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The Bible is clear that the Jews are God's chosen people (Genesis 12:2). They were chosen as a nation to receive instruction on Who God is and how to worship Him. Their mission was to embody this knowledge by obeying the laws God gave them and spreading the truth about God to other nations. Since God chose Israel as a nation, His blessings and their obedience were to be on a national scale. As their confusion with the crucifixion of Jesus revealed, this emphasis on the corporate colors the Jews' idea of what being "saved" means.
When Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, the Jews who laid palm fronds on the road were expecting a king to save them as a nation. They expectantly awaited the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the restoration of their kingdom and the judgment of their enemies. The "Messiah" was to be a military and political king that would reinstate their independence and bring peace and prosperity to the land (Matthew 21:1-11).
The prophets do speak of a time of comfort, peace, and joy (Micah 4:2-4; Isaiah 32:17-18; 40:1-2; 61:7, 10), but we now know this promise will be fulfilled at the millennial kingdom when Israel as a nation will be blessed and her enemies judged and destroyed. This ethnic/national/political salvation is what Judaism looks forward to, not individual salvation from the bondage of sin.
Judaism does teach sin. In fact, there are twenty different words for sin in Hebrew, ranging from "missing the mark," to "failing at a duty," to "personal offense," to "breaching a covenant." Regarding personal sin, Judaism teaches that the offender must take steps before God can forgive. If he harms another person, he must regret his action, ask forgiveness, and make amends. If this is done sincerely, God will pardon his offense and give him a long and prosperous life—the same promise given to Israel as a nation. But Judaism does not universally teach original sin or that mankind is born with a sin nature.
In Judaism, there is a range of beliefs about the afterlife, and no single, unified doctrine defines what one must be saved from or to. The Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) focus primarily on living righteously in this life rather than detailing the next. While some Jews believe in concepts like heaven, hell, or resurrection, others view these ideas more symbolically or emphasize the importance of earthly blessings and justice. Even among those who affirm an afterlife, there is acknowledgment that the Scriptures do not provide a fully developed picture of what it entails. Generally, it is believed that the righteous will be with God and the wicked will be separated from Him. However, the afterlife is typically understood to be for those who were faithful to God's commandments, not automatically granted to all Jews, and certainly not connected to belief in Jesus, whose role is not accepted within Judaism.
Some may wonder how the Suffering Servant fits into the belief of the Messiah and salvation. The passage in Isaiah 52:13–53:12, often referred to as the “Suffering Servant,” is a key point of divergence between Judaism and Christianity. In Jewish interpretation, this servant is understood to represent the nation of Israel, whose suffering throughout history bears witness to God's justice and purpose in the world. It is not seen as a prophecy of a messianic figure who dies to atone for others' sins. In Jewish theology, the concept of salvation through a suffering Messiah does not exist. Instead Jews emphasize covenant faithfulness, justice, and righteous living as the path to divine favor.
Christians believe that we do not have to rely solely on the scant information found in the Old Testament to understand God's forgiveness of sin and His provision for the afterlife. Jesus and the inspired writers of the New Testament explain how the Old Testament points to Jesus as the fulfillment of the law that Jews are so intent on keeping (Luke 24:27).
John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" There is no way to approach God for forgiveness except to go through Jesus. This is why God sent Jesus—to save the world from sin (Matthew 26:28). This forgiveness results in eternal life with God (John 3:16). But John 3:18 says, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." There is no salvation without Jesus.
Hebrews 10:1-10 describes how Jesus was the source of salvation even in the time of the Old Testament. The sacrifices were only a reminder of sin. The blood of bulls and goats could not wipe away sin. Instead, Jesus had to come to fulfill the law. The progressive revelation of the Bible means that Jews are responsible for what God has revealed to them. Before Christ, they needed to have faith in a righteous and gracious God (Romans 4:3-8). Now that Jesus has come, they are without excuse. As Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world."
