How to Preach Holy Week Without Condemning Jews

March 29, 2023

4:18 PM

Holy Weej

As Holy Week approaches, many Christians prepare themselves to reflect on the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, this solemn occasion also carries a painful history of violence and persecution toward the Jewish people. For centuries, the church has used Holy Week as an opportunity to condemn and blame the Jews for the death of Jesus, resulting in anti-Semitic attitudes and actions, often leading to violence and discrimination.

What the church has always called Good Friday was often Bad Friday for the Jewish people. This day often came with a need for protection from the violence, hatred, and discrimination stirred up by those who preach a message of “us” against “them” or messages centered on blaming, condemning, and punishing the Jewish people for Jesus’s death.

The current rise of anti-Semitic incidents worldwide reminds Christians that we must preach Holy Week with love, empathy, and understanding for all, especially the Jewish community. This blog post will explore how to preach Holy Week without condemning Jews and provide Christians with practical steps to promote respect and solidarity during this holy season.

Acknowledge the Historical Context

As Christians, we need to recognize and acknowledge the historical context behind the passion narratives in the Gospels. Jesus and his followers were Jewish, and the crucifixion story reflects the intra-Jewish conflict of that time.

The unfolding story of Jesus in the Gospels is not a question of Jews versus Christians or Christians versus Jews. It’s not even Jesus versus the Jewish people or the Jewish people versus Jesus. There is no “us versus them.” These were Jews attempting to be faithful to God amid tremendous social upheaval.

We must remember that the gospels are first a Jewish story- we are looking through a Jewish lens. This story is ultimately about the faithfulness of God.

Avoid Blaming or Condemning Jews

I’m a big movie buff. But when The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson’s controversial movie about the crucifixion of Jesus, came out on Ash Wednesday 2004, I decided against seeing it. I declined based on the violence and its potential anti-Jewish themes. I was in the minority in my circles; everyone else I knew flocked to see it. One morning a few weeks after it came out, I sat in the coffee shop over breakfast with other pastors in my little Wyoming town. Talk turned to the movie and the role of Jews in Christ’s death. “I don’t know why Jews are saying this movie is anti-Semitic. After all, they did do it. The Scriptures say so,” one Southern Baptist pastor flatly stated, shaking his head with a little laugh of disbelief.

His words hit me like a ton of bricks; how could he say that? Didn’t he realize how statements like his have been used against the Jewish people for centuries? Didn’t he know of the church’s brutal history of anti-Semitism, called “the longest hatred”? Didn’t he know about the trajectory of suffering words like he had launched, culminating in the Holocaust? He may not have known. If so, he wouldn’t have been alone. You are preaching to folks that may have minimal experience with Jews or Judaism- remember to set the stage so people are not going into the sermon with a completely false assumption.

In the past, the church has used the charge of deicide, or murder of God, as an opportunity to vilify, blame, and exact revenge on Jews. Thankfully that’s changing. Vatican II 1962–1965 Council and “Nostra Aetate,” of the Roman Catholic Church, helped address itself to the modern world and absolved the Jewish people of killing Jesus. It recognized Judaism as an ongoing, living religion to be respected rather than a sign of disobedience to God.

In much the same way, your task of preaching is sacred, and it must be done with great care. This is especially true when preaching about Jesus’ death during Holy Week. As we preach the gospel message of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension to glory, we must do so without blaming or condemning Jews. Instead, we should focus on our shared humanity in a broken world–and the hope that comes through a God who brings life from death.

Educate Ourselves and Others

Many Christians are unaware of the painful history of anti-Semitism and its impact on the Jewish community. We might think of this as something we are beyond as a nation, yet sadly, anti-Semitism is still very much alive. A recent Pew Research Center article entitled, “Anti-Jewish harassment occurred in 94 countries in 2020, up from earlier years.” They share that the number of countries with documented anti-Semitic incidents has almost doubled in the last ten years, surging from 51 to 89 between 2007 and 2018, according to a recent Pew Research Center study. 198 nations worldwide were examined for government or social harassment concerning religious freedom. The most troubling fact is that 94 countries witnessed hate-filled attacks against Jewish people in 2020, ranging from verbal abuse to cemetery vandalism and blame for the COVID pandemic.

With this as the backdrop, the church should use its voice to bring attention to this issue. We must educate ourselves and others about the history of Christian anti-Semitism and how we can work to create bridges between our communities. This could be done through interfaith dialogue, advocating for human rights, promoting peace-building initiatives in conflict areas, and how we speak during times like Holy Week about Jews. As Christian leaders, it is also essential that we actively educate our congregations about anti-Semitism and its impacts on people.

Pray for Peace and Unity

Finally, we can pray for peace and unity among all people, especially during Holy Week, when we reflect on Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for humanity. Let’s pray for healing and reconciliation between Christians and Jews and with all people of faith and goodwill. Let’s pray for an end to anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred and discrimination.

As we approach Holy Week, remember the transformative message of Jesus’ love and compassion for all people. Let’s preach Holy Week with empathy, understanding, and love for all, including the Jewish community, who have suffered far too long from anti-Semitic attitudes and actions. Let’s commit to educating ourselves and others, collaborating with the Jewish community, and praying for peace and unity. We can build a better world rooted in justice, compassion, and love.

If you want to learn more about Jesus and the roots of faith in Jewish tradition, I urge you to pick up a copy of my book “The Jew Named Jesus: Discover the Man and His Message.”