FAIR USE, (1939 original recording)
LET’s THINK. Jesus was Jew-ish, sorta. He was from Galilee (in what then had been Israel, to the north of Judea), which was a long way on foot to where the Temple of Jerusalem was situated. There had been twelve tribes (“the children Israel” born of the patriarch, father Israel, meaning “God is in charge/God wins/God prevails”, who’s name had been changed from Jacob, meaning “he who overtakes” (his original name, for grabbing the ankle of his firstborn fraternal twin, Esau, trying to exit the womb, first, ahead of Esau)..
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So, >>>fast forward>>> this large clan of twelve tribes fled slavery in Egypt where they had gone many years earlier, due to famine. But after many centuries the only tribe remaining was known as the tribe of Judah (thus the name: “Jew”-da), after one of Jacob/Israel’s sons, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. History happens over time, rather than all at once. <wink>. .
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Analogy: If my ancestors from Florida were born into the Seminole tribe, am I Seminole-ish, or am I Amerian-ish, or Euro-ish, after melding with the new neighbors? Yeah, there is some tension between ancestry, identity, citizenship, origin-story. (Hey, we all came out of Africa and of course, Egypt is in Africa, so Jesus and you and I are Africans!) So, was Jesus a Jew, or was he Jewish, or was he Galilean-ish, of the northern “state” of Israel, in the region also known as larger Palestine, where the various tribes of Jacob’s sons (and daughters) settled? The question “Who is a Jew?” shakes the earth yet today. Perhaps a weightier question “Am I a Christian?” is in order..
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And maybe (or not) you bought a Christian “insurance policy” offering “salvation” — just in case — “sold by” Blaise Pascal, the father of probability math? “Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!”
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OR, Do I even need a brand, or coverage? — “Am I a Christian?” – (a follower of “The Way”) because I admire and deeply desire to emulate the ethical teachings of Rabbi Jesus, of Nazareth — who said “the tree is known by its fruit”? What identifies me? Am I merely tribal, or am I endeavoring to practice the teachings of this Patient Teacher? Do I even have any fruit? .
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This, my annual “Christmas greeting” was prompted by reading a book by a UCC pastor from Oklahoma, Dr.Rev. Robin Meyers, titled Saving Jesus from the Church. (You could take the free Kindle sample for a spin simply by clicking the Amazon link beneath their cover graphics.) .
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Note: your Bible needs no energy beyond your own basic desire to think between the lines. Reading this way, skeptically, and listening, it becomes a fountain of wisdom! “Turn your radio on!” It’s got power.