The Messianic community was established as a Jewish-only movement and remained that way for about fifteen years. Gentiles entered the movement, beginning with the Roman centurion (Acts 10). Even with Gentiles grafted in, the movement remained under the control of Jewish followers of Yeshua throughout the first century, and was viewed as a sect within Judaism (Acts 24:14).

We find throughout the Book of Acts, the book that recorded the practices of the early believers, that the Jew and Gentile talmidim (disciples) did not abandon Judaism (including the Torah) for some new religion. Nor did the Jewish disciples abandon the Jewish community at large, to which they were closely tied. The Book of Acts tells us that Yeshua’s followers kept the Sabbath (Acts 13:14, 13:44, 16:13, 17:2, 18:4), met daily in the Temple (5:42), went to synagogue regularly (9:20, 13:5, 19:8), and kept the feasts of: Shavuot (Pentecost 2:1, 20:16), Passover/Unleavened Bread (12:3, 20:6), Yom Kippur (Atonement 27:9), and one unidentified feast (18:21).

We also learn that Rav Sha’ul (Paul), whose writings are cited by Christians and traditional Jews as evidence that believers are to no longer keep the Torah of Moses, took a Nazirite vow (18:18, 21:23), held a Havdalah (the candle lighting after the Sabbath) service (20:7), lived his life according to Jewish customs (21:20-22, 28:17), remained zealous for the Torah of Moses (21:20, 24, 24:14), remained a Pharisee all of his believing life (23:6, 26:5), was accused by Gentiles of teaching Jewish customs (16:20-21), and even attempted to offer peace offerings (animal sacrifices) in the Temple (21:26, 24:17). All after having becoming a follower of Yeshua.

Acts 21:20 states that tens of thousands of Jews believed in Yeshua (55 CE?) and remained faithful to the Torah of Moses. Myriad means 10,000 and the greek word here used for myriads must be at least 3 myriads (30,000). Keep in mind this is just in Jerusalem alone. Historians substantiate this claim with their estimates that over one million Jews believed in Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah in the first century. Of this number, the book of Acts reports that Pharisees (15:5) and many priests (6:7) were included.

The term "Renewed Covenant" is translated "Brit Chadasha" in Hebrew. The term originates from Jeremiah 31, and is usually translated as "New Covenant." However, the Hebrew concept of New Covenant is one of renewal- a renewal of the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants. This idea is expounded in Hebrews chapter 8, where Jeremiah is quoted. The Greek language possesses two words to express a sense of newness. The first is "neos," meaning something brand new, never before existing. The second is "kainos," meaning rebuilt or renewed. The author of Hebrews chose kainos when he quoted Jeremiah 31, not neos. We see then that "New Covenant" should actually be translated as "Renewed Covenant."

30 C.E. The Renewed Covenant era began on Shavuot (Feast of weeks Lev.23:15), in Jerusalem (Acts 1:4) as the Ruakh HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) was poured out on believers (Acts 2:1). This commemorated the inauguration of the covenant with His people (Deut. 5:2-5) and gave them the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) on this same day of the year. According to Jewish tradition, a fiery substance appeared on Mt. Sinai that day, representing the voices of G-d (Ex.20:18), which traveled around the world, speaking to all its inhabitants in each of their seventy different languages. In like fashion, the Messianic community formed with the appearance of "tongues of fire" (Acts 2:3). Only this time, those who heard the voices did not hear them emanating from the midst of a fire, cloud, and thick darkness (Deut. 4:11-12), but from individuals empowered by the Ruakh HaKodesh to share the good news of redemption in Messiah Yeshua, beginning with the Jews of Judea (Acts 1:8). Their witness convicted about 3,000 people who were added to the community that first day (Acts 2:41).

This event was not the beginning of some new "movement which would divorce itself from the land, the people, and the Scriptures of Israel." (Ariel and D’vorah Berkowitz, Take Hold, p. 163) Rather, it represented an inaugurating of the Renewed Covenant wherein men started writing the Torah of G-d on their hearts. Similarly, on this same day 1500 years earlier on Mount Sinai, G-d inaugurated the Mosaic covenant by writing His Torah on tablets of stone. Shavuot was also known as "First-fruits." On this day, 3,000 people entered into this Renewed Covenant as the first-fruits offering.

(See Acts 2:1-4)

Christian tradition tells us that they were gathered in the upper room. This interpretation is rather difficult, given the fact that several thousand people heard the disciples speaking in foreign languages and thought they were drunk with wine. The house where they were gathered "does not necessarily refer to a person’s private home. Rather, this phrase was commonly used during the Second Temple period to denote the Temple itself." Based on this interpretation, the message being communicated by G-d seems to be "that the new and visible Temple in the world would now be one in which living stones would be build into a spiritual house…upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yeshua Himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the L-rd." Thus we see a shift "from a Temple made of stones, to a house made of living stones." This new temple would be mobile, extending to all nations.

35 C.E. Rav Sha’ul, known by Christians as the apostle Paul, became a follower of Yeshua the Messiah as a result of his famous Damascus Road experience (Acts 9:1-18). Even though he was called to be the ambassador to the Gentiles, he did not preach the gospel to them for at least another ten years. The author is of the persuasion that during this time he sought G-d and searched the Scriptures for the proper understanding of how Gentiles would fit into the community, which at that time was exclusively Jewish.

45 C.E.The first Gentiles were admitted into the Messianic community without first converting to Judaism (Acts 10). Until this time, the entire movement was Jewish, and the disciples taught that one first had to convert to Judaism before becoming a follower of Yeshua. We have evidence of this position in Acts 6:5, where the Greek-speaking Jews within the Messianic community chose deacons (shammashim) from among themselves. One of the men they chose was Nicholas, a "proselyte from Antioch." Not until the time of Cornelius (Acts 10) does Scripture record that the gospel was spread to the Gentiles. This event was at least 15 years after the Renewed Covenant was inaugurated. We should note, however, that the first Gentiles to receive the message of Messiah were known as G-d fearers. The G-d fearers were a class of non-Jews drawn to Yeshua, but not formal converts to Judaism. They attended synagogue regularly on the Sabbath, and they observed many of the Torah commandments. The Greek words "seboumenoi" (Acts 16:14) and "phoboumenoi" (Acts 10:2) are used to identify these people.

