Throughout history, antisemitism—“the world’s oldest hatred”—has been a relentless force, shifting in form but never in focus, always targeting the Jewish people.

Tragically, this hatred has at times emerged from the most unlikely of sources: professing Christians. Yet, to truly follow Jesus is to reject prejudice against God’s covenant people.

Antisemitism is utterly incompatible with the gospel.

From creation to the coming kingdom, Scripture tells the story of God’s redemptive plan for humanity, a plan centered around the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1–3). Through His everlasting covenant with Israel, God extends blessing to Jewish and Gentile alike (Galatians 3:26–28), culminating in salvation through the Jewish Messiah, Jesus.

However, throughout history, the Jewish people have faced relentless persecution. From Haman to Hitler to Hamas, antisemitism has escalated from bias to brutality, with the most egregious forms culminating in genocide.

Even when not overtly violent, antisemitism festers in more subtle forms like negative stereotypes and cultural slanders. However, whether expressed in prejudice or pogroms, antisemitism springs from the same root: a spiritual assault on God’s redemptive plan for the world, beginning with the attempt to destroy the descendants of Abraham.

Scripture is clear—Jesus will not return until all Israel recognizes Him (Romans 11:24–26) and declared, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 13:35; Psalm 118:26). God’s redemptive plan for the world is inseparably tied to the salvation of His covenant people through Jesus the Messiah.

Therefore, confronting antisemitism is not optional for Christians. It is a gospel imperative.

To fight antisemitism, Christians must see the issue not just as a worldly evil but as a spiritual reality. The physical and the spiritual cannot be divorced. What manifests as antisemitism in the world is ultimately rooted in a deeper, unseen battle. Therefore, Christians must respond not only with advocacy and action but also with prayer and a commitment to biblical truth.

The threat of antisemitism requires a faithful Christian response—here are three practical steps to stand against antisemitism.

Listen and Learn about Antisemitism

 The Christian response to antisemitism must begin with humility. Believers should not jump into the issue with assumptions but should assume a posture of learning and reflection.

Before speaking, one must listen. Before acting, one must learn. Proverbs reminds us that “He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him” (Proverbs 18:13).

To be clear, listening and learning about the evil of antisemitism are not pursuits of passive empathy or aimless lament. Instead, they are meant to serve as proactive actions anchored in hope. While Christians “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15), we do so while “rejoicing in hope” (Romans 12:12), trusting that God’s redemptive purposes are at work even amid the injustice of antisemitism.

Listening and learning about antisemitism begins with the foundation of the Christian life: the Bible. Through studying the Word—reading passages like Genesis 12:1–3, Jeremiah 31:35–37, Romans 9–11, and Ephesians 2:11–22—Christians can understand God’s covenantal love and unbreakable promises to His people. Another helpful resource here would be God’s Plan and Purposes for the Jewish People.

Beyond Scripture, believers must also study antisemitism’s history, including its historical roots, theological distortions, and modern expressions. Resources like A History of Antisemitism provide helpful guidance, while many nonprofit organizations offer ongoing reporting, education, and volunteering opportunities.

Grounded in a biblical worldview and informed by a more thorough education, Christians are better equipped to engage antisemitism with gospel-centered clarity.

Engage and Educate the Church

Antisemitism requires a faithful response in Christians’ immediate spheres of influence. The church is commissioned to actively participate in God’s redemptive mission for the world (Matthew 28:18–20), serving as ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven. Confronting antisemitism is a critical part of that mission.

Just as Jesus did not retreat from the sin and brokenness of the world, the Christian call is not one of withdrawal, but of courageous and purposeful engagement. Christians are to “seek the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7) and serve as ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18–20). This includes confronting antisemitism in the heart of the Christian community: the church.

In practice, engagement and education begin with prayer. David commands the reader in Psalm 122:–9 to:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, “May peace be within you. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

To be clear, praying for the peace of Jerusalem is not political posturing but prophetic hope. Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is a longing for the shalom—wholeness and restoration—of the Jewish people and the physical region of Israel, including all its inhabitants.

But prayer must also be paired with action. The church should be vigilant in identifying and correcting theological errors that have historically fueled antisemitism, like portraying Jewish people as “Christ-killers” or teaching the theology of supersessionism (replacement theology)—the false idea that the church has replaced Israel in God’s plan.

To his credit, Paul refutes any form of spiritual arrogance in Romans 11, affirming that Israel’s stumbling is not final and that their future restoration will bring even greater blessing to the world. Gentile believers are called not to harbor a spirit of superiority but to provoke the Jewish people to envy by embodying the love of the Jewish Messiah. The nations are now meant to bring the gospel message back to the original messengers!

Resources like Why the Jewish People? Understanding Replacement Theology and Antisemitism can help believers develop a more biblical understanding of Israel’s ongoing role in God’s plan of salvation and equip them to engage more effectively against antisemitism in the church.

Advocate for and Ally with the Jewish People

Standing against antisemitism is gospel faithfulness.

Jesus was Jewish. The apostles were Jewish. The Scriptures are the story of God’s covenant with the Jewish people. When Christians stay silent in the face of antisemitism, we deny the spiritual heritage of our faith.

Throughout Scripture, God commands His people to defend the vulnerable—this includes defending the Jewish people against antisemitism. Proverbs 31:8–9 exhorts, “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.”

The apostle Paul, whom God called to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, modeled a profound love and burden for the Jewish people in Romans 9:2–4—a posture that should shape the heart of every believer.

I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren . . . to whom belong the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants . . .

Paul’s heart for his people was not passive—it moved him to prayer and proclamation. In the same way, Christian support for the Jewish people today must move beyond mere sympathy to intentional action.

To advocate for and ally with the Jewish people is to align with God’s promises—past, present, and future—for the people He first called His own.

Practically speaking, how can Christians advocate for and ally with the Jewish community? They can sign initiatives such as the Coalition Against Antisemitism’s petition to protect Jewish students on college campuses. They can volunteer with organizations dedicated to combating antisemitism. They can reach out to Jewish friends, neighbors, or colleagues, expressing solidarity and a proactive willingness to stand with them against hate, embodying the love that Jesus shows to all people!

Through listening and learning, engaging and educating, and advocating and allying with the Jewish people, Christians can stand faithfully against antisemitism. To do so is to honor the God of Israel and to live out the love of Jesus—for God’s promises to Israel are irrevocable, His purposes unshakable, and His love everlasting.