Messianic History

[visionary]

Most Christians I think are aware of the Messianic history of the church in the first century. Some people are even aware of the various "movements" of the last century of the Jewish people to following the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua of Natzeret.

What I think most people are unaware of is approximately 1800 years of history inbetween. Even for myself this is something I need to study a lot more of. Much of the history is largely remembered as a history of persecution.

There are the various Talmudic writings on the "Minim". Its acceptable for a Jew to be an Athiest, a Hindu, or even a Muslim; but in Israel today the only unallowed faith for a Jew who wishes to immigrate is a Faith in Rabbi Yeshua of Nazareth, the Messiah.

Likewise there has rarely been an acceptance of Jewish believers among the Gentile community. Few people are aware for instance that the Spanish Inquisition started to get rid of Messianic "Heretics" who were believed to be polluting Christianity. Messianic Jews were mostly likely to be executed while Orthodox Jews and Muslims were typically expelled from the country.

Besides the persecutions there is a lot of other rich history. Here is a link to a brief list of some famous Messianic Jews who influenced (Western) church history.

For hundreds of years the Bishops of the churches in Judae and Samaria were Jewish. There is one account of a debate between two Messianic Jews and 22 rabbis during the Disputation of Aragon which laster a year from 1413-1414 and resulted in the conversion of over 5,000 Jews to faith in Yeshua.

Again most of this is the history of the Western Church and much more was occurring among Jews communities of North Africa, the Middle-East and East Africa. If you have any more stories and histories from this long time period, please share!

[HaNotsri]

Vis? Where's the link? I am especially interested about the even that took place in Judea and Samaria.

[ContraMundum]

Most Christians I think are aware of the Messianic history of the church in the first century. Some people are even aware of the various "movements" of the last century of the Jewish people to following the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua of Natzeret.

What I think most people are unaware of is approximately 1800 years of history inbetween. Even for myself this is something I need to study a lot more of. Much of the history is largely remembered as a history of persecution.

There are the various Talmudic writings on the "Minim". Its acceptable for a Jew to be an Athiest, a Hindu, or even a Muslim; but in Israel today the only unallowed faith for a Jew who wishes to immigrate is a Faith in Rabbi Yeshua of Nazareth, the Messiah.

Likewise there has rarely been an acceptance of Jewish believers among the Gentile community. Few people are aware for instance that the Spanish Inquisition started to get rid of Messianic "Heretics" who were believed to be polluting Christianity. Messianic Jews were mostly likely to be executed while Orthodox Jews and Muslims were typically expelled from the country.

Besides the persecutions there is a lot of other rich history. Here is a link to a brief list of some famous Messianic Jews who influenced (Western) church history.

For hundreds of years the Bishops of the churches in Judae and Samaria were Jewish. There is one account of a debate between two Messianic Jews and 22 rabbis during the Disputation of Aragon which laster a year from 1413-1414 and resulted in the conversion of over 5,000 Jews to faith in Yeshua.

Again most of this is the history of the Western Church and much more was occurring among Jews communities of North Africa, the Middle-East and East Africa. If you have any more stories and histories from this long time period, please share!
Can we read about this ourselves somewhere? Sounds very interesting to my mind.

[visionary]

A BRIEF LIST OF MOST FAMOUS MESSIANIC JEWS

http://www.israelinprophecy.org/ENGLISH/live_site/brief_list-most_famous_messianic_jews.html

[visionary]

http://www.israelinprophecy.org/ENGLISH/live_site/articles/Jewish%20Remnant%20History%20Testimony.pdf

http://www.israelinprophecy.org/ENGLISH/live_site/time-line_of-famous_Jews.html

[visionary]

For historical documents of the existance the Messianic type of believers we often have to look within "heresy" documents written at that time.

Inquisicion

CONCORDIAS
HECHAS, Y FIRMADAS
entre la jurisdicion Real, y
el Santo Oficio de la

Inquisicion.
DECLARATIONS, Acts and Edicts of the royal Jurisdiction, and the Holy Office of the Inquisition
Valencia, 1568 (collection of the Author).

EDICT OF FAITH

"We Doctor Andres de Palacio, Inquisitor against the heresy and apostolic perversity in the city and kingdom of Valencia, etc.

"To all faithful Christians, both men and women, chaplains, friars and priests of every condition, quality and degree; whose attention to this will result in salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ, the true salvation; who are aware that, by means of other edicts and sentences of the Reverend inquisitors, our predecessors, they were warned to appear before them, within a given period, and declare and manifest the things which they had seen, known, and heard tell of any person or persons, either alive or dead, who had said or done anything against the Holy Catholic Faith; cultivated and observed the law of Moses or the Mohammedan sect, or the rites and ceremonies of the same; or perpetrated diverse crimes of heresy; observing Friday evenings and Saturdays; changing into clean personal linen on Saturdays and wearing better clothes than on other days; preparing on Fridays the food for Saturdays, in stewing pans on a small fire; who do not work on Friday evenings and Saturdays as on other days; who kindle lights in clean lamps with new wicks, on Friday evenings; place clean linen on the beds and clean napkins on the table; celebrate the festival of unleavened bread, eat unleavened bread and celery and bitter herbs; observe the fast of pardon (Day of Atonement) when they do not eat all day until the evening after star-rise, when they pardon one another and break their fast; and in the same manner observe the fasts of Queen Esther, of tissabav, and rosessena; who say prayers according to the law of Moses, standing up before the wall, swaying back and forth, and taking a few steps backwards; who give money for oil for the Jewish temple or other secret place of worship; who slaughter poultry according to the Judaic law, and refrain from eating sheep or any other animal which is trefa; who do not wish to eat salt pork, hares, rabbits, snails, or fish that have not scales; who bathe the bodies of their dead and bury them in virgin soil according to the Jewish custom; who, in the house of mourning do not eat meat but fish and hard-boiled eggs, seated at low tables; who separate a morsel of dough when baking and throw it on the fire; who become, or know of others who become circumcised; who invoke demons, and give to them the honour that is due to God; who say that the law of Moses is good and can bring about their salvation; who perform many other rites and ceremonies of the same; who say that our Lord Jesus Christ was not the true Messiah promised in Scripture, nor the true God nor son of God; who deny that he died to save the human race; deny the resurrection and his ascension to heaven; and say that our Lady the Virgin Mary was not the mother of God or a virgin before the nativity and after; who say and affirm many other heretical errors; who state that what they had confessed before the inquisitors was not the truth; who remove their penitential robes and neither remain in the prison nor observe she penance imposed upon them; who say scandalous things against our holy Catholic Faith and against the officials of the Inquisition; or who influence any infidel who might have been drawn towards Catholicism to refrain from converting; who assert that the Holy Sacrament of the altar is not the true body and blood of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and that God cannot be omnipresent; or any priest holding this damnable opinion, who recites and celebrates the mass, not saying the holy words of the consecration; saying and believing that the law of Mahomet and its rites and ceremonies are good and can bring about their salvation; who affirm that life is but birth and death, and that there is no paradise and no hell; and state that to practise usury is not a sin; if any man whose wife still lives, marries again, or any woman remarries in the lifetime of her first husband; if any know of those who keep Jewish customs, and name their children on the seventh night after their birth and with silver and gold upon a table, pleasurably observe the Jewish ceremony; and if any know that when somebody dies, they place a cup of water and a lighted candle and some napkins where the deceased died, and for some days, do not enter there; if any know of the effort of a Jew or convert, secretly to preach the law of Moses and convert others to this creed, teaching the ceremonies belonging to the same, giving information as to the dates of festivals and fasts, teaching Jewish prayers; if any know of anyone who attempts to become a Jew, or being Christian walks abroad in the costume of a Jew; if any know of anyone, converted or otherwise, who orders that his dress shall he made of canvas and not of linen, as the good Jews do; if any know of those who, when their children kiss their hands, place their hands on the children’s heads without making the Sign (of the Cross); or who, after dinner or supper, bless the wine and pass is to everyone at the table, which blessing is called the veraha; if any know that in any house, people congregate for the purpose of carrying on religious services, or read out of bibles of the vernacular or perform other Judaic ceremonies, and if any know that when someone is about to set out on a journey, certain words of the law of Moses are spoken to him, and a hand placed on his head without making the Sign (of the Cross). And if any know of anyone who has professed the Mosaic creed, or awaited the coming of the Messiah, saying that our Redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ was not come and that now Elijah was to come and take them to the promised land; and if any know that any person had pretended to go into a trance and wandered in heaven and that an angel had conducted him over green fields and told him that was the promised land which was being saved for all converts whom Elijah was to redeem from the captivity in which they lived; and if any know that any person or persons be children or grandchildren of the condemned, and being disqualified, should make use of public office, or bear arms or wear silk and fine cloth, or ornament their costumes with gold, silver, pearls or other precious stones or coral, or make use of any other thing which they are forbidden and disqualified to have; and if any know that any persons have or possessed any confiscated goods, furniture, money, gold, silver, or other jewels belonging to those condemned for heresy, which should be brought before the receiver of goods confiscated for the crime of heresy. —All these things, having been seen, heard or known, you, the above-mentioned faithful Christians, have, with obstinate hearts, refused to declare and manifest, greatly to the burden and prejudice of your souls; thinking that you were absolved by the bulls and indulgences issued by our holy father, and by promises and donations which you had made, for which you have incurred the sentence of excommunication and other grave penalties under statutory law; and thus you may be proceeded against as those who have suffered excommunication and as abettors of heretics, in various ways; but, wishing so act with benevolence, and in order that your souls may not be lost, since our Lord does not wish the death of the sinner but his reformation and life; by these presents, we remove and suspend the censure promulgated by the said former inquisitors against you, so long as you observe and comply with the terms of this our edict, by which we require, exhort and order you, in virtue of the holy obedience, and under penalty of complete excommunication, within nine days from the time that the present edict shall have been read to you, or made known to you in whatsoever manner, to state all that you know, have seen, heard, or heard tell in any manner whatsoever, of the things and ceremonies above-mentioned, and to appear before us personally to declare and manifest what you have seen, heard, or heard tell secretly, without having spoken previously with any other person, or borne false witness against anyone. Otherwise, the period having passed, the canonical admonitions having been repeated in accordance with the law, steps will be taken so give out and promulgate sentence of excommunication against you, in and by these documents; and through such excommunication, we order that you be publicly denounced; and if, after a further period of nine days, you should persist in your rebellion and excommunication, you shall be excommunicated, anathematised, cursed, segregated, and separated as an associate of the devil, from union with and inclusion in the holy Mother-Church, and the sacraments of the same. And we order the vicars, rectors, chaplains, and sacristans and any other religious or ecclesiastical persons to regard and treat the above-mentioned as excommunicated and accursed for having incurred the wrath and indignation of Almighty God, and of the glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, and of the beatified apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and all the saints of the celestial Court; and upon such rebels and disobedient ones who would hide the truth regarding the above-mentioned things, be all the plagues and maledictions which befell and descended upon King Pharaoh and his host for not having obeyed the divine commandments; and the same sentence of divine excommunication encompass them as it encompassed the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who all perished in flames; and of Athan and Abiron who were swallowed up into the earth for the great delinquencies and sins which they committed in disobedience and rebellion against our Lord God; and may they be accursed in eating and drinking, in waking and sleeping, in coming and going. Accursed be they in living and dying, and may they ever be hardened so their sins, and the devil be as their right hand always; may their vocation be sinful, and their days be few and evil; may their substance be enjoyed by others, and their children be orphans, and their wives widows. May their children ever be in need, and may none help them; may they be turned out of their homes and their goods taken by usurers; and may they find nobody to have compassion on them; may their children be ruined and outcast, and their names also; and their wickedness be ever present in the divine memory. May their enemies vanquish them and despoil them of all they possess in the world; and may they wander from door to door without relief. May their prayers be turned to maledictions; and accursed be the bread and wine, the meat and fish, the fruit and other food that they eat; likewise the houses they inhabit and the raiment they wear, the beasts upon which they ride and the beds upon which they sleep, and the tables and napkins upon which they eat. Accursed be they to Satan and to Lucifer and to all the devils in hell, and these be their lords, and accompany them by night and by day. Amen. And if any persons incurring the said excommunications and maledictions, should persist therein for the space of a year, they should be regarded as heretics themselves, and shall be prosecuted by the same process as against heretics or suspects of the crime of heresy. Given on the _____ March, in the year of our Lord God, one thousand five hundred and twelve."


