If Jesus was a Jew, why is not everyone Jewish?
The Devotional Answer
The devotional answer is that Jesus, as the Jewish Messiah, didn't come to keep salvation exclusively within Judaism; He came to fulfill God's original promise to the entire world. When God first called Abraham (Question 84), He promised: "...all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:3, NIV). Jesus is the ultimate blessing promised to the nations.
The fact that the Gospel is available to all people—Jew and Gentile—is the beautiful, intended result of God's plan. It means your worthiness to approach God is not based on your ethnicity, what laws you follow, or what ceremonies you perform (Question 92), but entirely on your faith in Jesus Christ (Question 61).
The Simple Answer
Jesus was indeed a Jew, born of the tribe of Judah and descended from King David, fulfilling hundreds of prophecies concerning the Jewish Messiah. However, He initiated a New Covenant that replaced the Old Covenant based on ethnic identity and law.
The New Covenant is based on faith in Christ and is intended to be universal:
Fulfillment, Not Abolition: Jesus declared He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). His death and resurrection completed the sacrificial system (Question 49).
Faith Over Ethnicity: The Apostle Paul clarified that in Christ, the distinctions between people disappear: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
The Great Commission: Jesus commanded His followers to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19), making it clear that His message was intended for every ethnic group on earth.
The Deeper Dive: The Purpose of Israel and the New Way
The Old Testament explains why God chose Israel, and the New Testament explains how the blessing extends beyond Israel.
1. Israel's Purpose as a Custodian
God chose Israel to be the custodian of the divine revelation: the Law, the covenants, and the prophetic anticipation of the Messiah. They were the unique nation through whom the Savior would be born. Their job was to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus, being the perfect Israelite, perfectly fulfilled this national calling.
2. The Nature of the New Covenant
The Old Covenant required adherence to the Mosaic Law, which included ceremonial laws (dietary, purification, circumcision) that clearly separated Jew and Gentile.
The Change: The New Covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13) established by Jesus’ blood removes the requirements of the ceremonial law. Salvation is no longer achieved by works of the Law, but by the work of Christ received through faith (Romans 3:28).
The Entrance: Membership in God's redeemed family is now spiritual, not ethnic. The sign of the covenant is no longer physical circumcision, but the spiritual circumcision of the heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:29, Question 66).
3. The Cornerstone and the House
Jesus is the Cornerstone—the piece that connects two walls. His work connects the Jewish heritage (one wall) with the Gentile world (the other wall) into one single, unified spiritual Temple (Ephesians 2:19-22). The good news is that the Messiah, who came from one people, now unites all peoples.
God's Assurance
God assures you that because the Gospel is universal, you are never an outsider; you are a fully adopted child of God, regardless of your background.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16 (NIV)
You are assured that the invitation of faith is open to you and to every person on the planet.
Your Takeaway Thought
Do not see Jesus’ Jewish heritage as a barrier; see it as the necessary historical root from which the universal blessing grew. The fact that the Gospel is not limited to one ethnicity proves God’s boundless love and the complete sufficiency of Christ's work to save anyone who calls on His name.
