Antisemitism

I have heard it said many times over the years that a good indication for determining what is trending in the culture can be learned from what is being discussed in school. One such opportunity came my way several years ago when our son repeated a phrase he had heard in elementary school. Two things stood out about his utterance. First, he had no idea or understanding of the meaning of the statement he repeated. Second it was clearly antisemitic. While the statement repeated by our son upset me tremendously, it gave me a wonderful educational opportunity as soon as I recovered my composure. As calmly as I possibly could, I explained to my son the meaning and unacceptability of the words which he repeated without understanding. I also made clear that words like that would never ever be repeated in our house.

Fast forward at least fifteen years to the present, and the internet, television, and even mainstream news outlets are replete with disgusting antisemitic content. But this content is not content from some uninformed elementary schooler. It is being uttered hatefully, disgustedly, and intentionally by so many of the “well educated elites” at numerous Ivy League institutions of higher learning. And in many cases accompanied by violent physical attacks on Jewish students.  The timid and feckless response to this vile language and misconduct by the leadership at these institutions has been nothing less than shameful and disgusting.  

As an Evangelical Christian, I believe it is high time that I speak out on the cancer of Antisemitism. This is personal for me for several reasons. First, in my 39-year career as a corporate attorney, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to three Jewish attorneys in private law practice who I worked with in conjunction with my in-house corporate law practice for my company. These three lawyers taught me, mentored me, and went out of their way to help me succeed in this challenging environment. I will not embarrass them by identifying them by name as one is now deceased; one is now retired; and the other is still actively practicing. When I hear or read the disgusting antisemitic content shown regularly in the various forms of media, I am both angry and heartbroken at the same time. This is evil and must stop.

But there is an even more important reason for me to speak out against Antisemitism. Evangelical Christians who have received the New Covenant in Scripture {New Testament} are very much indebted to Jews for the Old Covenant {Old Testament} of Scripture since the New Covenant is in fact a continuation and fulfillment of the Old Covenant which was given by God to Jews.  While I am certainly not a trained Theologian, I believe I can briefly and hopefully successfully make the connection of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant in Scripture. The moral Law of the Old Covenant {Ten Commandments} is internalized in the New Covenant. One of my favorite Scriptures illustrating this inclusion is Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew 5:17 in which he declares that he did not “come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them.” Jesus explained this fulfillment in the Gospel of Matthew Chapters 5-7. Jesus also reaffirms Israel’s history with his 40 days of temptation by Satan in the wilderness in Matthew 4:1-11 with Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Galatians 3:28-29 and Romans 1:16-17 make clear that the New Covenant expands the Old Covenant to Jews and Gentiles alike.

As we celebrate the apparent breakthrough for peace in Gaza with an ending to the carnage which began on October 7, 2023, with the violent and unprovoked attack against Israel by Hamas terrorists, perhaps we can also spend some time reflecting on the evil of Antisemitism in our country and the need to remove this cancer from our midst.

God bless you and thank you for the privilege of your time in reading my blog.