The New Testament from the Messianic Jews' Eye and Chinalization of Jesus: Taking the Jewishness in the Sermon on the Mountain as an Example

Abstract

In the history of Christian thought does exist replacement theology for a long time. After the Shoah, Messianic Jews have attempted to re-translate the New Testament to show the Jewish root and Jewishness of Christianity. Such attempts do not desalinate Christian tradition, but actually re-enforce it. This article focuses on the Sermon on the Mountain to reemphasize the Jewishness of Jesus and does not weaken the human nature of Jesus, but make it perfect. Jesus as one whole Jew (at the same time, Jesus as whole God)is Jesus who lived, died and rose for the gentiles and Jews. Jesus as one whole Asian Jew (at the same time, Jesus as whole God) is Jesus who lived, died and rose not only for Asians. Contemporary Chinese context attempts to chinalize Christianity not only to add Chinese elements into Christianity, but also to secularize, folk-customize and moralize Christianity. And these attempts possibly remove Christ-identity from Jesus. Compared with the de-Jewishness of replacement theology, Chinalization of Jesus possibly means de-Jewishness and de-Christ-identity of Jesus.