“Was Jesus a Jew? Or was Jesus a Christian?” These are the first two questions I pose when leading workshops on the Jewish roots of Christianity. About half the hands go up for Jewish. More go up for Christian. Several for both. A few aren’t sure how to respond.
How would you respond? Does it matter?
Here’s the truth. Not only was Jesus Jewish but so were his closest disciples and almost all of his first followers. In fact, the whole movement was decidedly Jewish. It wasn’t until after his death that the movement spread to include many Gentiles. Well into the fourth century and in some places longer, Jewish followers of Jesus practiced Judaism, retaining their Jewish identity.
In this blog post, I will discuss how Jesus and his disciples were most aligned with the Pharisees of the time, and how their Jewish identity not only helped establish the origins of Christianity but also helped preserve the Jewish roots of the faith. I’ll also address the issues church leaders must attend to in order to uplift Jesus without condemning Jews.
1. Jesus the Pharisee
One of the most frequently misunderstood aspects of Jesus is his relationship with the Pharisees. In the Gospels, Jesus is often depicted arguing with the Pharisees, but the Pharisees were not the enemy of Jesus. The debates between Jesus and the Pharisees were vigorous discussions between colleagues about specific interpretations, beliefs, and practices of the Torah. In many ways, Jesus was very much aligned with this Jewish sect. His teachings and practices were deeply influenced by their teachings, including the Golden Rule.
So what were the Pharisees? They were a progressive lay movement that wanted “to renew and extend the observance of Jewish practice in society.” To increase people’s sensitivity to holiness, the Pharisees “made a fence around the law. In other words, they established behavioral boundaries around God’s commandments. That way, they could be sure of not sinning by refraining from what leads to sin. Like the Pharisees, Jesus was, at his very core, a reformer who cared about holiness.
2. Jesus and his Jewish Disciples
Not only was Jesus a Jew in good standing, but so were his disciples. They were all practicing Jews, following the traditions and customs of Judaism. The disciples continued to follow Jewish customs, such as Sabbath observance, even after the resurrection of Jesus. They knew that their faith in Jesus as Messiah did not require them to abandon the Jewish traditions of their forebears. Jesus had transformed their understanding of the Jewish faith, but their Jewish identity remained intact.
Even the way that Jesus instructed the disciples was entirely Jewish. For Jesus and other Torah teachers of his day, disciple-making was a hands-on venture that required one’s whole being. No wonder Jesus advised his students to count the cost of discipleship. It was steep! One scholar notes that this itinerant teacher/student form of learning was the ancient equivalent of postdoctoral work; disciples could only manage it for three years. After that, they would go back to a more normal life of fishing, or masonry. In Rabbi Jesus’ classroom, instruction was not removed, or academic. Rather it was intense, hands on learning.
3. The Early Jewish Christian Community
The early Christian community was predominantly Jewish, and Christianity was initially seen as a movement within Judaism. Jewish Christians continued to follow Jewish customs and traditions. There is evidence that some Jewish Christians continued to practice Judaism while believing in Jesus as the Messiah; this is part of the context behind the book of Hebrews.
The early Jewish Christians saw their faith as an extension of Judaism, not a replacement for it. Jesus and his disciples had made clear that Christianity was rooted in the same God worshiped by the Jews and was part of the same covenantal tradition. Unlike later Christian denominations, which began to distance themselves from Judaism, early Jewish Christians embraced the Scriptures and customs of their Jewish heritage while also honoring and venerating Jesus as Messiah and Lord.
4. The Jewish Roots of Christianity
Jesus was Jewish, and so were his followers. Christianity began as a Jewish movement, and its roots can still be seen today. The Jewish identity of Jesus and his disciples helps us understand the origins of Christianity and reminds us of our connections to Jewish traditions. As we move forward as Christians, we must strive to respect and honor the Jewish identity that Jesus and his disciples embodied.
Why it Matters that Jesus and His Followers were Jews
Today, many Christians forget the Jewish identity of both Jesus and his followers. That poses a problem that church leaders must attend to.
When Jesus is seen as a Christian who stood against Jews, especially Pharisees, it sets up an ugly “us vs. them” dynamic between Christians and Jews of today. If we forget that Jesus and his movement were primarily Jewish, then Jews become the enemy of Christianity, or those who must be converted to, or simply ignoramuses. These attitudes are dangerous. Violent anti-Semitism is on the rise worldwide. Hurting or killing Jews in the name of Jesus is the worst perversion of Christianity.
In the polarized world in which we live, loving one’s neighbor as oneself, which is both a Jewish and Christian teaching, means Christians are bound to respect, honor, and value Jews. Christian leaders can play a vital role in this expression of Jesus’ teaching.
Just as Jesus and the Pharisees sought renewal and reform, you may be that kind of leader, too. Check out our approach to renewal through Creating a Culture of Renewal®.
Adapted and excerpted from The Jew Named Jesus:Discover the Man and His Message, Rebekah Simon-Peter, 2013.
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