The Relationship of Jew and Non-Jew in God?s Covenant
A response by Russ Resnik
(Note: Click here to obtain Tim Hegg's article)

The terms ?Messianic Jew? and ?Messianic Judaism? have been used ever more broadly over the past quarter century, so that today they apply to widely diverse groups and individuals. As an organization bringing together a good number of such groups, the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC) set out three years ago to develop a definition of what we mean by these terms.

A basic and expanded statement ?Defining Messianic Judaism? was approved by the UMJC delegates this past summer. As General Secretary of the UMJC, I developed a commentary on the official statement, to explore its implications and to continue the discussion among our leadership. Tim Hegg recently offered a 67-page response online, and in a shorter version through First Fruits of Zion. His paper ?Is the Torah Only for Jews?? responds to both documents, and gives them equal weight, but it is important to note their different standing within our organization. My commentary is not an official UMJC document. In this paper, I am speaking on my own, as author of the commentary, and an interpreter of our delegate-approved definition statement. Both documents can be found in their entirety here at www.umjc.org.

When I first saw the 67-page response to our statements offered at TorahResource.com, I felt like the old Jewish mother in the story. She is sitting with the other yentas at a nursing home, all bragging about their sons. This mother boasts, ?My son spends $150 an hour just to talk to a psychiatrist!? All the old ladies are impressed. ?And he goes three times a week.? Even more impressed. ?And what does he talk about all this time? ME!?

Despite the honor of eliciting a 67-page paper, however, I will have to keep my response brief. I cannot cover its entire thesis, but will address some of the issues which it raises. I will begin by clearing up some preliminary points, then focus on the theme of circumcision, which will go a long way toward answering the question, Is the Torah only for Jews?

Read Rabbi Resnik's entire response(PDF Format )

Please also read a related article: "One Law Movements" by Dan Juster and Russ Resnik