Why and How non-Jewish Believers Left Their Hebraic Roots
Bill Haymin
September 27, 2009
Also: "Why Christians Should Know the Torah;"
By Daniel Botkin – Gates of Eden Ministry, pastor & teacher
http://www.gatesofeden.org/
Why and How non-Jewish Believers Left Their Hebraic Roots
By Tony Robinson
http://www.restorationoftorah.org/
http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/RTMSeeds.htm
Editor´s forward:
There is a dynamic revolution taking place today, a last day´s Messianic awakening if you will, that has been picking up momentum within Christians from all around the world, and from all walks of life. Many Christians have been re-discovering their Messianic roots.
This movement is growing like a prairie fire, and it´s all God´s doing.
Here is what John D. Garr Founder & President of Hebraic Christian Global Community www.hebraiccommunity.org is saying about the Christian Messianic movement:
"Something truly amazing is happening right now before our eyes! What can only be seen as a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit is breaking forth as Christians around the world are working to restore the Hebrew foundations of Christianity. After being marred for more than eighteen centuries by Judaeophobia, anti-Judaism, and anti-Semitism, Christianity is being impacted by a revolution of restoration. Scholars, clergy, and laity from virtually every nationality, ethnicity, and denomination are reconnecting their faith in Jesus with its historical Hebraic roots." Read more: http://www.hebraiccommunity.org/portal/web/guest/from_the_founder
Go here for details about the community: http://www.hebraiccommunity.org/portal/web/guest/becoming_community
God is pouring out His Spirit on individuals who are opening up to His "Last Days" outpouring.
It would be to your benefit, to put aside any preconceived ideas which you may hold, and be opened to learning things you haven´t known before.
If you are dissatisfied with the dog and pony show or the deadness of your church, or you sense there´s something definitely missing in the messages that are given, and that something is lacking in your experience as a Christian but you can´t quite put your finger on it, then you need to read this entire article.
Most of the mainline and many charismatic churches are not teaching the whole counsel of God, which includes the study of the Torah (Old Testament) as the ancient root and foundation of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Take the first step, and be opened and receptive to these teachings that will reveal, expand, and make alive a whole new realm of Scriptural understanding that not even in your wildest imagination could you have imagined was possible!
"… But just as it is written: ´THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, (Isaiah, 64:4, 65:17) AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God…" 1 Corinthians, 2:9-10 – N.A.S.
There are hidden messages from the Torah teachings of Moses that have been obscured because of the savage wolves that Paul said would come in among the early disciples after he was gone (Acts.20: 28-31).These wolves would speak perverse things to draw the early disciples away from the original understanding through the Hebrew language of the Scriptures (Torah, instruction), and introduce heresies and pagan ideas that would corrupt the early church, and that is exactly what happened. A good portion of that history will be related in the articles down below and the links for further study.
With the unction (that which excites piety and devotion) and help of the Holy Spirit, working through God called teachers of the "Torah," the understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament (The Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible which includes the Torah), will become Alive! These secrets that have been concealed for many hundreds of years until our present day are being revealed through the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.
It is suggested that those who are sincerely seeking a deeper walk and understanding of God´s Word, that they check out the following on line Christian Messianic ministries that teach and believe in the whole counsel of God: the Torah of the Old Testament, and the New Testament of Matthew through to the book of Revelation: http://www.gatesofeden.org/ , www.lionlamb.net , www.restorationoftorah.org , http://www.hebraiccommunity.org/portal/web/guest/home
If you want to understand what happened in Church history that separated the hidden knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures (Torah) from the Christian Church, and why Christians need to study the Torah of God today along with the New Testament, then read on:
"At this time Adonai is restoring the Torah as the foundational document for faith and practice among those of us called out from the nations. When reading through the book of Acts and the Epistles we clearly see the body of Messiah, consisting of Jewish and non-Jewish believers living in Torah based communities. Why didn't this union of Jew and non-Jew continue throughout the centuries? What happened to separate the non-Jewish believers from their Hebraic roots? Why did the early Western Roman church set itself against the synagogue and early Messianic believers? Hopefully, these well documented articles will answer some of these questions." – Tony Robinson
Seeds of Separation (Part 1)
By Tony Robinson
www.restorationoftorah.org
Email: torahteacher@restorationoftorah.org
http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep1.html
Introduction
The study of the early Christian Church is crucial to our understanding of how and why Christians parted ways from their Messianic Jewish brothers and ultimately separated from their Hebraic roots. The following survey illustrates the chasm that developed quickly between Jewish people and the Christian church after the first and second centuries, as well as how Christianity systematically substituted pagan practices for biblical ones. The events of this turbulent time in Jewish-Christian history mark what would be an 1800-year split that God never intended for His redeemed. The following is easily verified in church history books and in the writings of the early church fathers.