Within the last one hundred years, the Jews have seen their nation saved. In the millennial kingdom, Israel will be a mighty power, peaceful and prosperous. But no Jew will receive personal salvation without Christ. God has chosen Israel to reveal Himself to the world. Sadly, this does not mean that every Jew is chosen to receive saving grace through Jesus' sacrifice.
When Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, the Jews who laid palm fronds on the road were expecting a king to save them as a nation. They expectantly awaited the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the restoration of their kingdom and the judgment of their enemies. The "Messiah" was to be a military and political king that would reinstate their independence and bring peace and prosperity to the land (Matthew 21:1-11).
The prophets do speak of a time of comfort, peace, and joy (Micah 4:2-4; Isaiah 32:17-18; 40:1-2; 61:7, 10), but we now know this promise will be fulfilled at the millennial kingdom when Israel as a nation will be blessed and her enemies judged and destroyed. This ethnic/national/political salvation is what Judaism looks forward to, not individual salvation from the bondage of sin.
Judaism does teach sin. In fact, there are twenty different words for sin in Hebrew, ranging from "missing the mark," to "failing at a duty," to "personal offense," to "breaching a covenant." Regarding personal sin, Judaism teaches that the offender must take steps before God can forgive. If he harms another person, he must regret his action, ask forgiveness, and make amends. If this is done sincerely, God will pardon his offense and give him a long and prosperous life—the same promise given to Israel as a nation. But Judaism does not universally teach original sin or that mankind is born with a sin nature.
In Judaism, there is a range of beliefs about the afterlife, and no single, unified doctrine defines what one must be saved from or to. The Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) focus primarily on living righteously in this life rather than detailing the next. While some Jews believe in concepts like heaven, hell, or resurrection, others view these ideas more symbolically or emphasize the importance of earthly blessings and justice. Even among those who affirm an afterlife, there is acknowledgment that the Scriptures do not provide a fully developed picture of what it entails. Generally, it is believed that the righteous will be with God and the wicked will be separated from Him. However, the afterlife is typically understood to be for those who were faithful to God's commandments, not automatically granted to all Jews, and certainly not connected to belief in Jesus, whose role is not accepted within Judaism.
Some may wonder how the Suffering Servant fits into the belief of the Messiah and salvation. The passage in Isaiah 52:13–53:12, often referred to as the “Suffering Servant,” is a key point of divergence between Judaism and Christianity. In Jewish interpretation, this servant is understood to represent the nation of Israel, whose suffering throughout history bears witness to God's justice and purpose in the world. It is not seen as a prophecy of a messianic figure who dies to atone for others' sins. In Jewish theology, the concept of salvation through a suffering Messiah does not exist. Instead Jews emphasize covenant faithfulness, justice, and righteous living as the path to divine favor.
Christians believe that we do not have to rely solely on the scant information found in the Old Testament to understand God's forgiveness of sin and His provision for the afterlife. Jesus and the inspired writers of the New Testament explain how the Old Testament points to Jesus as the fulfillment of the law that Jews are so intent on keeping (Luke 24:27).
John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" There is no way to approach God for forgiveness except to go through Jesus. This is why God sent Jesus—to save the world from sin (Matthew 26:28). This forgiveness results in eternal life with God (John 3:16). But John 3:18 says, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." There is no salvation without Jesus.
Hebrews 10:1-10 describes how Jesus was the source of salvation even in the time of the Old Testament. The sacrifices were only a reminder of sin. The blood of bulls and goats could not wipe away sin. Instead, Jesus had to come to fulfill the law. The progressive revelation of the Bible means that Jews are responsible for what God has revealed to them. Before Christ, they needed to have faith in a righteous and gracious God (Romans 4:3-8). Now that Jesus has come, they are without excuse. As Hebrews 1:1-2 says, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world."
Within the last one hundred years, the Jews have seen their nation saved. In the millennial kingdom, Israel will be a mighty power, peaceful and prosperous. But no Jew will receive personal salvation without Christ. God has chosen Israel to reveal Himself to the world. Sadly, this does not mean that every Jew is chosen to receive saving grace through Jesus' sacrifice.
