The Jewish Roots Movement: Where We Align, Where We Don’t, and Why It Matters
There is a growing curiosity among Christians about the Jewish roots of their faith - and for good reason. As followers of Jesus (Yeshua), we are drawn to the original context of the Scriptures, the Jewishness of our Messiah, and the biblical calendar God established long before the church adopted its own rhythms.
Movements like Hebrew Roots, Torah Observant Christianity, and Two-House Theology have emerged out of this hunger. And while we affirm the longing for deeper understanding, it’s important to lovingly clarify where we stand - and where we do not. Even within these movements and tributaries, there are splintering subsets of belief, some of which we humbly admit we may not be fully aware of or simply don’t have the space to address here. Our heart is not to tear anyone down, but to draw distinctions where we see them and affirm our position so that there is clarity - not confusion - because, in this space, there’s quite a bit to be confused about.
We hope to explain the origins and beliefs of the Jewish Roots Movement, define key terms, affirm what is good, and also draw important distinctions. Again, we do this not to divide but to discern, helping Christians return to the roots of their faith without becoming uprooted from the gospel itself.
What Is the Jewish Roots Movement?
The "Jewish Roots Movement" is a broad umbrella term that refers to various groups of Christians who seek to recover or reengage with the Jewish context of the Bible. This includes observing biblical feasts, learning Hebrew, studying Torah, and even adopting Jewish customs like wearing tzitzit (fringes), observing kosher laws, or using the divine name "Yahweh" exclusively.
Within this broader movement are several more specific and organized subsets:
1. Hebrew Roots Movement
Emerging in the 1990s, this group emphasizes returning to a more "authentic" first-century expression of faith. This movement seeks to emulate the life and practice of the earliest Jewish believers in Jesus, often by reconstructing worship practices, adopting Hebrew terminology, and rejecting later Christian traditions that are viewed as Roman or Gentile in origin. It often includes:
Observing the Sabbath on Saturday
Celebrating biblical feasts instead of Christian holidays
Following dietary laws
Using Hebrew names for God and Jesus (Yahweh, Yeshua)
Avoiding terms like "Christian" or "church"
Many in this movement reject traditional Christian theology as pagan or corrupt, especially as it developed post-Nicaea.
2. Torah Observant Christianity
This version teaches that all believers, Jew or Gentile, are still obligated to follow the Law (Torah). Adherents argue that the commandments given at Sinai remain applicable to all followers of Jesus, not just ethnic Israel. They often cite Matthew 5:17, where Jesus says He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, and Romans 3:31, which states, "Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." Based on these and other passages, they conclude that Torah observance - including keeping kosher, observing biblical feasts, and honoring the seventh-day Sabbath - is not only valid but necessary for all believers as an expression of covenant faithfulness. This teaching tends to place a high emphasis on continuity with the Sinai covenant, seeing Jesus as its perfect expositor rather than inaugurator of something new.
3. Two-House Theology (aka Ephraimite Theory)
This view argues that today's Gentile believers are actually the scattered descendants of the "lost tribes" of the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim), and therefore, part of Israel by blood. According to this perspective, Gentile believers are not outsiders who have been grafted in, but rather long-lost members of Israel's extended family now returning to their covenantal identity. Proponents of this theory often refer to Ezekiel 37:15–28, which speaks of two sticks (Judah and Ephraim) being made one in God’s hand, interpreting this as a future reconciliation of physical descendants rather than a spiritual unity through faith in Messiah.
The implication: the division between Jew and Gentile is not ultimately ethnic or covenantal, but rather the result of a temporary misidentification. Many within this view believe that the rediscovery of Ephraimite ancestry among Gentiles is a key part of end-time restoration. This has led some to redefine the church not as a distinct body, but as a reconstituted Israel composed of both Judah and Ephraim. While this can be a sincere attempt to reconcile prophetic Scripture with current spiritual identity, it often introduces theological confusion by blurring the distinctions between ethnic Israel, the New Covenant church, and God's separate but unified purposes for both.
