Judiaism

[Old_Joe]

I was once told that Judiaism is like a big brother religion to Christianity. How should Catholics view Jews and Judiaism?

[Cam42]

[quote name='Old_Joe' date='Jun 9 2005, 12:31 AM']I was once told that Judiaism is like a big brother religion to Christianity.  How should Catholics view Jews and Judiaism?
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[quote]Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."

The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God." The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." (CCC 839)[/quote]

[quote]And when one considers the future, God's People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus. (CCC 840)[/quote]

As the Catechism teaches, we have a link to the Jewish people. Why, because they have a previous response to the LORD. I wouldn't call them big brothers, but I would say that we are related. The Church actually makes that allusion, by saying that the sonship belongs to the Jews.

Since they accept the Old Covenant, they have an openness to the understanding of Christ. However, since they await the Messiah, they misunderstand the truth of Christ and his nature.