My husband will be returning from his first trip to Israel. I was not able to go. He and the family did the usual tourist things. I am sure that Jesus and His teachings will be more meaningful when one can actually see the places the Lord would have seen and the famous archeological sites mentioned in the Bible.
Somewhere along the way, however, we Christians have separated ourselves from the Jewish roots of our faith. How did this happen?
I don’t pretend to have answers for the theological debates between Biblical scholars…….but this I do know.
Our Lord was a Jew and was speaking to his Jewish brothers. His teachings must be read in regard to the historical context of His day as well as the issues that He was addressing.
When the first group of Jewish believers was convinced that He indeed was the Messiah of Israel, five thousand and then three thousand came to faith in Him. He fulfilled the prophecies spoken in the Hebrew Scriptures. They continued worshipping in the temple and meeting for study in the synagogues. But gradually, these early Jewish believers were so oppressed for their faith that many of them had to meet as a group on their own.
After the Gentiles became believers both groups began meeting together. Paul addresses the many problems that arose during the early apostolic or church age. Gentiles didn’t know the Jewish Torah nor did they really understand the prophecies of the Messiah. How could they? They had come from a pagan background.
But then something severe happened. According to many church historians (I am quoting Dr. Daniel Juster as one), it was the second Council of Nicaea, (A.D. 787) that church authorities essentially replaced the Jewish teachings and inserted Gentile/pagan philosophies into the church. In fact many of our cherished Christian holidays are really based on old pagan customs. Did you know that our communion service is actually based on the Passover?
So now what?
Just remember, we have our traditions and our customs. Very few of us really know about the faith of which the Lord spoke. We are Gentiles and have been raised with that tradition but at the same time, should we not study the Hebrew Scriptures…..should we not be made aware of what God has told His people? Our Lord merely repeated and amplified those teachings.
As Paul told Timothy…”Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
Timothy was to study the Torah, separating traditions of men from the truth of God.
AbideLines 