Jesus & The Land-People of Israel
Question: Was Jesus an Israelite or a Palestinian?
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Overview
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Jesus was born into the Nation of Israel and lived (apart from a brief period in Egypt during childhood) in the Land of Israel. This is why Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13, 10:21-23 & 15:21-28) and others (Matthew 2:19-23 & Matthew 9:27-34) refer to the region and its inhabitants as ‘Israel’. The name ‘Israel’ highlights that God gave the land to the Twelve Tribes of Jacob-Israel as their inheritance and home. It was only after the lifetime of Jesus that the Romans designated the area ‘Syria Palaestina’ to punish the Jews for insurrection and to politically distance the Jews from the region (the 'Philistines' were the traditional enemies of the Jews and the ancient inhabitants of the coastal region). This means that Jesus was historically and biblically an Israelite who lived and ministered in the land of Israel rather than a Palestinian who lived and ministered in the land of Palestine.
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These considerations are important when the historical and biblical identity of Jesus is cited in modern conversations about the Israel-Gaza War. ​
Bible Passages
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Matthew 2:19-23
(19) After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt (20) and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
(21) So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. (22) But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, (23) and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 8:5-13
(5) When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. (6) “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
(7) Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
(8) The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. (9) For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
(10) When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. (11) I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (12) But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
(13) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.
Matthew 9:27-34
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(27) As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
(28) When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
(29) Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; (30) and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” (31) But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.
(32) While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. (33) And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
(34) But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”
Matthew 10:21-23
(21) Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. (22) You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (23) When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
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Matthew 15:21-28
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(21) Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. (22) A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
(23) Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
(24) He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
(25) The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
(26) He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
(27) “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
(28) Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.​
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