A little historical back
ground. By the time of Christ the
nation of Israel had been under the domination of the Roman Empire for several
decades. Jews had legal privileges because their ancestral laws were predated
by Rome. Jews had legal privileges
giving them the right to assemble, in the "Synagogue" and have common
meals own property, govern them self and enforce their own discipline.
When the word
"Synagogue" is mentioned in Scripture and it’s important to note this
is not simply some building. The Synagogue was the only place for teaching
scripture and were the members of Israel could hear the Scriptures read from
their Old Testament other than (the actual Temple in Jerusalem). The leaders of
Israel were also responsible for schooling children, in the Mosaic, law among
other things. Jesus went the Synagogue on the Sabbath day as it was his custom.
He stood up and read from the prophet Isaiah when the book was handed to him.
(Luke 4:16-17)
The nation of Israel was the
only non-pagan religious group in the Roman empire and the only soul keepers of
the Torah תּוֹרָה, "Instruction, Teaching." The Hebrew Scriptures, referred to by Christians as the Old
Testament, are called the TANAKH.
The “Gentile (“nations”), ethnikos were never keepers of the scripture. In its general framework, the Hebrew
Bible is the account of God’s dealing with the Jews as his chosen people, who are
collectively called Israel.
In the midst of a Roman Empire society a Christian society was founded on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem 30AD. Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost was entirely Jewish, quoting the prophets and the Psalmist David, and would have meant nothing to any Gentiles standing around, if there were any. The 3000 Jews who were saved that day would have been all Jewish. (Acts 2: 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every.
The first to believe that Jesus is the promised
Messiah are Israelites— Andrew, Peter, James, John. Christianity was founded in the midst of the
Roman Empire on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2) The Church was
thoroughly Jewish from its earliest days (since there were no Gentiles in it
from (32 to 42).
Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost was entirely
Jewish, quoting the prophet Joe, and the Psalmist David, and would have meant
nothing to any Gentiles who was not a proselyte standing around, if there were
any. The 3000 people who were saved that day would have been all Jewish and
some proselytes. Acts 2:5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every
nation under heaven.
