Gospel Unity
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
~Ephesians 2:11-13
Key Defining Events in Israel History
1800
BCEAbraham &
Circumcision
1300
BCEMoses &
Law
825
BCESolomon &
Temple
Key Defining Events in Jewish History
722
BCAssyrian Exile (10 Tribes)
586
BCBabylonian
Exile (Diaspora) 52
7 BCJerusalem
Repopulated
Jew-Gentile Demographics in Roman EmpireGroup Population % of the Empire % of Palestine Entire Empire Gentiles 51,000,000 93 Jews 4,000,000 7 100
Palestine (Jews & Gentile) Palestine Gentiles 1,050,000 2 60 Palestine Jews 700,000 1 40 Jerusalem Jews 25,000-95,000
Jewish IdentityJews zealously guarded their
heritage and identity.
Relatively small numbers in comparison to Gentile neighbors only heightened sense of special selection by God.
Enter Jesus Christ and the gospel...
Jew-Gentile Gospel Relationship
John 12• Greeks meet
Jesus
Acts 1• Great
Commission
Acts 6• Hebraic/Greek
Widows
Acts 8• Preaching outside Judea
Acts 9• Paul sent to
Gentiles
Acts 10• Cornelius’
Conversion
Acts 11 - Flashpoint Antioch 41 AD, the Antioch church begins with
the first large-scale conversion of Gentiles.
Antioch becomes a major hub for the Gentile Christian church, Paul and Barnabas launch first missionary journey into the Gentile world around 49AD.
Within a year, the “Judaizing Controversy” would reach a fever-point, resulting in the letter of Galatians and the Jerusalem Council
Judaizing ControversyCertain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” – Acts 15:1
Question:Do you have to become Jewish before you can become Christian?
Controversy ResolvedThe apostles and elders, your brothers,To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:Greetings.We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.Farewell.
Paul’s ArgumentsLegal Argument
Circumcision obligates one to obey whole Law – impossible! (Gal 5:3). Christ is the end of the Law (Romans 10:4)
Historical ArgumentFaith, in Abraham's instance, preceded circumcision; Abraham (Gen
15:6) was declared righteous by faith before he was circumcised (Gen 17). God promised blessings through Abraham before circumcision and before the Law (Moses).
Paul’s ArgumentsProphetic Argument
God had indicated in the Scriptures that a time would come when the Gentiles would be included with His people. (Galatians 3:8, Romans 9).
Theological Argument Law and grace work oppositely. If we can work our way to God, or to
heaven, by Law, then there was no need for Christ to come and be sacrificed (Romans 11:5-6)
Controversy ResolvedGalatians 2:1-10 - Leaders united on big picture salvation doctrineRomans 10-11 - Importance of Jewish covenants, God’s plan for IsraelI Corinthians 10:1-11 - Jewish Scriptures are foundation for churchI Corinthians 8-10, Romans 14-15 – idol feasts restrictions, freedom in
disputable matters, law of loveEphesians 2:11-21 – Christ destroys barriers and reconciles Jew/Gentile Philp 3:2, Titus 1:10 – “Judaizers” continued to be a problematic
influence in early church
Key PointsUnity threat - Do you have to be Jewish in order to be Christian?
No!NT Books - Highlight books that speak to controversy
Galatians, RomansPortions of I and II Corinthians, Eph, Colossians, Philp, I Tim, Titus
Important church teachings that persist to this day:Salvation by grace through faithFaith/deeds relationshipLaw of Love and Disputable Matters
Jewish War 66-73AD Roman-Jewish tensions explode
over taxation, sacrilege, resulting in Great Revolt of 66AD
Roman general Vespasian dispatched from Rome
Campaign in Galilee against Zealot-backed forces in 67AD
Roman campaign halted around Jerusalem with emperor turmoil
Fall of Jerusalem70AD
Vespasian becomes emperor in Rome, leaves son Titus in commandSiege of Jerusalem breaks through in 70 ADRoman forces sack Jerusalem and demolish Temple
The End of Temple Judaism
No Temple = no sacrifices, no priesthood, no observance of Law Rise of synagogue Judaism and rabbis Christians viewed by Jews as disloyal Jesus’s prophecy regarding temple fulfilled