Soon after the deaths of the apostles there began the sowing of seeds in the Body of Messiah that would eventually cause non-Jewish believers to separate from Jewish believers. This can be demonstrated simply by noting that the early church fathers – some of whom were even contemporaries of the Apostles – began to introduce anti-Semitic [1] doctrines and practices.
The Church Fathers Spoke!
First, Israel´s birthright as Adonai´s chosen people was stolen. The so-called Epistle of Barnabas (written approximately 135 CE) spiritualized the Tanakh, [Tanakh, a Hebrew word designating the Torah, Prophets and Writings; equivalent to what is called the Old Testament.] claiming that it only prefigured Messiah and the Christian church. [2] "Do not add to your sins and say that the covenant [the Tanakh] is both theirs and ours. Yes! It is ours; but they thus lost it forever."
One of the most eloquent Church Fathers, John Chrysostom (344-407 CE), whose name means "golden mouth," denounced the Jews in the strongest language: "They sacrificed their sons and daughters to devils; they outraged nature and overthrew their foundations of the laws of relationship. They are become worse than the wild beasts, and for no reason at all, with their own hands, they murdered their own offspring, to worship the avenging devils who are foes of our life… They know only one thing, to satisfy their gullets, get drunk, to kill and maim one another… The Jews are the worthless of all men. They are lecherous, greedy, and rapacious. They are perfidious murderers of Christ. The Jews are the odious assassins of Christ and for killing of God there is no expiation possible, no indulgence or pardon. Christians may never cease vengeance, and the Jews must live in servitude forever. God always hated the Jews. It is incumbent upon all Christians to hate the Jews." [3]
From as early as the 2nd century Christian leaders began to repress the inherent Hebraic nature of the Brit Chadasha and instead teach anti-Semitic doctrines. Below are a few selected quotes from some of the early Church Fathers.
In Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew, Justin Martyr emphasized what had previously belonged to Israel was now the property of Christians. The Tanakh was a central part of this transference. The Scriptures "are not yours but ours," Justin stated emphatically to Trypho. That is, the church has replaced Israel as Adonai´s children or people. [4] Here is a direct quote from Justin Martyr: "For the law [Torah] promulgated on Horeb is now old, and belongs to yourselves alone; but this [new covenant] is for all universally. Now, law placed against law has abrogated that which is before it, and a covenant which comes after in like manner has put an end to the previous one; and an eternal and final law – namely, Christ – has been given to us, and the covenant is trustworthy, after which there shall be no law, no commandments, no ordinance." [5]
Jerome (author of the Latin Vulgate) and Augustine taught that the Jewish people were eternally cursed by God." Ignatius, third bishop of Antioch, said that "The Christian faith does not look to Judaism, but Judaism looks to Christianity."[6] In 339 CE, it was considered a criminal offence to convert to Judaism. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, Italy, praised the burning of a synagogue, as an act pleasing to God. Tertullian and Origen called the Jewish people "Christ Killers" and deiciders (God killers)." Augustine, a Roman Catholic theologian, called the Jewish people "sons of Satan." Augustine was highly influenced by Marcion, a heretic who lived during the 2nd century and called Adonai "an evil God."
The following three canons are from the council of Laodicia (364 CE):
Canon 29. "Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord´s Day; and, if they can, resting them as Christians. But if any shall be found Judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ."
Canon 37. "It is not lawful to receive portions sent from the feasts of Jews or heretics, nor to feast together with them."
Canon 38. "It is not lawful to receive unleavened bread from the Jews, nor to be partakers of their impiety."
Christianity – Religion of Rome
These teachings flourished and took root within the hearts and minds of the early non-Jewish believers. Until the time of Constantine, believers had suffered many persecutions. However, after Constantine won the battle of the Milvian Bridge, he issued the Edict Milan in 313 CE. Although this edict did not make Christianity the official religion of the empire, Constantine claimed to be a Christian, put an end to the persecution of believers and put Christianity on an equal footing before the law with other religions of the empire. Furthermore, Constantine showered favors upon the church. He granted large sums of money, and erected magnificent Church buildings in numerous places (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Constantinople, and elsewhere) and granted many other privileges.
