Hebraic Roots is a term used to define the original foundations of the Christian faith. It is a popular claim that the present-day ‘church’ is far removed from the original beliefs and practices of that which was formed on the Day of Pentecost by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the expectant Jewish believers in Yeshua the Messiah (Acts 2:4).
Jesus/Yeshua was an observant Jew as were all the apostles and those who gathered in the upper room to await the promise of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus instructed them. Still, Jesus's claims ran counter to traditional Jewish teaching and were thus rejected by the masses of Jewish people.
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, declared again and again that he had not taught or practised anything contrary to the Jewish faith, excepting a belief in the resurrection of the dead by means of Jesus (Acts 21:20; 23:1; 24:10-13; Acts 25:8, 10-11; 26:21-23; 28:17). Despite Paul's insistence on the legitimacy of this new faith, his teachings radically veered away from traditional Jewish belief. Because the majority of Jewish people did not accept Jesus on principle, and would continue to argue that Paul's teachings were innapropriately masquerading as a "fulfillment" of the Jewish Law, Paul introduced a new theology which encouraged evangelizing to the Gentiles as well. This was a necessary step in the progress of Paul's Gospel teachings, especially when taking into consideration the millions of Jews who chose martyrdom at the blade of the Christian Missionary-Persecutor's sword (read about the Inquisition or the Crusades, for some examples) over conversion. Apparently, true Jewish belief seemed to disagree with the claims of Christianity time and time again. The Jew, in his eyes, would more quickly give his life than sacrifice his relationship to God by converting to a foreign belief system.
The more dramatic changes began to come in after the destruction of the Temple and the Roman take-over of the leadership of the “Church” when the Jews were expelled from the land of Israel.
Two of the early leaders who began to introduce a different gospel to the one all the apostles had preached was Marcion and Ignatius. The 7th day Sabbath and the Feasts were the main things which were changed and the Gentile believers who were eventually divorced from the Hebraic roots of the original apostolic oversight, were a prey to strange doctrines and the incorporation of pagan practices.
With the advent of Constantine who made Christianity the state religion, the errors which had crept into the Church were legalised, and contact with Jewish believers was forbidden and a great persecution ensued of anyone who fellowshipped with or practised “Jewish” customs.
Even so, Christian apologists claim that there were many believers that continued to be faithful to the original Christian faith which was delivered to the saints via the apostles, up into the 4th century and beyond, particularly outside the Roman Empire. History demonstrates that the violence and corruption of the Church was not a passing fad or an unusual occurrence. This corruption was consistent and vicious. Even if there were some Christian believers that attempted to maintain morality in the face of Christendom's darkness and evil, the immoral forces within the Church seemed to win out every time.
With the extinguishing of the light of God's people, the Church went into the “Dark Ages” as the scriptures were withheld from the people and only the Ecclessia of the Church dispensed “truth." The failure of the Church to maintain righteousness within its walls created confusion amongst Christian believers and demonstrated even more to the Jewish people that their choice to remain faithful to the teachings of their Bible was a right one; this choice helped them to maintain morality in a world of darkness and to remain spiritually connected to the God of Israel in a world that was spiritually bereft.
The restoration of truth began with Martin Luther and was followed by successive revelations to the Church by prominent men whom Christian believers argue that God used in a progressive initiative to bring his people back to the ancient paths. Although Martin Luther began this process of reform in the Church, his blatant anti-Semitism (see his work, "On the Jews and their Lies") overshadowed his work and delegitimized his previous efforts.
“The path of the just is as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18)
May we ever move forward in gaining a more perfect knowledge so that we may walk in the full counsel of God.
- B. Restoring the Foundations
- The Original Foundation
- The Army of Invaders and the Overcomers
- The Dispersion & the Restoration Process
- Israel & the Firstfruits of Zion
- C. The Godhead
- The Inter-relationships within the Godhead
- Neglected Commandments
- F. Torah Lifestyle
- Obedience, Righteousness and Sanctification