Christians and Judaism: The Roots

One of the greatest misconceptions, made by both Christians and Jews, is that Christianity sprung from Judaism. Rabbis sardonically refer to Christianity as the offspring of a marriage between Judaism and Paganism. Christianity did not emerge from Judaism. Jesus certainly did, but the religion typically understood as Christianity did not originate with either Judaism or Paganism.

The misconception comes from the simple fact that anyone reading the New Testament begins by reading about the life and times of Jesus, the Jewish teacher. The concept of Christianity; though, was developed prior to the Gospels being written. The Christian religion that one recognizes in Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant belief systems has its base in Paul's seminal letter to the Romans. If one understands this Epistle, one understands Christianity. Most importantly, Paul's letter to the church in Rome was written prior to any Gospel detailing Jesus' life as a Jew.

The letter to the Romans explains both the origins of Christianity and the manner in which Christians are expected to live. According to Paul, the foundation of Christianity rests with Abraham, as does Judaism (and later Islam, as well). They emerged together from Abraham, not one followed by the other. Abraham was righteous before he was circumcised. Therefore, Abraham is the father of all those who have not been circumcised, as well as those who have (Jews and later Muslims). For Paul there is one universal God and Abraham was righteous before this God prior to any written or oral laws. Abraham did not need the law to be righteous. He recognized that the only true sin is the willful refusal to be responsible to the creator.

Equally as significant, a just and fair God would not make righteousness dependent upon laws not revealed to everyone. They were revealed to the Jews so that they might be an example of how one is supposed to live in relationship with God. According to Paul; the Jews were an offshoot of the Abrahamic tradition chosen by God to demonstrate how humans were supposed to follow God's will. For Paul, the Jews failed in this mission by substituting following laws rather than a pursuit of faith. Furthermore, they did not even follow the laws properly. The Jews took the wrong path to righteousness with the result that they failed to be the beacon of light that God originally contracted them to be.

As a result, God had to send someone else to erase the transgressions, not only of the Jews, but all mankind. Still, God did not forsake the Jews. Sending Jesus was, in effect, giving the Jews a second chance at redemption. What they needed to see was salvation provided to the Gentiles in the form of Christ's resurrection. Paul's hope was that jealousy would provide motivation and inspiration for the Jews.

This is not the Jewish Messiah in any form or description. The Jewish Messiah or messiahs were humans anointed by God to save the Jewish people. Christ, according to Paul, was different. His mission was not to save the Jews. His mission was to save all of humanity because the Jews had failed at theirs. This distinction is critical. Paul was not telling the Jews that Jesus was their messiah. He was telling them that their concept of messiah was wrong.

At this point it is unclear whether Paul believed Christ was the Son of God or not. For Paul it did not matter. He was sent by God to erase the transgressions of humanity. Who Christ was, and his nature, was less important than the mission he was sent to accomplish. The nature of Christ only became important later, when Christians were trying to replace the pagan gods with their god. Christ had to be God if Christians had any hope of getting pagans to dispense with their Gods. Pagans would not replace their Gods with just a human errand boy sent by God to clean up the mess caused by human transgression.

Paul had no need for these distinctions because he did not believe there was much time left. There was an urgency in Paul's message. Christ's mission was to save all humanity. You had better believe it and accept it or you will not enjoy the salvation Christ was about to bring when he returned. Once this message was accepted, Paul then detailed how Christians should live their lives while waiting for Christ's return.

The heart or Christianity is found in Romans 5:18. "Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation (Adam); even so by the righteousness of one (Christ) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." (KJV).

All the subsequent doctrines; the life of Jesus, the nature of God in trinitarian form, the nature of Mary, the virgin birth, Heaven, Hell, and the details of Apocalypse are all later additions added by Christians to fill out the belief system. The melding of pagan holidays an rituals come later, after the heart of Christianity is already established.

In many ways the Gospel accounts of Jesus cloud Paul's basic message. They are far too Jewish and add panoramic details that were not particularly important, at least for the Pauline vision. The Gospels detail the significance of the life of Jesus. Paul neither cared about this, nor was he likely aware of these details. Christ's mission was what was important and this mission was only fulfilled with his death and resurrection. When Christians explain that the relationship between the Gospels and the Epistles of Paul is complicated this is what they are referring to. This is also why Jews make the mistake of measuring Jesus' credentials for messiahship against their view of what the messiah would be. In the Letter to the Romans Paul has already made it clear that this description is incorrect.