Nullus omoveat sub pena excommunicationis.


(Item: Of no avail is the confession made to the confessor for procuring absolution from the sentence of excommunication to which the heretic might be subject, from the time the crime is committed.)

(Item: All who know anything of the things mentioned in this present edict, or of other heresies, and do not coma forward to denounce and declare the same, are hereby excommunicated and may not be absolved by their confessors.)

El doctor De Mandato sue
Palacio, inquisidor. Reverende paternitatis,
Petrus Sorell, notarius.

[ContraMundum]

You sure you're not confusing a Marrano (Crypto-Jew) with a Messianic in this last instance?

[HaNotsri]

Yeah, this sounds more like Marranos than Messianic Jews

[visionary]

You sure you're not confusing a Marrano (Crypto-Jew) with a Messianic in this last instance?Are you saying that Marrano's were christians in Jewish costume.??? Do Jews convert? Do they preach and have house to house bible studies??

I am not disagreeing that Marrano were persecuted, but that when it come to herding in the heretics for a burning... being catholic christian was the only acceptable type to not qualify as a heretic.

[visionary]

Messianic Judaism and the Early Church
Messianic believers often cite the fact that Jesus and all his disciples were originally Jewish. They argue that Gentiles had a place within the the Jewish context of the faith, evidenced by the recorded biblical debate of having the new Gentile converts follow Jewish law and the decision by the Jerusalem Council to forego the requirement of proslyte conversion for Gentiles to be included in the faith.

Messianics further argue that as a result of persecution, the Early Church adopted a minimalist perspective to win converts so as to survive, and in so doing, had inadvertently minimized the importance of converts following Apostolic law, and the importance of the Jewishness of the faith, evidenced by the reducing of the Passover Seder to a simple service of flat bread and wine, removal of the understanding of mikvah (baptism) in conversions, and by the later adoption of pagan customs in the worship practices of the new adherents. They argue that followers of Christianity were erroneously anti-semetic in their approach to Judaism, well before Constatine came to power and legalized the approach of the Gentilized church, and cementing the Jewish-Christian split.

http://experts.about.com/e/m/me/messianic_judaism.htm

[visionary]

"…We gather that this system was adopted by the Nazarenes, the leadership of the visiting teachers being given to Peter, while James the brother of Jesus was elected Nasi, or president of the Supreme Council, both on account of his kinship to the Messiah and his noted piety." (Schonfield, Hugh (1938). The History of Jewish Christianity From the First to the Twentieth Century. Book out of print, pp. 14-15.)

[ContraMundum]

Are you saying that Marrano's were christians in Jewish costume.??? Do Jews convert? Do they preach and have house to house bible studies??

I am not disagreeing that Marrano were persecuted, but that when it come to herding in the heretics for a burning... being catholic christian was the only acceptable type to not qualify as a heretic.
No no, Marranos were Jews who pretended to be Christian. If they were Christians in Jewish costume they would be Messianic, no?

I think the document from the Inquisition cited above is fairly typical of the persecution of a Jew who was a Marrano. There is no evidence of this person ever being a believer in Christ as their personal saviour, and as evidenced by the practices of this man, he more than likely remained a Jew until his death. My family come from such a heritage, so I have access to a family oral tradition that talks a lot about survival by hiding one's true religion from the Catholics. It was a way of life passed down through the generations that still has some effect today.

I know this might come across as critical, but it's not. I've been studying this for years, and it's a favorite topic of mine with obvious personal interests. I honestly don't think there was ever in history a Messianic movement like the one today, where Jews and Gentiles mix together in a distinctively Jewish flavoured congregation with a restorationist (repristination?) approach to doctrine. I'm not convinced from scripture or history that Gentile believers ever adopted Jewish customs in total, although perhaps some customs were adopted for a time before the 3rd Century. I also think that the list of Messianic Jews you gave, although outstanding and the best list I've seen on the web, really is a list of Hebrew Christians, as most of them adopted the way of life of the church at the time and fellowshipped in traditionally Christian denominations.

It is interesting to note that the first Hebrew congregation of the modern era was very well received by the Church at large, and this paved the way for the modern Messianic movement, which has been a generally good development in the church.

Some day I'd like to discuss Acts 15 with people who attend Messianic congregations to see what the teaching is currently around the congregations and how it compares with my perspective, but sadly, that is impossible in this forum.

[visionary]

Some day I'd like to discuss Acts 15 with people who attend Messianic congregations to see what the teaching is currently around the congregations and how it compares with my perspective, but sadly, that is impossible in this forum.maybe it can be placed in the general forum with an invitation for us to come there and participate? If worded with its intent, those who usually pitching with comments will refrain so that you may have an indepth discussion without too much interference.

[ContraMundum]

maybe it can be placed in the general forum with an invitation for us to come there and participate? If worded with its intent, those who usually pitching with comments will refrain so that you may have an indepth discussion without too much interference.
My brother....that would be nice, but in about 10 seconds that thread would be derailed into people calling us Judaizers. We couldn't really discuss it in peace.

[visionary]

While "Messianic Judaism" is a relatively new term, the foundation of faith in the feasts and sabbath and dietary laws all were more or less still kept through the centuries. They were Sabbath-keepers, as were those who broke off communion with Rome after the Council of Chalcedon, namely the Abyssinian, the Jacobites, the Maronites, and the Armenians and the Kurds, who kept the food laws and denied confession and purgatory (Schaff-Herzog The New Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge, art. Nestorians and Nestorianer above). Can we not identify with them?

[visionary]

Ignatius, bishop of Antioch at the time of Trajan (98-117 CE), argues against the Judaizing tendencies of his territory. Epistle to the Magnesians

[visionary]

The Nazarenes, whose existence in the fourth century is attested to by Jerome, appear to be the direct descendants of the Christian community of Jerusalem who migrated to Pella.

[visionary]

Vis? Where's the link? I am especially interested about the even that took place in Judea and Samaria.
I am especially interested about the even that took place in Judea and Samaria.The Churches in Gaul, appear to have been facilitated by the heavy concentration of Jews around Marseilles and Genoa, over the period 100-300 (see Gilbert Atlas of Jewish History, Dorset Press, 1984, map 17). These communities were obviously in contact with the heavy concentrations of Jews in Ephesus and Smyrna. The movement up the Rhone from Marseille to Lyons the Metropolis and centre of communication for the whole country, is no doubt a result of the Jewish participation in commerce. The demands of the community are probably what prompted the dispatch of Pothinus and Irenæus to Lyons, from Polycarp in Smyrna. Thus there was a Sabbath-keeping Church established in Lyons prior to the persecution of Marcus Aurelius in 177. Lyons was the centre of the Churches in Gaul when Irenæus was bishop. The Churches of Gaul wrote to Rome over the Quartodeciman controversy (see Eusebius Hist. Eccl., V, xxiii) in support of the Asian bishops concerning the introduction of Easter.

[visionary]

The Athingians (or Athingani) of the ninth centure, were held by Cardinal Hergenrother, to have stood in intimate relation with Emperor Michael II (821-829) and he states that they held the Sabbath (Kirchengeschicte, 1, 527). The Athingani were a sect in Phrygia, who were referred to as Melchizedekites by Timotheus of Constantinople in his Reception of Heretics (see ERE, art. Sects, Vol. XI, p. 319b). Whitley says here that they:

observed the Sabbath day; as they touched no one, they were popularly called Athingani. This reads as if they observed the Jewish rules of cleanliness, but the information is too scanty to trace their origin and tenets.

[visionary]

Dugger and Dodd quote Mosheim as saying:

In Lombardy, which was the principle residence of the Italian heretics, there sprung up a singular sect, known, for what reason I cannot tell, by the denomination Passaginians. ... Like the other sects already mentioned, they had the utmost aversion to the discipline and dominion of the Church of Rome; but they were at the same time distinguished by two religious tenets which were peculiar to themselves.

The first was a notion that the observance of the Law of Moses, in everything except the offering of sacrifices, was obligatory upon Christians; in consequence of which they ... Abstained from those meats, the use of which was prohibited under the Mosaic economy, and celebrated the Jewish Sabbath. The second tenet that distinguished this sect was advanced in opposition to the doctrine of three persons in the divine nature (Eccl. Hist., Cent 12, Part 2, Ch. 5, Sec. 14, p. 127: as quoted by Dugger and Dodd, emphasis retained).


Dugger and Dodd go on to say:

That the Cathari did retain and observe the ancient Sabbath, is certified by Romish adversaries. Dr. Allix quotes a Roman Catholic author of the twelfth century, concerning three sorts of heretics - the Cathari, the Passiginians, and the Arnoldistae. Allix says of this Romish writer that -

'He lays it down also as one of their opinions, 'that the law of Moses is to be kept according to the letter, and that the keeping of the Sabbath ... and other legal observances, ought to take place. They hold also that Christ, the Son of God, is not equal with the Father, and that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, these three ... are not one God and one substance; and as a surplus, to these errors, they judge and condemn all the doctors of the Church and universally the whole Roman Church ... (Eccl. Hist. of the Ancient Churches of Piedmont, pp. 168-169, cf. Dugger and Dodd, pp. 227-228).

[Gwenyfur]

OH Vis!!!!!

Thanks so much for this thread...I've learned so much in my slow hours here at work tonight!!!!

Bless you!!!!!

[visionary]

I know that my grasp at people or groups that kept the sabbath and the feasts while being worshippers of the Messiah Yeshua is about the only qualifications I am using for a criteria maybe a stretch in some peoples eyes. We know that "Messianic Judaism" is a relatively new discriptive term for the believers and finding that in ancient documents will be impossible. So what else can I do, Congregations scattered through the centuries will be gathering under various names and some times it is scant material on the details of the groups but if they meet the qualifications of faith I have mentioned, I will put them on this thread, whether they be gentile or jew. If anyone else runs into any infor from history that shows God's people who have similiar faith as we, please share it on this thread.

[visionary]

Trying to trace down any leads on the early jewish synagogues that were worshippers of Yeshua is extremely difficult since they were persecuted by both the Jews and the Romans, as it was the one thing those two groups could agree on.

The name Christian was never used by the Jerusalem Church.
The names they called themselves were Nazarenes,
taking over the title used by their founder, Yeshua.

In Paul's trial before Felix in Caesarea, the lawyer for the prosecution, Tertullus made his remark:

Acts 24:5
"We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is the ring leader of the Nazarene sect."

