Jesus spent most of hi time disputing with the rulers of the Jews. Don’t miss the defiance and deliberate provocation as Jesus continues facing off against his declared enemy.
“There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and let it out to
- husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near,
- he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it…
- last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance [both ruler- and land owner- ship]….And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.” (Matthew 21)
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!…for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves…Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation / a people bringing forth the fruits thereof.” (Matthew 23:14-15, 43)
Just like “Washington” refers not only to the city location but more importantly to the people in government, the “kingdom” that is taken away is not the entire nation of Israel, but the government of the nation.
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave THEM power / authority...These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10:1-18)
Following the trail of events recorded in the book of the Acts of the apostles, we find that for at least the first 20-30 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection the good news of the arrival of the Messiah / Christ and the coming of the kingdom of God, the apostles followed Jesus’ instructions to “go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, establishing that the early church was a sect of Judaism.
A meaningful pattern of the development of the organization and doctrine of the New Testament Church from purely a Jewish sect to an international assembly becomes apparent if we organize the books in the order and the context in which they were written. While the dates the books of the New Testament can’t be known with absolute certainty, the order and historical context in which books were written is what matters, and can be determined for the most part by internal evidence.
Chronological New Testament
15-34 AD, from Acts 22:3 – Saul, means Asked or Questioned, indicative of his zealous studies at the highest level as a Pharisee, studies the Law under Gamaliel, opposes Jesus & denounces his sect. (On a side note, this is still a common name with the same meaning in Arabic as Chaoul, which to my personal delight is the family name of my granddaughter’s boyfriend.)
29, Crucifixion, Holy Spirit given at Pentecost, apostles and Jewish believers continue meeting in the temple.
30-31, from Acts 2-8:1 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven…Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, Cretes and Arabians, strangers /aliens, non-citizens of Rome, [ethnic] Jews and proselytes / converts to Judaism from membership in their national pagan religion to which every citizen must adhere, notably at Rome. Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour…And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, Being grieved that they [usurping their prerogatives and authority] taught the people [of Israel].
And in those days [before any Gentiles had been converted] when the number of the disciples [of Jesus as the Messiah] was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the [Jewish in religion but cultural in lifestyle due to the diaspora] Grecians against the [strict kosher] Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration…certain of the [Grecian] synagogue [which had syncretized Judaism with Greek philosophy into Hellenistic Judaism], which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen [of the assembly in Jerusalem].”
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul / an assembly of believers. And at that time there was a great persecution [by the entrenched Jewish rulers] against the church / assembly of Jewish believers in Yeshua which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles [who stayed in Jerusalem facing the persecution]
32-34 from Acts 8 Stephen stoned, persecution of Messianic Jewish sect by Jewish religious rulers including the Pharisee Saul. They [Jewish believers in Jesus as the Promised Savior] which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only
34-37, from Acts 9 When Saul, a prominent fundamentalist Jewish legal authority joins Messianic sect, his previous colleagues target him for death, indicating how great a threat he posed to their authority over their students. He is smuggled out of Judea by his supporters, and from then on he known not by his Hebrew name, but by the Gentile name of Paul, meaning “little”. Obviously he is being belittled by his former colleagues.
40, from Acts 10-11 Cornelius is the first uncircumcised Gentile accepted as a convert to Messianic Judaism by Peter, whose authority is accepted based on his intimate association with Jesus.
43, from Acts 11:20-26 some [Messianic Jews]…of Cyprus and Cyrene [notable international crossroads]…when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians…and a great number believed. Then…the church which was in Jerusalem…sent forth…Barnabas and Saul…unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the [Gentile] disciples were called Christ-ians / Christ-Ones first in Antioch” – note, prior to Paul’s involvement. NOT because they had just founded a new religion! In the eastern Roman, previously Greek, provinces the lingua franca was Greek. So, speaking Greek instead of Hebrew to the Gentiles, the Hebrew term for “Messianic-believer” became Greek “Christ-one”. This church plant, following the typical pattern Paul warned against constantly, became the Melkite Church which traces its origins to the early Christian community of the Patriarchate of Antioch in the 1st century AD, traditionally founded by the apostle Saint Peter. (On a side note, one of my memorable international experiences was being married in a Melkite Church in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Palestinian Christian.
43, from Acts 12 Herod Agrippa I (d. 44) kills James brother of John, son of Zebedee at Jerusalem, James brother of Jesus assumes leadership.
~45 Epistle of James written by brother of Jesus, to encourage “the twelve tribes” under tribulation.
45-62 from Acts 11:26 Barnabas brings Paul from Tarsus (Turkey) to Antioch (Syria) to help in existing Jewish-led evangelistic ministry to Gentiles.
47 from Acts 11:26 Paul’s 1st missionary journey thru cities in region of Turkey called Galatia, meets at synagogues, evangelizes Jews & Gentiles.
