Is a Jew a Jew by religion or by blood?
A Jew is a Jew both by blood and by religion, but first and foremost by blood. That identity comes from being in the promised covenant line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, out of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Les explains that when asked whether a Jew is a Jew by religion or by blood, the answer is both. Yet the primary basis is blood: a person is first and foremost a Jew because they come out of the promised covenant line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That line began when God called Abraham out of an idolatrous civilization, and it continued through the nation of Israel, commonly called the Jew. So Jewish identity is rooted in descent from the twelve tribes, while also involving a religious dimension.
What defines a person as a Jew by blood?
A person is defined as a Jew by blood through descent from the promised covenant line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Specifically, coming out of the 12 tribes makes him a Jew by blood. This lineage, rather than religion alone, establishes Jewish identity by blood.
What makes someone Jewish by blood?
A person is Jewish by blood because he descends from the promised covenant line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Specifically, being from the twelve tribes of Israel makes him a Jew by blood, not merely by religion. This lineage, not religious practice alone, defines Jewish blood identity.