They were also referred to, by themselves and others, as:
Followers of The Way
and
Ebionim
In the Qumran ("Dead Sea") Scrolls too the term ebionim is used in a very technical self-designatory sense. The term "Poor in Spirit" which we find in Matthew 5:3 is also found at Qumran (War Scroll 9:10 ; Community Rule: 4:3). As Eisenmann and Wise noted in their book Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered: Eisenmann & Wise, Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered: p233-235
The use of Ebionim as a term of self designation at Qumran is widespread, most notably in the pesharim, but also...in the...War Scroll.


The use of ebionim as a technical self-designatory term in Qumran does not necessarily suggests identity between the Qumran community and the original Jerusalem community led by James. [d] It does however tell us that the term was used as an honorific term to designate an almost contemporaneous group in a parallel theological system. Thus it is likely that there is more to the designation Ebionim than meets the eye. We can conclude:

Regardless of whether it was used in a technical or socio-economic sense, the important thing to note here is that the term was used in some instances to refer to all, or a part of, the Jerusalem community. The recurring theme of "the Poor" or "Poor in Spirit" in New Testament documents associated with the Jerusalem church showed that the term ebionim would have cropped up on many occasions in their theology.
http://www.geocities.com/paulntobin/nazaebion.html
The Hebrew for the term "The Poor" is ebionim. James 2:5-6
Has not God chosen The Poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs to the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored The Poor Luke 4:18 (=Matthew 11:5)
The Spirit of the Lord...has anointed me to bring the good news to The Poor
Luke 6:20 (=Matthew 5:3)
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are Poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven."

[visionary]

The Way
Acts supplied another title used to designate the early community of the church:
Acts 9:1
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to The Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.andActs 24:22
[During Paul's trial] But Felix who was rather well informed about The Way, adjourned the hearing...


In conclusion:

There is no reason to doubt that this too was a term used to designate the early community in Palestine around 40-60 CE. Eisenmann, James the Brother of Jesus: p599 Eisenmann & Wise, Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered: p33

Speculations about the meaning of "The Way" are rife. I merely want to point out some tantalizing similarities between this designation and the Nazirite above. The term comes from Isaiah 40:3 "the Way in the Wilderness" which was connected in some way with John the Baptist. (Mark 1:1-4) In the Qumran Documents, Isaiah 40:3 (for instance in the Community Rule 1QS 8:14; 9:19-20) was interpreted as "to separate from the settlement of the Unrighteous men and go out in the wilderness and prepare The Way of God". The term Nazirite means "consecrated" or "separated one". This suggests a close relationship in the designation "The Way" and "The Nazarenes". Eisenmann, James the Brother of Jesus: 82, 161, 243

[ContraMundum]

Good work vis!

[Jerrysch]

Most Christians I think are aware of the Messianic history of the church in the first century. Some people are even aware of the various "movements" of the last century of the Jewish people to following the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua of Natzeret.

What I think most people are unaware of is approximately 1800 years of history inbetween. Even for myself this is something I need to study a lot more of. Much of the history is largely remembered as a history of persecution.

There are the various Talmudic writings on the "Minim". Its acceptable for a Jew to be an Athiest, a Hindu, or even a Muslim; but in Israel today the only unallowed faith for a Jew who wishes to immigrate is a Faith in Rabbi Yeshua of Nazareth, the Messiah.

Likewise there has rarely been an acceptance of Jewish believers among the Gentile community. Few people are aware for instance that the Spanish Inquisition started to get rid of Messianic "Heretics" who were believed to be polluting Christianity. Messianic Jews were mostly likely to be executed while Orthodox Jews and Muslims were typically expelled from the country.

Besides the persecutions there is a lot of other rich history. Here is a link to a brief list of some famous Messianic Jews who influenced (Western) church history.

For hundreds of years the Bishops of the churches in Judae and Samaria were Jewish. There is one account of a debate between two Messianic Jews and 22 rabbis during the Disputation of Aragon which laster a year from 1413-1414 and resulted in the conversion of over 5,000 Jews to faith in Yeshua.

Again most of this is the history of the Western Church and much more was occurring among Jews communities of North Africa, the Middle-East and East Africa. If you have any more stories and histories from this long time period, please share!

I have always been disappointed that when the history of the body of Messiah is spoken of it usually follows the romanistic history not the history of its Judastic roots. Yeshua was a Jew, not a Roman!!You'll all see my questions here in the future, I am really looking for the actual history of the body of Messiah not how rome overtook it and attempted to reform the empire in the guise of "religion". Indeed it is a major miricle that the truth survived that terrible time of attempts to "dejudize" christianity and remake it in the image of rome.

[AbiYah]

good things on this thread! Good job visionary!

[Jerrysch]

Likewise there has rarely been an acceptance of Jewish believers among the Gentile community. Few people are aware for instance that the Spanish Inquisition started to get rid of Messianic "Heretics" who were believed to be polluting Christianity. Messianic Jews were mostly likely to be executed while Orthodox Jews and Muslims were typically expelled from the country.



Indeed it is remarkable that the body of Messiah, that is the church, has a Jewish root and yet there were those who sought to kill that root! In the last few years after quite a bit of study I have come to this conclusion.

[visionary]

Irenaeus' book against heresies is one of the earliest sources for Ebionium (late second century). Epiphanius (late 4th century) has quotes from the "Gospel of the Ebionites" in his book the Panarion, 30.13.1-8; 30.14.5; 30.16.5; 30.22.4, along with a general description of the Ebionites (which is of not uniform reliability). Also, all Jewish Christianity was lumped together as Ebionite by later critics. Of genuine interest are the traditions associating the Ebionites with certain villages east of the Sea of Galilee in the years after the Jewish War.

Some of these traditions are collected by Hugh Schonfield in his rare early book, According to the Hebrews (as I recall) and some of his later books on Christianity ("Those Amazing Christians", I believe).

Two very good Ebionite primary source, available in one of the older collections of writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, are the Kerygma Petrou and the Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions. Though novelistic, they are, however, somewhat dry reading due to their sheer length, and it is hard to abstract the essential Ebionite beliefs at first read.
Hence I would recommend the synthesis of Ebionite beliefs by

Hans Joachim Schoeps
Jewish Christianity: Factional Disputes in the Early Church
Philadelphia, Fortress Press, 1969

by
Russell Gmirkin
to: orion@pluto.mscc.huji.ac.il
Subject: Re: The Essene Name
From: RGmyrken@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 1996 04:28:23 -0400
http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/orion/archives/1996b/msg00531.html

[visionary]

"The name 'Ebionites' was first used in the 2nd century by the Christian writer Irenaeus to describe a Christian heretical sect. This strange name may go back to the very beginnings of Christianity. Many scholars cite, in this connection, the Apostle Paul's statement in his Epistle to the Romans (chapter 15) about a financial contribution that had been organized in Greece 'for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem'. The reference here is clerely to members of the original Christian community at Jerusalem who were in need. It has, however, been suggested that the expression 'the poor' may not just denote a state of poverty, but rather be an honorific title assumed by the Jerusalem Christians... the 'poor', which in Hebrew speech would be the 'Ebionim', the Greek word 'Ebionites'...Cavendish, Richard (ed.). Man, Myth & Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural (vol. 6). New York: Marshall Cavendish Corp. (1970); pg. 767.

"Ebionites ('Poor Ones'): Jews who believed that Jesus was the Messiah but kept many of their Jewish practices and split with Paul over his dismissal of Mosaic law or Torah. They believed that Jesus was human but not divine, accepted only the Gospel of Matthew, and disappeared after the 5th century. "Occhiogrosso, Peter. The Joy of Sects: A Spirited Guide to the World's Religious Traditions. New York: Doubleday (1996); pg. 386-387.

"Remnants of Jewish Christianity survived in various places in Palestine, Syria and Egypt until the 5th century. Its members clung to the original tenets of their faith, being characterized by their observance of the Mosaic Law, their belief that Jesus was of human origin, and their hostility to Paul. They are known only through the garbled and prejudiced accounts of orthodox Christian writers, who regarded them as heretics. They are named either as Ebionites or Nazarenes, and various strange beliefs and customs are ascribed to them; it is likely that some groups did adopt Gnostic ideas or held beliefs that stemmed from the Qumran Covenanters. "Cavendish, Richard (ed.). Man, Myth & Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural (vol. 6). New York: Marshall Cavendish Corp. (1970); pg. 768.

"EBIONITES: an early CHRISTIAN HERESY referred to by IRENAEUS whose BELIEFS are obscure. They are thought to have been a poor JEWISH CHRISTIAN SECT which rejected PAULINE CHRISTIANITY and affirmed the Gospel of Matthew. "LINK* Hexham, Irving. Concise Dictionary of Religion. Carol Stream, USA: InterVarsity Press (1994). (v. online 6 Oct. 1999)

"The theory that the Jerusalem Christians were called Ebionim has been further strengthened, but at the same time made more complicated, by the fact that the evidence of the Dead Sea Scrolls seems to indicate that the Qumran community may also have called themselves Ebionim. This Qumranic use would, accordingly, suggest that 'Ebionim' was truly an honorific Jewish title current at the time of Christ, and that common usage of it may indicate some connection between the Qumran Covenanters and the original Christian community at Jerusalem. But, however that particular issue may be assessed, what is important ihere is that fact that, if the Jerusalem Christians were indeed known as Ebionim, the evidence of Irenaeus reveals a surprising situation: namely, that by the 2nd century these original Christians, or their immediate descendants, were regarded as heretics by an orthodox Church Father such as Irenaeus. "Cavendish, Richard (ed.). Man, Myth & Magic: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Supernatural (vol. 6). New York: Marshall Cavendish Corp. (1970); pg. 767.

[visionary]

http://www.compassionatespirit.com/ebionites-article.htm

They existed just outside of Judea, in Galilee and present-day Syria and Jordan (the Decapolis, Gaulanitis, Perea, and Nabatea, and nearby regions). The exact origin of the Ebionites is debated, but those who held views characteristic of the Ebionites existed in the first century. The Ebionites originated no later than the second century (when they are mentioned by Ireneaus) and continued to exist at least down through the late fourth century (when Epiphanius describes conversations he had with them), and probably continued into the fifth century and perhaps beyond. There are no known modern groups which are direct lineal descendants of the ancient Ebionites.

Who Were the Ebionites?


The Ebionites (from Hebrew ebionim, "the poor") were a sect of early followers of Jesus. They were one of several "Jewish Christian" groups, early followers of Jesus who considered themselves Jews.

They thought of themselves as the true followers of Jesus, but were described as heretics by many early orthodox Christian writers. Some modern writers and groups, including a number of scholars, argue that the Ebionites represented the views of Jesus and of early Christianity better than other early Christian groups.

Sources
There are two chief sources for our knowledge of the literature and ideas of the Ebionites:

1. Descriptions of the Ebionites and brief quotations from their writings by the church fathers, most importantly Irenaeus, Hippolytus, and Epiphanius of Salamis, all of whom considered the Ebionites to be heretics. The lengthiest and most complete of these comes from Epiphanius, who wrote his Panarion in the fourth century, describing and denouncing 80 heretical sects, among them the Ebionites (Panarion 30) and various other "Jewish Christian" and allied groups (Panarion 18, 19, 29, 53).

2. The pseudo-Clementine literature, especially the Recognitions of Clement and The Clementine Homilies, two third-century Christian works, are regarded by general scholarly consensus as largely or entirely Jewish-Christian and specifically Ebionite in origin. This can be found in volume 8 of the Ante-Nicene Fathers.

History of the Ebionites
The Ebionites were a group in the early Christian church which was "Jewish Christian" in orientation, claiming to be the descendants of the original church, observing the Jewish law as they interpreted it but also following Jesus. All of the sources specifically mentioned above agree that the Ebionites denied the divinity of Jesus and accepted the Jewish law. There is general agreement also that they believed in one God, the creator, thus rejecting the views of Marcion; and further that they rejected Paul.