46 C.E.Jacob (also known as James, the head of the Messianic community in Jerusalem), the brother of Yeshua, wrote his letter around this time. This New Covenant writing is known as the erroneous title of James.

50 C.E. After the apostles realized G-d's desire for the gospel to spread to all nations, many Gentiles began joining the community. Eventually, the message began spreading to Gentiles who had no knowledge of the Torah or the one true G-d. These Gentiles began posing a serious problem for the community. Many of them came from backgrounds steeped in idolatry and paganism. How could Jews and probably even G-d Fearers fellowship with them? Rules needed to be established requiring immediate change in the lives of those Gentiles converting from paganism so fellowship could commence.

A council of the Messianic community leaders was held in Jerusalem to address the issues arising from these Gentiles joining the movement. Proponents on both sides were invited to present their case. some used it as an opportunity to demand the conversion of these Gentiles to Judaism. Verse 7 states that they discussed this matter at length. According to verse 29 these Gentiles would be required to abstain from the things sacrificed to idols (idolatry), from fornication (sexual immorality), from strangled meat (improperly slaughtered meat) and from blood (pretty much anything pagan concerning it).

These requirements were primarily practical social requirements for fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers. A Gentile who did not immediately observe all four prohibitions would so offend his Jewish brothers in the faith that a spirit of community would never be able to develop. The Apostles established these stipulations so they could begin immediate fellowship with other believers. As for the rest of the Torah, verse 21 indicates these Gentiles would be attending synagogue every Sabbath and learning about the Torah of Moses. The implication, then, is that they would be taught to keep the Torah, not abandon it.

51 C.E. Rabbi Sha’ul wrote his letters to the congregation at Thessalonica.He also spent 18 months in Corinth teaching the congregation he planted there. Acts 18:11 says, "he continued there (in Corinth) a year and six months, teaching the Word of G-d among them." (David Stern, Jewish New Testament commentary, p.278) Corinth was known for its paganism and idolatry. We can assume that some, if not most, of the Gentiles converting to faith in Yeshua were not G-d Fearers, but those abandoning paganism. From the content of his letters to the Corinthians, we can deduce that the "word of G-d" Sha’ul taught them was the Torah. For instance, we see in 1 Corinthians 5 that he writes about the Passover in a way that indicates the Corinthians celebrated it. In chapter 6, he discusses the establishment of a court to settle a matter of dispute as commanded in the Torah. He also warns against sexual immorality, another Torah commandment. In chapter 7, he provided guidelines for married life, also derived from the Torah. In chapter 10, he again speaks in the language of Passover. In 10:16, he mentions "the cup of blessings which we bless." This cup of blessing is known as the third cup of the Passover Seder, the Kiddush cup, also known as the cup of Redemption. Why would he use such terminology if the Corinthians weren’t familiar with it? And if they were familiar with it, can we not assume that the reason was because they were celebrating Passover?

50 C.E. Sha’ul spent two years in Ephesus teaching the congregation he planted there. Acts 19:9-10 says,"…he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. |10| And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

Like Corinth, Ephesus was known for its paganism and idolatry. Also like Corinth, we can assume that at least some of the Gentiles converting faith in Yeshua were those abandoning paganism. In his letter to the Ephesians, we learn that Gentiles are brought in to the "covenants of promise" (2:12). Notice the word "covenants" is plural. Scripture mentions at least five covenants G-d made with man. These are the Noachide, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and Renewed Covenants. Sha’ul seems to be referring to the Abrahamic and Renewed Covenants in this passage, and probably the Mosaic as well, since the Renewed Covenant is really a "renewal of the covenant with Moses, in which Torah is written upon the believers’ hearts (Jeremiah 31:31)." Thus, we learn that Gentiles were brought into the same covenants G-d previously made with Israel, thereby making them "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of G-d" (Ephesians 2:19).

53 C.E.Sha’ul’s Nazirite Vow - About this time, Rav Sha’ul went to Jerusalem a third time after taking a Nazirite vow. Acts 21:23-26 states that he was instructed by the leadership of the movement to take four other men who had also taken the Nazirite vow. "Be purified with them and pay their expenses so that they might shave their heads." The purpose was that everyone would know that he did not forsake the Torah of Moses. Sha’ul did just as instructed, then entered the Temple to bring the animal sacrifice required of them (Numbers 6:13-21). He would never have done so if we are to believe that he taught that the Torah had been rendered obsolete. To do so would have been hypocritical. Therefore, we can only conclude that he continued to keep the Torah AFTER becoming a believer. We must interpret his writings in light of this understanding (Romans 3:31;Eph 2:10).

Interestingly, we also learn from this chapter that tens of thousands of Jews believed in Yeshua at that time, yet they all were zealous for the Torah of Moses (verse 20).

We also learn from Acts 21:15 that Jerusalem was viewed as the seat of authority for the Messianic community. In the words of Messianic Jew historian Hugh Schonfield,

"For the Christians of the Churches in Asia Minor and Greece, the Church at Jerusalem was an authority, in the same sense and to the same extent as the Sanhedrin was for the synagogues of the diaspora."

We see further evidence of Jerusalem’s authority in the Clementine Recognitions. In this letter, Peter urges the Gentiles to "observe the greatest caution, that you believe no teacher unless he bring from Jerusalem the testimony of Jacob, the L-rd’s brother, or of whosoever may come after him. For no one, unless he has gone up thither and there has been approved as a fit and faithful teacher for preaching the word of the Messiah, unless, I say, he brings a testimony thence, is by any means to be received."

The Gospel of Mark was written about this time.

56 C.E. Rav Sha’ul wrote his letters to the congregations at Corinth and Galatia.

57 C.E. Sha’ul wrote his letter to the congregation at Rome.

58 C.E. Matthew wrote his Gospel around this time.

61 C.E. Sha’ul wrote letters to the congregations at Collosse and Ephesus. He also wrote his letter to Philemon around this time.

