The Debt That Christianity Owes To Judaism
CHRISTIANITY SPRANG FROM JUDAISM AND THE BIBLE THEY PRESERVED
When people start to really study the Bible they soon realize that the New Testament is based on the Old Testament. Many of the references in the New Testament would be meaningless if we did not have the Old Testament. Furthermore, we non- Jews (gentiles), are spliced into the rich theology of Israel. No one can fully understand the New Testament without this insight.
Romans 11:22-24 MNT 22 Fix your gaze, therefore, on the goodness and the severity of God; towards those who fell, severity, but towards you, God's goodness, if you continue steadfast in his goodness; otherwise you, too, will be cut off. 23 And they also those Jews, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in again; for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a mere wild olive tree, and have been grafted, contrary to nature, into a fruitful olive tree, how much more shall these, the natural branches, be re-grafted into their own olive tree?
It would surprise many that Christianity among gentiles is based on gentiles being grafted into Israel or Judaisms' rich theological tree. Many probably think of the two as distinctly different religions with little in common. Nothing could be further from the truth. Christianity began as being considered by all ( including the Jewish followers of Jesus), as a sect within Judaism. Christians in the first decade or so, all whom were Jewish, at first even though they were of the strictest sect of Judaism Pharisees, thought they could also be believers.
Acts 15:5 And some of those who were of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, rose up from among [them], saying that they ought to circumcise them and enjoin them to keep the law of Moses believers in Jesus. Note the following.
The Apostles to the gentiles. Paul used his past and current Jewish identity to undermine his persecutors. However the manner in which he did it only makes sense if Christianity and Judaism were seen as one entity and a variation within the religion. Otherwise this quotation is very shocking and makes no sense.
Acts 23:6-9 MNT 6 Then perceiving that half the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and the other half Pharisee, he cried out in the Sanhedrin: "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees! It is for the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial!" 7 When he said this, there arose a quarrel between the Pharisees and Sadducees; the meeting was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit; the Pharisees affirmed them all. 9 Then a great clamor arose; some of the scribes who belonged to the Pharisaic party stood up, and contended: "We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?"
Paul told all of them how he had been struck down on the road to Damascus with a vision which told him to preach Jesus Christ. This and other verses show without a doubt that worshipers of Jesus of Nazareth were considered a sect within Judaism. It was for a long time viewed as an unpopular sect with the leadership of Judaism, but still within the religion.
Acts 28:22 But we beg to hear of thee what thou thinkest, for as concerning this sect it is known to us that it is everywhere spoken against. (DBY)
Believers in Jesus were not even called Christians for the first time, until about twelve years after Jesus' resurrection. It was not necessarily meant as a positive label. But the other gentiles could see a difference between the two groups and also the jealousy and animosity that the leadership had for this sect more than others.
Acts 11:25-26 NKJV 25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Needless to say, if the believers of Jesus had been using a different Sabbath day, like Sunday, or rejected a major tenant of the Bible like one of the Ten Commandments, they could not have remained within the bounds of Judaism. Furthermore, if any major change like that had been made, it would have been discussed vigorously among the records of the New Testament. Remember all the debate about making an exception for gentiles regarding circumcision?
PAUL EXPLAINS THAT TO BECOME A TRUE JEW ONE MUST ACCEPT CHRIST
Paul explains to the Jews and the gentile believers in Jesus, who lived in Rome, not yet touched by a Christian evangelist, that they need rely on obedience to be a true spiritual Jew.
Romans 2:26-29 NKJV 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his circumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
A true worshiper of God is one who obeys and worships spiritually, not just in the letter in a blind mechanical and sometimes self righteous manner. Therefore based on Paul, anyone Jew or gentile, who was a true spiritual believer in Jesus and God the Father was the true Jew. The Jews protected and preserved the Old Testament so we owe them a debt of gratitude and remember all the initial believers were Jewish. All the original Apostles were Jewish and of course the tribe of Judah gave us a descendant of David as the Messiah for all mankind.
Mr 10:47 And having heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and to say, O Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me...
David was the great King of Judah that God loved so much. The Messiah would come in his lineage.
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what; we worship what we know, for salvation is of the Jews. (DBY)
Jesus agrees with Paul or vice versa. Note what the resurrected Jesus says in the Book of Revelation.
Revelation 2:8-9 NKJV 8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
The true believers are called by Jesus as the real Jews, but those trying to undermine the church as not real Jews. They are working for Satan's congregations.
Revelation 3:8-10 NKJV 8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 "Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Another congregation has a similar problem and Jesus Christ says of them to be a true Jew they must obey and believe in Him. After several decades the majority of Jews no longer believed in Jesus. Therefore they were spiritually no longer true Jews .
TRUE BELIEVERS CAN NEVER BE ANTI-SEMITIC!
Satan is Jesus Christ's adversary. He hates the people of God. He hates the tribe that brought forth the Messiah, Judah. Satan is the leader of all Anti-Semitics. Christ loves the Jewish people and we cannot hate them. It is unthinkable.
Romans 11:25-26 RSV 25 Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, 26 and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob";
Paul is telling us gentiles that we should be thankful for our opportunity because some of Jews were hardened. God loves Israel and just has temporarily divorced the majority at this time but someday they will lead the world into true worship of God.
Zech 8:23 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days shall ten men take hold, out of all languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard [that] God is with you. (DBY)
God has great things prepared for the Jewish people in the future. Everything written in the Old Testament is for our benefit and instruction as New Covenant believers.
1 Corinthians 10:1-11 RSV 1 I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same supernatural food 4 and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. ...were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come.
All the things written by the Old Testament prophets and experienced by Israel were for our benefits says Paul. We gentiles can benefit from Israel's lessons. We owe great thanks to the Jews and all the Jewish Prophets and Apostles writings in aiding our salvation. All the Bible is for us today especially the writings of Moses.
Ro 11:18 boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, [it is] not *thou* bearest the root, but the root thee.
The Jews have through God's inspiration, given the entire world a rich source of accurate theological treasure. The Jewish people loved Jesus. Mobs followed him everywhere. The leadership hated Jesus and fulfilled the mission of having him die for all mankind's sins.
