The Folly of Racial Conceit -Historically Considered
The Jews have no reason to boast, but they should humble themselves and acknowledge their mothers' blood. For on the fathers' side they are Israelites, but on the mothers' side they are Gentiles: Moabites, Assyrians, Egyptians, and Cannanites. And God wanted to indicate the fact that the Messiah was to be a brother and a cousin not only of the Jews but of the Gentiles as well, if not according to the lineage of the father, then at least according to that of the mother. Therefore there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles except for the fact that Moses later separated this people from the Gentiles by a different form of worship and political administration.
Moreover, these truths are written in order to convince all men that the Messiah was to gather Gentiles and Jews into one and the same church, just as they are joined together by nature and a common blood. -Martin Luther 1526 |
