A Judean, or someone belonging to Judah. The English word originated in French.
Old Testament
The Hebrew word first appears in 2 Kings 16:6, meaning "citizens of Judah." It became popular in the period of Jeremiah before the exile in Babylon in the late sixth century BC (Jeremiah 32:12). This showed a growing sense of national identity among foreign nations. Jeremiah 34:9 uses "Jew" in a statement emphasizing that citizens had the right to freedom from slavery. Jeremiah 52:28 uses it when counting deported citizens.
Once the people were in exile, the term took on a religious meaning. The Jews differed from surrounding peoples because they believed in one true God. A separation between Jews and gentiles (or non-Jews) developed. In Daniel 3:8–12, some Jews are accused of improper Babylonian religious practices. Esther discusses Jewish identity and survival in a foreign land. Esther 8:17 speaks of gentiles becoming Jews through conversion.
After the exile, the religious meaning of “Jew” is expressed in Zechariah 8:23, which says that the gentiles would seek out Jews because God was with them. In Ezra 4:12, the term “Jews” is the term used for the returned exiles. Nehemiah also uses it this way (Nehemiah 1:2; 4:2). Nehemiah 13:24 emphasizes the importance of social separation for the Jews. It teaches that Jews should not marry foreigners because of their faith. Nehemiah expressed strong disapproval of such marriages.
New Testament
In the New Testament, “Jew” shares a similar meaning. The New Testament documents described certain Jewish customs to gentiles (Mark 7:3; John 5:1; 19:40). The New Testament distinguishes Jews from gentiles (Acts 11:19), Samaritans (John 4:9, 22), and converts (Acts 2:10). While Jewish Christians can be called “Jews” (Galatians 2:13), the religious distinctions between Jew and Christian are emphasized.
In Romans 2:17–29, Paul analyzes the term “Jew.” He emphasizes that the true meaning of the word lies in an inward attitude to God rather than in rituals. Paul was probably reflecting on his failings as a Jew before he converted to Christianity (compare Philemon 3:3–6). His mention of “praise” in Romans 2:29 is the most important part of the passage. It is a forceful play on words: in Hebrew, Judah means “praise” (Genesis 29:35; compare 49:8).
Paul views Christianity as the true heir of the faith of the Old Testament. Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 agree that being a Jew is more than a matter of birth and synagogue observance (attending Jewish religious services). These passages relate to claims about Jesus being God's chosen Messiah (compare Romans 9:3–5; 10:1–4). The New Testament shows the opposition of Jews to the Christian message. The gospel was offensive to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23). Paul had strong Jewish credentials (Acts 26:4–7) but still received bitter Jewish attacks (Acts 21:11; 23:12, 27). Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 label the Jews’ opposition as satanic: they were carrying out the work of God’s adversary, Satan.
The Gospel of John uses "Jew" about 70 times, compared to 5–6 times in other gospels. While some uses are neutral, John often uses "Jews" to mean religious authorities, especially in Jerusalem, who opposed Jesus (John 5:18; 9:18; 11:8; 18:36).
In John 9:22, the Jewish parents of the blind man fear “the Jews” investigating them. In John 18:14, “Jews” is used to refer to the chief priests and Pharisees. It's important to note that the author, who was Jewish, wasn't expressing hatred against all Jews. He condemned those who opposed Jesus, not the entire race or people. He gladly mentions Jews who believed in Jesus (John 8:31; 11:45: 12:11). Nathanael is featured as a model of a Christian Jew, a true Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47; compare 1:31; see Genesis 27:35; 32:28).