Since neither the Jews in Israel nor the Jews outside of Israel can agree on who is a Jew, where can we find a satisfactory answer? In the Word of God, the Bible, which contains the early history of the Jews. It tells us first of all that Abraham was a Hebrew. (Gen. 14:13) All the descendants of his son Isaac also came to be known as Hebrews. Those who sprang from the family of Jacob or Israel, Abraham’s grandson, were also known as Israelites. Where does the name “Jew” come in?—Gen. 32:28; Ex. 9:7.
The term Jew comes from the name of Jacob’s fourth son, Judah, and at first applied only to his family and descendants. The first one to use the term “Jews” was the writer of Second Kings (16:6; 18:26, 28; 25:25). That the two terms, Hebrew and Jew, were considered synonymous as early as the seventh century B.C.E. is apparent from Jeremiah 34:9, where we read: “Let each one his manservant and each one his maidservant, Hebrew man and Hebrew woman, go free, in order not to use them as servants, that is, a Jew, who is his brother.”
As current events in the Middle East continue to focus attention on the Jewish people, questions on issues long thought settled are now being raised. Are the Jews still God’s chosen people? Is God now showing special favor to the Jews?
Centuries ago, God told the Israelites: “If you will strictly obey my voice and will indeed keep my covenant, then you will certainly become my special property out of all other peoples, because the whole earth belongs to me. And you yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5,*6) All nations belonged to God, but the Israelites could become his special property, eventually serving as priests in behalf of all mankind.
But was this special relationship with God unconditional? No! God had said: “If you will strictly obey my voice .*.*. then you will certainly become my special property.” So their continuing in a chosen relationship with God was conditional, dependent upon their continued faithfulness to him.
As centuries passed, Jews were besieged by the influence of Greek philosophy—such as the Platonic doctrine of the immortal soul—with catastrophic effects on their worship.
Matt. 21:42,*43: “Jesus said to them [the chief priests and the older men of the Jews in Jerusalem]: ‘Did you never read in the Scriptures, “The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. This is why I say to you, The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.’”
Matt. 23:37,*38: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent forth to her,—how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks together under her wings! But you people did not want it. Look! Your house is abandoned to you.”
(Acts 10:34, 35) At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."
