The OT and NT have different topics.

[Fenris]

The Jewish bible is about sanctification.

The Christian bible is about salvation.

Discuss.

[RabbiKnife]

I’m not certain I would agree with the premise.

Sanctification is part and parcel of salvation; the being cleansed and set aside for holy service is just one part in the Christian paradigm of being made whole in a salvific sense.

And then, of course, Christians do view the Jewish Bible as “Volume 1” of the entire story as Christians would view it.

Interesting thread… looking forward to the discussion.

[Fenris]

Sanctification is part and parcel of salvation; the being cleansed and set aside for holy service is just one part in the Christian paradigm of being made whole in a salvific sense.

Yes. The Christian paradigm.

Jews are not Christians though.

Our bible is about sanctification. It is part and parcel of our covenant with God. Sanctification is done for it's own sake. Not for the Christian concept of "salvation" which does not exist in Judaism.

[RabbiKnife]

It is also almost exclusively about the Jewish concept of sanctification as God’s Chosen People in isolation from sanctification for anyone else.

In that sense, the Christian paradigm is more expansive than the Jewish paradigm.  That certainly does not negate or lessen the issue of sanctification from the Torah, the writings, and the prophets

[Fenris]

It is also almost exclusively about the Jewish concept of sanctification as God’s Chosen People in isolation from sanctification for anyone else.

Yes. Yes it is. It is the story of a single people's relationship with God.

But what is the purpose of this relationship?

Before the revelation at Sinai, God instructs Moses to tell the children of Israel, "You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations— for the whole earth is Mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."

What does that mean, to be "a kingdom of priests?" Well, what do priests do? They minister to the lay people. Who are the lay people, in this instance? The other nations of the world.

Judaism is not exclusionary. We don't have a sole claim of God. The opposite; God has sole the sole claim on us.

Judaism is a difficult religion and was never meant for universal practice. It was meant for a single people to practice, and become sanctified, and in so doing become a moral pilot project to the rest of the world to follow.

In that sense, the Christian paradigm is more expansive than the Jewish paradigm.

It's more universal in a way, but also less. Jesus says "No one comes to the Father except through me" i.e. one must believe in Jesus and therefore be a Christian in order to be with God. Judaism has no such restrictions. Anyone, Jew or gentile, can become close to God, based not on their beliefs but on their actions. Sanctification, you see.

[Athanasius]

The Jewish bible is about sanctification.

The Christian bible is about salvation.

Discuss.

I'm not sure I see the either/or. If "Judaism is a difficult religion and was never meant for universal practice. It was meant for a single people to practice, and become sanctified, and in so doing become a moral pilot project to the rest of the world to follow" then to what end?

[IMINXTC]

A particular sanctification for a covenant people with an ultimate purpose involving the salvation of the non-Jew:

"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."Gen22:18

Seed of Abraham being the key.

[Fenris]

I'm not sure I see the either/or. If "Judaism is a difficult religion and was never meant for universal practice. It was meant for a single people to practice, and become sanctified, and in so doing become a moral pilot project to the rest of the world to follow" then to what end?

The Jewish ethical system was adopted by, and became an essential part of, Western Civilization. It civilized the world.

[Fenris]

A particular sanctification for a covenant people with an ultimate purpose involving the salvation of the non-Jew:

The "salvation" part of the non-Jew, or even Jews for that matter, is an NT concept. The sanctification in the OT isn't a means to end, but rather an end unto itself.

[Athanasius]

I'm not sure I see the either/or. If "Judaism is a difficult religion and was never meant for universal practice. It was meant for a single people to practice, and become sanctified, and in so doing become a moral pilot project to the rest of the world to follow" then to what end?

The Jewish ethical system was adopted by, and became an essential part of, Western Civilization. It civilized the world.

I guess what I'm asking is, what comes after sanctification, or, what precedes salvation?

[Fenris]

I guess what I'm asking is, what comes after sanctification, or, what precedes salvation?

Salvation in the Christian sense does not exist in Jewish bible. Sanctification is the end result.

[Athanasius]

I guess what I'm asking is, what comes after sanctification, or, what precedes salvation?

Salvation in the Christian sense does not exist in Jewish bible. Sanctification is the end result.

It's salvation of some kind though, right? The Jewish sense, I mean?

[Fenris]

This week's Torah portion is Leviticus 19:1 through 20:27.

It begins with the words "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, 'You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.' "

It then gives dozens of commands to follow, beginning with honoring one's parents and keeping the Sabbath. It ends with the prohibition of sexual immorality and avoiding non-kosher animals.

It concludes with "You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine."

There is no reward promised for any of this. No "salvation". It is simply the terms of God's covenant with the Jewish people.

[Athanasius]

This week's Torah portion is Leviticus 19:1 through 20:27.

It begins with the words "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, 'You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.' "

It then gives dozens of commands to follow, beginning with honoring one's parents and keeping the Sabbath. It ends with the prohibition of sexual immorality and avoiding non-kosher animals.

It concludes with "You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine."

There is no reward promised for any of this. No "salvation". It is simply the terms of God's covenant with the Jewish people.

When it's all said and done, then, the Jew and non-Jew alike end up in the same circumstance?

[Fenris]

It's salvation of some kind though, right? The Jewish sense, I mean?

Let's look at this chronologically. The five books of Moses were written during the 40 years after the exodus and before entering the land. At that time, Jews were already under the covenant at Sinai. The magnificent works of Jeremiah and Isaiah were hundreds of years in the future. Yet those people were perfectly good Jews just following the law and sanctifying themselves according to God's word.