According to Epiphanius, they rejected orthodox Christian beliefs about the divinity of Jesus, were vegetarians, opposed animal sacrifice, and rejected certain texts in the Jewish scriptures (most especially, those pertaining to animal sacrifice). They were loyal to the Mosaic law, but had an idiosyncratic view of that law. They called themselves Ebionites (based on ebionim, "the poor") because, they said, at the time of the apostles they gave all their possessions to the early church (Acts 4:32-35). The Ebionites claimed to have the biological relatives of Jesus among their own number, described by ancient writers as the "desposynoi" ("those who belong to the master").

Epiphanius describes a group which holds views remarkably similar to those in the Recognitions and Homilies. They accepted Jesus as the "true prophet," believe that Christ was in Adam, in the virtue of poverty, reject animal sacrifices, reject the false texts in the (Old Testament) scripture, are vegetarians, and practice daily baptism. Epiphanius says that the "false texts" that the Ebionites reject have to do with commands to offer animal sacrifice; the Homilies go on to describe a number of other passages considered unworthy of God, such as those the Ebionites considered to be questioning God’s omnipotence, knowledge, love, peaceful nature, and righteousness. Epiphanius quotes their gospel as ascribing the words to Jesus, "I have come to destroy the sacrifices" (Panarion 30.16.5), and as ascribing to Jesus rejection of the Passover meat (Panarion 30.22.4), analogous to numerous passages found in the Recognitions and Homilies (e.g. Recognitions 1.36, 1.54, Homilies 3.45, 7.4, 7.8).

They existed just outside of Judea, in Galilee and present-day Syria and Jordan (the Decapolis, Gaulanitis, Perea, and Nabatea, and nearby regions). The exact origin of the Ebionites is debated, but those who held views characteristic of the Ebionites existed in the first century. The Ebionites originated no later than the second century (when they are mentioned by Ireneaus) and continued to exist at least down through the late fourth century (when Epiphanius describes conversations he had with them), and probably continued into the fifth century and perhaps beyond. There are no known modern groups which are direct lineal descendants of the ancient Ebionites.

Writings of the Ebionites
No independent writings of the Ebionites are known to have survived to the present day. We know of such writings only because the church fathers refer to them and occasionally quote from them. Epiphanius describes a gospel of the Ebionites, an Ebionite "acts of the apostles," the "travels of Peter," and "the Ascents of James." Other church fathers, such as Jerome, sometimes quote from one or another of the gospels attributed to the Ebionites.

A number of other groups are described by ancient writers or modern scholars as "Jewish Christian." Among these are the Nazoraeans (the spelling is uncertain), Cerinthians, Symmachians (followers of the Ebionite scribe Symmachus), Elkasaites (the spelling is uncertain), Sampsaeans, and Ossaeans. Much less is known about these other groups than about the Ebionites. The relationship of these other groups to each other, whether they existed independently of each other, and what their views are, is debated by modern scholars and ancient writers. Epiphanius clearly distinguishes between "Ebionites" and the "Nazoraeans," but Jerome evidently believes (Letter 112) that they are both the same group.

It is generally agreed that the Cerinthians were not "Jewish Christian" at all, but only mistakenly described as "Jewish Christian" by the church fathers, and that the Elkasaites, the Sampsaeans, and Ossaeans — the latter two groups mentioned only by Epiphanius in ancient writings — are different names, as Epiphanius says, for the same group.

[visionary]

But the internal evidence of the scrolls does not make the Essenes "ordinary joes." The so-called Temple Scroll suggests that they had a dream of rebuilding a new Temple of visionary dimensions after razing Herod's to the ground. The Copper Scroll suggests they had knowledge of the whereabouts of many Temple treasures and connections to some elements of the priesthood, although they had fierce opposition to the wealthy, elite, pro-Roman, Hellenizing Sadducean Temple establishment. They had a very particular Messianic expectation of the arrival of two "twin Messiahs": the "Aaronic Messiah" would be the legitimate anointed high priest and he would herald the "Davidic Messiah" who would restore the true sacred kingship. The War Scroll suggests that they had a vision of a cosmic conflict between the forces of light and darkness: the Gentile "kittim" or Romans against the "sons of light," namely, the Essenes. Other scrolls interpret biblical prophecies to describe current political events, offer strange apocalyptic and eschatological predictions, and incorporate some of the "pseudepigraphal" and "apocryphal" material of the Intertestamental Period. And the "Damascus" Document suggests that their leader, the Teacher of Righteousness, was persecuted by an illegitimate member of the priesthood they called the Wicked Priest, and put to death.

http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/carme.htm

[visionary]

Robert Eisenman, an independent scholar, notes that more may be at stake than just academic defensiveness. Eisenman notes that many of the names used by the Essenes to refer to themselves -- Zadokim (the Just), Ebionim (the Poor), Nazoreans (the Pure), Hasideans (Zealous for the law), etc. -- are also some of the appellations used by the entity known as the "early Church" or "Jewish-Christians" or "Jerusalem Church." Eisenman believes that the Zealots, Essenes, Nazoreans, etc. were all just names for one single movement with different aspects, but very specific goals: restoration of the legitimate anointed (Meshiach) king and high priest, expulsion of the Roman occupation and the pro-Roman Herodians and Sadducees, and religious reconstruction. Jesus, then, may have been a legitimate dynast (his genealogy from the line of David is given in two of the Synoptic Gospels), and a real political threat to the Romans , not the religious authorities of the Sanhedrin. After his death, Eisenman notes, Jesus' followers coalesced behind his brother James the Just, who may well have been the Essene Teacher of Righteousness; he was put to death by the pro-Roman high priest Phinehas, who is an excellent candidate for the Wicked Priest.
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/carme.htm

[visionary]

The Palestinian historian Hegesippus (ca 90-180 CE) is quoted by the fourth century Church Father Eusebius as describing James the Just this way:

"But James, the brother of the Lord, who, as there were many of his name, was surnamed the Just by all, from the days of our Lord until now, received the government of the assembly with the emissaries. This emissary was holy from his mother's womb; he drank no wine nor strong drink, nor did he eat meat; nor razor touched his head, nor did he anoint himself with oil, and never used a bath [i.e., he did not go to the public warm baths, since we know from other sources that he bathed daily in cold water]. He alone was allowed to enter into the Place of Holiness [the Holy of Holies of the Temple], for he did not wear wool, but linen [the clothing of a High Priest], and he used to enter the Temple alone, and was often found upon his bended knees, interceding for the forgiveness of the people, so that his knees became as callused as a camel's, because of the constant importuning he did and kneeling before God and asking forgiveness for the people. . . . And indeed, on account of his exceeding great piety, he was called the Just [Hebrew tzadik, Righteous One], and Oblias [i.e., "The Wall", meaning "steadfast or just] or Ozleam [i.e., "Protector"] which signifies justice and protection of the people; as the prophets declare concerning him" (Hegesippus in the fifth book of his lost commentaries, quoted by Eusebius; Eccl. Hist. 2:23; 5:6). [ *** recheck wording,***]
After Jesus' death James became the leader of the Nazaraean movement (Acts12:17; 15:13-29; 21:18-26 & Gal. 1:19; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 2:23). According to I Corinthians 15:7, James was one of those to whom Jesus appeared after the resurrection.
In I Chorinthians 15:7, it is recorded that Jesus appeared to his brother James after the resurrection. The Gospel according to the Hebrews also provides more detailed information about this event:

"Now the Lord, when he had given the linen cloth to the servent of the priest, went to James and appeared to him (for James had sworn that he would not eat bread from that hour wherein he had drunk the Lord's cup until he should see him rise again from among them that sleep), and again after a little, "Bring you," said the Lord, a table and bread", and immediately it is added", "He took bread and blessed and broke and gave it to James the Just and said to him: "My brother, eat your bread, for the son of Man is risen from among them that sleep" (from the Gospel of the Hebrews, as quoted by Jerome in Of Illustrius Men 2).
According to the Gospel of Thomas, after the death of Jesus, leadership of his followers fell to his brother, James:
The students said to Y'shua: "We know you will leave us. Who is going to be our leader then?"
Y'shua said to them:"No matter where you reside, you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake
heaven and earth came into being." (The Gospel of Thomas, saying 12)

The leadership role referred to here is explained as that of the first Bishop of the Jersualem church by Eusebius and other second century writers. The Gospel According to the Hebrews, in a story that may also be referred to in 1 Cor. 15:17, also affirms James the Just as the leader of the Nazaereans after the crucifixion:

"Now the Lord, when he had given the linen cloth to the servent of the priest, went to James and appeared to him (for James had sworn that he would not eat bread from that hour wherein he had drunk the Lord's cup until he should see him rise again from among them that sleep), and again after a little, "Bring you," said the Lord, a table and bread", and immediately it is added", "He took bread and blessed and broke and gave it to James the Just and said to him: "My brother, eat your bread, for the son of Man is risen from among them that sleep" (Quoted by Jerome; Of Illustrious Men 2).

[visionary]

The last reference to the Jerusalem church in the Christian scriptures is the reference to Paul's visit there in 57 C.E. At this time, James was still the Bishop of the Hebrew congregation there. Not many years after this, Peter, Paul, and James were martyred. Little is known of the first two deaths. Eusebius records only that "in his [Nero's] time Paul was beheaded in Rome and Peter was likewise crucified" (Eusebius, EH 2:25). The Epistle of Clement, 5. "Let us set before our eyes the good apostles: Peter, who because of unrighteous jealously suffered not one or two but many trials, and having thus given his testimony went to the glorious place which was his due. Through jealously and strife Paul showed the way to the prize of endurance; seven times he was in bonds, he was exiled, he was stoned, he was a herald both in the East and in the West, he gained the noble fame of his life, he taught righteousness to all the
world, and when he had reached the limits [literally, "pillars"] of the West he gave his testimony before the rulers, and thus passed from the world and was taken up into the Holy Place, -- the greatest example of endurance."

The PseudoClemintine Recognitions tells us a little of James's role as Bishop of the Jerusalem church. He received reports (I:66; cf. II:73), engaged in disputations (I:66-69), sent letters of authorization with official representatives (IV:35), and even gave specific tasks to Peter (I:72). James is referred to as "chief of the bishops" and is described counterpart to "Caiaphas . . . the chief of the priests." His leadership role, even over the apostles, is also described in Acts 21:17-22:23 where he is the one who articulates the rules to be followed by nonJewish converts. He first enjoins Paul to disabuse Jewish followers of his rumoured abandonment of the Law by participating in and paying for the ritual purification of four men who have been observing a Nazarite vow, and continues by declaring, "But as for the Gentiles who have become believers, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled [i.e., meat from animals that had not been ritually slaughtered with a knife as required by the Law] and from fornication" (Acts 21:25).

