The Jewish gospel about the Jewish Messiah.
In the New Testament, Pilate writes "Yeshua the Nazarene, King of the Jews" as a sign to be affixed to the cross of Yeshua. John 19:21 states that the Jews told Pilate: "Do not write King of the Jews" but instead write that Yeshua had merely claimed that title, but Pilate wrote it anyway. Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah who opened up His arms and died for all people of all nations. It was a promise that the Jewish nation, on the whole, never completely understood. But it was known among the faithful few. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luke 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
While the Holy Spirit taught Simeon to see what is before him in this infant, the scriptures taught him to look for and know what was to come to pass because the Holy Spirit had been guiding Simeon many years before that moment. It was a long time coming both in prayer and scripture study. The confirmation that came at that moment was when Simeon via Holy Spirit saw it all come together and this he passed on to Mary.
Yeshua as a light unto the Gentiles is a prophecy from... Is 49:6 he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."
Way back in Isaiah's day, it was known that God's offer of salvation is for all people around the world... 7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, To the despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers, "Kings will see and arise, Princes will also bow down, Because of the LORD who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You."…
Paul understood that the Jewish Messiah must be shared to the whole world, and He was not to be just Israel's savior, which Israel still wanted to keep exclusively. ..…Acts 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.…
You see, Israel was suppose to be a nations of priests spreading and teaching the truth about God and His offer of salvation to the world. They were chosen for this task. Is 42:5 Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it, 6"I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.
But as you know Yeshua did and so much all of His followers. As part of our covenant with God we are to be a light to all those around us and to all nations of the world. The concept of the Chosen People has been central to Judaism from the beginning. Jer 7:23 "Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you."
The significance in being chosen lay in the special understanding imparted from God to Israel, which is part of the light to be shed to the gentile nations. Speaking for God, the prophet Jeremiah tells us, Jer 31:33 "I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts."
Yeshua explained this "heart" of the law, when He spoke of how lust is breaking the Law of God. How anger and resentment is just as good as murder. He taught us how forgiveness allows God to be the judge in the eye for an eye cases. He showed us how we are to take our faith to heart and not just having an outward appearance of faith. How real prayer is not for public fodder, but are often in private and just between God and ourself. This is not the letter of the law, but the intent and spirit of the law in the inner working of our hearts and minds.
This is the Jewish gospel that Yeshua wants spread throughout the world, that God so loved the world, that He gave us His only begotten Son, who took the penalty of sinning upon Himself, that whosoever believeth in Him, and His capability to take not only the penalty but the sin from us, shall have everlasting life.
