Thursday 03 February 2022
- Bible Book:
- Matthew
'For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.' (v. 18)
Background
The first followers of Jesus were Jews. There was no clear dividing line between Christianity and Judaism in the first two or three centuries after Jesus Christ. Scholars suggest that it is more helpful to think during this period of different Jewish groups with different beliefs about Jesus, rather than two different religions.
A key issue for the earliest Christians was their relationship with the Jewish law. Should the followers of Jesus continue to observe the requirements of the law or did their belief in Jesus as Messiah mean that the law was no longer relevant to them? The conversion of Gentiles (non-Jews) to Christianity increased the urgency of these questions: should these new converts be subject to Jewish requirements, such as dietary laws and circumcision? The Book of Acts makes clear that Christians disagreed about these questions.
This part of the Sermon on the Mount needs to be read in the context of this disagreement. Matthew’s Gospel is usually thought to be written for a predominantly Jewish audience. Alongside recording teachings of Jesus that suggest a new understanding of religious obligations, Matthew includes words of Jesus emphasising the continued relevance of Jewish law for followers of Jesus.
The relationship between Judaism and Christianity is a crucial issue for churches today. Christian teachings have inspired and justified antisemitic attitudes and appalling examples of abuse of Jews over centuries, culminating in the Holocaust. Inter-religious dialogue since the Holocaust has sought to identify where Christian churches need to rethink and rework their thought and practice in order to avoid perpetuating antisemitism.
To Ponder:
- How does it change your understanding of the Early Church to consider it as one of a number of different interpretations of Judaism?
- Are you aware of New Testament passages that portray Jews negatively?
- How might recalling the Jewishness of Jesus and his first followers contribute to better understanding between Christians and Jews?