Gentile

As Gentile Christians of Jewish origin are referred to in the early church of the first century. Christians of Jewish tradition that time period are called Jewish Christians.

Origin of the Gentile Christians

Early Christianity consisted mainly of Christians of Jewish origin, the later so-called Jewish Christians. Jesus of Nazareth, his disciples and the early Christian communities in the region of Palestine were Jews, and lived as a fringe group in the tradition of Judaism.

Already in the first half of the first century is to assume that people from the Hellenistic culture found to faith in Jesus Christ. However, can not find any independent sources for this period. The propagation of the faith in Christ was made along the major roads of the Roman Empire, so that the big cities have been achieved in the first place. In the late 1st century increased proselytizing and was admitted and non- Jewish, pagan people of earliest Christianity, had no longer meet the Jewish dietary laws, purity and Shabbat commandments and the commandment of circumcision.

The previous religious affiliation of those people covered the wide range of the spread in the Roman Empire religions and philosophies. There were followers of the gods of Greek and Roman Pantheon or the ostpersischen Mithras cult. Philosophies of that time were, among others, Platonism, the sophistry and the Epicureans. The social affiliation of those people comprised mainly the wide range of marginalized groups, social underclass, slaves, disenfranchised, but also wealthy Roman widow and educated full citizens.

Debate with Judaism

Jewish Christians retained their Jewish traditions and regulations such as circumcision and the dietary laws.

Although Gentile Christians lived in proximity to Jewish religious centers, but most part had no practical connection to their Jewish customs. Therefore, the early church went through a phase of tension and division, on the question whether the Gentile Christians would have to respect the Jewish regulations. Specifically, the problem with the missionary journeys of Paul, in consequence of numerous Gentile Christian churches in Asia Minor was created.

This tension was resolved according to biblical tradition on a Apostolic Council in Jerusalem. Here was the position of Paul, were not subject to all the Jewish rules, according to Gentile Christians accepted. This was accompanied by the destruction of the Jewish polity in the 1st century by the Roman Empire and with the second Diaspora Judaism. The Pauline theology won general acceptance in the emerging Christianity that separated itself from Judaism. The last evidence of tensions between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians are found in the letters of Ignatius to the early 2nd century.

An independent Jewish Christianity lasted for some time. It is characterized by a Jewish belief that Jesus recognized as Messiah or the announced end-time prophets in the Old Testament, but not required, to worship the Lord Jesus as God, but only the one undivided God.

Differences to Judaism

Although Christianity originally herleitete from Judaism and the Mosaic tradition and a long time Jewish Christian incidental or undercurrent had and built the Jewish Bible as its own interpretation in Greek and Latin translation in their scriptures, the Christian faith with Judaism and the late antique remains Jewish Christianity incompatible. "Judaism, the incarnation of the deity refused most decidedly. " In addition, the " Judaism (...) Christian [ faith ] doctrine of God's Son ' always appeared as an irreconcilable contradiction with monotheism. " Also has " (...) not lifted strict monotheism of Judaism (...) the Holy Spirit to the deity ( the divine person). " this Gentile Christianity adopted the new faith to the three divine persons in their triune Godhead" (...) and is filled with the intent to save the unity of God. (...) Judaism teaches (...) in his writings the only God, the strictest monotheism. " Rather, faith is not itself a religious concept of Judaism.