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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
     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.
     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.
     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.
     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.
     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.
     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.
     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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 Web Author:Michael Stevenson Updated: 12/16/2004 6:53PM