62 C.E. Sha’ul wrote his letter to the congregations at Phillippi. Luke likely completed the Book of Acts around this time.

63 C.E. The Gospel of Luke was likely written at this time. Sha’ul probably wrote his first letter to his disciple Timothy and his letter to his disciple Titus around this time.

64 C.E. Peter probably wrote his first epistle around this time.

65 C.E. An unknown author wrote the book of Hebrews. Peter likely wrote his second letter around this time.

66 C.E. Israel went to war with Rome as a result of hostilities initiated by members of the Zealot party. The Roman army annihilated the Jewish revolt. Later, the Rabbis stated that Jerusalem’s destruction was due to "baseless hatred" (Yoma 9). If so, perhaps the hatred is unknowingly directed at Yeshua, the fact that He was rejected as Messiah by the Jewish leadership of His day and handed over to Pilate to be crucified. Others believe that heavy taxes, levied by the Sadducean priests and Herodians, led to a revolt by the general populace. Until this time, Jerusalem was the central gathering place for Jewish believers. Those who were considered elders for the entire movement resided there.

When the Roman army surrounded the city in 68 C.E., the Jewish believers fled the city in response to the words of Yeshua (Luke 21:20-24), and went to Pella, a region in the southeastern end of the Lake of Galilee, beyond the Jordan. This action earned them the title "Meshumed" (traitors) with the rest of the Jewish community.

The Gentile Christians, decades later, viewed the Temple’s destruction as a sign that G-d had abandoned the Jewish people and selected the Christians as His chosen people (an idea not to different from that of Islam). They interpreted "the destruction as a sign that G-d had abandoned Judaism and provided them freedom to develop their own Christian theology in a setting free from Jerusalem’s influence." (David Ruasch, Messianic Judaism, p.3)

67 C.E. Sha’ul probably wrote his second letter to Timothy about this time.

68 C.E. The apostle John wrote his gospel around this time. Also, the book of Jude was written around this time.

70 C.E. While the Roman army surrounded the city of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zachai escaped from Jerusalem. The Zealots refused to let anyone leave the city, even though many were starving from the Roman siege. Ben Zachai left by pretending to be dead, having his body carried out in a coffin to be buried. Once outside the city, he approached Vespasian, the Roman general, and asked for the city of Yavneh (a town on the coast of Judea) to be given to his disciples. Vespasian granted his request. Later that same year, the Romans conquered the city, broke down its walls, killed thousands of its inhabitants, took thousands more as slaves, and destroyed the Temple.

72 C.E. Historians believe the Jewish believers who fled to Pella returned to Jerusalem after the war with Rome, making Jerusalem the head of the Messianic community once more.

85 C.E. The apostle John probably wrote 1 John around this time.

Yochanan ben Zachai and his students redefined Judaism in light of the fact that the Temple was no longer a way of life. Since they were Pharisees, they redefined it according to their view. Until that time, many sects of Judaism existed, including Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Boethusians, Pharisees, Nazarenes, and many others. Ben Zachai managed to exert enough influence and power, with the exception of the Nazarenes, all other expressions of Judaism ceased to exist. Hence, the Pharisees began a policy of exclusion - "either play by our rules or we don’t let you play at all." They proceeded to excommunicate the Jewish believers from their midst. A nineteenth blessing was added to the Amidah, the eighteen benedictions said daily by observant Jews. This additional blessing was called the "Birkhat haMinim." The Birkhat haMinim literally means "blessing for the heretic." This blessing was actually a curse. Followers of Yeshua would not recite this blessing, because it would pronounce a curse on them. The word haMinim is actually a play on words, because believers called themselves the ma’aminim (believers). Those not saying the blessing were immediately suspected of being Nazarenes (Messianic Jews) and were subject to excommunication from the synagogue. If the one leading the prayers stumbled over his speech on this blessing, he too, was suspected of being a Nazarene and was immediately removed from being a prayer leader.

In keeping with their policy of exclusion, historian Paul Liberman writes,

"The Rabbis ordered that there was to be no contact with Jewish believers. The children of Jewish believers were declared illegitimate; their sons were not to be taught a trade. No medical treatment was to be accepted from the believers…they were not to be helped when they were in need. Their food products were considered unfit for consumption; their books sorcery."

In their redefinition of Judaism, "the synagogue became the center of Jewish life. Pharisaic Judaism became the norm."

95 C.E. The last of the B’rit HaDashah (new or renewed covenant) books (New Testament) were written by John, the last of the twelve emissaries (apostles). If we can assume that John was considered the foremost human authority in the Messianic community at that time, then we can also assume that the movement was still a Jewish movement.

115 C.E. Around this time, Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, taught in the Epistle to the Phillipians that whoever "celebrates the Passover along with the Jews, or receives emblems of their feast, he is a partaker of those who killed the L-rd and His apostles." In addition, the Epistle of Barnabas states that Jewish fasts are no longer acceptable to G-d and that Christians are the heirs of G-d’s covenant with Abraham. It goes on to state that the covenant was meant for Jews and Christians, but the Jews lost it.

With the Apostles dead, signs began appearing indicating that Gentile believers were losing sight of their identity with the Jewish people. Forces were set in motion for the Gentiles to begin the process of divorcing themselves from their Jewish roots.

130 C.E. The heretic Marcion appeared about this time and began teaching that the Hebrew Scriptures "have no value or authority for the Church." Marcion believed the grace of G-d, as taught by Sha'ul, had replaced the Old Covenant (Brad H. Young, Torah for Jesus, Paul, and Marcion, Yavo Digest publication). According to Marcion, the old legalism of the Bible had been fulfilled, and a new dispensation of grace had been inaugurated. Marcion believed Paul taught a more excellent way of grace. Moses brought condemnation, but Paul enabled men and women to discover G-d's grace. Marcion was aware of Yeshua's statement in Matthew 5:17,"...I did not come to destroy the Torah, but to fulfill." Marcion's disciples were so troubled by this verse that they changed the words to read, "Think not that i have come to fulfill the Law, but to destroy it." They simply inverted the words "fulfill" and "destroy" to suit their opinion.