With a sitting Emperor confessing Christianity, it was no longer a shame to be a Christian. Now, being a Christian could secure great material and social advantages such as political, Military and social promotion. As a result many heathens and pagans entered the church – of course they brought their pagan influences with them. Because of the deepening spiritual vacuum in the leadership of the Church of the Western Roman Empire, the church leaders were more than happy to pacify the heathens by allowing them to continue their pagan practices in the name of Christianity. As a result the heathens brought into the church numerous unscriptural practices and "doctrines of men," which superseded the Word of God and brought further corruption and apostasy into the church. Constantine subsequently translated theology into government policy. In spite of this development, Adonai had faithfully a remnant of truly faithful followers throughout Church history, but they were always the minority and always persecuted.
The above quotations and historical facts have not been cited to condemn these men, but to show that soon after the deaths of the apostles, there was a deliberate separation from anything Jewish, resulting ultimately in the suppression the Hebraic nature of the Scriptures and faith in the Messiah Yeshua. Furthermore, this separation manifested itself in an overt distain for the Torah. History records the unfortunate result that the disciples of these early Church Fathers learned and practiced their anti-Semitism, distain for the Tanakh, and spiritualism of Scripture. Hence, by the end of the 5th century the following unscriptural practices and "doctrines of men" were deeply rooted within western Roman Church.
Worship of Mary
Payment of indulgences
Wars fought with "Christian" armies
Political corruption
Inquisitions
The Word of God taken from man
Greed, idolatry, pagan festivals, and more
Persecution of the Jewish people as heathen and heretics
The Spanish Inquisition
During the Spanish Inquisition, in 1480 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain established a tribunal to purge the Church of those who clandestinely clung to their Jewishness. Wholesale arrests followed. In 1481 the first victims were burned at the stake. Over the years an estimated 30,000 Jewish people were consigned to the flames.
It is obvious by any standard, that by the early 15th century the condition of Christianity was best described as APOSTATE – separated from the Jewish people with a prejudicial misunderstanding of the Scriptures. Furthermore, it is easy to understand why the Reformation (in the 1600´s) was necessary. Surely, the prophecy of Sha´ul found a significant fulfillment in the Church era before the Reformation.
"The spirit clearly says that in the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods." 1 Timothy. 4:1-5
Martin Luther
One particular example of anti-Semitic teachings in the Church that we would like to expose pertains to Martin Luther. Luther (1483-1546 CE) originally favored the Jewish people in the hope that they would accept his form of the faith, even praising their contribution to Christianity. However, most people aren´t aware that later in his life, when he did not succeed in converting the Jewish people, his attitude towards them changed dramatically. The following are quotes taken from Martin Luther´s On the Jews and their lies (published 1543 CE).
Rabbis should be forbidden to continue to teach the law [Torah].
"Therefore be on your guard against the Jews, knowing that whatever they have their synagogues, nothing is found but a den of devils in which sheer self-glory, conceit, lies, blasphemy, and defaming of God and men are practiced most maliciously and veheming his eyes on them."
"In brief, dear princes and lords, those of you who have Jews under your rule – if my council does not please you, find better advice, so that you and we all can be rid of the unbearable, devilish burden of the Jews, lest we become guilty sharers before God in the lies, blasphemy, the defamation, and the curses which the mad Jews indulge in so freely and wantonly against the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, this dear mother, all Christians, all authority, and ourselves. Do not grant them protection, safe-conduct, or communion with us… With this faithful counsel and warning I wish to cleanse and exonerate my conscience."
"Accordingly, it must and dare not be considered a trifling matter but a most serious one to seek counsel against this and to save our souls from the Jews, that is, from the devil and from eternal death. My advice, as I said earlier, is: First, that their synagogues be burned down, and that all who are able toss sulphur and pitch; it would be good if someone could throw in some hellfire… Second, that all their books – their prayer books, their Talmudic writings, also the entire Bible – be taken from them, not leaving them not one leaf, and that these be preserved for those who may be converted… Third, that they be forbidden on pain of death to praise God, to give thanks, to pray, and to teach publicly among us and in our country… Fourth, that they be forbidden to utter the name of God within our hearing. For we cannot with a good conscience listen to this or tolerate it…"
Footnotes
1. Discrimination against or hostility toward the Jewish people
2. "The Church" is the establishment entity that institutionalizes the Christian religion. This is a distinct entity from the "Body of Messiah" which transcends the institution of the Church and more properly describes the body of believers that has existed in and out of the Christian religion.
