The The Antioch Declaration (TAD) struck me like a plow hitting a hard stone buried deep in the soil. There’s something heavy here—something that speaks to why people follow so blindly, like sheep trotting after the shepherd without knowing the path. So, I’m going to try to lay this out simply. My approach is straightforward: I’ll explain each part twice to two imaginary dummies, first for the younger, whose understanding is still growing, and then for the older, who may grasp subtler nuances. My translations aren’t endorsements, but rather attempts to build a bridge of understanding. I’ll pull pieces of the declaration, answer them, and then break them down. This process, like all meaningful conversations, will unfold slowly, over a few days, so that we can stand a little straighter and think a little deeper for ourselves. God help us find clarity. Lord knows, we’ll need His help to do that.

The church stood silent, its walls thick and sturdy, sheltering something no one dared to name. The greatest wrong in our time, tied up in its very soul, wasn’t confronted or even whispered about. Instead, it lay buried deep, safe and shielded by a fortress of endless affirmations and denials, each brick in that wall placed with care. I couldn’t help but wonder how long the silence could hold before the truth burst through.

Here we go.

Schedule

Here is my schedule for getting The Antioch Declaration for Dummies completed. You may also click on the link to jump to that section.

Declaration	Due	Status
Preamble, 1-2	11/27/24	Completed
3-7	11/29/24	Completed
8-10	11/30/24	Completed
11-14	12/04/24	Completed
15-17	12/06/24	Completed
18-19	12/12/24	Completed
20-25	12/13/24	in progress

WE DENY that Jews are in any way uniquely malevolent or sinful, that Judaism in its multifarious expressions is objectively more dangerous than other false religions, or that it represents an exceptional threat to Christianity and Christian peoples. By nature, the Jews are objects of wrath just like the rest of us, which is condemnation enough (Psalm 14:2-3), and are equally recipients of God’s grace (Romans 11:11-32).

☐ Agree ☒ Disagree ☐ Uncertain Comment:

I can’t agree. To agree would mean denying God, and I won’t do that.  I’ve seen men try to shield others, thinking they’re doing good, but all they’re really doing is pulling a heavy veil over the truth. Like Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, they shut out the warnings and silence anyone who dares to speak sense. (Amos 7:10-17) Amaziah would rather watch his nation crumble to dust than admit it needed to change, and there’s something deeply wrong with that. Evil doesn’t always wear horns or show itself in obvious ways; sometimes, it just whispers lies that keep people on a path to ruin.

Jeremiah 23:14 Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood; and they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

Would Paul Have Signed This?

Paul would not have signed this declaration. His life was marked by conflicts, especially with the Jews, whose opposition left lasting scars. He even wrote to the Thessalonians, urging them to be cautious, his words a mix of wisdom and weariness.

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.

And to the Romans he wrote…

Romans 11:25-28 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “the Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” “This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;

Earlier he had challenged them to be discerning by realizing that not all Israel is Israel.

Romans 9:6-7 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named.”

Church leaders know that calling yourself a Christian doesn’t make it real. But with the Jews, they lose all reason. They stop thinking clearly and push others to do the same. The truth is simple: some people sin more than others. You can’t ignore what’s right in front of your eyes.

Revelation 3:9 ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.

Paul’s warning was simple, but it carried a weight that couldn’t be ignored: “From the standpoint of the gospel, they are enemies.” Now, how are the Jews enemies? We could trace through the long, winding history of Christianity to find the answer, but that would take more time than we have. Instead, let’s walk the path the Bible has already laid down for us.

Would Luke Have Signed This?

Luke describes many instances of the Jews opposing the truth; we can find the same kind of things going on in the world today.

Acts 14:2 But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.

Acts 13:44-46 The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming. Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

Luke mentions “the Jews” 56 times in his Gospel and in the Book of Acts. Add to that other references of Pharisees, chief priests, and scribes. The ratio of good Jew to bad Jew would suggest that Luke would never have signed this declaration. They are troublesome. If Luke is a Christian worth imitating, then his emphasis on the Jew is noteworthy. Do we see anything like Luke in our day? Where are such Christian men? How have we come to be so unlike Luke?  

The cause of the problems we have today has a source.