4. Sacred Name Movement
This group insists that God's name must only be spoken as "Yahweh" (or a variant), and that Jesus must be referred to only as "Yeshua" or "Yahshua." Their conviction is rooted in the belief that names carry essential spiritual meaning and must be preserved in their original form. They often teach that titles such as "Lord" or "God" are pagan derivatives that originated from Greek or Roman sources and were introduced during the early centuries of church development. As such, the use of these titles is viewed not only as a compromise but as a dilution of true worship. Many within this movement go to great lengths to avoid common biblical terminology, insisting instead on strict linguistic fidelity to Hebrew or Aramaic pronunciations. While this stems from a desire to honor God's name, it can also result in exclusivism and a breakdown in fellowship with those who use more conventional names or translations.
The Good: What We Can Affirm
We want to begin with gratitude. There is much to appreciate in the heart behind the Jewish Roots Movement.
1. A Desire for Contextual Faith
Understanding the Bible within its Jewish context is not only helpful - it is necessary. Jesus was not a European philosopher or a modern American. He was a Jewish rabbi who spoke Hebrew and Aramaic, taught from the Torah, and celebrated the feasts of Leviticus 23.
2. A Return to the Whole Bible
Many Christians today suffer from what Marcion (a second-century heretic) taught - that the Old Testament is irrelevant or inferior to the New. By reclaiming the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) as Scripture, the Jewish Roots Movement reminds us that God's story is one continuous narrative, not two disconnected parts.
3. A Love for God’s Appointed Times
The biblical feasts are not legalistic holdovers; they are rich with prophetic meaning. Passover, Firstfruits, Shavuot, Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot all point to Jesus and His work in both His first and second comings. Rediscovering these rhythms can be a beautiful act of worship.
We share that love. At The Jewish Road, we teach on the feasts regularly, we honor the Sabbath, and we encourage believers to deepen their understanding of the Hebrew calendar. But we do so with a clear distinction: our foundation is the gospel, not the Law.
The Concerns: Where We Must Part Ways
While we appreciate the desire to go deeper, we are also deeply concerned about the direction some in the Jewish Roots Movement have taken.
1. Torah as Covenant vs. Torah as Tutor
The Torah is good. Paul affirms this:
"So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." (Romans 7:12, ESV)
But Paul also tells us:
"Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law... the law was our guardian until Christ came... But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian." (Galatians 3:23–25, ESV)
The Torah functioned as a guardian or tutor - preparing Israel (and by extension, the world) for the Messiah. But with Jesus' death and resurrection, we are now under a new covenant.
When Torah becomes the measure of righteousness, we move backwards. When it becomes the lens through which we understand Messiah, we move forward.
2. Drifting into Legalism
Legalism says: unless you keep the Sabbath, eat kosher, and celebrate the feasts, you are not walking in obedience.
But Paul writes:
"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV)
Feasts and Sabbath are not abolished - but neither are they the basis for judgment or salvation. They are shadows, not the substance.
3. Confusion Around Identity
Two-House theology often creates unnecessary divisions and speculations about ancestry. But Scripture teaches that identity in Messiah is not based on physical lineage:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free... for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28, ESV)
The one new man of Ephesians 2 is not a reclassification of Gentiles into Israelites. It is a new family formed by faith, not by blood.
4. Replacing the Church with Israel, or Israel with the Church
Ironically, some in the Jewish Roots movement make the same theological error as Replacement Theology - just from the other side. One replaces Israel with the church; the other replaces the church with a reinvented version of Israel.
At The Jewish Road, we hold that God has a purpose for both Israel and the nations, and that together in Messiah, we form one body. Unity does not require uniformity.
