How Determinative Is Ancestry?

In a recent blog, I argued that although the terms Philistine and Palestinian are identical in Scripture, this does not mean that the present-day Palestinians are the biological descendants of the Philistines of old. The Palestinians are the heirs (sons) of the Philistines because they have inherited their territory (the Gaza Strip) and, indeed, also their name.

Nations and Their Lands

This principle of identifying a people is important for understanding prophecy. When Scripture names a people, it usually refers to the inhabitants of a land. The Ammonites in prophecy are not (necessarily) the biological descendants of Ammon but, first and foremost, the inhabitants of the land that the Bible assigns to Ammon. Remarkably, they still bear the same name today: Amman (the capital of Jordan). Likewise, the Edomites in prophecy are not necessarily the physical descendants of Edom/Esau but rather the inhabitants of the land of Edom—the region where, among other things, the ultra-modern city of Neom is currently being built.

Where Ancestry Is Determinative

The bottom line of these observations is that a people are not always defined genetically. And yet… when it comes to Israel, ancestry is indeed crucial. It is no coincidence that Scripture speaks of “the tribes of Israel.” For through countless generations runs a lineage that traces back to the patriarchs (Acts 26:6,7). And even though the people have been scattered among all nations, they have preserved their identity for thousands of years. Even when Jews themselves wished to renounce their ancestry and identity, their enemies always managed to find them…

Through the Father or the Mother?

The issue of Jewish identity is a remarkable phenomenon. Ancestry plays a major role in it, but how this is determined is rather complex. Who is an (ethnic) Jew? For many years, Judaism has followed the Talmudic rule that having a Jewish mother is decisive. However, this rule is not so much biblical as it is pragmatic. The identity of the mother is usually clear, whereas the identity of the father is often subject to doubt. In the context of the diaspora, the Talmudic rule is much more practical. Nevertheless, in biblical genealogies, the male lineage is always determinative. Just as in many cultures, family names have traditionally been inherited through the father. According to Talmudic rules, King David—who had several Gentile women in his lineage, such as Rahab and Ruth (see Matthew 1)—would not even be considered Jewish…!

Jewish Associates

Be that as it may, it is through either the father or the mother that the Jewish lineage is maintained. Only in exceptional cases is this requirement of ancestry set aside, allowing someone to adopt Jewish identity purely for religious reasons. A goy (non-Jew) can become Jewish by embracing the Jewish faith. The New Testament also mentions such so-called “Jewish associates” (proselytes; Acts 2:10; 13:43). In general, Judaism is extremely reserved in this regard, and the obstacles placed in the way of conversion are so great that only a few manage to overcome them. Fundamentally, the Jewish people are not focused on such conversions because it would blur the ancestral lineage of the patriarchs. It is precisely this reserved attitude that has safeguarded Jewish identity throughout thousands of years of dispersion among the nations.

Khazars?

For this reason alone, the Khazar theory—popular in some circles—belongs to the realm of myths. This theory claims that Ashkenazi Jews are “fake Jews” because they supposedly descend from the Khazars, a formerly nomadic people in the Caucasus. The claim is that this people en masse converted to Judaism and thus became the ancestors of Eastern European Jews. However, this is a purely antisemitic fabrication, designed to ideologically delegitimize European Jewry—often pejoratively labeled as the “Khazarian mafia.”

God has attached His promise to the offspring (literally: seed) of Jacob. He would preserve their identity among the nations, and He will (in His time) bring them back to the land.

Fear not, thou My servant Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah, Nor be dismayed, O Israel, For lo, I am saving thee from afar, And thy seed from the land of their captivity, And Jacob hath turned back, And hath been at rest, and been at ease, And there is none troubling.

Jeremiah 30:10 (YLT)

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