What is the difference between a Jew and a Christian?

Hi guys, I was wondering, what us the difference between a Jew and a Christian? Are they the same thing, like to different words that mean the same, or are they slightly different? I really need help in understanding this, thank you!

Judaism is an ethnic religion. When a person is born of a Jewish mother, which is how Orthodox Jews trace Jewishness, or from a Jewish father, the way Karaite Jews trace descent, that person is considered a Jew. Regardless of what a person believes they're considered a Jew, since they are a member of the community by blood. When a person converts to Judaism, they too will remain a Jew, even they convert to another religion.
Jews only accept the Tanakh, what the Christians call the Old Testament, as Scripture.

Being a Jew entails different things depending on what branch they belong to. Orthodox Jews believe people should observe the Law of Moses as best as possible. Whereas Reformed and Conservative schools of thought tend to be more lenient in their interpretation. Following the Law means circumcising infant boys, not eating pork or shellfish, observing the Sabbath, and all of the other 613 mitzvoh/commandments that are in the Torah (at least the ones possible to fulfill without the Temple), the first five books of the Bible that are traditionally considered to be authored by Moses as dictated by God.

Christianity originally started out as a Jewish sect, Jesus and his disciples being Jews. But as Christianity spread out of Palestine, and into Greece, Egypt, Italy and Asia Minor, many gentiles (non-jews) started following the religion. When you read different letters of Paul, you can see how there were controversies over whether gentile converts should be circumcised, and keep kosher. Paul himself was adamant that gentile converts should not become Jews in order to follow Jesus. Paul's views eventually became more dominant, especially once the church became more and more made up out of gentiles. In Paul's reasoning, Jesus' death and resurrection brought salvation, that only needs to be received by faith; if a person tries to observe Mosaic Law, it implies that you can earn salvation, which to him was tantamount to rejecting Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, and God's subsequent vindication of him.
As Christianity grew and spread it gradually became more and more disconnected from it's original Jewishness. So now being a Christian is not the same as being a Jew. But one can be born Jewish, and later convert to Christianity, and they'd be considered Christians, but also Jews, because Jewish identity not something that can revoke through personal religious decisions.

Jews and Christians, while sharing the Old Testament as scripture, tend to have very different beliefs due to the fact that for Jews, there was no New Testament or Covenant formed by Jesus of Nazareth.

Makes sense? My brain is a little foggy tonight lol.

[Simon_Templar]

Christians believe that only Jesus is the access point to god whereas Jews don't.

Makes sense the both of you. Thank you!

God bless you too!

[RabbiO]

Originally Posted by Animus27

Judaism is an ethnic religion.................

A27 -

As a precis, not bad.

I believe you appreciate that the split between Judaism and Christianity is more complex than your answer could provide. If COG wants to delve further I am sure both of us could recommend material, from different perspectives, that would provide more depth.

While it is true that in Orthodoxy one is a Jew if one is born to a Jewish mother and for Karaites one is a Jew if one is born to a Jewish father, the Conservative and Traditional movements also require birth to a Jewish mother. On the other hand, the Reconstructionist and the Reform (not Reformed!) movements recognize that having one parent - male or female - who is Jewish make one a Jew. The Jewish Renewal movement, which does not like to think of itself as a formal movement, basically leaves it up to the individual community to make that determination.

Similar to my first comment, the differences between the movements in modern Judaism are more complex and nuanced that your brief description provides. Again, if COG is really interested there are materials to explore that I could recommend.

I find it a little surprising that COG posed the question on this subforum without seeking to elicit responses from the other side of the fence.

B'shalom,

Peter

The reason why RabbiO was because I wanted know from a Christians perspective though I will admit that I really didn't think about that....

God bless you all!

Very simply put - Judeism spawned christianity. There is part of the jewish torah in the christian bible. Same peoples, different time.

Originally Posted by RabbiO

A27 -

As a precis, not bad.

Thanks, Rabbi Peter! I realized when I was posting that it would take several pages to even adequately scratch the surface when it comes to modern, let alone ancient, understandings of Judaism and Jewishness. It's one of the reasons I find Judaism to be so fascinating: all views are ultimately based off the same books of scripture, but they can hold very different approaches and beliefs regarding them, yet all (or at least to some groups in general) be considered Jewish.

[Morpheus]

Essentuially, a more direct lineage from Abraham, and Adam, and involving the genetics, regarding differerences. But, the "physical" is illusory, as Science also tells us. Time and Space, and all therein, not the greater reality.

Many Jews do believe in Yeshua as Messiah, many don't as well.
But, scripture tells us that, concerning a believer, that all are one in Christ.

That, God is not a respector of persons, concerning lineage, or individual status on Earth.