Where We Stand: A Messianic Jewish Perspective
We are a Messianic Jewish ministry. That means:
We believe Jesus is the promised Messiah of Israel
We affirm the Hebrew Bible and New Testament as one unified story
We celebrate the feasts and honor the Sabbath
We do not require Gentile believers to take on the yoke of Torah
We embrace the New Covenant inaugurated in Jesus’ blood
Our Posture Toward the Law and the Feasts
We believe the Law was fulfilled in Messiah - not abolished (Matthew 5:17), but also not required for righteousness. Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law means He brought it to its intended completion—not by erasing its meaning, but by embodying its deepest purpose and bringing its foreshadowed promises to life. His righteousness becomes ours through faith, not through adherence to Mosaic commands. This doesn’t render the Law meaningless, but it does mean we are no longer under its legal jurisdiction. Instead, we are under grace, governed by the Spirit, and invited into a life of freedom, not fear.
We encourage believers to discover the beauty of the feasts as signposts that point to Jesus, not as standards that replace Him. They are profoundly meaningful when approached as lenses that magnify the Messiah - not as ladders we must climb to reach Him. These biblical rhythms help us grasp God’s timing, reflect His character, and trace His redemptive plan throughout history. They enrich our discipleship, our understanding of Scripture, and our worship - but they do not define our salvation or make us more acceptable before God.
We do not teach that Christians must "go back under the Law" to fully follow God. Rather, we teach that walking in step with God means understanding His story, His rhythms, and His ways through the lens of grace and truth. That lens reveals the Law as a shadow - holy and God-given, but always pointing beyond itself to Christ, the true substance. While we are not bound to the Law as covenant members, we can still learn from it as a wise teacher and delight in it as a testimony to God's faithfulness. The feasts become an invitation - not an obligation - to enter more fully into the joy, beauty, and fullness of the gospel story.
The Invitation: Return Without Replacing
If you are exploring your faith's Jewish roots, welcome. This is a journey worth taking.
But we encourage you: return to the roots without replacing the foundation.
Don’t replace the gospel of grace with the yoke of the Law
Don’t replace church fellowship with Torah-only communities
Don’t replace your identity in Christ with speculation about your ancestry
Instead, let the feasts deepen your worship. Let Hebrew terms enrich your understanding. Let the rhythms of God’s calendar slow you down to see the whole story.
But never lose sight of the center: Jesus (Yeshua), crucified and risen, the fulfillment of every shadow.
Toward Wholeness, Not Division
The Jewish Roots Movement has helped awaken the church to its biblical foundations. And for that, we are thankful.
But our job is not to become Jewish or adopt ancient laws as if they hold the key to salvation. Our job is to follow Jesus, who came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
At The Jewish Road, we walk in both truth and grace. We honor the past, engage the present, and point toward the future - when, as Zechariah 14 and Revelation 11 tell us, the King will return, and the feasts will be celebrated in the Kingdom.
We hope to teach the first class on Biblical Feasts 101 in the Kingdom. Until then, we invite you to walk the road with us.
Let us return to the root without replacing the gospel. Let us walk in step with God’s story - from Genesis to Revelation - and rejoice that we are grafted in, not burdened down.
Shalom and see you on the road.
If you want to align with the Biblical feasts and God’s rhythms, a great way to do that is by getting a Hebrew calendar. Find out more here.
About The Jewish Road
At the heart of The Jewish Road lies a passion ignited by a father-son duo, Ron and Matt Davis. Our journey began with a simple yet profound desire: to bridge the gap in understanding that has kept two faith communities apart for too long. We're here to help Christians connect with the roots of their faith and for Jews to explore the life and teachings of Jesus with an open heart.
Imagine a world where every believer, be they Jewish or Christian, not only knows their faith but truly understands its origins and interconnectedness. We strive to restore the Jewish essence of the Gospel, offering insights that deepen knowledge, bolster faith, and propel the growth of the Kingdom. The narrative of faith, we believe, is a two-act play where both acts are essential for a comprehensive grasp of the story. By uniting these acts, we're presenting a more holistic and enriching perspective.
Life is too short to wander without knowing the full essence of your beliefs. Whether you're attending a synagogue or a church, there's so much more to discover. The Jewish Road is here to guide, enlighten, and, most importantly, bring both halves of the story together. Join us on this journey; together
