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Good morning Father Angelo Bellon,
First of all, I thank you for your work as I consult your answers every day and doing this inspires me for the rest of the day.
Here is my question: the relationship between Judaism and Christianity on which torrents of words have been written, in particular what I wonder is how is it possible that the Jews do not convert to Christianity.
Let me explain better: if I were a Jew reading the Gospels and understanding that Jesus Christ, the son of God, is the messiah that I have always awaited and who brought to fruition what was predicted by the Scriptures, I would be, so to speak, almost forced to convert to Christianity .
Even considering that the Jews are the descendants of the Pharisees of the time, I still cannot believe that this does not happen.
In a passage from the Gospel it says any sin will be forgiven, but not the one against the Holy Spirit and in my opinion this sin is precisely this: not recognizing that Jesus Christ is the messiah, the son of God made man, despite being aware of this. And here is born the sin of the Jews who, despite being the chosen people, knowingly and voluntarily denied and still deny this absolute truth. I am interested in a comment from you on this. Thank you.
Praise and honor to you Lord Jesus.
Andrea
Priest’s Answer
Dear Andrea,
1. we can find the answer in the Sacred Scriptures.
Here it is: “Rather, their thoughts were rendered dull, for to this present day the same veil remains unlifted when they read the old covenant, because through Christ it is taken away.To this day, in fact, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed.” (2 Cor 3:14-16).
2. A veil is drawn over their hearts.
That veil still remains unremoved because it is only in Christ that that veil is removed. It is at the moment of his death that the veil of the temple was torn.
3. We note that a part of the Israelites converted to Christ.
Another, however, persists in the hardening of the heart. We rightly ask ourselves: why this when the entire Old Testament finds full confirmation in Christ?
4. Another passage in the Scriptures gives us the answer: “I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not become wise (in) your own estimation: a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,” (Rm 11,25).
Saint Paul talks about a ‘’mystery’’.
The word mystery refers to a hidden reality. In part it is known, but not fully.
What we do know, is that there has been an obstinacy in not believing in Christ, and even more, indeed in even thinking that the worst of demons acted in Christ (cfr. Mc 3,22).
And it is in reference to this hardening, to this obstinacy, that Our Lord spoke of the sin against the Holy Spirit which will not be forgiven (cfr. Mc 3,29). Not because He doesn’t want to forgive it, because God is mercy in his very essence, but because men don’t want to be forgiven.
5. However, if this sin was present in some Israelites, in those who asked for Christ not only the death sentence, but the most infamous death, that of the cross, we cannot say the same for their descendants, who in good faith are stuck in the Old Testament.
This is why the Second Vatican Council writes in the decree Nostra Aetate on ecumenism: “True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today” (NA 4).
6. For us the Jews continue to be the chosen people because they were chosen by God “they are beloved because of the patriarchs” (Rm 11,28).
They remain the object of a special affection on the part of God, certainly not because of their rejection of Christ, but because of their fathers, who God chose to communicate to humanity. Saint Paul then gives the reason why. “For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable!” (Rm 11,29) Saint Paul will say: “What if some were unfaithful? Will their infidelity nullify the fidelity of God” (Rm 3,3-4).
This is why the Jews are so dear to us.
7. Because of this faithfulness of God we are reassured that in the end even the part that remained in disbelief will believe.
This will happen when all peoples convert to the Lord (Rm 11,25).
“And thus all Israel will be saved” (Rm 11,26).
Biblical scholar Marco Sales comments: “From this it can be deduced that the end of the world will not come before all the Gentile peoples (pagans) and the Jewish people have converted”.
I thank you for your question, I bless you and I keep you in my prayers.
Father Angelo