3. Dixon, M. The Rebirth and restoration of Israel, Chichester, Sovereign World, 1988, p.80
4. Wilson, Marvin, Our Father Abraham, Eerdmans Publishers, 1989 p.89
5. Justine Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho
6. Epistle of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, to the Magnesians, 115 CE
Reprinted by permission
For further reading in this very important four part series, Seeds of Separation, "Why and How non-Jewish Believers Left Their Hebraic Roots," go to the following links: http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep1.html (Part 1) http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep2.html (Part 2) http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep3.htm (Part 3) http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep4.htm (Part 4)
Why Christians Should Know the Torah
By Daniel Botkin
www.gatesofeden.org
"Why should I study the old Testament Law?" Some Christians ask. "I´d rather read the New Testament. I occasionally read in Psalms or Proverbs, maybe something from the Prophets once in a great while. But the Law? I don´t see any point in studying that. I´ll concentrate on studying the New Testament."
´Studying the New Testament is certainly very important, no question about that. But it is for this very reason that studying the Old Testament Law is also very important, because much of the New Testament cannot be correctly understood without a knowledge of the Torah. One of several passages where this vital truth is revealed is in a Parenthetical [describes writing that uses or contains additional comments or notes added as parentheses] remark that Paul makes. In his letter to the Romans, Paul is explaining theological doctrine to his readers. In the midst of his explanation Paul makes a parenthetical remark: "(for I speak to them that know the law)" (Rom. 7:1)
When words are enclosed in parentheses, it often means that the words are of minor importance. Not in this case, though. Think of the importance of Paul´s parenthetical remark. If Paul is addressing his teachings to people who know the law, what does that imply about people who do not know the Law? Paul´s parenthetical remark is an "oh-by-the-way" remark: "oh, and by the way, let me point out to you that this information I´m sharing is intended for people who are familiar with the Torah. If you don´t know the Torah, I´m not speaking to you, because "I speak to them that know the law."
We can conclude from Paul´s remark that a person who does not know the Law is very likely to misunderstand Paul, because Paul´s teachings, and indeed all of the New Testament writings, presuppose a familiarity with the contents of the Torah. The writers of the New Testament were writing to people who were very familiar with the Old Testament. This can be seen from the way that the New Testament writers quoted extensively from the Torah, the Prophets, and the Psalms. It is quite obvious that they assumed their readers would be people who knew the Torah.
I have had Christian friends admit to me that they know very, very little about the content of the Old Testament Law. And these are not baby Christians; these are people who have been saved and in church for over 25 years. They admit that they do not know the Law, and yet they think they understand the New Testament, even though Paul and the other New Testament writers were addressing their teachings to them that know the Law.
Knowing the Law is a prerequisite to correctly understanding the New Testament Scriptures. Trying to understand the New Testament without a knowledge of the Old Testament Law is like trying to understand complex algebraic formulas without a knowledge of basic math. It is like trying to build a house without a knowledge of basic carpentry skills. It is like trying to farm a few hundred acres without a knowledge of basic agriculture. You do not need to understand the complexities of rabbinic and Talmudic law, but you do need to "know the (written) law." You must be familiar with the contents of the Torah and have a basic understanding of it if you want to correctly understand the New Testament.
The Bible consists of four parts: the Law, the Prophets, the Writings, and the New Testament. The first three parts make up the Old Testament; the fourth and final part is the New Testament. Suppose you had written a play consisting of four acts. You give a copy of the script to a friend. Your friend reads Act 4, but pretty much ignores Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. He just flips through some of the pages of Acts 1 through 3 and skims over a few bits and pieces of the text that catch his attention. He gains only a very scant knowledge of that which is written in Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. And yet your friend assures you that he understands the play you have written, because he has read the final act of the play. What would you think of your friend´s assumption? What do you suppose the Lord thinks of Christians who claim to understand the New Testament even though they have only a very scant knowledge of the Law, the Prophets, and the writings of the Old Testament?´
If the Christian church were to include the Torah in their study of the New Testament, the Torah would bring greater joy, peace, commitment and individual responsibility to Scripture, and correct much of the false teaching and doctrines of men that has corrupted the Church.
It could also bring about a greater dedication, sincerity and commitment to other believers, which could solve a lot of family and personal relationship problems in and out of the church. Also it could solve the apathy and indifference to the surrounding culture. Torah taught Christians would be inspired and motivated to share God´s message to those that are perishing.
Daniel Botkin has a bimonthly publication, Gates of Eden. For a sample issue, send $3 to PO Box 2257, East Peoria, IL 61611-0257.
