posed the following discussion points:
If God created the Passover and told us to keep it
And, if God said His Passover is an eternal statute
Then, why don’t you want to keep the Passover as God commanded?
Everyone agreed on all points: God did create Passover, God did declare Passover is eternal, and “eternal” does in fact mean it never goes away. Still, everyone unanimously stated they don’t want to observe Passover.
I asked why nobody wants to keep Passover if we all understand it’s an eternal commandment from God. Everyone was awkwardly silent. After a long pause, one student responded, “Passover was given to the Jews. I’m not a Jew.”
Testing the Argument for Validity
The “given to the Jews” argument fits the following form:
P1 God’s Law was given to the Jews
P2 I am not a Jew
C1 Therefore, God’s Law was not given to me and I don’t have to obey it.
Part of the Bokim Ministries study method is to test arguments and doctrines for logical validity. An argument is considered logically valid if it’s structured in such a way that if all the premises are true then the conclusion must also be true. For more information on logical validity, please see our study.
Is the “given to the Jews” argument logically valid? Yes. The form of the argument is valid, because if the premises are true then the conclusion will also be true. Let’s walk through the validity of the argument:
P1 If God’s Law truly was given only to the Jews
P2 And, if the person posing the argument truly is not a Jew
C1 Then, it could be concluded that God’s Law was not given to the person posing the argument. Therefore, it could be concluded that the person posing the argument doesn’t have to obey God’s Law.
So, the argument is valid. However, being a valid argument does not make it true.
Testing the Argument for Soundness
Being logically valid means an argument is reasonable and worthy of consideration. A logically valid argument could be true, but validity doesn’t prove truth. Starting with a logically valid argument, we must then go on to test the argument for truth.
An argument is logically sound (or true) if it meets all the following conditions:
1. The argument must be logically valid
2. All the premises of the argument must then be proven true.
So, let’s test the premises of the “given to the Jews” argument given above.
Did God Mandate that Jews, and Only Jews, Must Obey His Law?
The main premise of the argument is that God gave His Law to the Jews, so only Jews are obligated to obey God’s Law. Is this true?
Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in offering a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to YHWH. And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to YHWH, he shall do as you do. For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before YHWH. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you. (Numbers 15:13-16)
This is one of many portions of scripture that defines God as having only one Law for all people, regardless of birth or nationality. This idea is repeatedly stated throughout scripture such as when God gave us His Passover (Exodus 12:43-49), laws governing personal injury (Leviticus 24:17-23), and laws governing intentional and unintentional sin (Numbers 15:27-31). The consistent teaching throughout the Bible is that God has only one will, one Law, and one Word for all mankind.
Does God Hold Jews, and Only Jews, Accountable For Obeying His Law?
Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am YHWH your God. (Leviticus 18:24-30)
In Leviticus 18, God gave Moses a number of commandments where He identified detestable acts that He hates. At the end of the chapter, God tells Moses the nations He is driving out of the Promised Land do all these evil, sinful, acts. The reason God intended to take out the inhabitants of the Promised Land (see Joshua and Judges) is because they violated God’s commandments with no intent to ever stop. Chapters 19 and 20 of Leviticus continue to identify God’s commandments and punishments for violating His commandments. Chapter 20 ends with another pronouncement of God’s judgment against the nations that violate His commandments.
Many other portions of scripture show us that God punishes all nations for violating His commandments. Sodom was a non-Israelite city that God annihilated because of the people’s Lawlessness (see Genesis 19). Many of the prophets delivered messages of judgement against non-Israelite nations that violate His Law. In the end, God will judge all people according to what they have done (Revelation 20:11-15), and His Law will be the standard by which He judges.
While it is true that God formally communicated His Laws and Statutes to Israel, it’s clear in the scriptures that God requires all nations to obey His commandments.
The Argument is Proven False
The first premise of the “given to the Jews” argument is false. God did not give His Law to the Jews with an intent that the Jews alone would have to obey Him. God requires all people to obey Him. The reason God singled out Israel to formally receive and record His commandments is that Israel was the only nation willing to follow God, record His Law, and teach it to their children. All other nations were consumed in false, pagan, religion and not willing to follow God.
God speaks to those who listen, but He always has just one will and one Word for all of mankind.
Applying the Same Standard to All Scripture
If “given to the Jews” is a valid argument and a legitimate means to interpret scripture, then the argument should apply equally to all portions of scripture.
Colossians was Given to the Colossians
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. (Colossians 1:1-2)
The letter to the Colossians was specifically directed to believers in Colossae at the time Paul wrote it. By equally applying the “given to the Jews” method of interpreting scripture, we can build an argument as follows:
P1 The letter to the Colossians was given to believers in Colossae
P2 I am not a Colossian
C1 Therefore, Colossians was not given to me and I don’t have to obey it.
This is the same exact line of thought used to dismiss God’s Law. If the argument is valid, and if it’s an acceptable way of interpreting scripture, then the same reasoning should hold true when interpreting Colossians. We would then have to accept that anyone who is not a Colossian doesn’t have to practice any of the teachings or instructions given in the book of Colossians.
James was Given to Jews
Many of the New Testament books begin with a statement of who the book was addressed to. We could dismiss most of the New Testament by simply not identifying with the stated demographic group or audience. Consider James.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. (James 1:1)
James directed his letter to Jewish believers, who he referred to as the twelve tribes in the Dispersion. Using the “given to the Jews” argument, we would conclude that only Jewish people are obligated to obey James’ letter. This would mean if you’re not Jewish then you don’t have to be a doer of the Word, tame your tongue, or practice any other teaching in James’ letter.
The Great Commission was Given to the Disciples
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)
This portion of scripture is commonly known as The Great Commission. These instructions were given by Jesus to his eleven disciples. If we interpret this portion of scripture according to the “given to the Jews” argument, then we arrive at the following logical interpretation:
P1 Jesus gave The Great Commission to his eleven disciples
P2 I am not one of Jesus’ eleven disciples
C1 Therefore, The Great Commission was not given to me and I don’t have to obey it.
Conclusion
The “given to the Jews” argument isn’t true, and it’s not a legitimate way to read and interpret the Bible. The argument is really just a rationale; it allows people to disregard portions of the Bible they don’t want to practice while convincing themselves it’s acceptable to cast off what they don’t want. Using the same argument-structure, anyone can dismiss just about any portion of the Bible.
If we accept this form of reasoning, we have to be open to dismissing almost the entire Bible.