You can read Darrow’s article here.
A friend of mine Has asked me my honest opinion about Miller’s article and this was my response!
First of all, I will approach this article from a biblical and theological perspective, not a political one. First I will try to summarize my understanding of what he is saying:
I “think” Miller is suggesting that the persecution of Jews stems from three main causes:
1. Religious ideologies
2. Satan, who has been orchestrating this hatred from the time of Ancient Egypt, through Nazi Germany, to modern-day anti-Israel movements.
3. A cultural conflict between Judeo-Christian values and neo-paganism.
Later, he calls for action to defend Judeo-Christian values and stand in solidarity with the Jewish people as essential for preserving Western civilization. Miller writes:
“As we delve into this, please pray that the Lord would open your eyes to see the profound depth of this civilizational conflict. Please also pray that the Lord would empower you to courageously stand in solidarity with the Jewish people at this pivotal point in history.” [emphasis add]
My Response:
A few concerning aspects of the article stood out to me:
- There is no mention of Jesus Christ at all in Miller’s article. Not even once.
- Miller seems to assume that the God of the Old Testament (OT) and the God of the New Testament (NT) are the same, but do the Jews believe that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to deliver His people?
- There is a confusion between political and geographical Israel and the “True Israel” of the Bible.
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We, as Gentiles (including Miller), have no access to the God of the OT apart from the work of Jesus Christ. In fact, we were once enemies of God and had no way to become part of His people except through Christ. We have no access to God except through Jesus Christ. I believe that the God of the OT and the NT is indeed the same God, but do the Jews believe this? Do they believe in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God? He is the complete revelation of God (John 1, Hebrews 1).
@John 14:6: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” This emphasizes that Jesus is the only way for both Jews and Gentiles to have access to God.
@Ephesians 2:12-14: “…remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise… But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one…” This passage speaks of the inclusion of Gentiles into the promises through Christ.
@Romans 5:10: “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” It emphasizes the reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.
Ignoring Jesus’ name and work is problematic because He is the definitive revelation of God. The absence of Jesus in the article suggests a confusion between Jewish and Christian understandings of God. While there is some overlap (monotheism, moral order), the fundamental difference is Christ.
Miller refers to the Abrahamic covenant, but he misses the Christian belief that Jesus is the fulfilment of that covenant (Galatians 3:29, Matthew 1). As you know, Matthew presents Jesus as the new and the true Israel, the new Moses, and the fulfilment of all OT promises.
@Matthew 2:15: “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’” This refers to Jesus as the fulfilment of Israel’s calling, identifying Him as the true Israel.
@John 15:1: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” Jesus refers to Himself as the true vine, which is a metaphor for Israel. In Him, the true Israel is realized.
@Isaiah 49:3: “He said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.’” Jesus is the ultimate servant of God, fulfilling the mission of Israel.
@Galatians 3:16: “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.” This clearly shows that Jesus is the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham.
@Romans 9:6-8: “For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children… It is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.” – Paul makes a distinction between ethnic Israel and the spiritual Israel, those who are children of the promise through faith in Christ.
The article reflects OT theology but lacks a Gospel-centered message or presentation. This is clear from the absence of Jesus Christ throughout the entire article. Miller defends the Jews as victims without acknowledging the depravity of man. It would have been more beneficial if the author directed readers to the cross and Christ’s redemptive work for both Jews and Gentiles. The solution to moral decay, relativism, and antisemitism isn’t found in siding with the Jews but in the message of the cross and reconciliation in Christ. The article also seems to ignore the NT teaching on the new covenant, as well as the church’s role in God’s redemptive plan.
@Ephesians 2:19-22: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household… in him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” – Both Jews and Gentiles form one body, the Church, in Christ.
@1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” – This applies to all believers, Jews and Gentiles, as the new people of God.
Both Jews and Gentiles share in the blessings of Abraham (Genesis 12) through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-18).
@ Jeremiah 31:31-33: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah… I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.”
@Hebrews 8:6-7: “But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.”
Miller emphasizes Satan’s role, portraying the Jews as victims and others as persecutors or tools of Satan. The article doesn’t equally stress human depravity, responsibility, sin, or the corrupted human heart.
Mixing Political and Geographical Israel with the True Israel. Miller seems to blur the distinction between political/geographical Israel and biblical Israel, which can be problematic.
– Who is the true Israel? Galatians 3:28-29 teaches that Israel includes not only the ethnic descendants of Abraham but also all who come to faith in Christ.
– In his article, there is no distinction made between spiritual Israel and the modern state of Israel.
Finally, I would ask Miller this: Was it really the Jews who brought civilization to the West, or was it the Christians? What about the Puritans and the impact of people like Jonathan Edwards and others?
History shows that Christianity played a massive role in shaping Western civilization. The influence of early Christian theologians like Augustine, the spread of Christian monasticism, and later movements like the Reformation, the Puritan tradition, and the Protestant work ethic were far more dominant in shaping Western civilization as we know it today. The Puritan legacy, especially in early American history, was central to shaping the legal, political, and moral frameworks of the United States.