Reprinted by permission
Presented by Bill Haymin, 2009
By Daniel Botkin – Gates of Eden Ministry, pastor & teacher
http://www.gatesofeden.org/
Why and How non-Jewish Believers Left Their Hebraic Roots
By Tony Robinson
http://www.restorationoftorah.org/
http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/RTMSeeds.htm
Editor´s forward:
There is a dynamic revolution taking place today, a last day´s Messianic awakening if you will, that has been picking up momentum within Christians from all around the world, and from all walks of life. Many Christians have been re-discovering their Messianic roots.
This movement is growing like a prairie fire, and it´s all God´s doing.
Here is what John D. Garr Founder & President of Hebraic Christian Global Community www.hebraiccommunity.org is saying about the Christian Messianic movement:
"Something truly amazing is happening right now before our eyes! What can only be seen as a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit is breaking forth as Christians around the world are working to restore the Hebrew foundations of Christianity. After being marred for more than eighteen centuries by Judaeophobia, anti-Judaism, and anti-Semitism, Christianity is being impacted by a revolution of restoration. Scholars, clergy, and laity from virtually every nationality, ethnicity, and denomination are reconnecting their faith in Jesus with its historical Hebraic roots." Read more: http://www.hebraiccommunity.org/portal/web/guest/from_the_founder
Go here for details about the community: http://www.hebraiccommunity.org/portal/web/guest/becoming_community
God is pouring out His Spirit on individuals who are opening up to His "Last Days" outpouring.
It would be to your benefit, to put aside any preconceived ideas which you may hold, and be opened to learning things you haven´t known before.
If you are dissatisfied with the dog and pony show or the deadness of your church, or you sense there´s something definitely missing in the messages that are given, and that something is lacking in your experience as a Christian but you can´t quite put your finger on it, then you need to read this entire article.
Most of the mainline and many charismatic churches are not teaching the whole counsel of God, which includes the study of the Torah (Old Testament) as the ancient root and foundation of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Take the first step, and be opened and receptive to these teachings that will reveal, expand, and make alive a whole new realm of Scriptural understanding that not even in your wildest imagination could you have imagined was possible!
"… But just as it is written: ´THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, (Isaiah, 64:4, 65:17) AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God…" 1 Corinthians, 2:9-10 – N.A.S.
There are hidden messages from the Torah teachings of Moses that have been obscured because of the savage wolves that Paul said would come in among the early disciples after he was gone (Acts.20: 28-31).These wolves would speak perverse things to draw the early disciples away from the original understanding through the Hebrew language of the Scriptures (Torah, instruction), and introduce heresies and pagan ideas that would corrupt the early church, and that is exactly what happened. A good portion of that history will be related in the articles down below and the links for further study.
With the unction (that which excites piety and devotion) and help of the Holy Spirit, working through God called teachers of the "Torah," the understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament (The Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible which includes the Torah), will become Alive! These secrets that have been concealed for many hundreds of years until our present day are being revealed through the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit.
It is suggested that those who are sincerely seeking a deeper walk and understanding of God´s Word, that they check out the following on line Christian Messianic ministries that teach and believe in the whole counsel of God: the Torah of the Old Testament, and the New Testament of Matthew through to the book of Revelation: http://www.gatesofeden.org/ , www.lionlamb.net , www.restorationoftorah.org , http://www.hebraiccommunity.org/portal/web/guest/home
If you want to understand what happened in Church history that separated the hidden knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures (Torah) from the Christian Church, and why Christians need to study the Torah of God today along with the New Testament, then read on:
"At this time Adonai is restoring the Torah as the foundational document for faith and practice among those of us called out from the nations. When reading through the book of Acts and the Epistles we clearly see the body of Messiah, consisting of Jewish and non-Jewish believers living in Torah based communities. Why didn't this union of Jew and non-Jew continue throughout the centuries? What happened to separate the non-Jewish believers from their Hebraic roots? Why did the early Western Roman church set itself against the synagogue and early Messianic believers? Hopefully, these well documented articles will answer some of these questions." – Tony Robinson
Seeds of Separation (Part 1)
By Tony Robinson
www.restorationoftorah.org
Email: torahteacher@restorationoftorah.org
http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep1.html
Introduction
The study of the early Christian Church is crucial to our understanding of how and why Christians parted ways from their Messianic Jewish brothers and ultimately separated from their Hebraic roots. The following survey illustrates the chasm that developed quickly between Jewish people and the Christian church after the first and second centuries, as well as how Christianity systematically substituted pagan practices for biblical ones. The events of this turbulent time in Jewish-Christian history mark what would be an 1800-year split that God never intended for His redeemed. The following is easily verified in church history books and in the writings of the early church fathers.
