Teachers: For decades the tendency of many Christians was to regard biblical conversion to Jesus Christ as a subject of single consideration. The typical view of New Testament conversion has been (1) the gospel was presented in identical manner to people who were Jewish and people who were not; (2) the conversion message was identical to people who were Jewish and people who were not; (3) the conversion issues were identical for people who were Jewish and people who were not; and (4) the conversion sermons were interchangeable to Jewish audiences and to audiences who were not Jewish. To refresh your realization that this was not the case, you may wish to compare Peter's Acts 2 sermon [given to a Jewish audience] to Paul's Acts 17 sermon [given to an audience who was not Jewish].
In the first century, a devout Jew's conversion involved some uniquely Jewish issues. The objective of this lesson is to increase the students' awareness of this reality. Do not be surprised if some students have never considered these facts. Help them think. Guide them toward understanding.
Last quarter we studied the religious diversity within the Jewish society. A broad separation existed: the Palestinian Jews from Jews living in other nations. The depth of this issue is seen in Acts 6:1. Remember, many of these were the same Jewish Christians of Acts 2:44-47. The Grecian or Hellenistic Jews lived among the nations. The Hebraists Jews lived in Palestine. Some customs in each group differed.
A brief review of Jewish religious diversity [studied last quarter] may be helpful.
Sources indicate differences in perspectives existed among Jews who lived among the nations. No reason exists to conclude that Jews living outside of Palestine were religiously homogenous. Biblical evidence suggests great religious diversity existed among Jews in Palestine. Last quarter the righteous, the sinners, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees were identified as groups within that religious mix. In addition, other sources indicate the Essenes and the Zealots were also part of that mix. Further evidence indicates differing perspectives existed within the groups themselves. For example, not all Pharisees held identical religious perspectives.
A person rightfully would expect such religious differences to focus on differing religious questions. Those questions would be concerned about different religious issues.
To understand conversion to Christ among first century Jews, the first understanding is difficult for us to grasp. The Jewish people did not consider differing perspectives as "Jewish denominationalism." To us, differing theological perspectives is "denominational." We must not impose our thinking on first century Jews. If a first century Jew was circumcised, accepted the temple sacrificial system, kept the law (as he understood it), attended the synagogue, and maintained the laws and customs of purification, he was considered a devout Jew.
It is inaccurate to compare religious differences in first century Judaism to denominationalism in our modern world.
Most of us do not consider the in-depth issues first century Jews had to resolve to convert to Jesus Christ. Following are a few.
The devout Jew had to resolve some issues that were difficult to consider. Some of these issues/conclusions existed in Israel for hundreds of years. Today, we do not change our thinking or convictions quickly or easily. Even with excellent biblical evidences and sound, biblical reasons, we are slow to abandon long held convictions for more correct convictions recently understood. It is unreasonable to think first century Jewish people who held convictions they were trained to defend would abandon those convictions quickly or easily.
(1) They regarded themselves (with biblical reason) to be God's chosen people. God promised Abraham in Genesis 12:2 that his descendants would be a "great nation." A blessing would come through this "great nation" to benefit all people (Genesis 12:3; 18:18). God's agreement was with Abraham (Genesis 17:2) who would be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4,5). However, the "great nation" would descend through Isaac (Genesis 17:19,21). Abraham's descendants through Isaac would bring the blessing to the world. The route to becoming the "great nation" involved a stay in Egypt (Genesis 46:3). Shortly before Israel entered Canaan, Moses reminded them that their relationship with God made them a "great nation" (Deuteronomy 4:4-8; 26:5).
Though specifics differed, many first century Jews were convinced God's promises to Israel would be fulfilled through the nation by national achievements. The Messiah's [Christ's] work would be connected to national achievements. This conviction was documented by scriptures. In some manner, God's promise of a Messiah was tied to their being a "great nation."
(2) They regarded their covenant with God to be eternal [permanent]. God stressed to Abraham the covenant was "everlasting" (Genesis 17:7). God informed Abraham the covenant extended to his descendants through Isaac on an "everlasting" basis (Genesis 18:19). First century Jews knew the "everlasting" covenant included them.
Likely, you are convinced that your positions and convictions are essential to the existence of the New Testament church. You have biblical reasons for holding that conclusion. In some manner your positions and convictions are associated with the "eternal" and the "permanent." It will help you grasp the difficulties confronted by the devout Jew in converting to Jesus Christ if you realize devout first century Jews had similar reasons for holding to Judaism's positions and convictions. They supported their positions and convictions with God-inspired scripture. They unquestioningly accepted those positions and convictions as "eternal" and "permanent."
(3) During the Maccabean period (167-63 B.C.), Palestinian Jews had freedom. In 63 B.C. the Roman Empire destroyed their freedom. Perspectives on the Messiah and God's kingdom differed. Many perspectives envisioned the Messiah as a great political leader [likely a military leader]. This leader would establish God's kingdom in Israel as a dominate world power. This perspective is reflected by the twelve in passages such as Matthew 16:21,22 and Acts 1:6. A resurrected man did not fit common expectations. How could such a person sit on an earthly throne as the leader of a great physical nation?
