Source: “The Parting Of The Gods: Paul And The Redefinition Of Judaism**”**, By David Allen Brondos, 2021
This podcast explores the complex process by which early communities of Christ-believers began to define themselves, moving beyond traditional Jewish understandings of "God's people." It highlights that Paul's gospel challenged the notion that God's chosen status was exclusive to circumcised Jews, extending it to uncircumcised Gentiles who faithfully believed in Christ. The text details the significant social and practical challenges that arose from the integration of Jews and Gentiles into a single community, especially concerning shared meals and traditional customs like circumcision, emphasizing Paul's insistence on unity and equality within the ekklesia, where distinctions based on ethnicity or social status were to be overcome by mutual love. Ultimately, the source argues that these communities, by embracing a "new covenant" in Christ and living by the "law of Christ," developed a distinct identity that, while not necessarily replacing Israel, became a "third entity" defined by shared faith and love, often leading to tensions and a "parting of the ways" with the broader Jewish community.
Topic 1: Israel's Unique Status and God's Enduring Covenant In ancient Jewish thought, Israel was uniquely chosen by God to be His special and treasured possession among all peoples of the world. This status was believed to be unalterable; even if God subjected His people to suffering or exile to purify them of sin, He would never entirely reject or definitively abandon them. Central to this relationship was the conviction that the covenant God made with Israel, and the commandments given in the Torah, were unique and irreplaceable. The terms of this covenant were straightforward: God would relate specially to Israel to bring about blessings and well-being, while Israel was to live in obedience to the Torah's instructions. The Torah's commandments were understood to promote the well-being of all, and God's discipline for disobedience was aimed at restoring His people to obedience for their own good. The Torah also served to distinguish Israel from other nations, mandating practices like male circumcision. While circumcision was a sign of Israel's identity as God's people, it was not thought to make one righteous in itself; true distinction came from practicing justice and righteousness from the heart. Importantly, physical descent from Jacob was not the sole criterion for belonging to Israel; throughout history, people from other nations could become part of God's people by fully submitting to the Torah, a practice known as proselytism. However, the definition of who truly belonged to Israel was complex and debated even among Jews, often becoming a semantic issue, as seen in the idea that "not all who are of Israel are Israel."
Topic 2: Paul's Proclamation of Gentile Inclusion in God's People Paul's gospel introduced a radical concept: uncircumcised gentiles, by living faithfully as members of the community of believers in Christ, could achieve the same righteous status in God's eyes that faithful Jews traditionally believed was exclusively theirs as God's chosen people. This proclamation inherently raised questions about whether only those physically part of Israel could be considered God's people. While Paul did not explicitly state that uncircumcised, non-Torah-observant gentiles were full members of Israel in the traditional sense, he unequivocally affirmed that gentile believers in Christ were called and chosen by God and were, in some meaningful sense, His people. Through faith in Christ, these gentiles became children of God and children of Abraham. Furthermore, they joined with Jewish believers in Christ to form a single community that was distinct from the larger Jewish community, primarily defined by their adherence to Christ as Lord. This new community challenged established norms regarding who constituted God's people and how that identity was defined.
Topic 3: The Concept of a "New Covenant" in Ancient Thought and Paul's View The phrase "new covenant" appears in ancient Jewish writings primarily in the book of Jeremiah and the Damascus Document from Qumran. In Jeremiah, God promises a new covenant with Israel and Judah, distinct from the broken Sinai covenant, where His law would be internalized and sins forgiven. The Qumran community also spoke of a "new covenant in the land of Damascus," but this was not depicted as replacing an "old" one; instead, it centered on Torah observance and was instituted by people who chose to join, possibly referring to a renewed capacity for obedience based on the community's interpretation of the Torah. For Paul, the concept of a new covenant, though mentioned infrequently, held significant implications. While he did not necessarily see it as a complete displacement of earlier covenants, like the one with Moses, he understood Christ as establishing a distinct covenant in His blood at the Last Supper. This new covenant defined a new way of relating to God, not solely through the Mosaic law, but through the "law of Christ" and His love. Believers in Christ, both Jewish and gentile, understood themselves to be living under this distinct covenant, marked by baptism and participation in the Lord's Supper, which set them apart from Jews who did not identify as believers. For Jewish believers, living under the new covenant did not necessarily mean abandoning the Mosaic law but redefining its observance in light of their faith in Christ.
