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What Happened to the Jewish Church?
Part 2: Change of Leadership |
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What Happened to the Jewish Church?
Part 2: Change of Leadership |
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5. Destroying the Church Leadership
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Beginning in 67 AD and lasting through 73AD, an event occurred
that would change the entire course of the Christ's Church described
in Part 1. Certainly, its leadership would change as well as
it's policies.
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In 67 AD Titus, Emperor of Rome, invaded Israel with a
special wrath that left approximately 5 million Israelites
dead and their Temple physically destroyed. Needless to say,
the church was scattered, and surviving Jews spread out all
over the world, nationless, as their country was obliterated.
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A period of persecution also began against the Church
in an effort of Rome to destroy the Christian faith: that faith
defined as justification by grace through faith, with salvation
to all, Jewish and Gentile [Galatians 3:28], by the shed blood
of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah of Israel.
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By the time John, the Apostle wrote the Revelation
on Patmos island around 95 - 100 AD, all of the
(Jewish) writers of the New Testament were dead, as they
were brutally murdered under the persecution of Rome.
Let's look at Dr. Jack Van Impe's summation of the martyrdom
of the Jewish Apostles contained in his work entitled:
"The Judgment Seat of Christ"
Excerpt: "The Judgment Seat of Christ" by JVI
Eight men wrote the New Testament. Seven were
murdered. Matthew was slain with an halberd.
Mark was dragged through the streets of Alexandria
by a team of wild horses until dead. Luke was
hanged in an olive tree. John, thrown into a
cauldron of boiling oil, survived the painful
ordeal but was disfigured for life and banned to
the isle of Patmos.
One day he undoubtedly saw his seared face
reflected in a stream of water and wept. God said
unto him, "Son, cheer up. I will allow you to
write 1 John 3:2 which promises new bodies to all
of My children." It says When he shall appear, we
shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is.
What joy must have filled the suffering servant's
soul as he realized a better day was coming in
which he would be changed to be like Jesus.
Paul was beheaded. Jude and Peter crucified and
James was battered to death with a fuller's club.
*Now get the future picture:* the great hour has
arrived and all God's children are present. The
investigation begins. What will each of us say as
we stand with such an array of heros-believers who
gave all, who proved their first love for Christ
during and entire lifetime-even unto death!
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6. The New Heads of the Church
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A. Constantine
With the Church scattered all over the world and the
Church leadership dead by martyrdom, a new Church leader
clad in military armor would direct the Church on a new
path. This leader was Roman Emperor Constantine.
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During the fourth century after the Emperor
Constantine came into power, he found himself at war
with rival Roman candidates for the rank of Caesar,
for which cause he thought it wise to incorporate into
the Roman populous, the support of the suppressed
Christian church rather than alienate it.
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Constantine claimed that while on a military campaign
at Susa and Turin, he had seen in a vision which appeared
as a cross in the sky surrounded by the words "IN THIS
SIGN SHALT THOU CONQUER." As a result Emperor Constantine
declared both himself and all of his armies to be
Christians.
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This "conversion by imperial decree" was definitely
new (JUDE 1:7). Another decree from Constantine was
that no person could hold a major position in the
government that was not a Christian. When these jobs
were threatened, suddenly many more people became
"believers".
What would happen in 21st century Washington,
DC. if such a decree went out saying that in order to hold
a job one must be a born again Christian? The same that
happened back then in the fourth century.
Many became "Christians" overnight.
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B. The Pope of Rome
Based on Matthew 16:18 this Church under new
leadership centered at Rome instituted a religious Head of the
Church under Constantine called the "Pope". The basis of this
Bishop of Rome's authority is symbolized in the two-finger sign
often seen given by the holder of this office. This two-finger
sign stands for the two pillars on which the Church (supposedly
a continuation of the Church born at Pentecost) would rest.
| Apostolic Succession | Temporal Power |
| The Pope's claim of direct descendancy of authority which first resided with Peter |
The right of the Church to rule the world until the return of Christ. |
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Thus, in the fourth century, this was exactly the foundation
that the Church leadership considered itself to be standing on
after it's takeover of leadership and consolidation of power.
Constantine as the head of the Church and of the Roman Empire,
conquering the world with his armies [ i.e. Temporal Power],
and the establishment of a Pope who could only be a Roman citizen,
as the spiritual leader of the Church, who claimed "Apostolic Succession",
and had complete sovereignty of decision making power over church matters.
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This was quite a switch from the leadership that Christ
ordained. A military man, Constantine, claiming to see a
cross in the sky and the words "IN THIS SIGN CONQUER"
while the great commission of Christ had given instructions
to the Apostles to take the Gospel to that world and baptize
them, teaching them all of His commandments. Also, 1st Timothy 3:6
teaches that a novice is not to be in leadership of the Church.
Secondly, a religious man in a leadership position over the
Church claiming "Apostolic Succession" and "Temporal Power" is
problematic in that Christ taught us;
"My Kingdom is not of this world" [John 18:36].
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Upon observing these changes, the Jewish Church,
that was now scattered and assimilated into other nations,
would have, I suppose, began to wonder of the intergrity of
these actions in the Church. When the policies of this
new leadership would become pronounced in the councils meetings
of the fourth century, there would be little left to wonder about.
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Part III
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