Evangelizing Jewish People

Today, most Jewish people do not believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. As Christians, we love the Jewish people, and we want them to believe in Jesus so that they would be saved (Rom. 10:1; 11:28). Some Christians try to share the Gospel with Jewish people, but this is often ineffective. Why is this the case?

Romans 11:25 says:

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

For now, Jewish people will largely reject Jesus because a partial hardening has come on them. This is why sharing the Gospel with Jewish people is largely ineffective. Yet, this partial hardening will not remain on them forever. Rather, God has arranged that this partial hardening will be removed after the “fullness of the Gentiles” has come in. This will happen when the full number of non-Jewish people have believed in Jesus.

Because of God’s arrangement, the most effective way to evangelize Jewish people is to evangelize non-Jewish people! Indeed, in the Great Commission, Jesus commanded us to make disciples of people from all nations, and not only Jewish people (Matt. 28:19).

Of course, God has called some Christians to reach Jewish people specifically. Yet, for most Christians, obeying the Great Commission involves sharing the Gospel with the people who are around us—family, friends, co-workers, and other people in our locality.

As we all do our part in the Great Commission, more and more people will come to believe in Jesus. Eventually, the fullness of the Gentiles will come in. Then, the partial hardening will be removed, and the Jewish people will largely come to believe in Jesus.