Marcion taught that "the G-d of the Old Testament was a cruel and totally different G-d from the one revealed in the New Testament." He "founded his own Church which merged Gnosticism with orthodox Christianity, creating a theology that was simply dualistic, violently antagonistic toward Judaism, strictly ascetic and celibate, and wielded a wide and destructive influence throughout Christendom. Unfortunately, some modern Christians have unknowingly endorsed this his ideas. His theology was so contrary to G-d's Word that Polycarp, a student of John, called him "the first-born of Satan." (Ron Mosely, Yeshua, p.35)

Years after Marcion’s death, Irenaeus, a late second century patristic writer (Church father), said that Marcion "mutilated the Gospel according to Luke, removing all the narratives of the L-rd’s birth, and also removing much of the teaching of the discourse of the L-rd wherein he most manifestly described acknowledging the maker of this universe to be his father." He did the same to the letters of the apostle Paul (Henry Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church, p.53). His flawed logic required him to do so. Otherwise, how could the G-d of the Old Covenant, a supposedly different G-d than the one revealed in the New Covenant, be his father?

Even though Marcion was declared a heretic, his dualistic concept of grace vs. law was later accepted as truth. From this evidence, we can see the rift widening between Jewish and Gentile believers. The Gentiles gained momentum in their efforts to separate themselves from their Jewish brethren. A Gentile Church began to emerge.

132 C.E. A second war broke out between Israel and Rome, called the Bar Kochba war. In this war, one of the generals, Bar Kosiba, displayed a great valor and military genius. Rabbi Akiva changed his name to Bar Kochba ("son of a star"), alluding to the verse in Numbers 24:17 which states, "A star shall go forth from Jacob." The "star," in Jewish thought, was understood to be the Messiah.

Rabbi Akiva called Bar Kochba the Messiah himself. The Jewish disciples of Yeshua could not accept him as such. They once again fled to Pella and again were "branded as deserters and destroyers." This time, they remained in Pella, soon to become isolated from the rest of the Jewish community.

Once the war ended in 135 C.E., the Roman emperor Hadrian renamed Jerusalem Aelia Capitolina {Aelia, in honor of his own name, Publius Aleilus Hadiranus, and Capitolina in honor of Jupiter, whose temple in Rome was on the Capitolene Hill) and forbade all Jews from entering it for 100 years. He also renamed the territories of Judea and Samaria to Palestine, a Romanized term for Philistine, Israel’s ancient enemy.

The result of the Bar Kochba war was a further rift between Messianic Jews and the rest of the Jewish community.

135 C.E. The first Gentile bishop was appointed to preside over the congregation in Jerusalem, since practically all Jewish believers had long vacated the city. This marked the end of an era for Jewish bishops. Ancient Church historian Eusebius recorded over 14 Jewish bishops presiding over the Messianic community in Jerusalem since the beginning of the Renewed Covenant. Reportedly, they were all direct descendants of David and blood relatives of Yeshua.

As a result of Hadrian’s decree, the believers in Jerusalem now became exclusively Gentile, and the bishops of Jerusalem were now Gentile as well.

Following the second Jewish revolt against Rome, Gentile believers throughout the Roman Empire "could not be expected to sympathize with the national aspirations of the Nazarenes. For them, the destruction of Jerusalem and the cessation of the temple services meant the end of the Law. It came to them as a happy release from the incubus of Judaism and left them free to develop a Christian philosophy of their own, better suited for the Gentile temperament." (Hugh Schonfield, The History of Jewish Christianity, p. 54)

Ancient Church historian Haegesippus observed that as long as the Apostles and the generation they taught were alive, the Messianic community remained pure. But as soon as they passed away, the false teachers arose who shamelessly taught false doctrines against the true gospel. Less than 100 years after Rav Sha’ul warned of such errant leaders (Acts 20:29-30, 2 Timothy 3:13), they began to be accepted as proclaimers of truth.

140 C.E. Writings from those assumed to represent the Gentile leadership within the Messianic community began to evidence recession of the original Jewishness of the faith about this time. Justin Martyr spoke of two groups of Jewish believers: those who observe the Law of Moses, but do not teach that Gentiles are obligated to keep it, and those who believe Jew and Gentile are required to observe it. The former he considered weak-minded. The latter he considered heretics. Justin was also of the persuasion that Messiah had abolished "both the Sabbath and the Law."

Also about this time, the Church at Rome appeared to be the first Christian community to observe Sunday as a day of worship. By now, Gentile believers far outnumbered Jewish believers. In addition, the voices of leadership no longer resounded from the Jerusalem of old. In that vacuum, the Gentiles had chosen a new course. Gentile Christianity had begun to express its own identity.

142 C.E. About this time, Polycarp, bishop of Ephesus and disciple of John the apostle, debated the dating of Passover with Anicetus, bishop of Rome. Polycarp, along with the rest of the Asian community, celebrated the feast according to Jewish custom on Nisan (a month on the Jewish calendar roughly between March and April). The Romans, and believers in many places within the Roman Empire, had begun observing Sunday during the week of Unleavened Bread. The two men were unable to come to an agreement, so they basically agreed to disagree, peacefully.

The Gentile Christians had already begun the process of changing the Sabbath to Sunday. Then they set out to change the date of Passover.

150 C.E. Modern day historian Jakob Jocz concludes that there were four classes of Jewish believers by the middle of the second century:

1. Jews who were a part of the Gentile Church.

2. Jewish believers who taught that the Torah of Moses was binding on Jew and Gentile.

3. Jewish believers who kept the Torah, but did not demand Gentile Christians to do the same.

4. Secret Jewish believers who remained in the synagogues.

From this observation, we can begin to gain a clearer picture of how rapidly the Messianic community was changing from a Jewish-centered faith to Gentile-centered. The idea of a Messianic community was being replaced by the concept of a Gentile Church.

155 C.E.According to testimony provided at the Council of Nicea 170 years later, Polycarp, disciple of the emissary John, continued the tradition of keeping Passover on the 14th of Nisan, as taught by John and the other apostles. Since he was martyred in the year 155 C.E., we can only assume that he kept tradition until the year he died. Polycarp probably represents the last of the Messianic community leaders who were direct recipients of the emissaries’ teaching. After his death, Torah teachings contrary to that of Yeshua and the twelve emissaries, began to escalate.