Topic 4: Practical Challenges to Full Fellowship within the Community of Believers Establishing and overseeing mixed communities of Jewish and gentile believers presented numerous practical difficulties for figures like Paul. Beyond religious, social, and cultural differences, the fact that Jewish believers continued to live in accordance with the Torah while gentiles did not made full fellowship, especially shared meals (table fellowship), challenging. Issues arose with food preparation, ensuring kosher standards for Jewish members, and the purity of utensils. If Jewish customs were strictly followed, gentiles couldn't supply or prepare meat easily, or they might feel deprived of showing hospitality. Meeting places also posed problems; a synagogue might alienate gentiles, while a private home might make non-household members uncomfortable or upset unbelieving family members. A significant challenge was the natural tendency for people to associate with those of their own social and ethnic background, leading to divisions even during communal meals, as observed in Corinth. For full fellowship, both groups needed to make concessions and consciously interact, even if it meant criticism from their families, friends, and wider communities who saw the new community as a threat to the status quo. These interactions often forced believers to prioritize their new identity in Christ over previous ethnic or social affiliations.
Topic 5: The Role and Significance of Circumcision for Believers in Christ Paul never viewed physical circumcision negatively, recognizing its value for Jews who observed the law. He spoke of two kinds of circumcision: physical and "of the heart," the latter emphasizing the inner righteousness that should accompany the outward sign. However, Paul strongly insisted that gentile believers in Christ should not seek or undergo physical circumcision. This stance was not because he viewed Jewish practices as legalistic or believed gentiles must remain gentiles for eschatological reasons. Instead, Paul's concern was primarily practical and theological. Practically, requiring circumcision would drastically limit gentile conversions due to the painful nature of the procedure. Theologically, if uncircumcised gentile believers already possessed spiritual circumcision in God's sight through faith, undergoing physical circumcision would be senseless. It would imply that uncircumcised believers were somehow lacking or inferior, creating a hierarchy within the community based on physical observance rather than shared faith. Paul vehemently opposed such distinctions, asserting that physical circumcision did not confer superiority or affect one's standing with God or within the community of believers. His gospel emphasized that all believers, circumcised or uncircumcised, were equal in Christ and should accept each other fully, without favoritism or division based on external markers.
Topic 6: The Emerging Identity of Believers as a Distinct "Third Entity" As Jewish and gentile believers formed a unified community based on their adherence to Christ, they inevitably began to be perceived, and to perceive themselves, as a distinct "third entity." This group was neither entirely Jewish nor entirely non-Jewish, as both unbelieving Jews and gentiles often regarded some members of the ekklesia as outsiders to their respective groups. The community of believers was defined by a shared commitment to Christ as Lord and to living out the radical love He exemplified. This new identity often meant that believers had to prioritize their identity as followers of Christ over any other pre-existing ethnic, social, or family affiliations. While Paul continued to recognize distinctions like Jew/Gentile, slave/free, male/female within the ekklesia, he insisted that these distinctions should not cause division or hinder full fellowship and equal acceptance. The commitment to this primary identity as a believer, often sealed through baptism, was considered definitive and uncompromising, signifying a full giving of oneself to the community. Over time, this distinct identity led to the community of believers needing its own name, eventually being referred to as "Christians," distinguishing them further from both Jewish and other communities.