If 2% of our population were Muslim, yet 70% of the positions of power and influence were filled with Muslims, would that be a problem? 2% of our population is Jewish, yet 70% of the positions of power and influence are filled with Jews. That’s a problem. The cause of the problems we have today has a source.

Luke 12:1 Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Pharisees were the leading people of the Jews. They destroyed that nation. They gravitate toward positions of power and once there, mismanage it. Why? Hypocrisy. For example, if the Jew actually sought the welfare of our country, would they be opposed to our desire for them to practice equity and fill only 2% of the positions of power and influence, instead of 70%?  No! It’s equity for us, but not for them.

Would John Have Signed This?

John was an Apostle. He was fully trained by Jesus and wrote about the life of Christ. It is interesting to see what a trained mind considers important. 63 times in 60 verses he mentions “the Jews.” Nearly 3 out of every 5 occurrences put the Jews in negative light. The term is often used to refer to the Jewish religious and political authorities who opposed Jesus rather than the entire population.  John’s focus was to draw out the Jewish elite and call it to our attention. But, we have to study John’s work to understand that, because John is very comfortable with using a broad brush to paint his own people by saying “the Jews.” He doesn’t differentiate between the evil element within the race and the rest. He is not careful like that. He just calls them “the Jews.”

Some of these statements are incredibly insightful. Note the mention of the host country, Rome, in the background. Would John have signed this declaration?

John 11:47-54 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. “If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. Therefore, Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

Earlier, we read in…

John 7:1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

Yet remember this, Jesus drove the moneychangers out of the Temple not once, but at least twice, and maybe even three times. Why did the Roman guards not intervene? Did they think the Jews deserved it? Why did these Jews keep coming back? What does this say about their character? Do you think they returned after Jesus left?  Where are such people today?

So after Jesus left and went to heaven, He wrote two letters to the Church telling us to be on guard against these Jews. The synagogue of Satan is a pretty serious accusation. Should we ignore His warnings or should we let them inform us?

Revelation 2:9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 3:9 ‘Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.

Would Jesus Have Signed This?

Jesus knew firsthand the trouble the Jew can cause. He did not hesitate to call them out. He sought to spare His followers trouble by pointing them out and warning us to stay vigilant. Jesus would never have signed this declaration. We are not all the same.

Matthew 10:16-18 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.”

Matthew 7:13-16 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?”

So, rather than saying that the Jew was like everyone else, Jesus declared, believer beware!  His eternal word says, “notice them, for your own welfare, notice them; for the welfare of your children, notice them; for the welfare of your church, notice them; for the welfare of your state and country, notice them, notice them, notice them.

Are You Going To Sign This?

I am not.

So, let me get back to translating this declaration unless you miss their point.

INTERPRETATION and EXPLANATION

To The Younger

Sometimes people think that Jewish people are more bad or more of a threat than other people, just because they’re Jewish. They might think that the Jewish religion is worse than other religions that aren’t Christian.

But the statement is saying that this is not true. The Bible says that all people are sinful and need God’s help, not just Jewish people. It also says that God loves all people and wants to save them, including Jewish people.

So, Jewish people are not worse or more dangerous than anyone else, just because they’re Jewish. They’re just like everyone else in that they need God’s help and can be saved by Him.

The statement is also saying that we shouldn’t think that the Jewish religion is worse than other religions that aren’t Christian. All religions that aren’t Christian are not telling the whole truth about God, but that doesn’t mean that the Jewish religion is more dangerous or worse than any other non-Christian religion.

So, the main point of the statement is that we should not think that Jewish people or the Jewish religion are uniquely bad or dangerous. We should remember that all people need God’s help and can be saved by Him, no matter what their background is.

To The Older

The authors are saying that Jewish people are not worse or more sinful than anyone else, and that their religion is not more dangerous than other religions that aren’t Christian. The author believes that all people, including Jews, have the chance to be forgiven and loved by God if they follow Jesus. They remind us that we should treat everyone with kindness and respect, no matter what religion they follow.  

WE DENY that world affairs are governed by conspiring Jews or that there is a global Jewish conspiracy to corrupt and destroy Western society.

