Where did the Jewish Church go?
On Simchat Torah (“Rejoicing of the Torah”), Jews dance with the scroll. Torah is not a burden. It is a gift.
Early Church Fathers Knew the Church Had Jewish Roots
Before the Jewish wing disappeared, early Christian writers still recognized two streams within the one Church.
“The Apostles were from the circumcision; we from the Gentiles.”
— John Chrysostom (4th c.)
“From the Jews and from the Gentiles God makes one and the same Church.”
— Augustine, Contra Faustum 12.31
They saw two origins — one Body.
The Reappearance of the Jewish Wing of the Church
After 1,600 years, Jewish believers resurfaced publicly:
- Hebrew Christianity (1800s–1960s): Jews who believed in Jesus but assimilated into Gentile churches.
- Messianic Judaism (late 20th c. → present): Jews who believe in Yeshua and remain openly, recognizably Jewish.
Mark Kinzer, Messianic Jewish theologian, writes:
“The calling of Israel is irrevocable even for Jews who believe in Jesus the Messiah.”
— Mark Kinzer, Postmissionary Messianic Judaism, p. 41
Kinzer proposes bilateral ecclesiology: one Body in Messiah, consisting of two corporate identities — Jews and Gentiles.
Stuart Dauermann: Torah as Missional Jewish Life
Stuart Dauermann, co-founder of the Hashivenu movement, explains why Jewish discipleship as Jews matters:
“If Jewish disciples of Yeshua do not remain recognizably Jewish, what is there for Israel to be provoked to jealousy about?”
— Stuart Dauermann (Hashivenu)
This connects directly to Paul’s purpose for Gentile inclusion:
“Salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke Israel to jealousy.”
— Romans 11:11
Dauermann describes Torah as:
“Torah is the Jewish discipleship program of the God of Israel.”
— Dauermann (conference teaching)
Not salvific, but covenantal. Not earning, but embodying.
When Christians Overcorrect: Dual-Covenant Theology
In attempting to reject antisemitism, some Christians now say:
“Jews don’t need Jesus; they already have their covenant.”
Well-intentioned, but destructive. It excludes Jews from their own Messiah and eliminates the Jewish expression of the Body of Christ just as effectively as supersessionism did.
Paul’s Olive Tree (Romans 11): One Tree, Two Kinds of Branches
- Natural branches — Jews
- Wild branches — Gentiles
- One Root — the Abrahamic covenant
“Do not boast against the branches… you do not support the root; the root supports you.”
— Romans 11:18
Gentile Christianity exists within Israel’s story, not outside it.
Conclusion: The Body With One Lung Missing
When the Jewish part of the Church disappears:
- The Church forgets its story.
- Torah becomes a “burden” instead of a gift.
- Israel never sees Jesus embodied in a Jewish way.
The Church breathes — but only with one lung.
The Body of Messiah needs both lungs to breathe.
Without the Jewish expression of faith in Yeshua, the Church loses oxygen.
May both lungs breathe again.
This article grew from a lengthy discussion with ChatGPT.