As a Jewish Israeli believer in Jesus, I experience a lot of enmity and hatred. Opposition can come from my own Israeli society who are hostile to Jesus, as well as antisemitic vitriol and death threats from further afield on account of my race. It might be tempting to turn off my phone and not engage those around me to avoid being attacked any further, but that is not how I feel God is calling me to respond.
In my work at ONE FOR ISRAEL, a ministry that seeks to take part in the restoration of Israel by sharing the gospel in a culturally relevant way with both Jews and Arabs, we regularly challenge those around us by proclaiming the gospel online and in person. We have dedicated ourselves to effectively handling the Word of truth and being able to teach so that everyone, especially those who believe differently than we do, can know Jesus as their Messiah. But we do encounter a lot of opposition as a result.
Perhaps you also find yourself in conflict with the opinions and positions of your co-workers, neighbors, and even family members? In these polarizing days, maintaining good relationships without compromising on God’s Word can seem more difficult than ever. How should we graciously engage with those who hold views in direct opposition to our own? And even in opposition to what God has said in His Word?
Look to the Example of Jesus
Jesus gives us a perfect example in His interaction with the woman at the well. She was a Samaritan, a people group still living here in Israel today. A Samaritan at the time of the New Testament was considered a heretic to be avoided, but Jesus built stories around the Samaritans, knowing very well how they were perceived, and radically reached out to them in a way that shocked his disciples. What are the lessons we can learn from these passages?
John 4:19 establishes the fact that the Jews and Samaritans were not on good terms. The woman Yeshua (Jesus) is speaking to asks, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” The text adds for our benefit that Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. The point is emphasized when the disciples came back to find him talking with a Samaritan and were aghast with shock. Why were Samaritans so reviled? Because they had a wildly different narrative on spiritual matters. They thought that they were the chosen ones, holding onto the true Torah, and that it was the Jews who had gone astray. In fact, the word in Hebrew, Shomronim, means “Keepers.”
Jews and Samaritans had totally contradictory versions of history. Both believed themselves to be right, and the other group to be in religious error of a very grave nature. To this day, the Samaritans believe that they’re the true Israelites, the descendants of Joseph, and the only ones who are still faithfully following the Torah properly. They hold that belief as a result of being taken into exile in Babylon, where the Jews compromised their faith and added to the Word of God. The Samaritans do not accept the writings of the biblical prophets, or the historical books of the Bible we read today. They think the Jews are wrong in their obsession with Jerusalem as the spiritual center, and hold that God wants to be worshiped on Mount Gerazim instead.
The Jewish people, on the other hand, believe that it’s the Samaritans who are in error, and that far from being true descendants of Israel, they were brought from Assyrian regions and were planted in Israel during the first exile of the ten Israelite tribes; the Northern kingdom. In 2 Kings 17:24-40, we learn that the Samaritans were brought to Israel by the King of Assyria as part of his military strategy to dominate the peoples of the area, and that because they were still worshiping idols, lions would come and attack them until they asked for priests to come and teach them how to follow the Law of Moses. The people groups learned to follow the Laws, or Torah, of the people of Israel, but kept some of their old ways and practices. The Jews also believe these people who remained in the land opposed Nehemiah when they were trying to rebuild the temple on their return from exile. The animosity remained for generations, both believing the other to be in serious sin.
Jesus, of All People, Knows All the Historical Events and All the Truth
Of course, if we believe that the Bible is true, then the Jewish narrative is closer to the truth than the Samaritan version of events. It’s challenging to us, given that fact, to see how Yeshua interacts with this people group. Not only does Jesus know the truth, He is the truth! Yet, he doesn’t argue with the Samaritan woman about these things in John chapter 4. He avoids that argument without avoiding her as a person and offers her what her soul is longing for: the Water of Life, which means acceptance, the forgiveness of sin, and a loving relationship with the Messiah.
More than that, He recognizes the good in this despised people group, appreciating the one leper who came back to thank Him. Jesus wasn’t so concerned with correcting people as accepting them and bringing them into God’s presence. There, the truth can pierce hearts and bring transformation. Sometimes we think we must start with an agreed version of events before we can proceed, but Jesus loves us right from the get-go.
Israelis and Palestinians also have extremely different narratives and versions of history, and Yeshua knows exactly what has happened. But He calls us to be like Him and to go and love our enemies regardless. The people of Israel are chosen and unique, set apart to be a blessing to the whole world. That’s the point that Jesus understood very well. He was following his Father’s plan without deviating at all. He knew the path that the gospel must flow and how to accomplish His mission. He knew that the gospel was “to the Jew first, and then the Greek” (Gentile) (Romans 1:16), but He also commanded the disciples to take the good news from “Jerusalem, to all of Judea Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He is not leaving anyone out.
The Good News Is for Everyone!
While most of the house of Israel is not following their Messiah or following his instructions to pray for her enemies yet, we can all stand in the gap and love them on Israel’s behalf. Here are some key points to glean from the example of Jesus:
1. When talking to someone with very different views to your own, choose to see a friend rather than an opponent, and be willing to engage with people on the “other side.”
2. Relinquish the urge to correct false views and instead focus on helping the person connect with Jesus, trusting God to bring transformation where it is needed.
3. Rest in the knowledge that the truth will still be there intact, no matter what others think. This liberates us to enjoy a conversation without insisting on an agreed narrative.
4. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. This helps us treat others as people who are beloved of God, which is who they really are.
Who are the “Samaritans” in your own hometown? Who are the ones in error that you prefer to avoid? How can the example of Jesus spur you to be good to them too? Let us pray for those who hate Israel, and also for Israelis to open their hearts to their Messiah and come to share his radical love for all peoples.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Ridofranz
Dr. Erez Soref is a Jewish psychologist and the president of ONE FOR ISRAEL, a multi-faceted ministry with the express goal of reaching Israelis with the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus), training and equipping the Body of Messiah in Israel and blessing the Israeli community with Yeshua’s love. Erez and his wife Sisi are passionate about helping Jewish people meet the Messiah through strong biblical teaching and application.