[visionary]

James the Just was very popular with the Jewish community in general. According to Eusebius, he was widely known in the Jewish community as "Rigteous and Oblias [meaning "bulwark of the people"]" Under his inflence the Nazarene movement grew until his death in 63 C.E, as Hegesippus goes on to say:

Some of the seven sects, therefore, of the people, mentioned by me above in my commentaries, asked him what was the door to Y'shua? and he answered: "That he was the Saviour." From which, some believed that Y'shua is the Messiah. But the aforementioned heresies did not believe either a resurrection, or that he was coming to give to every one according to his works; as many however, as did believe, did so on account of James. As there were many therefore of the rulers that believed, there arose a tumult among the Jews, Scribes and Pharisees, saying that there was danger, that the people would now expect Y'shua as the Messiah. They came therefore together, and said to James: "We entreat you, restrain the people, who are led astray after Y'shua, as if he were the Messiah. We entreat you to persuade all that are coming to the feast of the Passover rightly concerning Y'shua; for we all have confidence in you. For we and all the people hear the testimony that you are just, and you respect not persons. Persuade therefore the people not to be led astray by Y'shua, for we and all the people have great confidence in you. Stand therefore upon a wing of the Temple, that you may be conspicuous on high, and your words may be easily heard by all the people; for all the tribes have come together on account of the Passover, with some of the Gentiles also. The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees, therefore, placed James upon a wing of the Temple, and cried out to him: "Oh you just man, whom we ought all to believe, since the people are led astray after Y'shua that was crucified, declare to us what is the door to Y'shua that was crucified." And he answered with a loud voice, "Why do you ask me respecting Y'shua the Son of Man? He is now sitting in the heavens, on the right hand of Great Power, and is about to come on the clouds of heaven." (Ps. 110:1 & Dan. 7:13). And as many were confirmed, and glorified in this testimony of James, and said, Hosanna to the son of David, these same priests ans Pharisees said to one another: "We have done badly in affording such testimony to Y'shua, but let us go up and cast him down, that they may dread to believe in him." And they cried out: "Oh, oh, the Just himself is deceived," and they fulfilled that which is written in Isaiah: Let us take away the just, because he is offensive to us; wherefore they shall eat the fruit of their doings .

"Going up therefore, they cast down the just man, saying to one another: "Let us stone James the Just." And they began to stone him, as he did not die immediately when cast down; but turning round, he knelt down saying, "I entreat you, O Lord God and Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Thus they were stoning him, when one of the priests of the sons of Recheb, a son of the Rechabites, spoken of by Jeremiah the prophet, cried out saying: "Cease, what are you doing? Justus is praying for you." And one of them, a fuller, beat out the brains of Justus with the club that he used to beat out clothes. Thus he suffered martyrdom, and they buried him on the spot where his tombstone is still remaining, by the Temple. He bacame a faithful witness, both to the Jews and the Greeks, that Y'shua is the Messiah. Immediately after this, Vespian invaded and took Judea. ([I]Hegesippus as quoted by Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 2:23)

Josephus also records the death of James the Just this way:

Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he [the High Priest Ananus] assembled the sanhedrin of the judges, and brought before them the brother of Y'shua, who was called Messiah, whose name was James, and some others, [or some of his companions;] and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done. (Josephus, Antiquities 20:9:1)

According to Eusebius, his version of Josephus's works contained the following in relation to the destruction of Jeusalem and the Temple in 70 C.E.:

"These things happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was brother of him that is called the Messiah, and whom the Jews had slain, not withstanding his pre-eminant justice." (Josephus quoted by Eusebius; Eccl. Hist. 2:23)

[visionary]

The Jerusalem church was largely scattered after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Luke had written that the Jerusalem Christians had fled Jerusalem before its fall because of a prophecy of Jesus:"And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains..." (Luke 21:20-21a). Mark 13:14 and Matt 24:16 record a similar oracle by Jesus.

According to the fourth century church historian Epiphanius, the early Christians did, indeed, flee Jerusalem: "When the city was about to be conquered by the Romans all the disciples were warned by an angel to remove from the city which was shortly to be destroyed. They became refugees and settled in Pella, a town in Transjordan belonging to the Decapolis" which lies about fifty miles north of Khirbit Qumran and about seventeen miles south of the Sea of Galilee.

The earliest nonscriptural reference to the flight to Pella may be in the Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions (I, 36 and 39), although the statement is not explicit enough to be certain: "Everyone who, believing in the Prophet who had been foretold by Moses, is baptized in His name, shall be kept unhurt from the destruction of war which impends over the unbelieving and the place itself."

Eusibius, in the fourth century, is the first to explicitly mention the exodus: "The people belonging to the church at Jerusalem had been ordered by an oracle revealed to approved men on the spot before the war broke out, to leave the city and dwell in a town of Peraea called Pella" (EH III:5).

[visionary]

The Damascus Document of the Qumran sect provides a possible link between them and the Nazarenes who fled Jerusalem, since its authors describe themselves as "those who escaped to the north" and formed a "New Covenant in the Land of Damascus" which includes the territory from the city of Damascus about 85 miles north of Pela and Pela itself. The possible identity of the Qumran sect as a branch of the Nazaraeans is intriguing but ellusive. Both fled to land in Coele-Syria, the Syrian frontier lands north of Jerusalem. Both spoke of a New Covenant.

[visionary]

Because of Jewish persecution of the Nazoraeans and the political turmoil that culminated in the reconquest of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., no immediate successor was appointed in the Jerusalem church. This changed after the return to Jerusalem, where a Jewish church was reestablished and continued to exist until the revolt of 135 C.E. According to Eusebius, after the death of James, the Apostles selected Simeon, a cousin of Jesus, to fill the position of Bishop over the believers in Jerusalem:

"After the martyrdom of James and the capture of Jerusalem which instantly followed, there is a firm tradition that those of the apostles and disciples of the Lord who were still alive assembled from all parts together with those who, humanly speaking, were kinsmen of the Lord--for most of them were still living and they all took counsel together concerning whom they should judge worthy to succeed James and to the unanimous tested approval it was decided that Symeon son of the Clopas, mentioned in the gospel narrative, was worthy to occupy the throne of the Jerusalem see. He was, so it is said, a cousin of the savior, for Hegesippus relates that Clopas was the brother of Joseph" ([I]Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History. 3.11.1)

[visionary]

The election of Simeon had not been uncontested. Another candidate, Thebouthis, was also considered, but Simeon was selected specifically because he, unlike Thebouthis, was according to Eusebius (who is quoting Hegesippus) "another cousin of the Lord" (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 4:22, 4ff). Thus, leadership of the movement continued to be held by kinsmen of Jesus. In fact, Eusebius quotes (Ecclesiastical History 4.22). This passing of leadership to other relatives is reminiscent of the same dynastic pattern that is seen later in Islam. The kinsmen of Jesus held a special reverence in the early church. They were known as the desposyni, a Greek term meaning "beloved of the Lord."

[visionary]

According to Hegessipus (as recounted by Eusebius), Simeon was killed about 106 C.E. during a time of persecution under the emperor Trajan (Ecclesiastical History 3:32). One intent of this persecution, which began with an order by Domitian, was to eliminate all Jews of the Davidic line, which would have included the desposyni among the Jewish followers of Yahshua. Hegessipus recounts Domitian's initial concern about the Davidic line within the Messianic Jews:


"Now there still survived of the family of the Lord grandsons of Judas, who was said to have been his brother according to the flesh, and they were delated as being of the family of David. These the officers brought to Domitian Caesar, for like Herod, he was afraid of the coming of the Christ [= "Messiah"]. He asked them if they were of the house of David and they admitted it. Then he asked them how much property they had, or how much money they controlled, and they said that all they possessed was nine thousand denarii between them, the half belonging to each, and they said that they did not possess this in money but that it was the valuation of only thirty-nine plethra [= about a quarter of an acre] of ground on which they paid taxes and lived on it by their own work." They then showed him the hardness of their bodies, and the tough skin which had been embossed on their hands from their incessant work. They were asked concerning the Christ ["Messiah"] and his kingdom, its nature, origin, and time of appearance, and explained that it was neither of the world nor earthly, but heavenly and angelic, and it would be at the end of the world, when he would come in glory to judge the living and the dead and to reward every man according to his deeds. At this Domitian did not condemn them at all, but despised them as simple folk, released them, and decreed an end to the persecution. But when they were released they were the leaders of the churches, both for their testimony and for their relation to the Lord, and remained alive in the peace which ensued until Trajan" (Ecclesiastical History 3:19-20).

Simeon's successor was a Jewish follower named Justus who was not one of the desposyni, so this period may mark the beginning of the end of desposyni influence within the Jerusalem church. Justus himself is described by Eusebius as being "of the circumcision," suggesting that he numbered himself among those at Jerusalem who adhered to Jewish customs.

[visionary]

During the period after James's death the revolt of 135 C.E., nascent Christianity in Palestine clearly viewed itself as a Jewish denomination that adhered to the Law of Moses. However, this was a period of increasing tension between the followers of Yashua and other Jews. Abandoning Jerusalem when it was threatened is likely to have caused those who remained behind to defend their city to see the Nazarenes as traitors or cowards.

The Talmud explains that in 90 CE, "Our Rabbis taught: Simeon ha-Pakuli arranged the eighteen benedictions in order before Rabban Gamaliel in Jabneh. Said Rabban Gamaliel {Rabban Gamaliel II, the Nasi', or leader of the rabbis) to the Sages: `Can any one among you frame a benediction relating to the Minim [sects]?' Samuel the Lesser arose and composed it." (b.Berakot 29a).

This benediction, the birkat ha-minnim, a was a "blessing" (a euphemism for "cursing" in this case) of all of the heretics (the minim) among the Jews. This "blessing" was added into the Eighteen Benedictions that were spoken by Jewish congregations during their worship at synagogues. It became the twelfth section of the Eighteen Benedictions (or the shemoneh esreh, which is commonly called the Amida today because they are always recited standing). It invoked divine wrath upon the "heretics". Although modern versions no longer specifically list Christian Jews as a subject of this curse, the older Cairo Genizah version reads this way:

"For the renegades let there be no hope, and may the arrogant kingdom soon be rooted out in our days, and the Nazarenes and the Minim perish as in a moment and be blotted out from the book of life and with the righteous may they not be inscribed. Blessed are you, O L-rd, who humbles the arrogant.

Since Jews who accepted Yahshua as the Messiah were numbered among those viewed by the rabbis as "heretics" (and quite possibly even held to be the prime example of the heretical groups), the inclusion of the birkat ha-minnim in worship at the synagogues had the effect of causing Jewish "Christians" to no longer attend synagogue worship where they would be required to pronounce this curse upon themselves.

The hostility of the rabbis towards Jewish Christianity during this period is also exemplified by two other events that likely occurred around 109 CE. The first is recounted in the Tosephta:

"The case of R. El'azar ben Damah, whom a serpent bit. There came in Jacob, a man of Chephar Sama, to cure him in the name of Jeshua' ben Pandira [a rabbinic euphemism for Jesus], but R[abbi]. Ishmael did not allow it. He said, 'Thou art not permitted, Ben Damah.' He [Rabbi Ben Damah] said, 'I will bring thee a proof that he may heal me.' But he had not finished bringing a proof when he died. R. Ishmael said, 'Happy art though, Ben Damah, for thou hast departed in peace, and hast not broken through the ordinances of the wise; for upon every one who breaks through the fence of the wise, punishment comes at last, as it is written [Eccles. 10:8]: "Whoso breaketh a fence a serpent shall bite him"" (t. Hul. 2.22,23).

