"Hostile to the entire human race"

The New Testament is clearly pro-Jewish. Misreadings of 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 appear to have caused tremendous suffering and distortion of Christianity.

A recent translation in the Common English Bible provides an example of extremely poor translation that enables a terrible misreading.

"Brothers and sisters, you became imitators of the churches of God in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus. This was because you also suffered the same things from your own people as they did from the Jews. They killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out. They don’t please God, and they are hostile to the entire human race when they try to stop us from speaking to the Gentiles so they can be saved. Their sins are constantly pushing the limit. God’s wrath has caught up with them in the end." (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16, CEB)

In reality, the Ancient Greek syntax, together with the context of the Apostle Paul's letters, makes clear that Paul is talking about a specific group of Jewish people, whose actions he criticizes, rather than the entire Jewish people...

"Indeed, you have become imitators, siblings, of the called assemblies of God that are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because the same things you also have suffered by your own compatriots, just as they too by the Jews who, having also killed the Lord Jesus, having persecuted both the prophets and us, and not pleasing God, are also opposed to all human beings, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved, always unto the refilling of their sins. But the wrath has overtaken them to the fullest." (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16, CFB)

...whom Paul loves, as is made clear in his letter to the Romans...

"I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen." (Romans 9:1-5, NKJV)

...and for whom Paul demands respect and hope from Christians.

"For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, 'Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.' Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." (Romans 11:15-23, NKJV)

Paul witnesses to the fact that Almighty God loves Israel / the Jewish nation

"according to the election [they are] beloved for the sake of the parents,

for unrepentable are the gifts and the calling of God." (Romans 11:28-29, CFB)

Likewise, the Jewish religion is honoured by Paul and the leaders of the Jerusalem Church

“You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law...” Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having been purified with them, entered the temple to announce the expiration of the days of purification, at which time an offering should be made for each one of them. (Acts 21:20-24, 26, NKJV)

The same type of misreading is done of John 8, tragically for all people involved. Just like 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16, where Paul is criticizing a specific group of violent persecutors, so also in John 8:37-47, Jesus is recorded as having clearly and explicitly addressed a specific group of violent persecutors, not any larger group.





CEB: Scripture quoted from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011.

CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2017 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NKJV: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.