History Distinguishes Religion, Race

* In response to “It’s a Contradiction” (Letters, July 11), a short history lesson is in order.

The Hebrew race began when God called Abram (later known as Abraham) out of Ur of the Chaldees, or Babylon. All descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac are Hebrews. Isaac had a son named Jacob. His 12 sons became the 12 tribes of Israel. After the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel split into two kingdoms: the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah. Israel consisted of 10 tribes, plus a portion of the priestly tribe, Levi. Judah consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, plus a portion of Levi. The kingdoms of Judah and Israel were the Hebrew race. They came to be known as Jews, through a derivation of the name Judah.

The race of the Israelites is Hebrew or, as we know them today, Jews. The religion of the Jews is Judaism. Therefore, a Jew can accept Jesus as the Messiah and still remain a Jew. Jesus was a Jew. All the New Testament writers, with the exception of Luke, were Jews. The church, born at Pentecost, consisted of Jews.

The first Gentile convert was a Roman named Cornelius. The believers in Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch during the Apostle Paul’s lifetime. The Messianic Jews and born-again Christians are one new people in Christ who follow different customs. Anyone can convert to the religion of Judaism. But nobody can “become” a Jew.

MARIANNE CONNOLLY

Huntington Beach