Certificate in Pastoral TheologyChurch History

Lecture 2

The Early Jewish Church

The Real Jesus – The Messiah and the Lord of All There is no distinction between the Jesus of

History and the Christ of Faith; this is a liberal invention. The early church grew because of its strong Jewish grounding in the facts of the Gospel message. Acts 26:1-29.

The early years were Jewish – and from 32AD to 135 AD there was a strong Jewish Church in Palestine, but it was destroyed/dispersed as a result of the 2nd Jewish Revolt at that time.

The Early Church was Jewish in origin and practises; with baptism, communion, deacons, eldership all coming from Judaism.

Messianic Expectations

The messianic expectation of the 1st century of our era was quite different to that of what became the standard in the later Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmud, that were formalized many centuries later. The Jewish writings that form the foundation of Judaism today get their final form under the Rabbis well after Jesus had been rejected, and after the dispersion was total, after the 2nd great revolt that destroys the hope of the Temple worship being re-established quickly. The first great text is the Mishnah, a commentary on the application of the Law, and the second, the Midrash, is a commentary on the Old Testament. The Pharisaism that Jesus criticized places its final “hedge around the Law” in these works. Rejection of Y’shua (Jesus) is formalized, but will break down, Zech 12:10ff, and is already doing so with the Messianic Groups growing rapidly in the early 21st Century.

Stephen Sees the Issue Well

Acts 7:2 – 8:1. Messiah was expected as Messiah Ben Joseph, the suffering servant of Is 53, and Messiah Ben-David, the King who will rule over them.

Stephen gives the Sanhedrin a lesson in history, just like the one that Asaph gave, Ps 78, and Nehemiah gave in his prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-10, referring back to the prophecy of Deut 27-30.

All is Changed – Changed Utterly by Jesus Sacrifice Matthew 9:14-17, Hebrews 6:1-6, 10:1ff The Jewish Church Phase 1 – 32-40 AD – massive growth Phase 2 – 41-44 AD – Herod Agrippa’s persecution of the

Palestinian church Phase 3 – 45-60 AD - increasing numbers of Gentiles

join the church. Phase 4 – 61-67 AD – Peter, Paul, and james are martyred,

James in the Temple itself in 63. John leads the Jerusalem church out of the city around 67 AD, and they join the diaspora.

Phase 5 – 70 – 135 AD – The Jewish believers suffer with their fellows under the two Roman Invasions, and the final remnants of the church in Palestine are lost in the now Gentile churches of the Middle East.

Phase 6 – 135 – present day – the Churches often join in persecuting Jews. 1970 onwards Messianic Jewish movement.

Religion – Satan’s Best Tool

1. Humanly acceptable blood-less religion, 2 Cor 11:13-19, 26, Matthew 19:16-28.

2. False pastors, Is 30:12, Jer 2:8, 2 Pet 2:1-10.

3. Blind to truth, 2 Cor 4:3-4, Col 2:8, 2 Thess 2:3-10, 2 Tim 4:1.

4. Confused teaching, Matt 7:15, Rom 16:18, pride centred, 2 Cor 10:12, idolatry based, Hab 2:18=19, legalistic, 1 Tim 1:7-8.

5. Counterfeit system, 2 Cor 11:3-15.