49 from Acts 15 A Church Council meets to settle question of requirement of Gentile believers to follow Mosaic Law, Paul opposes any requirement for Gentiles to follow Jewish law and his significant academic, legal and zeal under persecution help settle this issue.
49-53 from Acts 16-18 Paul’s 2nd journey delivers decrees excluding Gentile converts from requirements to practice Jewish rituals still existing for Jews to existing churches in Galatia, crosses over to Europe at Macedonia & Greece.
~50-55 from I Peter 5:13 Mark, in collaboration with Peter in Rome, writes biography of Jesus written from Rome in collaboration with Peter to present Jesus as Messiah.
52-53 from Acts 18:1-18 Paul leaves Corinth synagogue when they blaspheme, meets in the first house church mentioned in the Bible, with Jewish and Gentile believers. While in Corinth writes letter to Galatians to strongly counter persistent Judaizers, 1st & 2nd letters to Thessalonians to encourage during tribulation.
54-59 from Acts 18:23-21 Paul’s 3rd missionary journey
56 from Acts 19:1-10 Paul leaves synagogue in Ephesus (in modern Turkey) to instead meet daily in a publicly accessible schoolhouse, great church growth. Paul’s 1st letter to the church in Corinth dealing with new convert problems.
58 from Acts 20:2-4, I Peter 5:13 Paul meets personally with Messianic Jewish elders in Ephesus, writes a letter to a Roman community of believers explaining he will get there as soon as he can, follow-up letter to Corinthians references great tribulation, Peter’s 1 st letter backs up Paul’s ministry to his Gentile churches, and supports them in their fiery trial of tribulation.
59-60 from Acts 22-24 Paul travels back to Jerusalem, denies the charge that he teaches Jews to forsake Mosaic Law.Paul imprisoned at Caesarea by Romans to protect from illegal Jewish plot against his life, witnesses to Roman governors Felix and Festus, Jewish King Herod Agrippa II, appeals to Caesar and is sent by ship to Rome.
~60 Matthew writes biography of Jesus to prove to the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. Such biographies were “a genre of Greco-Roman literature interested in describing the goals, achievements, failures, and character of ancient historical persons and whether or not they should be imitated.” Luke’s biography of Jesus is written in collaboration with Paul, possibly for evidence in trial before Caesar
60-63 from Acts 28:16-31, While imprisoned at Rome, Paul has lots of time for writing, which, frankly, speaking from experience juggling the demands of daily life leaving less time for writing than desired, turned out to be a blessing, especially since he had comfortable accommodations. Paul first reaches out to existing Jewish leadership and only to Gentiles after Jews reject his analysis of scripture. Letter to Ephesian Gentiles written to encourage Gentiles to pick up their qualified leadership roles after his outreach to Jewish international leadership is repulsed Hebrews written explaining identity as Hebrew priests under High Priest Melchizedek. Philippians, Colossians, Philemon written, Acts probably written by Luke at this time. James brother of Jesus stoned to death by High Priest at Jerusalem as Jewish nationalistic aspirations heighten. After being acquitted, aware of gathering storm in Judea from insight into current events as fulfillment of Jesus’ warning to “this generation”, predicting Jerusalem doomsday by 70 AD, Paul takes up residence in Macedonia.
64-65, 1st letter to young Timothy, who is Jewish, desperately exhorting him to carry on if only by himself.2nd letter by Peter written from Rome prior to Paul’s death, supporting Paul’s transfer of leadership from Jews to Gentiles.
66, 2nd letter to Timothy written when Paul is imprisoned for 2nd and last time, mourning that the response to his letter to the Ephesians, the leading church of Asia was that “All in Asia be turned away from me.” Paul martyred at Rome under Nero as the anticipated revolt by Judean Jews explodes, Messianic Jew flee across the Jordan river to Pella, Jerusalem church and Jewish leadership in shamble.
64-71, The Great Fire of Rome triggers a seven year great tribulation by the Roman Empire of their citizens who had converted from Romes’s gods – which including Caesar – to the Jewish Messiah. Peter is martyred under Nero.
70, Jerusalem besieged, temple destroyed and Jews are deported, leaving Messianic Judaism adrift in a hostile world.
~80, Jude, brother of Jesus, write brief letter exhorting believers to “earnestly contend for “the common salvation… the faith which was once delivered unto the saints“, i.e. the universal Melchizedekian covenant, since Judaism could no longer be practiced without the temple. John’ writes three letters of encouragement as well as a biography of Jesus written to Gentiles unfamiliar with Jewish customs.
~89, Revelation is Written by last surviving apostle, John, to Paul’s Gentile churches in Turkey, detailing world-wide Judgment Day on faithless Gentile leadership worse than that experienced by the national Judgment Day on faithless Jewish leadership in the nation of Israel.