170 C.E. About this time, a group of heretical Messianic Jews appeared in the region of modern-day Jordan. This was the area Jewish believers fled during the Bar Kochba rebellion. This new group emerged from the midst of the community of Jewish believers in that region. The Ebonites, as they were called, denied the virgin birth and Messiah’s deity. Irenaeus, a late second century patristic writer (Church father), said of them:

"Those who are called the Ebonites…use only the Gospel according to Matthew; they reject the Apostle Paul, calling him an apostate from the Law. The prophetic writings they strive to expound with the especial exactness; they are circumcised, and persevere in the customs according to the Law, and in the Jewish mode of life, even to the extent of worshipping Jerusalem, as if it were the abode of G-d."

175 C.E. Irenaeus was the first to apply the term New Testament to sacred scriptures" (Daniel Gruber, The Church and the Jews, p.3). Similarly, "Melito of Sardis was credited for the first use of the term Old Covenant or Old Testament to refer to the Hebrew Scriptures." These terms actually refer to two different covenants G-d made with Israel- the Mosaic covenant and the Renewed Covenant. These covenants are particular agreements, not designations for the two major parts of the Bible. By coining these terms, these individuals confused the distinction between the covenants and the Scriptures. For example, when the writer of the book of Hebrews speaks of the first covenant becoming obsolete (8:13), he refers to a change in the Mosaic covenant, not erasing the Scriptures as some people now assert.

This new labeling also led "to the erroneous belief that the ‘Old Testament’ was for the Jews, and the ‘New Testament’ is for the Church." Likewise, it also led to the old Marcionite heresy "that ‘the G-d of the Old Testament’ is a G-d of wrath, and ‘the G-d of the New Testament’ is a G-d of mercy." However, scripture tells us that G-d is one (Deuteronomy 6:4), that He never changes (Exodus 3:15, Deut. 32:40), as well as Yeshua reaffirming this in Hebrews 13:8 that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

185 C.E. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, preserved a list of the first twelve bishops of Rome. The first was Linus. Interestingly, Peter’s name is never mentioned. Later, Eusebius, the father of early Church history, never mentions Peter’s name as a bishop of Rome either.

From this information, we can conclude that the Roman Catholic claim that Peter was the first pope is patently false.

190 C.E.About this time, a controversy arose between the bishops of Rome and the bishops of Asia over the date of Passover should be celebrated. In the beginning, the whole community of believers among the Gentiles celebrated Passover at the same time and in the same manner as the Jews. Later, the Gentile congregations in parts of the Roman Empire began changing the nature of Passover to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. At the same time, they began restricting the celebration to a single day, rather than the entire week of Unleavened Bread, according to the biblical commandment. As these congregations further evolved their version of Passover, they moved their day of Passover to Sunday. To them, Passover had become Resurrection Day, or what we modernly consider Easter.

Toward the end of the second century, these congregations, led by the bishops of Rome, Caesarea, and Jerusalem (Where the bishops had been of Gentile origin since 135 C.E.), began to strive for unity. Then all congregations would keep the Passover on their single day of Sunday, rather than on Nisan 14, according to the biblical injunction. They had also begun to use the Roman calendar, rather than the Jewish calendar, for determining the date of Passover.

As Christians from the province of Asia, where the feast was kept according to Jewish custom, migrated to Rome, controversy erupted. Victor, bishop of Rome, decided to effect unity in the observance of the festival. He wrote to all the bishops of the congregations which he viewed as allies, including the bishops of Caesarea, Jerusalem, and Pontus. They unanimously endorsed the observance of Passover/Easter on Sunday. Victor now called on the bishops of the province of Asia to abandon their customs and accept the now "universally" prevailing practice of celebrating Passover/Easter on Sunday. If they refused to comply, they would be excluded from the fellowship of the Church.

He wrote to Polycrates, the bishop of Ephesus, and urged him to gather the bishops of the province of Asia to discuss the matter with them. Polycrates did so and responded to the Roman bishop by letter, stating "We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia, also great lights have fallen asleep (died), which shall rise again on the day of the L-rd’s coming, when He shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out al the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher , who reclined upon the bosom of the L-rd, and, priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. He fell asleep in Ephesus. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna…All these people observed the fourteenth day of the Passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people (i.e. the Jews) put away the leaven. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the L-rd, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not at all afraid of those things with which I am now threatened. For those greater than I have said ‘We ought to obey G-d rather than man’ (Acts 5:29)."

Victor immediately attempted to cut the parishes in Asia off from the common unity. He wrote letters declaring all the brethren there wholly excommunicated.

But this did not please all the bishops who kept Passover on Sunday. Irenaeus, bishop of Gaul, was among them. He convinced Victor he should not cut off entire Churches of G-d simply because they observed the tradition of an ancient custom.

Though wisdom prevailed this time, it would not be accepted 135 years later at the Council of Nicea.

196 C.E. A council was held in Caesarea and attended entirely by Gentile Christian leaders. They decided that Passover (Resurrection Day) should be observed on Sunday, not the 14th day of Nisan as instructed by the emissaries. Apparently, what we consider modernly as Easter, the Gentiles believers at that time still referred to as Passover. Only later did they change the name to Easter. Labeling it Passover confuses the identity with the biblical holiday.

History is not clear on the subject, but the author believes that Gentile believers saw Passover as only commemorating Messiah’s death, burial, and resurrection and chose to recognize a single day during Passover week to observe these events, rather than observe the entire week. Jewish believers, on the other hand, would have also recognized these events, but would have kept the feasts for the entire seven days beginning on Nisan 14, according to the biblical commandment (Leviticus 23:5-8, Numbers 28:16-25). They may have even recognized a day during this seven-day period for commemorating Messiah’s resurrection. If so, they likely observed it on Nisan 16, not Sunday. Nisan 16 was considered the Day of Firstfruits during Passover and foreshadows Messiah’s resurrection as "the Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [i.e. died]" (1 Corinthians 15:20).