Shortly after this event in which Ben Damah was forbidden to accept healing at the hands of Jewish Christians, probably during a general effort by the Romans to arrest Christians during the reign of Trajan, a rabbi named R. Eliezar was arrested on suspicion of being a Christian:

"The case of R. Eliezer, who was arrested for Minuth , and they brought him to the tribunal for judgment. The governor said to him, 'Doth an old man like thee occupy himself with such things?' He said to him, 'Faithful is the judge concerning me.' The governor supposed that he only said this of him, but he was not thinking of any but his Father who is in Heaven. He [the governor] said to him, 'Since I am trusted concerning thyself, thus also I will be. I said, perhaps these societies err concerning these things. Dimissus, Behold thou art released.' And when he had been released from the tribunal, he was troubled because he had been arrested for Minuth. His disciples came in to console him, but he would not take comfort. R. Aqiba came in and said to him, 'Rabbi, shall I say to thee why thou art perhaps grieving?' He said to him, 'Say on'. He said to him, 'Perhaps one of the minim has said to thee a word of Minuth and it has pleased thee.' He said, 'By Heaven, thou has reminded me! Once I was walking along the street of Sepphoris, and I met Jacob of Chephar Sichnin, and he said to me a word of Minuth in the name of Jeshu ben Pantiri, and it pleased me. And I was arrested for words of Minuth because I transgressed the words of Torah [Prov. 5:8], "Keep thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house, [7:26] for she hat cast down many wounded"" (t. [I]Hul. 2.24).

What Samuel the Lesser composed was a prayer that effectively excluded the Nazarenes from worship within the synagogues. This is clearest in an early copy of his Birkat haMinim found at the Cairo Genizah reads: "For the renegades let there be no hope, and may the arrogant kingdom soon be rooted out in our days, and the Nazarenes and the Minim perish as in a moment and be blotted out from the book of life and with the righteous may they not be inscribed. Blessed are you, O L-rd, who humbles the arrogant."

The Nazaraeans continued to be stigmatized by other Jews into the fourth century, when Epiphanius reported about 370 CE that, "Not only do Jewish people have a hatred of them; they even stand up at dawn, at midday, and toward evening, three times a day when they recite their prayers in the synagogues, and curse and anathemize them. Three times a day they say, "G-d curse the Nazarenes." For they harbor an extra grudge against them, if you please, because despite their Jewishness, they proclaim that Y'shua is Messiah. . ." (Panarion, 29).

The Nazaraeans "gathered" especially to Syria, where they endured for some time with their own distinctive style that differed from that of Gentile Christianity elsewhere. Remember that in those days, the church was not unified the way we expect it to be in these days of mass communication and rapid travel around the globe. Rather each community of believers was isolated, a religious assembly of its own. So with the death of the Apostles something interesting happened: the Christian communities in the dominant centers of Roman culture were the ones that played the dominant roles in eventually forming the Church that was unified under the encouragement of Constantine that the Church be united. The Nazaraeans, still predominantly located in the backwaters of Syria, with their more "Jewish" style came to be labelled "heritics" by the Catholic church. They eventually became extinct, but we can read about them in the writings of some of the Apostolic Fathers. In the fourth century, the Church Father Jerome described these Nazaraeans as those "...who accept Messiah in such a way that they do not cease to observe the old Law" (Jerome; On. Is. 8:14).

In the same century, Epiphanius describes them in more detail this way:

But these sectarians... did not call themselves Christians--but "Nazarenes," . . .

However they are simply complete Jews. They use not only the New Testament but the Old Testament as well, as the Jews do. . . They have no different ideas, but confess everything exactly as the Law proclaims it and in the Jewish fashion-- except for their belief in Messiah, if you please! For they acknowledge both the resurrection of the dead and the divine creation of all things, and declare that God is one, and that his son is Y'shua the Messiah. They are trained to a nicety in Hebrew. For among them the entire Law, the Prophets, and the... Writings... are read in Hebrew, as they surely are by the Jews. They are different from the Jews, and different from Christians, only in the following. They disagree with Jews because they have come to faith in Messiah; but since they are still fettered by the Law--circumcision, the Sabbath, and the rest--they are not in accord with Christians.... they are nothing but Jews.... They have the Goodnews according to Matthew in its entirety in Hebrew. For it is clear that they still preserve this, in the Hebrew alphabet, as it was originally written. (Panarion 29)

The Damascus Document of the Qumran sect provides further details about this exodus from Jerusalem by the Nazarenes. It speaks of "... the converts of Israel, who left the land of Judah and lived in the Land of Damascus all of whom God called princes" (DD-VI) and of a faction that "... despised the covenant [of God] and the pact which they established in the land of Damascus, which is the first covenant. And neither for them nor their families shall there be a part in the house of the law.... And from the day of the gathering in [killing] of the Unique Teacher, until the destruction of all the men of war who turned back with the man of lies, there shall be about 40 years.... And in this age the wrath of God will be kindled against Israel" (DD-XX). In other words, some time about 70 CE, a faction developed within the Nazarenes whose loyalties impelled them to return to Jerusalem to defend it against the Roman attack.

Rejection of the Nazaraeans by their fellow Jews was exacerbated by the revolt of the Jews against Rome in 135 CE. This revolt was led by Simon Ben Cosiba, who changed his name to Simon Bar Kochba ("Son of the Star') and declared himself the promised Messiah who would lead the Jews to independence from Roman domination. His status as the Messiah was supported by Rabbi Akiba, whose great prestige led to general support for the cause of the revolt. Nazarenes, who believed that Jesus was the Messiah, were unwilling to participate, so once again they were seen as traitors to their own Judaism.

On the other hand, their loyalty to their own Jewish roots continued to set themselves off from nonPalestinian Christianity, where they were viewed as heretics for not abandoning the Law of Moses. As Jews, the growing anti-Semitism of second century Christianity also attached to them. This marginal position with respect to Christianity continued to exist down to the time of the Council of Nicea, in which Christianity formalized its doctrine of the Trinity. As heretics, the Nazarenes were not allowed to participate in that council, so they remained uninfluential in affecting the course of future Christianity. By 450 CE they disappear from history.

[visionary]

In AD 132, the last great revolt of the Jews against Roman rule took place under the political leadership of Simon Bar Kosiba. Kosiba proclaimed himself king and his followers referred to him as Simon Bar Kochba, Simon Son of a Star, making an allusion to a messianic prophecy in the Hebrew scriptures. This was a revolt that could not be readily supported by those Jews who regarded Yashua as the true Messiah, and this sticking point probably represents the true beginning of the reidentification of Christianity as one of several Jewish denominations to a truly separate, non-Jewish religion. Bar Kochba insisted that Jewish Christians must accept his role as the Jewish Messiah and imposed the death penalty on those who refused to do so. Thus, the adherance of Jewish Christians to the belief that Yashua had been the true Messiah placed them outside the fold. Jewish Christians referred to Bar Kosiba derisively as Bar Koziba, "Son of a Lie". Bar Kochba, for his part, considered the refusal of Jewish Christians to recognize his messianic status as treason and ordered them tortured or killed if they did not accept him and curse Yashua (Justin, 1 Apol. 31). From this point on, the split between Christianity and Judaism was irrevocable.

[visionary]

Although Simeon's immediate successor was not a relative, the influence of the desposyni did not disappear immediately as is attested by Hegessipus's statement that the grandsons of Judas were still "leaders of the churches" during the reign of Domitian. Nevertheless, with the rapid spread of Christianity throughout the empire and its eventual appointment by Constantine as the official religion of the empire, Palestinian Christianity found itself to be a backwater both of the empire and of the entire Christian movement. By the beginning of the fourth century, neither the Bishop of Jerusalem nor the desposyni in general played any important role in the political developments that led Constantine to recognize Sylvester, the nondesposyni Bishop of Rome, as holding the position of leadership among the bishops of the Christian religion. It is interesting to note that in 318 C.E. a delegation of Palestinian desposyni who presided over branches of the church met with the new Pope in Rome at the Lateran Palace and urged him to recognize the preeminance of Jerusalem, return to the custom of the payment of tithes to the church at Jerusalem, and to replace Greek bishops with ones selected from the desposyni. Sylvester, having the support of the Roman government to back his status as the primary bishop, was not disposed to subordinate himself to the Jewish Christians of Palestine and declined their requests. Thereafter, Palestinian Christianity plays no influential role in the history of the Gentile Christian church.

[Athaliamum]

Vis you make some excelent points.

How would you recommend tackling the ever-increasing belief, especially it seems here on this site, of those of an orthedox catholic persuation who are ademant that messianic judaism belief has no place because as a structured group it wasn't established until the mid-1800's.

As far as I can see it the catholic church was the first to "institutionalise" their doctrine. They use this as the basis for their "true" and "only" church stand. Basically "we were the first to get a doctrine on paper so therefore it's the correct one". In my experience those I have talked with personally can't get past a "group" or "organisation" mentality. It is rooted within them so deep that the church that stands against the gates of hell must be in the organisational sense that is generally understood of the word "church" today and not a spirit of unity when joined together with the Messiah Yahshua. While your explaination is great I would usually never get the chance to go into it and if I did I would find the words twisted in their reply. These conversations are usually some of the most frustrating of my life! I would love how to tackle the idea of "church" as instituation through a historical perspective because it obviously doesn't seem to work through a scriptual and logical sense.

[visionary]

Just because the big bully has silences the others. Just because the big bully tried to destroy all traces of any others does not make them the only ones. Just because the big bully expouses ad nausium does not make it any more true.

All I can say about the flood of trash that has been fed to the masses over the centuries is look in the flames for the remains of the truth and the believers who were destroyed. If one does research the early writtings of even those they think highly of, there is mention of what was really going on.

In his discussion of Isaiah 9:1-4, Jerome says,

"The Nazarenes, . . . try to explain this passage in the following way: When Christ came and his preaching shone out, the land of Zebulon and Naphtali first of all were freed from the errors of the Scribes and Pharisees, and he shook off their shoulders the very heavy yoke of the Jewish traditions. Later, however, the preaching became more dominant, that means the preaching was multiplied, through the Gospel of the apostle Paul who was the last of all the apostles. And the Gospel of Christ shone to the most distant tribes and the way of the whole sea. Finally the whole world, which earlier walked or sat in darkness and was imprisoned in the bonds of idolatry and death, has seen the clear light of the Gospel" (Jerome, On Isaiah 9:1-4).

The Nazarenes, it seems, rejected both the Saducceean and Pharisaic visions of Judaism and accepted Paul's ministry as part of the spread Jesus' message of liberation, first to the Jews and then to the Gentile nations, and held that the preaching of Jewish Messiah to the Gentiles had been prophesied by Isaiah.

As Ray Pritz (1988) puts it, "We see here that the Nazarene view of Paul's mission corresponded very closely to that of Paul himself. In none of the remains of Nazarene doctrine can one find a clear rejection of Paul or his mission or his message" Pritz, Ray A. 1988 Nazarene Jewish Christianity: From the End of the New Testament Period Until Its Disappearance in the Fourth Century. Jerusalem-Leiden: The Magnes Press, the Hebrew University, E.J. Brill. (p. 64).

[visionary]

"The primitive Christians had a great veneration for the Sabbath, and spent the day in devotion and sermons. And it is not to be doubted but they derived this practice from the Apostles themselves, as appears by several scriptures to the purpose." "Dialogues on the Lord's Day," p. 189. London: 1701, By Dr. T.H. Morer (A Church of England divine).

[visionary]

"The primitive Christians did keep the Sabbath of the Jews;...therefore the Christians, for a long time together, did keep their conventions upon the Sabbath, in which some portions of the law were read: and this continued till the time of the Laodicean council." "The Whole Works" of Jeremy Taylor, Vol. IX,p. 416 (R. Heber's Edition, Vol XII, p. 416).

[visionary]

Since there was such a fleeing of the believers to all parts of the known world... there is the effects seen in comments written at that time. Now who would bring them old testament scriptures.

The Kushan Dynasty of North India called a famous council of Buddhist priests at Vaisalia to bring uniformity among the Buddhist monks on the observance of their weekly Sabbath. Some had been so impressed by the writings of the Old Testament that they had begun to keep holy the Sabbath. Lloyd, "The Creed of Half Japan," p. 23.