Soon after the deaths of the apostles there began the sowing of seeds in the Body of Messiah that would eventually cause non-Jewish believers to separate from Jewish believers. This can be demonstrated simply by noting that the early church fathers – some of whom were even contemporaries of the Apostles – began to introduce anti-Semitic [1] doctrines and practices.
The Church Fathers Spoke!
First, Israel´s birthright as Adonai´s chosen people was stolen. The so-called Epistle of Barnabas (written approximately 135 CE) spiritualized the Tanakh, [Tanakh, a Hebrew word designating the Torah, Prophets and Writings; equivalent to what is called the Old Testament.] claiming that it only prefigured Messiah and the Christian church. [2] "Do not add to your sins and say that the covenant [the Tanakh] is both theirs and ours. Yes! It is ours; but they thus lost it forever."
One of the most eloquent Church Fathers, John Chrysostom (344-407 CE), whose name means "golden mouth," denounced the Jews in the strongest language: "They sacrificed their sons and daughters to devils; they outraged nature and overthrew their foundations of the laws of relationship. They are become worse than the wild beasts, and for no reason at all, with their own hands, they murdered their own offspring, to worship the avenging devils who are foes of our life… They know only one thing, to satisfy their gullets, get drunk, to kill and maim one another… The Jews are the worthless of all men. They are lecherous, greedy, and rapacious. They are perfidious murderers of Christ. The Jews are the odious assassins of Christ and for killing of God there is no expiation possible, no indulgence or pardon. Christians may never cease vengeance, and the Jews must live in servitude forever. God always hated the Jews. It is incumbent upon all Christians to hate the Jews." [3]
From as early as the 2nd century Christian leaders began to repress the inherent Hebraic nature of the Brit Chadasha and instead teach anti-Semitic doctrines. Below are a few selected quotes from some of the early Church Fathers.
In Dialogue with Trypho, a Jew, Justin Martyr emphasized what had previously belonged to Israel was now the property of Christians. The Tanakh was a central part of this transference. The Scriptures "are not yours but ours," Justin stated emphatically to Trypho. That is, the church has replaced Israel as Adonai´s children or people. [4] Here is a direct quote from Justin Martyr: "For the law [Torah] promulgated on Horeb is now old, and belongs to yourselves alone; but this [new covenant] is for all universally. Now, law placed against law has abrogated that which is before it, and a covenant which comes after in like manner has put an end to the previous one; and an eternal and final law – namely, Christ – has been given to us, and the covenant is trustworthy, after which there shall be no law, no commandments, no ordinance." [5]
Jerome (author of the Latin Vulgate) and Augustine taught that the Jewish people were eternally cursed by God." Ignatius, third bishop of Antioch, said that "The Christian faith does not look to Judaism, but Judaism looks to Christianity."[6] In 339 CE, it was considered a criminal offence to convert to Judaism. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, Italy, praised the burning of a synagogue, as an act pleasing to God. Tertullian and Origen called the Jewish people "Christ Killers" and deiciders (God killers)." Augustine, a Roman Catholic theologian, called the Jewish people "sons of Satan." Augustine was highly influenced by Marcion, a heretic who lived during the 2nd century and called Adonai "an evil God."
The following three canons are from the council of Laodicia (364 CE):
Canon 29. "Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord´s Day; and, if they can, resting them as Christians. But if any shall be found Judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ."
Canon 37. "It is not lawful to receive portions sent from the feasts of Jews or heretics, nor to feast together with them."
Canon 38. "It is not lawful to receive unleavened bread from the Jews, nor to be partakers of their impiety."
Christianity – Religion of Rome
These teachings flourished and took root within the hearts and minds of the early non-Jewish believers. Until the time of Constantine, believers had suffered many persecutions. However, after Constantine won the battle of the Milvian Bridge, he issued the Edict Milan in 313 CE. Although this edict did not make Christianity the official religion of the empire, Constantine claimed to be a Christian, put an end to the persecution of believers and put Christianity on an equal footing before the law with other religions of the empire. Furthermore, Constantine showered favors upon the church. He granted large sums of money, and erected magnificent Church buildings in numerous places (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Constantinople, and elsewhere) and granted many other privileges.