To the Jewish believers, Passover represented more than the sacrifice and subsequent resurrection of Yeshua. To them, it also reminded them of G-d’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt, their redemption from slavery, and death of the firstborn. It further reminded them of how G-d delivered them with great signs and wonders and that He made them His own special treasure. To them, Yeshua’s righteous act gave new meaning to these events. Gentile Christians, many of whom were now estranged from their Jewish brothers, lost sight of these meanings.

Even though some communities, both Christian and Messianic, did not accept the council’s decision, we can now see that Gentile believers progressed in the separation process. They were able to change the date and purpose of the biblical holiday.

200 C.E. Tertullian discussed keeping Sunday as the L-rd’s Day and tracing the sign of the cross on the forehead. This is believed by some historians to be the first mention in history of Gentile Christians treating Sunday like the Sabbath, as a day of rest.

Assuming this observation is correct, we can conclude that sometime during the latter half of the second century (probably in keeping with the Roman practice mentioned earlier), the Gentile Christian leadership, in many places, began teaching the Sabbath was changed to Sunday. Their reasons for doing so were likely tied to Yeshua’s resurrection on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1, Luke 24:1).

Sadly, Tertullian acknowledges in his day, Sunday was considered a pagan festival day by the heathens. Christians who observed Sunday as a day of worship were thought to be sun-worshippers by the pagans around them.

Although their intentions may have been noble, the advocates of change erred in their thinking. Scripture states that the Sabbath was given to the children of Israel as an everlasting covenant (Exodus 31:13-17). Nowhere in scripture do we find even a hint that G-d would ever change the nature or occurrence of the Sabbath in any way.

Sixty years earlier, the Church of Rome began honoring Sunday as a day of worship. Now it was becoming a replacement for the Sabbath in many Gentile Christian communities.

230 C.E. Tertullian lamented that Gentile Christians compromised their faith with the pagans by joining them in their festival of the Saturnalia and other pagan events.

The Saturnalia was a Roman pagan holiday commencing December 17 and concluding December 23, in conjunction with the winter solstice. Our modern-day Christmas celebration derives from the early Gentile Church embracing this festival and calling it the season of the birth of Christ.

Apparently, as late as Tertullian’s day, the Christian communities did not observe a day in the year to honor the birth of the Messiah, at least not on December 25. From Tertullian’s comment, this sentiment seems to be that it would have been considered idolatrous. Nevertheless, what was idolatrous in his day became accepted as divine in origin within two hundred years.

231 C.E. About this time, Origen known as a heretic by some of the Church leaders of his day. Origen said that keeping the Sabbath was meant to be interpreted mystically or spiritually, not literally. Not surprisingly, he is considered to be the father of the allegorical method of interpreting scripture. In his book, The Church and the Jews, Dan Gruber says of Origen:

"Origen is credited with being the father of the allegorical method of interpretation. The reason for this is that Origen, in a comprehensive system, made allegory the only way to truly understand the scripture. In Origen’s system of interpretation, he often denied the ordinary sense of the text, and replaced it with allegories which he concocted. These allegories then became the real meaning of the text. There was no way to challenge the allegories on the basis of the text, since what the text actually said was no longer what it meant. In this allegorical system, when the text said ‘Israel,’ it meant ‘the Church’ and not the Jews, so long as the promise was good. If the promise or comment was not good, then ‘Israel’ still meant ‘the Jews,’ and not ‘the Church.’"

Gruber goes on to say, "For some of the doctrines he believed and taught, Origen was considered by many to be a heretic. During his lifetime, he was excommunicated by two Church councils held in Alexandria in 231 and 232 A.D." However, the Churches in Palestine did not recognize his excommunication, and even "established a theological school and library dedicated to establishing Origen’s views as the true orthodoxy throughout the entire Church." After his death, some of the leaders in the Gentile Church condemned his views as heretical. Even today, some of his views would be considered too heretical for most of the modern Church. Nevertheless, Gruber says, "Most of the Greek fathers of the third and fourth centuries stood more or less under the influence of the spirit and the works of Origen, without adopting all his peculiar speculative views [including the well known early Church historian Eusebius]." Though the third and fourth century Church fathers "did not accept all the system itself." His system of interpretation is credited with producing "the anti-Judaic ‘New Israel’ theology where the Church replaces the Jews in the plan and purpose of G-d."

Gruber continues, "Anyone who did not accept [Origen’s] allegorical system of interpretation was nothing more than a ‘Jew,’ and really did not belong to the Church. Origen maintained, ‘If anyone wishes to hear and understand those words literally, he ought to gather with the Jews rather than with the Christians. But if he wishes to be a Christian and disciple of Paul, let him hear Paul saying that ‘the Law is spiritual’ [and] declaring these are ‘allegorical’ when the Law speaks of Abraham and his wife and sons."

300 C.E. Church historian Hugh Schonfield notes the name "Nazarene," previously titled for early Jewish followers of the man of Nazareth, now became a title of scorn. It now denoted the "heresy" espoused by those who believed in Yeshua, yet clung to the Torah of Moses.

By this point in time, the separation of Gentile Christianity from its Jewish heritage was almost complete. What began as the accepted, and even expected, way of life for first century believers now became heretical.

303 C.E. Roman Emperor Diocletian began what is known as the Great Persecution. All Christian synagogues and Churches were to be destroyed, all Bibles were to be confiscated, all clergy were to be jailed, Christian expressions of worship were strictly forbidden, and every citizen was to sacrifice to pagan gods or else be put to death.

This persecution lasted until 313 C.E., when the next Roman emperor, Constantine, restored all rights of citizenship to Christians. His action laid the groundwork which would ultimately lead to "an apostasy that would envelop Christendom for more than a millennium." Messiah’s bride would soon be wedded to paganism.

312 C.E.Constantine, emperor of Rome, became a so-called follower of Messiah, after having a vision of himself victorious in battle under the sign of the cross.We know from history, however, that Constantine never truly repented of his sins. He continued to serve as the high priest of the pagan priestly cult. He later had his own son, wife, and brother-in-law killed. As leader of the Roman Empire, he later forced the marriage of Church and state.

