In understanding the Jewish foundations of the Christian faith most people recognize that the First Testament is very Jewish. Many even think that the Second Testament is a Gentile book and not very Jewish at all.
But let’s put this in perspective.
The First Testament and the Second Testament are actually two halves of exactly the same book and if you want to understand the Second Testament you first need to understand the First Testament.
In Gentile minds they believe that the Second Testament supersedes the First Testament, but this is not the case. What most people don’t understand is that the Second Testament is so unbelievably Jewish. If you push a Gentile mind into something that is inherently Jewish at every level, they can come up with some unfortunate understandings or interpretations. Although this is not deliberate on their part, it was deliberate in the early centuries in men’s attempts to severing its Jewish connection.
The Second Testament was written entirely by Jews. Most biblical scholars that read the New Testament understand it was written entirely by Jews and for the Jews. The writers themselves wrote with Jewish or Hebrew understanding and the historical framework of the original writers had written from was from the framework of Judaism.
The first four books of the Second Testament called the Gospels is completely written to a Jewish audience and it’s about Jewish history as it was unfolding. These were the eyewitness testimonies of what was happening in Judaea, the home of the Jews, to the Jewish people. It mentions the despots or occupying forces of the Romans and Herod who were oppressing the Jewish people.
The Second Testament is also a book about fulfilled prophecy. Most people when they read the Second Testament don’t realize how many times the Second Testament is referencing the First Testament.
The writers of the Second Testament could not look up Matthew or take a quote from apostle Paul out of Colossians because they only had the First Testament to reference, and they were filled with prophecy. Jesus Himself referenced and quoted the First Testament speaking about their prophets out of the books of Moses and Daniel and Jonah and others. When Jesus was asked a question, He took the person back to the First Testament. He wasn’t coming up with something new but firmly and solidly answered all questions by referencing the First Testament writings.
Jesus was always quoting the First Covenant. Jesus was addressing a Jewish audience in the sermon on the Mount by bring up the First Testament writings by saying, “You have heard it said…” or “It is written…” then He’d quote the passage relevant to His response in answer to the question.
Another fact is the Second Testament was written in the language of the Jews. We have the Second Covenant Scriptures written in Greek because they were living at a time when the culture was Greek and Hellenistic but the Jews themselves spoke Aramaic and Hebrew. So, even if they were speaking in Greek they were still talking about Hebrew and Jewish concepts and principles and traditions.
The language they used was the language of the Jewish people. The Second Testament is a book of Jews dealing with Jews. You had the Jewish believers that were dealing with antagonism of the religious Jewish leaders who had rejected Messiah. There were also Jewish believers dealing with issues of a growing Church and how the Holy Spirit was moving. For instance, such as when Gentile believers started wanting to join the Church and the question of whether or not they had to become Jews and circumcised. Even when Paul preached to his Jewish brethren and said, “I am going to go to the Gentiles” everywhere he traveled he went to the synagogue first and he preached to the Jews out of their Law that this Jesus was their Messiah and Redeemer and King.
The Second Testament is a book about Jewish history. Everything that unfolded in their present time always reflected to the First Covenant and the history of the Jewish people. In Corinthians Paul speaks about their forefathers and their wandering in the wilderness and their rebelliousness and concludes all of that happening was for your learning.
When you read through Revelation it is referring to history future not just history of the world but directly how it will affect the Jewish people. Most people just don’t realize how Jewish Revelation is. It talks about the Temple and the various practices going on there.
James, the apostle to the Jews, also talks about Jewish history and directly addresses his epistle to the “twelve tribes scattered abroad” which was true for the Jews had been living far and wide in Gentile lands as a result of the Diaspora and exile and conquest by first the Assyrians and then the Babylonians. When Jesus sent the apostles out in Acts 1 He sent them out to take a message to the twelve tribe descendants that Israel’s Messiah, Redeemer, and King had come and that God had kept His Promise in fulfilling every prophecy up to that time and with a message directly from God.
The book of Hebrew also explains so much of Temple practices and principles and Jewish history written to the Jews (Hebrews) and the relevance of all the symbolism of Judaism with the covenants, the promises, and their Law. All of it explained in Christ.
Peter, James, and John, all three known apostles to the Jews write to the Jews and on many subjects going directly to the effect the Messiah and Christ had brought upon them with His arrival and what it meant to Israel living at that time. Paul’s letters to the various Jewish churches in Asia Minor speaks directly to his Jewish brethren on many issues confronting their new faith in Messiah and how it was to play out in their daily lives.