☐ Agree ☒ Disagree ☐ Uncertain Comment:

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I disagree. These authors may have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Just like false teachers before them, they lead others down a path to destruction.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Their denial is over the top, like trying to convince people at noonday that the sun does not shine. I guess they want us to believe that our struggle is in our heads and nothing but our imagination. It is not.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Just how do the men of The Antioch Declaration understand these forces of wickedness? How do these forces apply their pressure upon us to create our struggle? Are not “rulers” and “world” forces the physical manifestations of spiritual forces? Is it absurd to ask, who are these rulers of this world? Can we not expect an answer?

Knowing the source of wickedness means we include spiritual means in our struggle, not that we should abandon all physical elements of the fight. It does not mean we accept abuse or give up freedom.  That is not a virtue; that is not spiritual. When we look to the future, it also does not mean we pass on to our children a snake instead of bread.  We seek to make a future better for them than for us.

1 Corinthians 7:21-23 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

2 Corinthians 11:19-20 For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly. For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.

Matthew 7:9-10 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?”

Secondly, God believes in conspiracies and He encouraged us to believe in them too. How many times does He remind us to be sober minded, alert, and vigilant? Why did He give us eyes and ears and our other senses to warn us of danger? Why did He say that our adversary is like a lion prowling about seeking someone to devour?

The history of man is the history of men conspiring against one another. Jews are not excluded from this.

Now, if all these cues in Scripture have been of no help, then maybe a review of modern history will wake these men up. Although the subject is complex, it is not impossible to see what world affairs are governed by conspiring Jews. It would be most unusual for a people to not conspire together to seek their own welfare. From Genesis 10 onward that is what we find in the world, men conspiring together to seek their own welfare. For the Jews to stop doing this in our generation as these authors suggest, would be most unusual.

There are many roads that lead to a deeper understanding of “a global Jewish conspiracy to corrupt and destroy Western society.” Once you are convinced that this is possible, then consider these steps to help you brush away the dust that covers up the truth.  

First, surround yourself with loyal supporters whom you can trust implicitly. Consider family members. These individuals will serve as your eyes and ears, providing valuable information and assistance in countering the conspiracy. When we live in a world full of lies, we will eventually fall for some; good friends or good family members can help you and you can help them avoid that.

Next, start gathering evidence to substantiate your claims. How did we get into this mess? Why are we so weak in fighting against evil? What were we taught not to look at, read, watch, etc. Could any of that lead to information that could help us establish civilization once again? Someone showed me this diagram detailing our problems. Is it right or wrong? I don’t know, but most of it makes sense based on what I know. Therefore, I trace it out as much as I can to become resistance to the forces that are driving us to destruction and despair. I eat the fruit and spit out the seeds.

To conclude this introduction to a global Jewish conspiracy to corrupt and destroy Western society watch this video on the concise history of modern Israel – 1948: The Birth of a New Specimen of Human Being. It speaks of the creation of the modern state of Israel. I challenge you to compare it to God’s description of His creation of Israel.

Proverbs 18:17 The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.

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INTERPRETATION and EXPLANATION

To The Older

Sometimes people believe things that aren’t true, like the idea that there’s a secret group of Jewish people who are trying to cause problems and destroy the world. This is called a conspiracy theory.

The statement is saying that this idea is not true. There is no secret group of Jewish people trying to destroy the world or cause problems.

The Bible says that there are bad things in the world because people don’t always do what God wants them to do, but it doesn’t say that any one group of people is responsible for all the bad things.

So, the main point of the statement is that we should not believe in conspiracy theories that say Jewish people are trying to destroy the world. We should remember that all people are capable of doing good and bad things, and that God is the one who is ultimately in control of the world.

To The Younger

The authors are saying that there is no secret group of Jewish people who are trying to control the world or ruin Western society. They believe that this idea is not true and that we shouldn’t blame Jewish people for the problems in the world. The author wants us to remember that all people are equal and should be treated with kindness and respect, no matter what religion they follow.

Schedule

Here is my schedule for getting The Antioch Declaration for Dummies completed. You may also click on the link to jump to that section.

Declaration	Due	Status
Preamble, 1-2	11/27/24	Completed
3-7	11/29/24	Completed
8-10	11/30/24	Completed
11-14	12/04/24	Completed
15-17	12/06/24	Completed
18-19	12/12/24	Completed
20-25	12/13/24	in progress