Constantine enacted a law for the Roman Empire to rest on Sunday in all cities and towns. This act officially sanctioned Sunday [known by pagans as the venerable day of the sun] as the Sabbath for Christians. Until this time, they observed the Jewish Sabbath as well as Sunday. However, Sunday had not previously been an official day of abstinence from work.

In response to Constantine’s edict, Sylvester, the bishop of Rome, changed the name of the day [venerable day of the sun at that time] to Lord’s Day. As bishop of Rome [not yet known as the Pope], his office carried much authority.

The following day, Constantine issued another decree stating that if any royal edifice should be struck by lightning, the ancient ceremonies propitiating the pagan deity should be practiced and the haruspices were to be consulted to learn the meaning of the misfortune. The haruspices were soothsayers who foretold the future by examining the entrails of animals which had been sacrificed to the gods. Such a decree could hardly be issued by someone of a regenerate heart.

323 C.E. Eusebius, the authoritative writer of early Church history, completed the ninth of his 10 volume work entitled Ecclesiastical History. Most of what we know about early Church history was learned from him. He completed this work in 325 C.E.

Eusebius was a disciple of third century heretic Origen, and sought to convince everyone that he was not a heretic. Origen taught Pamphilus, Pamphilus taught Eusebius, and Eusebius wholeheartedly gave himself to the task of defending the views of Origen. As Origen’s views spread throughout the Church through men like Pamphilus and Eusebius, an anti-Judaic, New Israel philosophy began to take precedence. In the words of Gruber, "what was once considered heresy was put forward as the new orthodoxy. The millennial restoration of Israel began to be considered a carnal, Jewish doctrine which no Orthodox Christian could believe."

By "millennial restoration of Israel," Gruber is referring to a literal 1,000 year period in which the kingdom will be restored to Israel with Messiah ruling as king. This understanding is clear from scripture passages such as Acts 1:6 and Revelation 20:4-6. Regarding this issue, Gruber says of Eusebius:

"On the issue of a literal millennial restoration of the kingdom of Israel-the theological issue on which the new Church-state relationship would stand or fall [i.e. the outcome of the Council of Nicea in 325 C.E.]-Eusebius does not quote from anyone in the early Church [first and second centuries] who embraced his own view [i.e. an allegorical interpretation of the Millennial Kingdom]. He does not because he cannot. There were none who supported his view Eusebius shows that he had early Church writings on this issue. But these writings expressed a faith in a literal, millennial restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Since Eusebius rejected that view, and because he wanted to brand it all heresy, he chose not to quote from any of the early Church writers at all. So it is understandable that those who accept the writings of Eusebius as an accurate representation of the theology of the early Church tend to believe as he did. Unfortunately, Eusebius is not faithful in this regard."

In contrast to Eusebius, the Renewed Covenant scriptures, plus two second century writings reveal a widely accepted view at that time of a literal 1,00- year reign of Messiah in a restored Israel. These include The Revelation of Peter, and Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho. In addition, Eusebius admits that Papias, a disciple of the apostle John, credited with writing the fourth gospel at the apostle’s dictation, Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp, and most of the first and second century writers, were a similar opinion. Eusebius, however, never quotes from any of these writers. He simply ignores them. He pretends their writings never existed. "For Eusebius, it is not a part of the history of the Church, because it is not what he wants the Church to believe."

325 C.E. The roman Emperor Constantine (now reigning from Constantinople, his new capital) convened a council in Nicea. The purpose of the meeting was primarily to deal with a heresy, called Arianism, that began to flourish. Arianism denies the deity of Yeshua. In response to this heresy, the doctrine of the Trinity was formed at this council.

A secondary, and lesser-known purpose for the meeting, was officially setting the date for Passover. Those on one side of the issue claimed "the Jewish custom should be adhered to, [while] the other affirmed that the exact recurrence of the period should be observed, without following the authority of those who were in error, and strangers to gospel grace."

318 bishops attended the council and a vast number of lesser clergymen. Unfortunately, no Jews were invited. Through Constantine’s efforts to achieve unity among all the bishops over this matter, the council decided that all the Churches should celebrate Passover on the Sunday following the first full moon which occurs after the Spring equinox. We need to keep in mind that the nature of Passover had been redefined by this point in history to be a commemoration of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In other words, it had become like modern-day Easter.

We also need to realize that unity was of utmost importance. Unity was a greater priority to Constantine and the council than obeying the Word of G-d. Constantine was interested in unifying the empire, not the truth of the gospel. As such he was the first ecumenist, and introduced that error into the now Gentilized Church.

According to scripture, unity is healthy. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133:1). Unity, simply for the sake of unity, is quite a different matter. The key to Psalm 133 is that "brothers" are the ones who "dwell together in unity." The unity enacted by the council’s action was not between "brothers," but between believers and pagans. Such "unity" cannot exist. Scripture declares, "How can righteousness and lawlessness be partners? What fellowship does light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)"

Constantine sent letters to all the Churches in the Roman Empire encouraging them to follow the decision of the council. Why were the churches so willing to follow his decree? Daniel Gruber answers,

"What the Emperor said had great weight. After all, Constantine was the one who had ended the persecution of the Churches. He was the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. He openly, personally, professed the Christian faith. He had convened the council. The Churches, therefore, were more than willing to hear whatever he had to say to them."

In his letter to the Gentile Churches, Constantine wrote,

"At this meeting, the question concerning the most holy day of Easter was discussed, and it was resolved by the united judgment of all present, that this feast ought to be kept by all and in every place on one and the same day…First of all, it appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast we should follow the practice of the Jews, who have impiously defiled their hands with enormous sin, and are, therefore, deservedly afflicted with blindness of soul. For we have it in our power, if we abandon their custom, to prolong the due observance of this ordinance to future ages, by a truer order, which we have preserved from the very day of the passion until the present time. Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Savior a different way."

If anyone should fail to comply with the ruling, Constantine stated, "Any dissension in a business of such importance, and in a religious institution of so great solemnity, would be highly criminal."