But let’s put this in perspective.
The First Testament and the Second Testament are actually two halves of exactly the same book and if you want to understand the Second Testament you first need to understand the First Testament.
In Gentile minds they believe that the Second Testament supersedes the First Testament, but this is not the case. What most people don’t understand is that the Second Testament is so unbelievably Jewish. If you push a Gentile mind into something that is inherently Jewish at every level, they can come up with some unfortunate understandings or interpretations. Although this is not deliberate on their part, it was deliberate in the early centuries in men’s attempts to severing its Jewish connection.
The Second Testament was written entirely by Jews. Most biblical scholars that read the New Testament understand it was written entirely by Jews and for the Jews. The writers themselves wrote with Jewish or Hebrew understanding and the historical framework of the original writers had written from was from the framework of Judaism.
The first four books of the Second Testament called the Gospels is completely written to a Jewish audience and it’s about Jewish history as it was unfolding. These were the eyewitness testimonies of what was happening in Judaea, the home of the Jews, to the Jewish people. It mentions the despots or occupying forces of the Romans and Herod who were oppressing the Jewish people.
The Second Testament is also a book about fulfilled prophecy. Most people when they read the Second Testament don’t realize how many times the Second Testament is referencing the First Testament.
The writers of the Second Testament could not look up Matthew or take a quote from apostle Paul out of Colossians because they only had the First Testament to reference, and they were filled with prophecy. Jesus Himself referenced and quoted the First Testament speaking about their prophets out of the books of Moses and Daniel and Jonah and others. When Jesus was asked a question, He took the person back to the First Testament. He wasn’t coming up with something new but firmly and solidly answered all questions by referencing the First Testament writings.
Jesus was always quoting the First Covenant. Jesus was addressing a Jewish audience in the sermon on the Mount by bring up the First Testament writings by saying, “You have heard it said…” or “It is written…” then He’d quote the passage relevant to His response in answer to the question.
Another fact is the Second Testament was written in the language of the Jews. We have the Second Covenant Scriptures written in Greek because they were living at a time when the culture was Greek and Hellenistic but the Jews themselves spoke Aramaic and Hebrew. So, even if they were speaking in Greek they were still talking about Hebrew and Jewish concepts and principles and traditions.
The language they used was the language of the Jewish people. The Second Testament is a book of Jews dealing with Jews. You had the Jewish believers that were dealing with antagonism of the religious Jewish leaders who had rejected Messiah. There were also Jewish believers dealing with issues of a growing Church and how the Holy Spirit was moving. For instance, such as when Gentile believers started wanting to join the Church and the question of whether or not they had to become Jews and circumcised. Even when Paul preached to his Jewish brethren and said, “I am going to go to the Gentiles” everywhere he traveled he went to the synagogue first and he preached to the Jews out of their Law that this Jesus was their Messiah and Redeemer and King.
The Second Testament is a book about Jewish history. Everything that unfolded in their present time always reflected to the First Covenant and the history of the Jewish people. In Corinthians Paul speaks about their forefathers and their wandering in the wilderness and their rebelliousness and concludes all of that happening was for your learning.
When you read through Revelation it is referring to history future not just history of the world but directly how it will affect the Jewish people. Most people just don’t realize how Jewish Revelation is. It talks about the Temple and the various practices going on there.
James, the apostle to the Jews, also talks about Jewish history and directly addresses his epistle to the “twelve tribes scattered abroad” which was true for the Jews had been living far and wide in Gentile lands as a result of the Diaspora and exile and conquest by first the Assyrians and then the Babylonians. When Jesus sent the apostles out in Acts 1 He sent them out to take a message to the twelve tribe descendants that Israel’s Messiah, Redeemer, and King had come and that God had kept His Promise in fulfilling every prophecy up to that time and with a message directly from God.
The book of Hebrew also explains so much of Temple practices and principles and Jewish history written to the Jews (Hebrews) and the relevance of all the symbolism of Judaism with the covenants, the promises, and their Law. All of it explained in Christ.
Peter, James, and John, all three known apostles to the Jews write to the Jews and on many subjects going directly to the effect the Messiah and Christ had brought upon them with His arrival and what it meant to Israel living at that time. Paul’s letters to the various Jewish churches in Asia Minor speaks directly to his Jewish brethren on many issues confronting their new faith in Messiah and how it was to play out in their daily lives.