Why anti-Semitism is more than just racism, says this Jewish evangelist Avi Snyder
Anti-Semitism is much more than racism, says Avi Snyder. Photo: Orthodox Jews looking at desecrated graves in France. Photo AFP, Patrick Hertzog
Christian Life
Does anti-Semitism make a difference? Yes, it is far from innocent, says the Jewish missionary Avi Snyder. The hatred against Jews works against God’s plan to evangelise the nations. “It is satanic”, Avi Snyder says. “If the Jews could be destroyed now, Jesus is not coming back.”
Avi Snyder travels through Europe to find ways to share his faith in Yeshua with his fellow Jews. He was born in a Jewish home in New York. After becoming a Christian in 1977, his passion is to win Jews for Jesus, as the organisation is called, which he represents.
This year, there have been many anti-Semitic incidents in Europe, mainly because of the military operation by Israel in Gaza. In an interview with CNE.news, he explains the phenomenon from a Biblical perspective.
Can you help us: What is anti-Semitism?
“Very simply, anti-Semitism is not just a cultural or racial hatred of my people. And it’s not just a political problem. It is a spiritual evil.”
Not just racism?
“No, it is not. It is part of a spiritual battle. Not all anti-Semites might be aware of this, but still.
God chose the Jewish people. Because of His love for the nations, the gentiles, He selected a people undeservedly. Through these people, He would give forth to the world the Scriptures, and the Messiah and ultimately the vanguard of messengers.”
So, is it just jealousy that God chose Abraham and not them?
“Well, more than this. It is a spiritual dilemma. If the evil one could have destroyed us before Moses, there would have been no law, prophets, or Jesus. There would have been no one who died for our sins and rose from the dead.
If we –as Jews– could be destroyed now, then Jesus is not coming back. Because He said clearly to a Jewish audience: You will not see me again. He said this to us, Jews.”
Anti-Semitism made sense before Jesus first coming. Because, without Jews, there would be no Messiah. But please explain, what difference would it make now?
“Because Jesus does not come back until a redeemed Israel cries out: Baruch haba b’shem Adonai, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Do you say that anti-Semitism is a hatred against the promised salvation of the Jews?
“It is. It is aimed against the salvation of the Jews. And against the spread of the Gospel to the nations. Because it is that redeemed Israel that will be at the forefront of God’s final wave of global evangelisation. And Jesus does not come back until that takes place.”
And that is still in the future, isn’t it?
“Yes. Jesus does not come back if the people who are supposed to be at the forefront of God’s final wave of evangelism are not there. If you can eliminate the people who must call the nations to return, He does not come back.”
Do you see anti-Semitism as a spiritual battle against the salvation of the Jews, which is necessary for the salvation of the world?
“Yes, that is the underlying spiritual dimension to it.
Now, of course, your average atheistic anti-Semite does not realise that he is a soldier in a war to bring about an evil spiritual end. He does not understand that. He is just being motivated by more natural forms of hatred, racism, culture, and whatever.
But underneath all those issues, there is a spiritual dilemma.”
And this spiritual dilemma is a battle from Satan against God?
“I believe it is.”
This means anti-Semitism is satanic.
“Absolutely. It is absolutely satanic. And it is a hatred jot just against the Jewish people. It is a hatred directed against God’s love for the nations. God wants the world to know the good news. And we, Jews, must play a role in the proclamation of that message. So, it is not just aimed against us. It is aimed against all the nations whom God loves.”
Today, the whole world speaks about anti-Semitism, even in the European Union and the United Nations. But if you are right, you must be a Christian believer to understand it.
“Yes, very much so. This is why it is important for Christians who love the Jews to stand against anti-Semitism. Because it is an attack against God’s plan for global evangelisation. Let them come up for evangelising among our people. For instance, in Romans 9-11, Paul loved the Jews and prayed for our salvation.”
Today, we hear about the difference between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. How do you see this?
“Well, first of all, I do not generally talk politics. I talk about the Gospel.
I would say anti-Zionism is not the primary issue. When people attack us Jews, they do not really make a distinction between anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist. Those are intellectual distinctions.
Look at the swastikas on Jewish graves; is that anti-Semitism or anti-Zionism? Or if people are attacked in the street, they are not asked whether they are Zionists or not. It is because they are Jewish.”
But criticising the Israeli military operation in Gaza, is that anti-Semitism?
“Well, the fiercest critics are Israelis. Are they anti-Semites? No. Are they anti-Zionists? No.”
You laid a book that you wrote on the table. The title is: Jews don’t need Jesus...
“...and other misconceptions. The idea that Jews don’t need Jesus is an absolute misconception. The Scriptures make it very, very clear that all people need Jesus to be forgiven of their sins and to have a correct relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me. Those words are true for all people. But who was Jesus talking to when He said those words? To His fellow Jews. If those words are true for everybody else, they must be true for the people He spoke to.
The apostle Peter said to the Sanhedrin, the religious leaders of our people, that no name was given under the heaven by which a man must be saved except the name of Yeshua.
And the apostle Paul spoke to the Jews first, and after that, to the gentiles.”
Where does the misconception that Jews don’t need Jesus come from?
“From many places. Very often, it comes from sincere Christians who love the Jewish people. Because of the horrible history between the church and the Jewish people, they feel very anxious and guilty. They do not want to cause further offence.
But this is the wrong approach.”
Is it offensive to Jews to testify about Jesus?
“Not for the ones whose hearts and minds have been opened by the Lord. There are many of us Jews who want to hear the truth.
Above this, the Gospel is offensive to any person, Jewish or non-Jewish. The Gospel forces people to deal with the fact that we are sinful, need to repent, and come to God in humility and ask His forgiveness.”
So, you say it is wrong not to testify about Jesus to Jews.
“Yes, it is very wrong. If I were dying of a disease and you had the only available cure, would it be an act of love to withhold that cure from me out of risk me being offended, and let me die?"
But some Christians say you are a Jew, so you have been cured already because you are from a chosen nation.
“Yes, we are chosen. But in the Old Testament, chosen does not mean saved. If we Jews were automatically saved, then why did Jesus bring the Gospel to us, His fellow Jews? And why did the apostles remind us from the Scriptures, as we read in Acts?
It is clear that all people, including the Jews, need to hear the Gospel and need to place our faith in Yeshua to be saved.”
At the beginning of our conversation, you asked to pray first. Why did you do that?
“Well, because David wrote, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing and acceptable. We are accountable for everything we say.
And it is my earnest hope that anything that you and I discuss, will be pleasing to the Lord. I hope He will use it in the life of every sincere Christian. I hope He will use it to strengthen that person’s faith and hopefully give that person a passion for seeing the Gospel go to my people, the Jews.
And if non-believers read anything that comes out of this conversation, I pray that the Lord will use these words to help that person understand his or her need to repent and receive God’s gift of forgiveness in Messiah Jesus.”
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