With a sitting Emperor confessing Christianity, it was no longer a shame to be a Christian. Now, being a Christian could secure great material and social advantages such as political, Military and social promotion. As a result many heathens and pagans entered the church – of course they brought their pagan influences with them. Because of the deepening spiritual vacuum in the leadership of the Church of the Western Roman Empire, the church leaders were more than happy to pacify the heathens by allowing them to continue their pagan practices in the name of Christianity. As a result the heathens brought into the church numerous unscriptural practices and "doctrines of men," which superseded the Word of God and brought further corruption and apostasy into the church. Constantine subsequently translated theology into government policy. In spite of this development, Adonai had faithfully a remnant of truly faithful followers throughout Church history, but they were always the minority and always persecuted.
The above quotations and historical facts have not been cited to condemn these men, but to show that soon after the deaths of the apostles, there was a deliberate separation from anything Jewish, resulting ultimately in the suppression the Hebraic nature of the Scriptures and faith in the Messiah Yeshua. Furthermore, this separation manifested itself in an overt distain for the Torah. History records the unfortunate result that the disciples of these early Church Fathers learned and practiced their anti-Semitism, distain for the Tanakh, and spiritualism of Scripture. Hence, by the end of the 5th century the following unscriptural practices and "doctrines of men" were deeply rooted within western Roman Church.
Worship of Mary
Payment of indulgences
Wars fought with "Christian" armies
Political corruption
Inquisitions
The Word of God taken from man
Greed, idolatry, pagan festivals, and more
Persecution of the Jewish people as heathen and heretics
The Spanish Inquisition
During the Spanish Inquisition, in 1480 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain established a tribunal to purge the Church of those who clandestinely clung to their Jewishness. Wholesale arrests followed. In 1481 the first victims were burned at the stake. Over the years an estimated 30,000 Jewish people were consigned to the flames.
It is obvious by any standard, that by the early 15th century the condition of Christianity was best described as APOSTATE – separated from the Jewish people with a prejudicial misunderstanding of the Scriptures. Furthermore, it is easy to understand why the Reformation (in the 1600´s) was necessary. Surely, the prophecy of Sha´ul found a significant fulfillment in the Church era before the Reformation.
"The spirit clearly says that in the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods." 1 Timothy. 4:1-5
Martin Luther
One particular example of anti-Semitic teachings in the Church that we would like to expose pertains to Martin Luther. Luther (1483-1546 CE) originally favored the Jewish people in the hope that they would accept his form of the faith, even praising their contribution to Christianity. However, most people aren´t aware that later in his life, when he did not succeed in converting the Jewish people, his attitude towards them changed dramatically. The following are quotes taken from Martin Luther´s On the Jews and their lies (published 1543 CE).
Rabbis should be forbidden to continue to teach the law [Torah].
"Therefore be on your guard against the Jews, knowing that whatever they have their synagogues, nothing is found but a den of devils in which sheer self-glory, conceit, lies, blasphemy, and defaming of God and men are practiced most maliciously and veheming his eyes on them."
"In brief, dear princes and lords, those of you who have Jews under your rule – if my council does not please you, find better advice, so that you and we all can be rid of the unbearable, devilish burden of the Jews, lest we become guilty sharers before God in the lies, blasphemy, the defamation, and the curses which the mad Jews indulge in so freely and wantonly against the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, this dear mother, all Christians, all authority, and ourselves. Do not grant them protection, safe-conduct, or communion with us… With this faithful counsel and warning I wish to cleanse and exonerate my conscience."
"Accordingly, it must and dare not be considered a trifling matter but a most serious one to seek counsel against this and to save our souls from the Jews, that is, from the devil and from eternal death. My advice, as I said earlier, is: First, that their synagogues be burned down, and that all who are able toss sulphur and pitch; it would be good if someone could throw in some hellfire… Second, that all their books – their prayer books, their Talmudic writings, also the entire Bible – be taken from them, not leaving them not one leaf, and that these be preserved for those who may be converted… Third, that they be forbidden on pain of death to praise God, to give thanks, to pray, and to teach publicly among us and in our country… Fourth, that they be forbidden to utter the name of God within our hearing. For we cannot with a good conscience listen to this or tolerate it…"
Footnotes
1. Discrimination against or hostility toward the Jewish people
2. "The Church" is the establishment entity that institutionalizes the Christian religion. This is a distinct entity from the "Body of Messiah" which transcends the institution of the Church and more properly describes the body of believers that has existed in and out of the Christian religion.
