Jews and Gentiles: Law and Early Christianity
As Christianity surfaced, it was adhered to not as a religion other than Judaism but rather as a continuation of Judaism where adherents believed Jesus to be the promised Jewish Messiah whose birth, life, death, and resurrection bring forth salvation to Israel and a light for the Gentile nations. Thus, early Christians, most of whom were of a Jewish descent, welcomed Gentiles to join the fold of God. At the core of the Christian faith is the celebration of the Eucharistic meal, the consecrated bread and wine that become truly and mystically the body and blood of Christ. The struggle then hinged on how Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians can share a single meal without Jewish Christians necessarily breaking their Kashrut laws.
Cleansing the Unclean: God’s Infinite Presence Through the Cross
St. Paul teaches us that “we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews…” (1 Corinthians 1:23). Crucifixion is a stumbling block as the Law proclaims, “anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (Deuteronomy 21:23).
The Twofold Passover
Eastern Christians typically refer to the celebration of the Resurrection as Pascha rather than Easter. The Greek term pascha is derived from the Hebrew pesach meaning Passover. The term Pascha is employed differently across Eastern Christian traditions.
Baptismal Robes: Life and Death in Christ
On a ride with a friend, he inquired “why do we put on white baptismal robes after we are baptized?” I pondered a bit then began answering him. This post you are about to read is a more polished version of my answer to her.
Holy Week Readings
In most Orthodox Churches, an expectation to read the four Gospels during Holy Week has become the standard. In the Coptic Orthodox Church, an added expectation of reading Psalms on Good Friday emerged. This should not come as a surprise. Jewish mourners often read Psalms between the time of an individual’s death and their burial. […]
Shouts
On Palm Sunday, the multitudes shouted “Hosanna! Save us, O Son of David!” (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:9-10; Luke 19:38; John 12:13). They were receiving the heavenly King as though He was an earthly king. In their minds, this Passover may well be the last one under Roman occupation as the new king, the Messiah, will […]