[visionary]

Thomas is said to have begun preaching the gospel to the already existing Jewish settlers in the Malabar Coast and other locals. According to the Acts of Thomas, the first converts made by Thomas in India were Malabari Jews, who had settled in Kerala since the time of King Solomon of Israel. David de Beth Hillel, 1832; Lord, James Henry, 1977; Thomas Puthiakunnel 1973; 'Acts of Thomas' Bevan, 1897., Koder S. 1973;

Widespread and enduring was the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath among the believers of the Church of the East and the St. Thomas Christians of India. It was also maintained by the Abyssinians.

As an ethnic community they refer to themselves as Nasranis referring to the common cultural heritage and cultural tradition. However as a religious group they refer to themselves as the Mar Thoma Khristianis or in English as Saint Thomas Christians referring to their religious tradition, despite a common ancestry of being the descendants of the early Mar Thoma church or Saint Thomas tradition of Christianity. Menachery G; 1973, 1998; Mundalan, A. M; 1984; Podipara, Placid J. 1970; Leslie Brown, 1956

The Nasranis are an ethnic people and in that sense a single community. However the Nasranis have various denominations as a result of Portuguese persecution. Claudius Buchanan, 1811., Menachery G; 1973, 1998; Mundalan, A. M; 1984; Podipara, Placid J. 1970; Leslie Brown, 1956

Thomas Christians had such a strong sense of caste and tradition, being the oldest order of Christianity in India. The archdeacon was the head of the Church, and Palliyogams (Parish Councils) were in charge of temporal affairs. They had a liturgy-centered life with days of fasting and abstinence. Their devotion to the Mar Thoma Cross was absolute. Their churches were modelled after Jewish synagogues.

In short, the St. Thomas Christians of Kerala had blended well the ecclesiastical world of the East Syriac Church with the socio-cultural environment of their homeland. Thus, the East Syriac Church was South Indian in culture, Christian in religion, and Judeo-Syro-Oriental in worship. Menachery G; 1973, 1998; Leslie Brown, 1956; Vellian Jacob 2001; Poomangalam C.A 1998; Weil,S. 1982


Menachery G (1973) The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, Ed. George Menachery, B.N.K. Press, vol. 2, ISBN 81-87132-06-X, Lib. Cong. Cat. Card. No. 73-905568 ; B.N.K. Press --(has some 70 lengthy articles by different experts on the origins, development, history, culture... of these Christians, with some 300 odd photographs).

[visionary]

Thomas the Apostle, after the Pentecostal experience, traveled to the farthest country then known, to proclaim the Good News. He set sail to India and landed in Kodungalloor, Kerala, in 52 A.D.

He established seven ecclesial communities in the West coast of Malabar. Those Christians were known as St. Thomas Christians.

Churches were established for the St. Thomas Christians in the early years of their faith.

Tradition has it that St. Thomas established seven churches and they are supposed to be in the following places of Kerala: Kodungalloor, Palayur, Kottakavu, Kokkamangalam, Nirana, Kollam, and Nilakkal.

St. Thomas Christians followed the liturgy of the East Syrian Church and the language of the liturgy was Aramaic.

http://www.stthomasdiocese.org/diocese/patron.htm

The traces of the original can be found even today. Thomas started the synagogues on fire for Yeshua, but Roman influences over the centuries have so muddied the original so that you can barely find it.

http://www.indianchristianity.com/html/ICHC.htm

http://www.syromalabar.com/the-church/history/indian-christianity/christianity-in-india.htm

"The famous Jesuit, Francis Xavier, called for the Inquisition, which was set up in Goa, India, in 1560, to check the 'Jewish wickedness' (Sabbath-keeping)." Adeney, "The Greek and Eastern Churches," p.527, 528

[visionary]

ABYSSINIA--A.D. 1534
(Abyssinian legate at court of Lisbon) "It is not therefore, in imitation of the Jews, but in obedience to Christ and His holy apostles, that we observe the day." Gedde's "Church History of Ethiopia," pp. 87,8

[visionary]

Thomas converted many South Indians who continued to practice Christianity until present. It was further consolidated by the arrival of Syriac Jewish-Christians now known as Knanaya people in the second century C.E. This ancient ethnic Christian community of Kerala is known as Nasrani or Syrian Christian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knanaya

The Hebrew term Knanaya or K'nanaim, also known as Kanai or Qnana'im, (for singular Kanna'im or Q'nai) means "Jealous ones for God". The K'nanaim people are the biblical Jews referred to as Zealots (overly jealous and with zeal), who came to Cana from the southern province of Israel. They were deeply against the Roman rule of Israel and fought against the Romans for the sovereignty of the Jews. During their struggle the K'nanaim people become followers of the Jewish sect led by 'Yeshua Nasrani' (Jesus the Nazarene). After the crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans in 33 CE, the Knanaya intensified their struggle against the Roman rule.

[HadassahSukkot]

Hey, I'm benefiting from this thread!
There's a lot of stuff I don't remember from the history I've been reading up on, as well as some reminders... and new things.

When I lived in Spain, my parents made sure to teach us about the Inquisition, how Columbus was able to leave with the people he did- where they were from, what kind of prisioners (Mainly Conversos and Practising Sephardim, political prisoners) as well as the widely debated fact that Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon) is/was Jewish himself.
One of the things in History that I remember is something about the Conversos' jewelry - there was reported to be a "Secret star" necklace, a neat design that could be joined and make a Magen David, but I never saw one until about a year and a half ago.

I found online somewhere the pendant that is made similar to the one they wore and could change out to a Magen David... here is a link:
http://www.jewelrymaven.com/product_...e9d24e6fd5a771
I've wanted to get one.. but the price is so expensive everywhere that has it.

Here's the quote from the makers:

It all happened while Frank Meyer a lifelong journalist was traveling in Europe as a member of the US Army in the 1950s. Frank heard stories of a "Jewish Star" created by Jews forced to convert during the Inquisition in the mid 1400 / 1700 in Spain.
During those years being openly Jewish in Spain was extremely dangerous and the Jewish population was persecuted and many fled the country. Those that stayed had to go "underground" with the religious identity.
This pendant was a star these Conversos could wear open, to hide their faith from the Inquisitors and closed, when together for a prayer meeting.
After almost 40 years of searching, Meyer found a copy of this amazing star and had it re-created for his own use.

Hope ya'll enjoy this bit of history...

[visionary]

I think that is so cool.

[visionary]

Today, much of what Thomas started has been subverted. www.hebrewcatholicchurch.org/

[visionary]

Originally Posted by ArnautDaniel
I've actually tried to find out about this, but it is hard to find books on the subject.

What little I found seemed to indicate that Ethiopia has long been sort of a part of an extended Middle Eastern culture with long standing contacts and trade with Arab states at the South end of the Arabian Peninsula as well as similar contacts with the Levantine area of the Eastern Mediterranean (basically Israel and surrounding areas).

That is to say it looks like there was some sort of Jewish presence in Ethiopia prior to the advent of Christianity and Ethiopians had adopted Jewish customs before then (thus explaining the Acts account of the Ethiopean reading Hebrew scriptures).

I believe when Christianity entered Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Christians had problems with the Ethiopian Judaizers.

As I understand it, Ethiopian Christianity seems to still have a fuller sense of involvement with the Hebrew Scriptures than do other Christian groups, perhaps comparable to that of Messianic Jews.

Anyway, the Ethiopian language is related to Hebrew and Arabic and is unrelated to other African languages (such as Swahili), thus adding to a sense of community with Middle Eastern areas more so than African areas.http://www.christianforums.com/t3985628-who-took-christianity-to-ethiopia.html

[visionary]

In the mid nineteenth century in Kishineff the capital of Bessarabia, during a time of intense persecution by Russia, Joseph Rabbinovitch, a Jewish lawyer and teacher discovered Yeshua as Messiah. He went to the Holy Land, convinced that salvation for the Jews would only come through a return. On his arrival he began reading a New Testament, which he had been assured would give a reliable description of historic locations. As he read, he became convince that Jesus was/is the Messiah. He went home convinced of the need to share his newly fulfilled faith in its thoroughly Jewish context. All of this was accomplished between Rabinovitch and the Holy Spirit, and not by preaching from a Christian. The truth was available to a man who was open to receive it. This movement was the first to use the term "Messianic Jew"

The Church's Mission to Jews was founded in Britain in 1809, the Hebrew Christian Alliance was formed in 1866 and the International Hebrew Christian Alliance was formed in 1925, but believers still joined Christian churches. In the nineteen sixties the flower-power dropouts in the USA included many Jews and in a move of the Holy Spirit, many found Jesus as Messiah. They were initially nurtured in Christian churches, but within this group Jews for Jesus was formed. ( see Internet for Jews for Jesus and other messianic groups)

This history was obtained from "Messianic Jews" John Fieldsend, in which he explains the scriptural issues concerning Messianic Judaism interspersed with testimonies from various messianic Jews. It is interesting to note some common thread which run through some of these stories. These people came from orthodox, reformed, secular and even assimilated (baptized into the church) backgrounds.

- dissatisfaction with a nominal Jewish background

– a seeking which included eastern religions (and in some cases drugs)

– reading the Christian scriptures about their "Jesus" and realizing that He is the Jewish Messiah.

It is interesting to note that the "Jews for Jesus" group appear in some of these stories. The name suggests a heavy handed attempt by Christians to convert Jews, but it turns out that Jews for Jesus is actually Messianic Jewish. The opposition from orthodox Judaism is on account of their desire to share their discovery with their bretheren – the same reason that believers have always been opposed in any society.

Issues examined in John Fieldsend's book include New Testament "problems" for Jews, the significance of a "remnant", what is Judaism, the rabinnic system, oral tradition and the Talmud and the place of atonement in Judaism. The "remnant" means more than just the few left over after the destruction. A look through the references suggests that the remnant left to the Jews is their connection to God and their reason for hope. He argues that the few believing Jews through history – up to today’s Messianic Jews are God's remnant; God's link for blessing Israel.

The lesson which seems to come out for the Christian is, that we should not ignorantly seek to convert Jews to our faith but that we should show a Christ like love for them and, when the opportunity arises, be ready to share our testimony with them. We are finding Jewish people are much more open now they are experiencing our love and support and they are separating us from the horrors of history. Jewish people love discussing faith, and the experience can be one of mutual blessing.

It certainly appears that the Messianic Jews in Eretz Israel are seriously discouraged by the government (secular – but under pressure from religious parties holding the balance of power) All Jews have the right of return (to Eretz Israel) under the constitution, but openly messianic Jews find it very difficult, if not impossible. The "ISupportIsrael" website will accept contributions for welfare work in Israel, but does not acknowledge support which comes from Christians or Messianic Jews, and it will not help messianic Jews who are in need – indeed some of their funding goes into their opposition of Messianic Jews. In fact it is the Messianic Jews in Israel that are really standing in the gap, pleading God’s protection on the land – along with praying Christians (many of whom get their prayer information from the Messianic believers in Israel). It is also notable that there are Messianic fellowships where it is possible to preview, on earth, the messianic age of reconciliation between Jew and Arab.
http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/messianic_history.htm

[visionary]

I have often been of the opinion that the original biblical texts were in hebrew and aramaic language. While this website is defending the greek position. There are within the material provided many interesting pieces.

http://watch.pair.com/peshitta.html

"The Peshitta New Testament is the Aramaic version of the New Testament which has been preserved by the Church of the East... It includes all of the books except 2Peter; 2John; 3John; Jude and Revelation. These books were not canonized by the Church of the East until 508 C. E. The Peshitta is not merely a translation from the Greek text, but rather a revision of the Old Syriac, as Arthur Voobus writes: "... the Peshitta is not a translation, but a revision of an Old Syriac version." (Studies in the History of the Gospel Text in Syriac; 1951; p. 46 see also pp. 54-55)."

