Why the Sheer Persistence of Antisemitism Seems Unnatural

One thing is certain: antisemitism—indeed, outright Jew-hatred—is not merely an ancient problem. It remains disturbingly prevalent and resilient today. From Pharaoh and Haman in the biblical narrative, to the exiles under oppressive empires, through medieval Europe with its deicide charges (blaming Jews for the death of Jesus), blood libels, and well-poisoning myths, antisemitism has taken many forms. It appeared in pagan Rome, medieval Christendom, and in various Islamic contexts. We have seen economic scapegoating, ghettos, expulsions, and later racialized antisemitism under Nazism, followed by conspiracy theories and, in our own day, a viscous anti-Zionism and what Matt Walsh has called “Jew Derangement Syndrome.”

The more I observe debates about Israel online—I see some of the most vile and hateful rhetoric imaginable—along with antisemitic attacks across the world. The sheer excess and durability of this hatred seem to go beyond normal political, ethnic, or economic rivalries.

Today, some have become deeply invested in what might be called “Palestinianism,” adopting a simplistic oppressed/oppressor narrative in which the Israeli government is portrayed as the worst evil on the global stage. This fixation often leads to selective moral outrage, ignoring or minimizing other major humanitarian crises around the world. Whether Israel is guilty of every accusation circulating in the media is a complex and separate discussion. What is clear, however, is that the hatred and vitriol frequently extend far beyond the policies of the Israeli government and spill over onto Jewish people everywhere.

Many who spew antisemitic rhetoric are simply absorbing what they read and hear online. Yet the deeper point remains: this hostility toward Jews keeps reappearing across wildly different cultures, ideologies, and historical periods.

For my part, I embrace Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and the Messiah of the nations. You cannot divorce Jesus’ ministry from the Jewish people or from Israel. The roots of the Christian faith are thoroughly Jewish.

For many of us who reflect seriously on this phenomenon, a basic intuition arises: Why this people—everywhere, across millennia? This intuition leads some to consider that there may be more at work than merely social, political, or economic causes. A spiritual explanation begins to appear plausible.

The deepest explanation for this long-standing, irrational, and persistent hatred of the Jewish people may involve demonic opposition. The patterns of antisemitism we continue to witness today often manifest in familiar forms:

• Racial/Ethnic Hatred:Discrimination against Jews based on ethnicity or group identity.
• Economic Conspiracy Theories:Resentment fueled by myths about Jewish wealth and power.
• Scapegoating:Blaming Jews for social, political, or economic problems.
• Deicide Theory:The belief that “the Jews” are collectively responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. While certain Jewish leaders opposed Jesus and played a role in the events leading to His crucifixion, Scripture also recognizes the decisive role of the Roman authorities. Moreover, Christian theology affirms that Jesus willingly laid down His life for the salvation of humanity in accordance with God’s redemptive plan. For Christians, blaming Jews for the death of Jesus—when their own salvation depends upon that sacrifice—makes no rational sense.
• “Chosen People” Resentment:Hostility toward Jews rooted in resentment over their biblical identity as God’s chosen people, which can provoke jealousy even among Christians. The secular nature of the modern state of Israel or of individual Jews does not negate their covenantal status within the biblical narrative.

Scripture teaches that God chose Israel as the people through whom (1) the Scriptures would come and (2) the Messiah would come. Jesus was Jewish. The apostles were Jewish. Salvation history is rooted in Israel.

From this framework, some Christians reason as follows: if Satan opposes God’s redemptive plan, it would make sense for him to target the people through whom that plan unfolds.

Jeremiah speaks powerfully to God’s enduring covenant faithfulness:

“Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord of hosts is his name: ‘If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the Lord, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.’ … ‘If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done,’ declares the Lord.”
(Jeremiah 31:35–37)

A similar promise appears in Jeremiah 33:23–26, where God rebukes those who claim that He has rejected the families He chose and reaffirms His covenant with Israel and David.

Christians rejoice that God has kept His promises by preserving the Jewish people throughout history. Their continued existence testifies to the faithfulness and character of the God Christians worship. Yet, from a spiritual perspective, one could argue that this very faithfulness is what provokes satanic hostility. If the Jewish people were eradicated, God’s promises would appear void, and His character could be impugned. In that sense, antisemitism becomes not merely hatred of a people, but an indirect assault on the trustworthiness of God Himself.

In the end, as I continue to witness the resurgence and intensification of Jew-hatred across the world, purely naturalistic explanations seem increasingly inadequate on their own. Social, political, and economic factors help explain how antisemitism manifests in different eras, but they do not fully account for why this particular hatred persists with such tenacity across millennia. From a Christian worldview, a deeper spiritual conflict offers a more coherent account of this tragic and enduring phenomenon.

Recommended Resources:

Answering Islam by Dr. Frank Turek (DVD Set, Mp4 and Mp3)

Was Jesus Intolerant? by Frank Turek (DVD and Mp4)

Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, )

Legislating Morality: Is it Wise? Is it Legal? Is it Possible? by Frank Turek (Book, DVD, Mp3, Mp4, PowerPoint download, PowerPoint CD)

 

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Eric Chabot was raised in a mainline denomination in Columbus, Ohio, but he doesn’t really remember hearing too many teachings from Scripture—and definitely not any salvation messages. Although not Jewish himself, Eric grew up in a Jewish community, where most of his friends were Jewish. He attended countless Jewish holiday events, weddings, and numerous Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. His daily exposure to Jewish culture continued throughout his youth and into his college years. At age 24, Eric had never before met Jewish people who believed in Yeshua (Jesus). Invited by a friend to attend Beth Messiah, a messianic congregation led by a Jewish pastor, Eric heard the powerful and convicting message of salvation, for the first time, taught from the Book of Matthew. After becoming a believer a few weeks later, Eric felt a strong burden from God to share his faith in Yeshua with his Jewish friends. Through Beth Messiah Congregation, Eric grew spiritually and looked for opportunities to serve the Lord. He began to understand how God had strategically placed him around so many Jewish people, and he could see that God had a calling on his life. Eric also understood that he was fulfilling what Paul wrote in Romans 11:11 about the role of the Gentiles: “. . . to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.” Eric holds an M.A. in Religious Studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Serving full-time as Midwest Ministry Representative for CJF Ministries, Eric uses his gift of evangelism to reach out to Jewish people in a variety of ways and venues. He speaks in local churches and conferences about the Jewish roots of the historic Christian faith (and other relevant topics) and also serves as director of Ratio Christi apologetics chapter on the campus of Ohio State University. A collection of come of his apologetics teachings is available on his YouTube channel. [https://www.cjfm.org/about-us/us-representatives/eric-chabot/biography/]