WHAT ADVANTAGE HAVE THE JEWS?
By John G. Matteson
The Jews have no advantage whatever. Are they not despised by all men? And to brand a custom as Jewish is the same as to call it low and mean. Thus the unbelieving world think. And many so-called Christians agree with the world in this. But the Holy Scriptures testify to the contrary:— “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way; chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” Rom. 3:1, 2. God chose the children of Israel from among all the tribes of the earth to keep his oracles, and this charge they have fulfilled faithfully. The unbelieving Jews despised God, and crucified his Son; but the Lord has always had a remnant among them, who have loved his commandments and believed in the Messiah. Our Saviour himself says that “salvation is of the Jews.” John 4:22. Truly, the word of God has come from the Jews, and has illuminated the whole world. The apostle witnesses concerning the Jews as follows: “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.” Rom. 9:4, 5. This he applies to the believing Jews; for he says, “They are not all Israel, which are of Israel; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” Verses 6–8. It is not one covenant only (the old covenant) which belongs to the Jews, but the covenants. These must be at least two. Therefore the Scriptures testify that God has made the new covenant with the house of Israel. Heb. 8:10. Have we received another giving of the law, another service, other promises, another glory, and another adoption? Is there another Heavenly Father, and another new earth besides that promised to Abraham and Isaiah? Heb. 11:13, 16; Isa. 65:17. Is there any other commonwealth under the new-covenant dispensation than the commonwealth of Israel? Eph. 2:12. Is it not, then, the greatest honor to be fellow-citizens with the righteous Jews, and to share with them in the blessed hope, and in the covenants of promise? Verses 12, 19. Shall we be ashamed of our Saviour because he was a Jew? Then we must also be ashamed of the Sabbath, because it is called Jewish. Oh, how restricted and narrow-minded is that spirit which has so great an influence on the Christianity of our day. Men serve God as far as custom and practice allow, but no further. They wish to escape the cross, because the cross comes first when one dares, in his morals and religion, to go further than the world. The traditions and customs of the papacy are defended, because they were once delivered unto men, while the doctrines and commandments of God are bitterly opposed. They will not keep the Sabbath of the Lord, because it is not commanded anew in the New Testament; but they do consider it a sin to work upon the first day of the week, which is not forbidden either in the Old or the New Testament. Some attempt to prove that all days are alike, and that no one may judge us concerning holy days and sabbaths; but at the same time they brand Sabbath-keepers as having gone greatly astray. They say that it is dangerous to regard days and times, and they apply this to those who keep holy the Sabbath of the Lord; but they do not consider it dangerous to regard the first day, which the Bible has not appointed to holy use, as holy time. Our Saviour was a Jew; the prophets and apostles were all Jews. The believing Jews are the natural branches of the true Christian olive-tree. Shall we despise them? Shall we disregard their promises, and covenants, and service, and the giving of the law? God forbid. We have no faith that abolishes or changes the law (the moral law, the ten commandments, which make known sin; Rom. 7:7), but faith establishes the law. Rom. 3:31. The Lord be praised for all the blessings he has permitted to come to us from the Jews. Oh, that we might be united in the closest union with the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and above all with our dear Saviour, as well as with all the believing children of God. May we, with all the true Israel, have a part in the adoption, and at last in the eternal glory.