The Hypertext Webster's Dictionary defines the Syriac language as "more correctly rendered 'Aramaic,' including the Syriac and the Chaldee languages."

The truth is hidden in the translations.

[visionary]

The Encyclopedia Britannica indicates that non-believers were predominantly involved in its translation, and notes the Jewish influences found in the Peshitta:
Syriac Versions
"The Bible of the Syriac Churches is known as the Peshitta ("simple" translation). Though neither the reason for the title nor the origins of the versions are known, the earliest translations most likely served the needs of the Jewish communities in the region of Adiabene (in Mesopotamia), which are known to have existed as early as the 1st century CE. This probably explains the archaic stratum unquestionably present in the Pentateuch, Prophets, and Psalms of the Peshitta, as well as the undoubtedly Jewish influences generally, though Jewish-Christians also may have been involved in the rendering."

[plum]

One of the things in History that I remember is something about the Conversos' jewelry - there was reported to be a "Secret star" necklace, a neat design that could be joined and make a Magen David, but I never saw one until about a year and a half ago.

I found online somewhere the pendant that is made similar to the one they wore and could change out to a Magen David... here is a link:
http://www.jewelrymaven.com/product_...e9d24e6fd5a771
I've wanted to get one.. but the price is so expensive everywhere that has it.
..

that's fantastic... i want to see it!

but the link isn't complete... the ellipsis is really in the link... could you try it again?

[HadassahSukkot]

that's fantastic... i want to see it!

but the link isn't complete... the ellipsis is really in the link... could you try it again?
hope it works now http://www.jewelrymaven.com/product_info.php?products_id=1401&osCsid=3c6f250d4831a53c9ff56ec2f09637d5


:)

[plum]

ah it did!
here's another design like it:
http://www.thesecretstar.com/

[HadassahSukkot]

Yes, that one is very similar :)

[plum]

they both use the same exact text describing the jewelry though... that annoys me ;)

sorry, off track

[visionary]

Robert Eisenman has pointed out that the names of four of Jesus' disciples are also suggestive of the kingly messianic theme--Simon was called the Zealot, possibly referring to his membership in the anti-Herodian political movement, Judas Iscariot's name can be interpreted as Aramaic for "man of the sicarii", the sicarii being an terrorist cadre that carried short daggers for assassinating those they viewed as corruptors of the Law, and the title "Sons of Thunder" that Jesus gave to two of his disciples was certainly fitting for members of the anti-Herodian movement. Even Peter's reputation for rash action such as cutting the ear from one of Jesus' would-be abductors--fits well within this political context. It may then be relevant that the followers of Jesus who comprised the "Early Church" in Palestine were called "Zelotai of the Law".

[visionary]

Although his view remains a minority one, this and other similarities between the Qumran community and the followers of Jesus. J.L.Teicher (1951), who is the first and one of the few who argues that the Teacher of Righteousness is Jesus, identified the Qumran community as being one of the early branches of Judaism that accepted Jesus as the Messiah.

[visionary]

THE PASAGINI

During the twelfth century, the Latin records of the Inquisition often mention the name of the Pasaginians. The name is spelled several ways in Latin: Pasagii, Pasagini, Passagerii, Passagii, Passageres, Passagieri. They are first mentioned in the records of the council of Verona (A.D. 1184). In general, the church historians derive their name from the wandering, unsettled life of these people--from passage, “passage,” or, in other words, they were passengers, travelers. Persecuted and hunted down like wild game by the Romish Church, their only half-way safe retreat was in the solitude of the majestic Alps. Jas, on the other hand, derives the word from the Greek Pas-agios, “entirely holy.” Some assert that this last-mentioned term led to another appellation, Circumcisis; while others try to explain this word to mean that they were circumcised. Dr. U. Hahn, who has written an extensive history of the so-called heretics of the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries, claims:--

“The name of Pasagini was used in a twofold sense, viz., a definite Jewish-Christina sect was thus named; then it was also the general application for all the heretics, who all moved back and forth more or less, but chiefly the Cathari and Waldensians. This they did partly to spread their doctrines, and partly to escape the snares of their enemies.” Geschichte der Ketzer, 3,5

Neander expresses himself as follows:


“Among the sects of Oriental origin belongs, perhaps besides those already mentioned, the Pasagii or Pasagini.” “The name of this sect reminds one of the word passagium (passage), which signifies a tour, and was very commonly employed to denote pilgrimages to the East. To the holy sepulcher, --crusades. May not this word, then, be regarded as an index, pointing to the origin of the sect as one that came from the East, intimating that it grew out of the intercourse with Palestine? May we not suppose that from very ancient times a party of Judaizing Christians had survived, of which this sect must be regarded as an offshoot? The way in which they expressed themselves concerning Christ as being the first-born of creation, would point also, more directly, at the connection of their doctrine with some older Jewish theology, than at that later purely Western origin.”Chruch History, fifth period, 8, pp. 403,404

What Neander supposes, we have demonstrated by a regular and connected chain of evidence. The mighty crusades brought the West into closer contact with the East there were Sabbath-keepers everywhere in the East; and it would be but natural that the crusaders would come in touch with the Sabbath-keepers of the East: in fact, we have presented definite evidence of that in the case of the Bulgarians. And these so-called “Judaizing Christians” were none other than the Nazarenes mentioned by Cardinal Humbert during this very century-- the true Israel of God, who, amid all the persecutions through which they had passed, bore the reproach of Christ more than any other Christian party, wandering about everywhere as “pilgrims and strangers”, to preach the faith of Jesus and the commandments of God.

[visionary]

The papal bulss, especially those of Gregory I, and Gregory VII, and Nicolas I, are our chief source of information concerning the Pasagini. Aside from these, we have but two leading notices in Catholic histories of heretics. One is found in the writings of Bonacursus against the heretics, entitled “Against the Heretics, Who are Called Pasagii.” Its contents are as follows”--

“Not a few, but many know what are the errors of those who are called Pasagini, and how nefarious their belief and doctrine are. But because there are some who do not know them, it does not annoy me to write what I think of them, partly from precaution and for their salvation, and partly for their shame and confusion, in order that their foolishness might become more widely known, and that they might be the more condemned and despised of all. As we ought to know the good in order to do it, so likewise should we know the evil that we might shun it.

“Let those who are not yet acquainted with them, please note how perverse their belief and doctrine are. First, they teach that we should obey the law of Moses according to the letter-- the Sabbath, and circumcision, and the legal precepts still being in force. The also teach that Christ, the Son of god, is not equal with God, and that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit-- these three persons are not one God and on being. Furthermore, to increase their error, they condemn and reject all the church Fathers, and the whole Roman church. But because they seek to base their errors upon the witness of the New Testament and the prophets, let us slay them with their own sword by the aid of the grace of Christ, as David once slew Goliath.” D’Achery, Spicilegium I, f. 211-214. Muratory, Antiq. Med. Aevi 5, f. 152. Hanh, 3, 209

The following report is found in a work written by Gregorius, of Bergamo, about A,.D. 1250, against the Cathari and Pasaginians:--

“After what has been said of the Cathari, there still remains the sect of the pasagini. They teach Christ to be the first and pure creature; that the Old Testament festivals are to be observed-- circumcision, distinction of foods, and in nearly all other matters, save the sacrifices, the Old Testament is to be observed as literally as the New-- circumcision is to be kept according to the letter. They say that no good person before the advent of Christ descended into the lower regions; and that there is no one in the lower regions and in paradise until now, nor will there be until sentence has been rendered on the day of Judgement.” Collectio Rev. Occitan in the Royal Library of Paris, doc. 35, quoted in Dollinger’s History of the Sects, vol. 2, p. 375

For more of the story check out the website I found this information on...

http://dedication.www3.50megs.com/historyofsabbath/hos_twentyone_b.html#033

[visionary]

The patriarch Cerularius, in connection with the Bulgarian metropolis tan Leo of Achrida, in A.D. 1053 addressed a letter to John, bishop of Trani, in southern Italy (which was under Greek jurisdiction), and through him to the Pope, charging that the churches of the West followed the practise of the Jews, and went contrary to the usage of Christ, because in the eucharist they employed unleavened bread; they fasted on Saturday during Lent; that they ate blood, and things strangled, etc. The following year, Nicetas, a learned monk, attacked the Roman Church for fasting on the Sabbath, for celibacy, etc.’ this was refuted by the Pope and by the Cardinal Humbert. Pope Leo IX sent to Constantinople, under the imperious Humbert, three legates with counter-charges; that Cerularius arrogated to himself the title “ecumenical” patriarch; that, like the Nicolaitans, they permitted their priests to live in wedlock; and finally--


“Because you observe the Sabbath with the Jews and the Lord’s day with us, you seem to imitate in such observance the sect of the Nazarenes, who in this manner accept Christianity in order that they be not obliged to leave Judaism.” Migne, 145, 936; Photius, 3, 746

The end of this controversy was that the Roman legates excommunicated the patriarch and his adherents (July 16, 1054) and the patriarch answered by a synodical counter-anathema against the papal legates, accusing them of fraud. The patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem adhered tot the See of Constantinople, and thus the schism, between the East and the West was completed. The Sabbath observance played an important part indeed in this controversy, which ended in final division. And the words called forth by this controversy are a striking proof that as late as the eleventh century the true Israel was still existing under their old name, keeping the Sabbath of Jehovah; or the cardinal would not have mentioned them as a definite sect, differing from the Jews as well as from the Catholics.

[visionary]

I would like to thank Ivy for giving me the lead of THE PASAGINI or I would have never run into this website full of faith in the commandments of God and having the faith of Yeshua throught out the centuries

[Eben Abram]

Shalom Alecheim

Good post Visionary, the Seventh Day Adventist have a wealth of material on Sabbath Keeping and while not all Christian Scholars agreed with J.N. Edwards his work is thought provoking.

Another :18. PASAGINIANS (http://www.all-of-grace.net/references/bucks_dictionary/bd_p.htm#A018) http://www.all-of-grace.net/references/bucks_dictionary/bd_p.htm#A018

A denomination which arose in the twelfth century, known also by the name of the Circumcised. their distinguishing tenets were these, 1. That the observation of the law of Moses in every thing except the offering of sacrifices was obligatory upon Christians. In consequence of which, they circumcised their followers, abstained from those meats the use of which was prohibited under the Mosaic aeconomy, and celebrated the Jewish sabbath.--2. That Christ was no more than the first and purest creature of God. This denomination had the utmost aversion to the doctrine and discipline of the church of Rome.

All of us learn to "FILTER" with help of the Holy Spirit of G-d ruach ha kodesh and apply (hopefully) kavanaugh ha shem and grace with mercy those words and thoughts many scholars through the centuries both Jewish and Christian who have as we do, known in part and seek to know in fulness Messiah.

As a Choice I love Shabbes, as a theological discussion I see error in many writings equally when passion and zeal with advocacy of a posit overrule our relationship with G-d.

In other words, as Y'shua your master lead you, that is the WAY halacha you should go. If it be as one brother said to me once to leave his faith and join a yeshiva to learn, I said Go with G-d and if it be G-d led him to learn and later choose to follow Messiah in a more knowing way, then