A Question for Messianic Jews

[Cow Poke]

I have some friends kinda like that (not as bad) they drive me batty.

Yeah, I remember the first time my granddaughter told me her grampa (her daddy's father) was "Jewish", I said, "say WHAT?!?!?!" They "became" Messianic Jews after my daughter married their son, and they began to hate me because I was a Baptist Pastor who "wasn't preaching the truth".

I've had the privilege of helping someone like this come to Christ and see Him as their Messiah.

That's a real blessing!

Lennie Just LOVES to talk about how Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, and he's an absolute joy to be around.

[Raphael]

One was the Christian who, for whatever reason, got into a form of "replacement theology", and they tended to be a bit uppity like they have figured out something "regular Christians" haven't quite gotten. My eldest daughter's in-laws are like this, and have taken on Jewish names, and dabble in Jewish culture.

I have some friends kinda like that (not as bad) they drive me batty.

The other kind of Messianic Jew I have experienced is an actual Jew who has converted to Christianity, and sees Christ as the Messiah for whom they have been looking. Both of the Messianic Jews of this type that I know are very much excited about winning people to Christ, and living in the grace and richness of the New Testament.

I've had the privilege of helping someone like this come to Christ and see Him as their Messiah.

[Cow Poke]

I'm wondering why a Christian would self identify as an Messianic Jew rather than a Christian.

I don't really need a lesson in the etymology (OR entomology) of the term, but it almost seems to imply "I'm better than a Christian" or "special knowledge" or some level of "I'm not like the rest of you".

My experience in the past with Twebbers who identify as Messianic Jews has been that they "know things" the rest of us do not know, or in some way are superior to the rest of us. They also have seemed to be a bit more combative than "Christians".

I'm sure there's a much better explanation, and my experience is simply myopic and/or based on anecdotes.

So, why would somebody identify themselves as "Messianic Jew" rather than "Christian"?

I've had experiences with two different kinds of Messianic Jew.

One was the Christian who, for whatever reason, got into a form of "replacement theology", and they tended to be a bit uppity like they have figured out something "regular Christians" haven't quite gotten. My eldest daughter's in-laws are like this, and have taken on Jewish names, and dabble in Jewish culture.

The other kind of Messianic Jew I have experienced is an actual Jew who has converted to Christianity, and sees Christ as the Messiah for whom they have been looking. Both of the Messianic Jews of this type that I know are very much excited about winning people to Christ, and living in the grace and richness of the New Testament.

Neither of these types of Messianic Jew, in my own experience, are anywhere near as "combative" or arrogant as the Xtians I mentioned in the OP that this one copies.

[Cow Poke]

Aw, I'm touched!

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[Paprika]

I'm wondering why a Christian would self identify as an Messianic Jew rather than a Christian.

I don't really need a lesson in the etymology (OR entomology) of the term, but it almost seems to imply "I'm better than a Christian" or "special knowledge" or some level of "I'm not like the rest of you".

My experience in the past with Twebbers who identify as Messianic Jews has been that they "know things" the rest of us do not know, or in some way are superior to the rest of us. They also have seemed to be a bit more combative than "Christians".

I'm sure there's a much better explanation, and my experience is simply myopic and/or based on anecdotes.

So, why would somebody identify themselves as "Messianic Jew" rather than "Christian"?