Who was Jews in the Bible?

People descended from Judah@Gen.29.35-Rev

Jews (H3064) are people descended from Judah, who was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Genesis 29:35). Judah was the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the term Jew originally referred specifically to those from the tribe of Judah (2 Kings 25:25).

The descendants of Judah, known as Jews, played a significant role throughout biblical history. They were chosen by God to be His people and were given the Law through Moses (Exodus 19:5-6). The Jews were called to be a holy nation, set apart for God’s purposes (Deuteronomy 7:6).

Throughout the Old Testament, the Jews faced various trials and triumphs. They experienced periods of exile and captivity due to their disobedience to God (2 Kings 25:25), but they also witnessed God’s faithfulness in delivering them and preserving a remnant for Himself (Ezra 9:9).

In the New Testament, the term Jew continued to refer to those of Jewish descent, particularly in the context of interactions with Jesus and the early church. Jesus Himself was born into a Jewish family and ministered primarily to the Jewish people (Matthew 2:2, John 1:19). The apostles and early Christian leaders were also Jewish, and the early church initially consisted mainly of Jewish believers.

The apostle Paul, a former Pharisee, addressed the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in his letters, emphasizing that in Christ, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile (Galatians 3:28). He also urged Jewish believers to live in accordance with the gospel and not to cause division within the body of Christ (Galatians 2:14).

Overall, the term Jew in the Bible refers to the descendants of Judah and, more broadly, to the Jewish people as a whole. They are a chosen people with a unique role in God’s redemptive plan, and their history and faith continue to be significant aspects of biblical narrative and theology.