Christianity: Early History

Christianity

A brief review of the early history of Christianity

In the beginning of Christian faith there were two kinds of believers: the very first were Jewish believers (i.e. Jesus' immediate disciples). Very soon (within decades of Jesus' death) the "good news" was spread to the Gentiles (especially by Paul) so that there were then "Jewish Christians" and "Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians". There were also "Christian Jews" ("Jewish Christians") and "Non-Christian Jews" (those who continued Judaism into the Rabbinic period and on to today). In little time, most Christians were coming from Gentile (Greek and Roman) rather than Jewish origins. Thus was the Jewish God "universalized" but the Jewish Law was not. Even one of the four Gospels was authored by a Gentile (Luke, an associate of Paul's). Those Greek and Roman Christians (who soon became the leaders of the new religion) brought into Christianity many of their Pagan practices (video on Pagan origins of Christmas traditions) and Greek philosophy. Vestiges of Greek and Roman mythology also seem to have been incorporated into Christianity (Greek and Roman mythology is full of "man-gods" and virgin births).

Thus did the one religion - Judaism - split into two. Christianity starting out as a first century Jewish sect. But, within a hundred years or so - by the time of the early Bishops of the church - Christianity was more and more clearly distinguishing itself from its Jewish roots. One such way of doing so was to cease observance of the Jewish Sabbath - on the seventh day - and gather for worship and communion on the Lord's Day - the day of resurrection - Sunday. Apparently the earliest Jewish Christians/Christian Jews observed both the seventh day Sabbath and the first day Christian fellowship (gathering to share the communion meal on the resurrection day - the day after the Jewish Sabbath). Perhaps the ultimate Christian rejection of it's Jewish roots is found in the long running Christian persecution of Jews and Judaism, ostensibly for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah and being "Christ killers".