The Misleading Narrative of 'Messianic Jews' in America

“Messianic Jews” are a modern Christian sect that emerged less than sixty years ago in the United States. They refer to themselves as “Jews for Jesus,” but this group has no connection to the Judaism of our ancestors.

Core Beliefs of the Messianic Jewish Sect

The Messianic Jewish movement believes that Jesus, whom they call “Yeshua,” is not merely a prophet or a human messiah. Rather, they believe he is God Himself, the Creator of heaven and earth, who entered a human body and was killed by human beings in order to atone for their sins.

This idolatrous belief in a god incarnated in human form is no different from Catholic doctrine. In addition, they believe that God is essentially three entities “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” a belief that stands in direct contradiction to the Torah, which teaches: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.”

Despite these beliefs, members of this sect often present themselves in Israel as “traditional Jews.” They may place a mezuzah on their doorposts and adopt Jewish symbols and language. However, these external practices are purely a tactic, intended to draw unsuspecting Jews into their movement.

Rejection of Torah Observance

In practice, members of this group do not believe in the binding obligation of the Torah’s commandments. They do not prohibit desecrating Shabbat, eating chametz on Passover, consuming pork and forbidden creatures, or intermarriage with non Jews, which is in fact very common among them.

Their belief system begins and ends with faith in the crucified figure, whom they believe provides complete atonement for all sins. This belief replaces the Torah’s system of mitzvot, repentance, and personal responsibility.

In recent years, with funding from foreign missionary organizations, “Messianic Jews” have been actively promoting themselves through YouTube videos. In these videos, they spread false claims about the Bible and distort verses from Tanach and rabbinic sources.