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What Happened to the Jewish Church?
Part 3: Policies of the New Leadership |
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What Happened to the Jewish Church?
Part 3: Policies of the New Leadership |
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7. Blending the World and the Church
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Having arrived at the fourth century [300-400 AD], we have completed
a change from the leadership of the Jewish Apostles and elders to that of
the Roman Emperor and Pope. In 325AD that Roman Emperor- Constantine,
called a major organizational meeting of the Church known today as the
Council of Nicea. Here are the findings of that Council, and those following,
that particularly effected (eliminated) the Jewish component
of the Church of Jesus Christ.
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Please frame these council decisions in the context that
refusal to adhere to these findings would result in excommunication
from the Body of Christ by Church leadership, and the
refusal of the Church to allow such a person to partake
in communion. Most of the Body of Christ understood
that to mean an eternity in Hell.
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8. The December 25th Feast
- Background: Before Constantine, Mithraism (the
worship of Mithra the Indo-Iranian god of the Sun,
was the prevalent faith of Rome. December 25th
was a holy feast day in honor to Mithra.
- Council Finding: The Council of Nicea found that on
this date, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ
would be held, though the traditions of the original feast
day remained intact. Today, this day is known as "Christmas".
- Impact on the Jewish Church: While the Gentiles would
eventually split over this matter, as it did take some arm
twisting to get all the Bishops to consent, the Jewish Church
would have never considered participation in a pagan oriented
feast day.
From their beginnings of learning of the LORD's righteousness in
the 1st and 2nd commandments, it would have been impossible for them
to consider participation in a hand-me-down holiday, formerly offered
to another god. This act would force a separation between the
Jews who believed on Jesus, and the Roman Church leadership, and the
Church Body under their leadership.
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9. The Spring Feast
- Background:
Before, during, and after the life of Christ on earth, most
of the world celebrated a Springtime feast in honor of
Esterous, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the Spring. It was to
her that honor was given for the new life which is
characteristic of Spring. The goddess Esterous, is also known
as the goddess of fertility, which is where the medical term
"Esterous Cycle" is derived.
- Council Finding: The Council of Nicea found that this Spring
Feast called "Easter" would be the time
that the Lord's resurrection would be celebrated. This practice
continues unto this day by a majority of the Church of Jesus Christ.
- Impact on the Jewish Church:
Again, the Gentiles would eventially split over this
matter however the Jewish Church would have never have
considered partaking in it.
For the same reasons mentioned before of the
1st and 2nd commandments, it would have been
impossible to consider Jewish- born-again believers
participation in a hand-me-down holiday formerly
offered to another god. The separation between the
Jewish believers in Messiah and the Body of Christ
headed by Rome would therefore widen.
A point to consider in the matter of Easter is that
it actually retains the same name as the pagan goddess
whom it originally honored.
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10. The Sabbath Day
- Background: As stated before, prior to the emergence
of Emperor Constantine, Mithraism (the worship of
Mithra the Indo-Iranian god of the Sun) was the
prevalent faith throughout the empire. Sunday- the
first day of the week, was the day in that religion which
was generally held in honor of Mithra, and thus was
named such (i.e. Sunday).
- Council Finding: The Council of Nicea found that the
day of worship for Christ's Church would be Sunday, the first
day of the week, based on the presumed idea that this was the "Lord's
Day" or the day that Jesus was resurrected.
- Impact on the Jewish Church:
The effective import of this Council finding is that Sunday
is the Sabbath day. Today, many Christians will
casually refer to Sunday as the Sabbath day. Some, even go
as far as to say that the Sabbath day was changed from Saturday
to Sunday because of the Lord's resurrection presumed to be on
that day.
I once heard a saying that "My communication is what
the listener hears". This reality certainly applies
in this matter as well. What the Jewish component of the
Church would have heard is that Sunday is the Sabbath day
of the Church under Roman leadership. I need not spend a long time
in mentioning that, to a Jewish believer in Messiah this would be
a complete undermining of the 4th commandment, written by God by His own
finger, whose law the Messiah had come to fulfill. There would
be no way that a Jewish believer could forsake the Lord's Sabbath
Day. The split between the Church led by Rome and the
Jewish believers in Messiah would widen over this particular
matter as we see in the next policy adopted a few years later
by the new Church leadership.
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10. Banning the Sabbath Day
- Background:
While most Christians will readily say that Sunday is their Sabbath Day,
if you were to ask them when the change took place they will be unable to
answer. I asked the Christian Education Director at the
fellowship I was attending at that time just prior to my
research, and got no reply. This triggered a full
investigation on my part as to when and by whose
authority this action took place.
In research I have conducted, I have found that
(prior to the rise of Roman leadership of the church)
the Jewish believers and some of the Gentile believers
kept the seventh day Sabbath, as well as some keeping
both days. When Roman leadership of the Church saw that
the Body of Christ (non-Jewish) were participating in
the "Jewish Sabbath", a ban was placed on that activity.
- Council Finding: 363AD, SYNOD of LAODACEA (Laodicea);
A synod is a miniature council meeting of the Church's
leadership (Bishops) and is held between major council
gatherings without all presiding bishops present.
Synod finding; CANON #29-
this canon strictly forbids any Gentile believer from
participating in the seventh day sabbath celebrated by
Jewish believers in the MESSIAH.
The gentile church would hold Sunday, the first day of
the week as their official day of worship.
(NOTE: This finding was ratified by the Church
Bishops at the next full council meeting in 381 AD
at Constantinople.
- Impact on the Jewish Church: This action of blocking
fellowship between Gentile and Jewish believers went beyond the
error of importing paganism into the Church which the Jewish
believers could not partake in. This was a proactive initiative
to ostracize the Jewish component of the Church from
fellowship with the rest of the body. The horse was at this
point totally behind the cart and the Jewish believers were
effectively pushed out of Church fellowship.
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It would be at this point that future Gentile believers in
Christ Jesus would begin to be surprised when they heard of a
Jewish believer in Christ. The separation of Gentile and Jewish
believers in the same Messiah was complete. But the remnant of
Israel that was destined for salvation would certainly continue
to walk in their faith, despite these actions and continues
to do so, unto this day.
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