Was this letter addressed only to Jewish Christians? Was there an internal split among the early first century Jewish Christians? Some Jewish Christians maintained that you had to be a Jew before you could become a Christian. Was there even a place for non-Jewish Christians in this new community of believers in Jesus Christ? The two factions were represented by James who emphasized the importance of the Jewish law, and Paul, who said that the Jewish law was no longer in effect. Peter kept the two groups together. As seen here in Hebrews, this new community of followers of Jesus Christ replaced Israel as God’s favorite. The old sacrifices were now useless with the new sacrifice of Jesus Christ taking its place. The Christian attitude towards Jews and Judaism has been formed from this letter to the Hebrews. The author of this work had not thought out the future implications of a new Israel versus the old Israel. Do you think that you have to be Jewish to be a follower of Jesus Christ?
Jewish Christians
Persecution (Lk 21:12-21:12)
“But before all this occurs,
They will arrest you.
They will persecute you.
They will hand you over
To synagogues
And prisons.
You will be brought
Before kings
And governors
Because of my name.”
πρὸ δὲ τούτων πάντων ἐπιβαλοῦσιν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ διώξουσιν, παραδιδόντες εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς καὶ φυλακάς, ἀπαγομένους ἐπὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἡγεμόνας ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός μου
Luke indicated that Jesus said that before all this occurred (πρὸ δὲ τούτων πάντων), they would arrest or lay hands on his disciples (ἐπιβαλοῦσιν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν). They would persecute them (καὶ διώξουσιν) and hand them over (παραδιδόντες) to the synagogues (εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς) and prisons (καὶ φυλακάς). They would be brought before kings (ἀπαγομένους ἐπὶ βασιλεῖς) and governors (καὶ ἡγεμόνας) because of the name of Jesus (ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός μου). There was something similar in Mark, chapter 13:9, and Matthew, chapter 24:9. Jesus said that his followers were going to be persecuted. Mark indicated that Jesus warned them that they should be self-aware (Βλέπετε δὲ ὑμεῖς ἑαυτούς). They would be handed over (παραδώσουσιν ὑμᾶς) to courts, councils, or synods (εἰς συνέδρια) and synagogues (καὶ εἰς συναγωγὰς), since some of the Jewish Christians were still part of Jewish social, political, and religious life. They would also be beaten (δαρήσεσθε). On the other hand, they would also have to stand before governors and kings (καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνων καὶ βασιλέων σταθήσεσθε) to give testimony as a witness to them about Jesus (ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς). This idea of the persecution of the Jesus followers was not a new theme for Matthew, because it was mentioned earlier in chapter 10:16-25, where Jesus was more reassuring, and chapter 16:24, where Jesus spoke about bearing the cross of death. Jesus said that his followers were going to be persecuted, distressed, or afflicted (τότε παραδώσουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς θλῖψιν), even though there was no mention of this taking place in the synagogues in Matthew. No doubt about it, they were going to be handed over to be tortured and put to death (καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν ὑμᾶς). They would be hated and detested (καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι) by all the gentile nations (ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν) because of his name (διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου). This was tough talk because it was not going to be easy to be a disciple of Jesus after he was gone. In the Acts of the Apostles, there are many instances of the early Christians being persecuted in prisons and being brought before various magistrates. Do you think it would be difficult to be persecuted because you were a Christian?
You will suffer (Mk 13:9-13:9)
“Beware!
For yourselves!
They will hand you over
To councils.
You will be beaten
In synagogues.
You will stand
Before governors
And kings
Because of me,
As a testimony
To them.”
Βλέπετε δὲ ὑμεῖς ἑαυτούς· παραδώσουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς συνέδρια καὶ εἰς συναγωγὰς δαρήσεσθε καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνων καὶ βασιλέων σταθήσεσθε ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς.
There is something similar in Matthew, chapter 10:17-18 and chapter 24:9, and in Luke, chapter 21:12-13, but there is nothing about death here in Mark. Jesus said that his followers were going to be persecuted or distressed. Mark indicated that the followers of Jesus should be aware about themselves (Βλέπετε δὲ ὑμεῖς ἑαυτούς). They would be handed over (παραδώσουσιν ὑμᾶς) to courts, councils, or synods (εἰς συνέδρια) and synagogues (καὶ εἰς συναγωγὰς), since some of the Jewish Christians were still part of Jewish social, political, and religious life. They would also be beaten (δαρήσεσθε). On the other hand, they would also have to stand before gentile governors and gentile kings (καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνων καὶ βασιλέων σταθήσεσθε) to give testimony as a witness to them about Jesus (ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς). This was tough talk, because it was not going to be easy to be a disciple follower of Jesus after he was gone.
The stolen body story spread (Mt 28:15-28:15)
“Thus,
They took the money.
They did
As they were directed.
This story
Is still told
Among the Jews
To this day.”
οἱ δὲ λαβόντες ἀργύρια ἐποίησαν ὡς ἐδιδάχθησαν. Καὶ διεφημίσθη ὁ λόγος οὗτος παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας.
This is unique to Matthew. He said that these custodian guards or soldiers took the money (οἱ δὲ λαβόντες ἀργύρια). They did as the Jewish leaders had directed or instructed them to do (ἐποίησαν ὡς ἐδιδάχθησαν). These guards explained that the disciples of Jesus had stolen the body of Jesus while they were asleep. Matthew then remarked that this story was spread all over and being told among Jewish people (Καὶ διεφημίσθη ὁ λόγος οὗτος παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις) right up to the day that he was writing this gospel in the 2nd half of the first century, some 30-40 years later or the present day (μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας). Obviously, this was a slap at the Jews who had not become Jewish Christians.
The mouth speaks from the heart (Mt 15:18-15:20)
“But what comes out
Of the mouth
Proceeds from the heart.
This is what defiles a man.
Out of the heart
Come
Evil thoughts,
Murder,
Adultery,
Fornication,
Theft,
False witness,
And slander.
These are what
Defile a man.
But to eat
With unwashed hands
Does not defile a man.”
τὰ δὲ ἐκπορευόμενα ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχεται, κἀκεῖνα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον.
ἐκ γὰρ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχονται διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί, φόνοι, μοιχεῖαι, πορνεῖαι, κλοπαί, ψευδομαρτυρίαι, βλασφημίαι.
ταῦτά ἐστιν τὰ κοινοῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον· τὸ δὲ ἀνίπτοις χερσὶν φαγεῖν οὐ κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον.
There is something similar to this in Mark, chapter 6:20-23. Jesus indicated that the true defilement was what came out of a person’s mouth, not what went into it. He clearly explained defilement. What came out of the mouth (τὰ δὲ ἐκπορευόμενα ἐκ τοῦ στόματος) proceeded from the heart (ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχεται). That is what defiled a man (κἀκεῖνα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον). Out of the heart came (ἐκ γὰρ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχονται) such things as evil or wicked thoughts, plots or deliberations (διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί), murders or killings (φόνοι), adulteries (μοιχεῖαι), sexual immoralities, fornication or pornography (πορνεῖαι), theft (κλοπαί), false witness or false testimony (ψευδομαρτυρίαι), and slander, abusive language, or blasphemy (βλασφημίαι). These were the things that defiled a man or person (ταῦτά ἐστιν τὰ κοινοῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον). You can clearly see what Jesus, his disciples, and the early Christian community considered as sins or defilements that made a person unclean. But to eat with unwashed hands did not defile a man (δὲ ἀνίπτοις χερσὶν φαγεῖν οὐ κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον) or make him unclean. Notice that there is no mention of any unclean foods as in Mark. Perhaps the Jewish Christians around Matthew still held to Jewish dietary laws.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 