3. Dixon, M. The Rebirth and restoration of Israel, Chichester, Sovereign World, 1988, p.80
4. Wilson, Marvin, Our Father Abraham, Eerdmans Publishers, 1989 p.89
5. Justine Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho
6. Epistle of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, to the Magnesians, 115 CE
Reprinted by permission
For further reading in this very important four part series, Seeds of Separation, "Why and How non-Jewish Believers Left Their Hebraic Roots," go to the following links: http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep1.html (Part 1) http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep2.html (Part 2) http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep3.htm (Part 3) http://restorationoftorah.org/SeedsofSeparation/SeedsOfSep4.htm (Part 4)
Why Christians Should Know the Torah
By Daniel Botkin
www.gatesofeden.org
"Why should I study the old Testament Law?" Some Christians ask. "I´d rather read the New Testament. I occasionally read in Psalms or Proverbs, maybe something from the Prophets once in a great while. But the Law? I don´t see any point in studying that. I´ll concentrate on studying the New Testament."
´Studying the New Testament is certainly very important, no question about that. But it is for this very reason that studying the Old Testament Law is also very important, because much of the New Testament cannot be correctly understood without a knowledge of the Torah. One of several passages where this vital truth is revealed is in a Parenthetical [describes writing that uses or contains additional comments or notes added as parentheses] remark that Paul makes. In his letter to the Romans, Paul is explaining theological doctrine to his readers. In the midst of his explanation Paul makes a parenthetical remark: "(for I speak to them that know the law)" (Rom. 7:1)
When words are enclosed in parentheses, it often means that the words are of minor importance. Not in this case, though. Think of the importance of Paul´s parenthetical remark. If Paul is addressing his teachings to people who know the law, what does that imply about people who do not know the Law? Paul´s parenthetical remark is an "oh-by-the-way" remark: "oh, and by the way, let me point out to you that this information I´m sharing is intended for people who are familiar with the Torah. If you don´t know the Torah, I´m not speaking to you, because "I speak to them that know the law."
We can conclude from Paul´s remark that a person who does not know the Law is very likely to misunderstand Paul, because Paul´s teachings, and indeed all of the New Testament writings, presuppose a familiarity with the contents of the Torah. The writers of the New Testament were writing to people who were very familiar with the Old Testament. This can be seen from the way that the New Testament writers quoted extensively from the Torah, the Prophets, and the Psalms. It is quite obvious that they assumed their readers would be people who knew the Torah.
I have had Christian friends admit to me that they know very, very little about the content of the Old Testament Law. And these are not baby Christians; these are people who have been saved and in church for over 25 years. They admit that they do not know the Law, and yet they think they understand the New Testament, even though Paul and the other New Testament writers were addressing their teachings to them that know the Law.
Knowing the Law is a prerequisite to correctly understanding the New Testament Scriptures. Trying to understand the New Testament without a knowledge of the Old Testament Law is like trying to understand complex algebraic formulas without a knowledge of basic math. It is like trying to build a house without a knowledge of basic carpentry skills. It is like trying to farm a few hundred acres without a knowledge of basic agriculture. You do not need to understand the complexities of rabbinic and Talmudic law, but you do need to "know the (written) law." You must be familiar with the contents of the Torah and have a basic understanding of it if you want to correctly understand the New Testament.
The Bible consists of four parts: the Law, the Prophets, the Writings, and the New Testament. The first three parts make up the Old Testament; the fourth and final part is the New Testament. Suppose you had written a play consisting of four acts. You give a copy of the script to a friend. Your friend reads Act 4, but pretty much ignores Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. He just flips through some of the pages of Acts 1 through 3 and skims over a few bits and pieces of the text that catch his attention. He gains only a very scant knowledge of that which is written in Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. And yet your friend assures you that he understands the play you have written, because he has read the final act of the play. What would you think of your friend´s assumption? What do you suppose the Lord thinks of Christians who claim to understand the New Testament even though they have only a very scant knowledge of the Law, the Prophets, and the writings of the Old Testament?´
If the Christian church were to include the Torah in their study of the New Testament, the Torah would bring greater joy, peace, commitment and individual responsibility to Scripture, and correct much of the false teaching and doctrines of men that has corrupted the Church.
It could also bring about a greater dedication, sincerity and commitment to other believers, which could solve a lot of family and personal relationship problems in and out of the church. Also it could solve the apathy and indifference to the surrounding culture. Torah taught Christians would be inspired and motivated to share God´s message to those that are perishing.
Daniel Botkin has a bimonthly publication, Gates of Eden. For a sample issue, send $3 to PO Box 2257, East Peoria, IL 61611-0257.
Reprinted by permission
Presented by Bill Haymin, 2009
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