They had great confidence in God's power to keep His promises through the nation. They held that confidence in spite of the fact they were [at the time] a conquered people. God's ability to keep His promises through Jesus' resurrection was not so much an issue of power. It was more an issue of expectation.
Conversion involved unique issues for first century Jews. Would God's chosen people find their divine destiny in nationalism or in a resurrected Jew? Was God's everlasting covenant accomplished through nationalism or in a resurrected Jew? Were they to redefine their past, present, and future by heritage and nationalistic expectations [as did their ancestors for hundreds of years], or by faith in a resurrected Jew? If they converted to Jesus as the Messiah, many first century Jews had to rethink who they were and what their divine destiny was.
For a devout first century Jew to accept Jesus as the Messiah, he or she had to resolve specific issues.
Consider three evidences. First, consider the place of Jewish history and prophecy in sermons delivered to Jews. Consider Peter's sermon in Acts 2:16-21 (1) in his opening and (2) in his use of Psalms 16:8-11 and Psalms 110:1. Consider Stephen's entire sermon in Acts 7. Consider Paul's sermon in the synagogue in Acts 13:17-41.
Jewish prophecy meant little to idol worshippers with no background in Jewish scripture. While these prophecies were powerful evidences to Jewish audiences, they were of little value to an audience who worshipped the gods.
Why did Jewish history and prophecy play an important role in preaching to first century Jews? Those presenting the "good news" to Jewish audiences wanted a specific understanding. God's purpose before His promises to Abraham was to bring a blessing to the world through the Jews by a crucified, resurrected Messiah. Jesus the Messiah was not produced by creative imagination. He always was God's plan and purpose. Jewish history and prophecy evidenced the crucified, resurrected Jesus always was God's plan and intention.
Prophecy to the Jewish mind [trained in scripture] could verify Jesus always was God's plan. It was essential for them to realize that Jesus was not God's "plan two," "a divine afterthought," or "a change in divine intent." Presenting salvation to the world through the death and resurrection of His Son always was God's intent.
Second, as long as Christianity was a Jewish movement, many Israelites looked at it through hopeful eyes rather than distrustful eyes. Before the "good news" was shared with people outside the Jewish nation, Jesus' principal adversaries were the Jewish leaders. That was not a new development. Following Lazarus' resurrection, many Jews believed in Jesus (John 11:45). To protect the nation and their positions, they decided it was in everyone's best interest to kill Jesus (John 11:47-53).
As long as Christianity was a movement within the Jewish nation, the presentation of Jesus as the Messiah faced significant Jewish challenges, but it was an "internal" Jewish matter.
When the council arrested Peter and John, and later all the apostles, they acted consistently with the decision to kill Jesus (see Acts 4:5-22; 5:17-42). This council also killed Stephen (Act 7:59.60). Their decisions motivated Saul (Paul) as a persecutor of Jewish Christians (Acts 8:1-3). Acts 9:1,2 reveals Saul's close ties with Israel's power structure.
At the beginning of Christianity, it was the Jewish leadership, not the Jewish people, who opposed presenting the resurrected Jesus as the promised Messiah.
The real crisis for Christian Jews came when the Christian movement converted people outside of Judaism (see Acts 15:1-31). As converts increasingly came from outside Judaism, the crisis escalated. When the church in the Roman world contained more converts outside Judaism than converts who were Jews, the crisis accelerated Jewish separation. In the last half of the first century, it was increasingly difficult to belong to the nation of Israel and the church.
When people who were not Jews became Christians [without first becoming proselytes], the situation changed dramatically. Immediately two basic issues existed instead of one. Not only did the issue of the resurrected Jesus being the Jewish Messiah exist. Now the issue of God extending salvation to people outside the Jewish nation apart from Judaism existed. Many first century Jews were repelled because people who were not Jews accepted the resurrected Jesus.
Read Hebrews 10:32-39.
In "former days" they endured a great conflict of suffering. They were made public spectacles [public humiliation, scorn, and contempt] by being subjected to reproach [words of contempt] and tribulation [physical pain]. They were not ashamed of other Christians who received the same treatment. They were sympathetic with those who were imprisoned for faith in Jesus. They joyfully accepted the confiscation of their property.
They should not throw away their confidence. Continuing in such confidence would result in great reward.
They needed to endure. If they endured, they would receive the fulfillment of God's promises because they did God's will in suffering for Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews' point: if you leave Jesus to return to Judaism, you leave God. Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises and purposes.
My understanding of the book of Hebrews: Jewish Christians who originally received this writing seriously had considered renouncing Jesus Christ, returning to their Jewish heritage, and thereby reducing their physical suffering. Their reasoning seemly was based on this conclusion: "We can renounce Jesus and not abandon God. The living God worshipped in Judaism and Christianity is the same God." The writer's point: abandoning Jesus is abandoning God because Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise and purpose.
The first century Jewish conversion issue: the heritage of nationalism or the resurrected Jesus?
Would God keep His promises through Israel as a nation or through a resurrected Israelite?
Link to Student Guide
Quarter 2, Lesson 2