A.D. - Latin Anno Domini meaning "In the Year of Our Lord", refers to the timeline since the birth of Jesus. See also C.E.
Baptism - usually refers to an immersion in water, what Jews would call a mikveh. Like Jews, Christians do not believe that water washes away sin. Baptism symbolizes a life purified by God. The term baptism may also refer to spiritual immersion, such as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
B.C. - "Before Christ", refers to the timeline going back from the time Jesus was on earth. Same as B.C.E.
B.C.E. "Before Common Era", refers to the timeline going back from the destruction of the second Temple. It's the same as BC, but more PC for those who don't so much like JC. This doesn't exactly work, since the Temple was not destroyed until 70 CE, but just go with it.
C.E. - "Common Era", refers to the timeline since the destruction of the second Temple...Well, really since 70 years before the destruction of the second Temple. See BCE for more explanation.
Christ - see Messiah, "Christ" comes from the Greek word Kristos, and means the same as the Hebrew word Meshiach, or Messiah. It means "Anointed"
Christianity - the faith that is based on both the writings of the Tanach (Old Testament or First Covenant) and the New Covenant (New Testament). Christianity teaches that the One True God came to earth in the form of a man: Y'shua (Hebrew for Jesus). As Y'shua, He gave the atoning blood sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, rose from the dead, and is the Savior of all who will receive Him. Christianity has many different denominations, based on differing interpretations of the Bible.
Church - The word "church" comes from the Greek word ecclasia. It means "called out assembly". The church is made up of all believers in Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles, of all denominations, from every place and every time. Local gatherings and buildings used for worship are called churches, but they are not The Church.
Diaspora - The Body of Jews scattered throughout the world, living outside of Israel.
Gentile - one who is not Jewish
G-d or L-rd - Jews hold the name of God in very high regard. So high, in fact, that it is rarely spoken or written. Some Jews and Messianics write terms which refer to God without writing the vowels, just to be extra careful to not use the name of God carelessly.
The Golden Rule - Teaching of Jesus to "Do to others as you would have them do to you." Jesus was not the first to teach this, but the idea is central to Christianity. (Matthew 7:12)
The Great Commission - Teaching of Jesus to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." (Mark 16:15)
Goy- one who is not Jewish. A Gentile. Plural is goyim.
Hashem or HaShem - Hebrew for "the Name". HaShem is used in place of the Name of the Almighty God, to be respectful and never use His Name carelessly
Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost - Hebrew, Ruach Hakkodesh. Refers to the One True God presenting Himself in Spirit form. David wrote of the Holy Spirit when he said, "Where can I escape from Your spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?" (Psalm 139:7, New JPS)
Jewish - pertaining to the race and/or faith of Hebrew people.
Judaism - the faith that is based both on the Tanach (Old Testament) and also on the traditions and teachings of the Talmud. Judaism has many denominations, based on differing rabbinic interpretations of the Bible.
Kashrut- The body of Jewish law that expounds upon Biblical dietary commandments.
Kiddush - literally means "sanctification", set apart for God. A kiddush cup is the wine that is sanctified for Shabbat or for Passover, etc. Kiddush Hashem is to "sanctify the Name". It means to bring honor to God by your righteous actions.
Kosher - means "fit for use, legitimate, ritually pure". It does not mean blessed by a rabbi. Generally, the term "kosher" refers to following the commandments of not only the Bible, but of the Kashrut. "Biblically kosher" means following the dietary laws according to the Bible, without regard to the Kashrut.
Messianic - based on faith that Y'shua (Jesus) is the promised Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world.
The term Messianic sometimes refers to any Jew who becomes a Christian, and sometimes refers to anyone (Jew or Gentile) who follows Messianic Judaism.
Messianic Judaism is made up of a mixture of Jews who choose to follow Jesus as an extention and enhancement to their Judaism, and Gentile Christians who choose to follow traditions and teachings of Judaism as the foundation of their Christian beliefs. In Messianic congregations, Jews and Gentiles worship side by side.
Messiah - literally means "Anointed" - the One appointed by God to restore Israel and to bring peace on earth
Mashiach - Hebrew for Messiah
Mikveh - immersion in water as a ritual cleansing or show of conversion. Christians call it "baptism". It is not washing away of sins, and does not get a person a spot in heaven. It is practiced as a picture of cleansing and purity. Unlike Christian baptism, Jews practice mikveh many times throughout their lives, for many different reasons. It is not a once-for-all ritual.
Pushke - box kept in the home for collecting coins for tzedakah
Rapture- The word Rapture does not occur in either the Tanach or in the New Testament. It is the term that Christians use to describe the event spoken of by the apostle Paul. "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, NIV).
Ruach Hakkodesh- God's Holy Spirit
The Shema - Central prayer of Judaism, taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-9, said or chanted in Hebrew. It translates, "Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever. (This second sentence is not part of the Bible passage, and is chanted in an undertone.) And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
Tallit - prayer shawl
Talmud - collection of Jewish law, history, and rabbinical teachings
Tanach or Tanakh or Tenach - The Jewish Bible. Christians see it as the first 39 books of the Bible, called the Old Testament, or First Covenant. Non-Messianic Jews do not consider the New Testament part of the Bible, so they do not call the Tanach the "Old Testament". They simply call it the Bible.
Torah - literally means "teaching" or "instruction"- the first five books of the Bible. Called the books of Moses, the books of the law, or simply The Law. Sometimes the word Torah is used to refer to the entire Tanach.
Trinity - Christians use this term to represent the triune nature of HaShem. One God, who represents Himself to mankind in three different forms: Father, Y'shua (Jesus) and Holy Spirit. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, is called the Son of God, but is considered by Christians to be God himself, called "Son" only because His human life came from the life force of His Spirit form.
Though the terminology gets fuzzy, Christianity does not teach that there are three gods. It teaches One God who presents Himself in three forms or three Persons. Some Christians believe that God is multifaceted, and not limited to the traditional Christian teaching of the Trinity. The word "Trinity" does not appear in either the Tanach or in the New Testament.
Tzedakah - literally means "righteousness, justice, fairness" To perform tzedakah is to give to the needy: a charity, synagogue, church, to support parents in old age, or to any worthy cause. Not just caring for our own, but for anyone in need. Tzedakah makes things more fair... sharing what we have, even if we ourselves are also in need.
Y'shua or Yeshua - Hebrew pronunciation of the name Jesus. Y'shua is the Name that Jesus used when on earth.
If you have a question about Judaism, Christianity, Messianic Judaism, or Jesus,
I am not a rabbi or a scholar, and don't claim to have all the answers;
but I'll do my best to find any answers I don't know.
