Opening Reflection
If Jesus was a Jew, why has Christianity so often stood against Judaism?
Why do some Christians speak of loving the Jewish people—but only to bring about the end of days?
This contradiction is not just a theological oddity—it’s a spiritual wound. To heal it, we must return to the beginning and ask: what did Jesus actually teach? And what have we done in his name?
1. Jesus the Jew
The Teaching: Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew in every way. He followed the Torah, celebrated Jewish festivals, taught in synagogues, and quoted Hebrew scripture. His audience was Jewish. His message was rooted in Jewish tradition.
He didn’t come to replace Judaism. He came to fulfill it—not through rules, but through love, compassion, and inner transformation.
The Perspective: Through the lens of Gnostic wisdom and psychoanalysis, Jesus called for an awakening—a gnosis—not of escaping the world, but of seeing it as it truly is. His struggle was not with Judaism, but with those who used it to dominate rather than to liberate.
The Connection: Recognizing Jesus as a devout Jew helps us see Christianity not as a separate, superior faith—but as one branch of the same sacred tree. When we forget this, we fall into the illusion of separation.
2. From Sect to Split: The Birth of Christianity
The Teaching: After Jesus’ death, his Jewish followers continued to worship in synagogues. But tensions grew. As Paul spread the message to Gentiles, he taught that non-Jews didn’t need to follow Jewish law. When the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, Judaism and Christianity diverged sharply.
By the 4th century, Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire—ironically, the same empire that crucified Jesus. At this point, the faith of a poor Jewish teacher became the theology of emperors.
The Perspective: This institutionalization marked the loss of gnosis. The inner flame Jesus spoke of was buried under layers of power, doctrine, and control. Like Gnostic texts, Judaism was cast aside as “lesser” by the new Christian orthodoxy.
The Connection: Power changes religion. And when it does, it often needs an enemy to define itself against. Judaism became that scapegoat.
3. Christian Antisemitism: A History of Projection
The Teaching: For centuries, Christians accused Jews of “killing Jesus,” ignoring the historical truth that it was Roman execution. Jews were persecuted, forced into ghettos, denied rights, and targeted in pogroms. Even Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, spewed antisemitic hate later in life.
These lies laid the foundation for horrors like the Holocaust.
The Perspective: Psychoanalysis helps us understand this as projection—displacing guilt, fear, and shame onto the “Other.” The Christian psyche, tormented by its own failures to embody Christ’s love, sought release through blame.
The Gnostic term for this spiritual corruption is the Demiurge—a false god of judgment and domination, masquerading as truth.
The Connection: When we fail to do the inner work Jesus demanded—compassion, self-awareness, healing—we are tempted to cast stones. But the path of gnosis is inward. We must confront our own darkness, not project it.
4. The Modern Paradox: Zionism, Evangelicalism, and Apocalyptic “Love”
The Teaching: In recent decades, many Christians have become staunch supporters of Israel. But often, this “love” is rooted in apocalyptic prophecy—not genuine solidarity.
Some believe that the Jewish people must return to Israel so Jesus can return. In this view, Jews are not respected as a people with their own dignity—but used as actors in a Christian end-times drama.
The Perspective: This is not love. It’s exploitation. It’s a theological gaslighting—pretending to care, while secretly waiting for your conversion or destruction.
Gnosis calls us to see people as they are—not as props in our personal or religious stories.
The Connection: Supporting people only to fulfill your prophecy is not compassion. It is agenda. Jesus stood against this kind of manipulation. He loved the Samaritan. He embraced the Roman. He broke down walls. He never used anyone.
5. What Would Jesus Say?
Jesus wouldn’t recognize much of modern Christianity. He didn’t build temples or empires. He healed the sick, lifted the broken, and reminded the forgotten that the Kingdom of God is within.
He wept for Jerusalem. He forgave his killers. He taught us to love God, and love our neighbor—nothing more, nothing less.
A Practice of Reflection:
- Do I love people for who they are—or for what I want them to be?
- Have I inherited stories that cause harm? Am I willing to question them?
- Can I sit with discomfort and still choose compassion?
Integration and Possibility: Returning to the Root
What if Christianity reconnected with its Jewish roots—not to convert or correct, but to honor?
What if we listened instead of preached? What if we saw the divine not as a script to be fulfilled—but as a mystery to be lived?
We could begin again. We could heal centuries of separation. We could awaken the divine spark that connects all paths.
Closing Blessing
May your love be real, not rehearsed. May your faith serve others, not your ego. May you remember: Jesus was a Jew—not to be worshiped, but to be followed.
Amen. Amein. And so it is.