After the council concluded this business, Constantine held a great feast in honor of the bishops who attended to demonstrate his victory and authority over the Church. Eusebius recounts the event by writing,

"The emperor himself invited and feasted with those ministers of G-d whom he had reconciled, and thus offered as it were through them a suitable sacrifice to G-d. not one of the bishops was wanting the imperial banquet, the circumstances of which were splendid beyond description. Detachments of the bodyguard and other troops surrounded the entrance of the palace with drawn swords , and through the midst of these the men of G-d proceeded without fear into the innermost of the imperial apartments, in which some were the emperor’s own companions at table, while others reclined on couches arranged on either side. One might have thought that a picture of Christ’s kingdom was thus shadowed forth, and a dream rather than reality."

In response, Gruber writes,

"Eusebius is somewhat misleading. It is true that some of the church leaders were brought into a close relationship to the emperor, his private apartments, and his table--in such time, such privileges became a measure of religious success-but it is highly doubtful that all the men of G-d walked through the circle of guards and soldiers without fear. The emperor intended the drawn swords to teach a lesson. On the Passover controversy, the Council of Nicea had chosen an anti-biblical course and demanded conformity to it. The swords were a way of indicating the necessity of conforming to the official decree."

Gruber continues,

"There were some quartodecimans [from the Latin for 14th], as they were termed, who remained pertinaciously attached to the celebration of Easter on the 14th day of the moon, and among others the Audeans, schismatics of Mesopotamia. They found fault with the council, reproachfully remarking, that this was the first time that the ancient tradition, through complaisance for Constantine, had been departed from. In convening the council, Constantine had already declared that whoever would disturb the unity of the Church was a "malignant foe" motivated by a "malevolent demon," exposing G-d’s Law to "slander and detraction." Constantine had achieved political victory, in the name of the Lord, by the sword. He was not about to trade in his weapons…From that point on, church doctrine was to be enforced by the sword of the State. Those who would not conform were to be exiled or put to death. The books of heretics-were to be burned and exterminated from the earth…The Church ceased to the Church of Jesus, and became the Church of Constantine. It was no longer the bride of Messiah. It had become the bride of Caesar…The Church made a significant official change both in doctrine and in the way doctrine was to be established…G-d’s truth was to be determined by Church councils, and not by the Word of G-d. Consequently, the teaching which was a blasphemous heresy to Justin Martyr [140 C.E.-160 C.E.] became the new, unchallengeable orthodoxy.

As a result of this marriage of the bride of Messiah to paganism, all sorts of idolatry would soon creep in. One Church historian writes,

"An intimate and trustful worship of saints replaced the cult of pagan gods…Statues of Isis and Horus were renamed Mary and Jesus; the Roman Lupercalia and the feast of purification of Isis became the Feast of the Nativity; the Saturnalia were replaced by [the] Christmas celebration…an ancient festival of the dead by All Souls Day, rededicated to Christian heroes; incense, lights, flowers processions, vestments, hymns which had pleased the people in older cults were domesticated and cleansed in the ritual of the Church…soon people and priests would use the sign of the cross as a magic incantation to expel or drive away demons…"

In a word, the Gentile Christians seceded from the commonwealth of Israel and formed their own nation.At this time, Jewish believers in Messiah faced a dilemma. They were long ago excluded from the Jewish community for their faith in Yeshua. Now they were excluded from the official Gentile Christian community. Most agree that over the next few centuries, Messianic Judaism went into exile, not to reappear until the 20th century. However, at least one author believes that Messianic Judaism remained active until around 1500 C.E.

The cracks developing in the early second century had now become a great divide. The Gentilized Church had totally separated from its Jewish roots. The Church attempted to cut down G-d’s "olive tree" (Romans 11:17-21) and plant itself as another.

When the Devil took Yeshua up on a high mountain and offered Him all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8-9) saying, "All these things I will give you if you will fall down and worship me." We know, of course, that Yeshua refused. Tragically, the Gentile Church fell for the same offer when made through Constantine.

One final point needs to be made. Throughout the transitional years (110 C.E.-325 C.E.), leading to the Council of Nicea and for centuries following, not all Gentiles sought to separate themselves from Jewish believers. These Gentile believers kept the Sabbath, Passover, and other Jewish holy days according to the scripture commandments. We have evidence in the words of the latter fourth/early fifth century orator, John Chrysostom. He chastised Gentile members of his congregation for their fellowship with the Jews on the Sabbath and Jewish festivals.

Beginning with the late tenth/early eleventh centuries and continuing the fifteenth century, such groups as the Albigenes and Waldenes, were predominately in the southern region of France. Their doctrines swept across Europe and were known for keeping the Sabbath and other Jewish practices.

Even in the early twentieth in Transjordan, Arabic believers in Messiah were keeping the Sabbath, circumcising their children, and "governing their lives by the precepts of the Sermon on the Mount. They [also] looked for [Messiah] to return and reign for a thousand years."

The Armenian people of the East Indies is some of the strongest evidence to demonstrate that not all Gentiles forsook their Jewish roots. This community of Gentile followers of Yeshua were able to trace their history back to the bishops sent out from the first-century Antioch to preach the gospel to them. They remained isolated from the Roman Empire for 1,500 years and had never even heard of Roman Catholicism until their conquest by Catholic Portugal in the sixteenth century. In 1545, the Office of the Inquisition rooted out the Armenians’ "Jewish wickedness." This so-called "wickedness" derived from their faithful observance of Jewish Sabbath as taught by those sent from Antioch 1,500 years earlier.

326 C.E.Constantine, the self-proclaimed believer, ordered his son Crispus’ death, suffocated his wife Fausta in an overheated bath, and had his sister’s husband strangled.From this point on, most of Church history is a record of anti-Judaic decrees, doctrines, and practices. In addition, we find many compromises with paganism along with persecution of those who remained faithful to the true gospel. No longer would faith in Yeshua be viewed as an _expression of Judaism, but rather as a separate religion altogether.

329 C.E. Laws passed forbidding Jews to circumcise their children. The penalty was imposed on anyone who embraced the Jewish faith. Marriages between Jews and Christians were also forbidden under penalty of death.

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