Topic 7: Paul's Understanding of the Relationship between Israel and the Ekklesia Paul consistently referred to "Israel" as his kinspeople according to the flesh, often contrasting them with gentile believers. He never stated or implied that the ekklesia superseded or replaced Israel as God's chosen people. Rather, the ekklesia included both Jews and gentiles, meaning it did not stand in opposition to Israel but rather contained a segment of it. Paul introduced the complex idea that "not all who are of Israel are Israel," suggesting a distinction between a "true Israel" (presumably Jewish believers in Christ) and the larger Jewish community. He used the imagery of an olive tree to explain how some "natural branches" (Jews) had been cut off due due to unbelief, while "wild branches" (gentile believers) were grafted in. However, he maintained hope that "all Israel" would eventually be saved, implying a future reincorporation of those Jewish branches that had been cut off. This indicates that even those Jews who did not believe in Christ were still considered part of Israel in some sense, and Paul expected their eventual salvation. The ekklesia, while distinct, was seen as existing alongside Israel, with gentiles joining Israel in worshipping God rather than becoming Israel themselves, ultimately envisioning a unified people of God composed of both Jews and gentiles.
Topic 8: Conflicts Between Early Believers and the Wider Jewish Community Paul's letters suggest several instances of conflict between the nascent community of believers in Christ and the wider Jewish community. He alluded to needing deliverance from "disobedient" Jews in Judea, and recounted being scourged five times in synagogues and once stoned. These persecutions often stemmed from the Jewish community's disciplinary actions. While the exact reasons for these conflicts were complex and varied, it is unlikely that they were solely due to Jewish believers disregarding the Law or simply accepting gentiles, as most Jews accepted that the Torah was given primarily to Israel and many did not view interaction with gentiles as inherently problematic as long as their own Torah observance was not compromised. However, the unique nature of the new community, particularly its inclusion of uncircumcised gentiles on equal terms, was a significant point of contention. The emergence of believers as a distinct entity, especially when they sought their own meeting places or held separate activities like baptisms and the Lord's Supper, inevitably led to a "parting of the ways" with the established Jewish community.
Topic 9: Underlying Theological and Social Causes of Conflict and Division Beyond practical issues, deeper theological and social factors fueled tensions between early believers and the wider Jewish community. A major point of controversy was the claim that uncircumcised gentiles could achieve a righteous status before God equal to that of law-observant Jews, and even more so, the potential claim that these gentile believers were more acceptable to God than Jews who did not believe in Christ, which would implicitly demote the Torah. This challenged traditional distinctions based on the Torah and pressured unbelieving Jews to decide whether to accept these gentiles as equals, risking a perceived abandonment of their own customs. When Jewish believers entered into full fellowship with uncircumcised gentiles, it forced a difficult choice: whether to prioritize loyalty to fellow Jews or to fellow believers in Christ. Conflicting truth claims were also central: believers proclaimed a God who had raised Jesus, distinct from the traditional Jewish understanding, and asserted Jesus's authority above the Torah. Furthermore, proclaiming a crucified man as Messiah, King, or Lord was inherently problematic and politically dangerous. Such a message, particularly if spread to gentiles, could be seen as subversive by Roman authorities and might risk reprisals against the entire Jewish community, prompting them to distance themselves from the new movement, even if amicably.
Topic 10: Paul's Passionate Defense of Unity and Love in the Community of Believers Paul's intense emotional responses, particularly his anger in letters like Galatians and Philippians, are best understood as a passionate defense of the core values of the community of believers in Christ. He was not concerned with "getting the script wrong" regarding eschatological roles for Jews and gentiles, but rather with the destructive divisions and distinctions being introduced within the ekklesia. His criticisms of those he called "dogs" or "mutilators" stemmed from their actions, which he saw as undermining the gospel of love, mutual acceptance, and solidarity. For Paul, the community founded by Christ was meant to be one where Jews and gentiles lived in full fellowship, affection, and compassion, united in mind and spirit, prioritizing the interests of others over selfishness. Any attempt to introduce hierarchies or privileged statuses based on physical circumcision or law-observance directly contradicted this foundational principle of Christ's sacrifice. Paul even describes his former zealous life as a Pharisee as "loss" or "rubbish" in comparison to knowing Christ, because in Christ he found the possibility of establishing a community defined by unconditional love and radical equality, which he believed was everything Christ had lived and died for.