To the Jew first - II

[Pergamum]

What does this mean?



I am reading folks who see this phrase as ongoing even now (i.e. the reason the world is not being reached for Christ is that we have forgot about the Jews and need to prioritize them first)....i.e., missionaris newly go into a country and, before they minister to other groups, they should first minister to Jews there.

I believe that "To The Jew First" is a historical reality, i.e., that the Gospel went to them first.

I am not sure why it had to, however.

Now, the Gospel goes out to all nations and there needs to be no Jewish prioritization.


I met a reformed believer from Israel and he denied any Christian Zionism. However, when he spoke before a crowd in order to help get support for his cause of Jewish evangelism, he whipped out the phrase "To the Jew First" and denied that it was just a historical progression of the Gospel. He seemed to say that when we entered a new country doing missionary work, that we should first prioritize the Jews.



Historically, has this phrase been a motivation for Jewish evangelism?

 

[Kevin]

I would say that historically it has been a motivation for fundraising for jewish evangelism...

 

[Pergamum]

wow, this is my second attempt to get some views on this topic and no one is biting. How do I spice this thread up so that folks will give me their perspectives...

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

What does this mean?

Like you said it was historical. Time moves on and thus, history. No need to assume that what was dominant at one point in history remains dominant now, especially given the clear teachings from Scripture, no?

AMR

 

[TimV]

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

The fact that some Christians, especially in Baptist circles, hold to Christian Zionism doesn't mean that they aren't playing with heresy. It's such a pleasure not having to deal with them at Reformed church gatherings. It's something that honestly makes me sick to my stomach.

Getting called a "replacement theologian" by someone who blindly believes me to be an antiSemite for not holding to their little teaching is something that is often better for my blood pressure to just ignore than to spend too much time on.

If a well read orthodox Christian person can read the First Peter and still come away holding to Christian Zionism, often the best thing one can do for them is pray, since reason won't work.

 

[Pergamum]

Paul went into the synagogues first before he turned to the Gentiles.



How do I explain and what Scripture proofs do I give a Christian Zionist to show that this Pauline pattern was only for that time and a missionary entering a new regon of service (opening up a mission field) does not now, if not obligated to search for any jews to minister to first.


How do I prove that "To the Jew first" was a historical fulfillment and need not repeat now.