Source: “The Parting Of The Gods: Paul And The Redefinition Of Judaism**”**, By David Allen Brondos, 2021
This podcast explores diverse Jewish understandings of God's intentions for Judaism during the Second Temple period, highlighting various perspectives from reaffirming and reinforcing traditional practices to calls for reforming, restoring, redeeming, radicalizing, or even revolutionizing the faith. It particularly contrasts these views with the Apostle Paul's unique vision, arguing that Paul did not seek to replace or abolish Judaism but rather to resignify it around Christ. For Paul, the continued observance of the Torah by Jewish believers was crucial because it pointed to Christ as its fulfillment and served as a means of edifying both Jewish and gentile believers, showcasing how the law found its ultimate meaning and purpose in him. Ultimately, Paul believed that through Christ, God would bring about the promised righteousness, thereby transforming Judaism without discarding its foundational elements.
Topic 1: Diverse Visions for Judaism in the Second Temple Period During the Second Temple period, Jewish communities harbored a vast array of understandings concerning God's intentions for the Jewish people and the practice of Judaism. This diversity was so profound that it often led to intense debates and even conflict among Jews. Different groups, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and various unnamed "philosophies," along with followers of prominent teachers like Hillel and Shammai or charismatic leaders, each held distinct views. For example, some believed God desired armed resistance against Rome, while others advocated submission. Some felt compelled to withdraw to the desert, while others supported assimilation into non-Jewish populations. These differing interpretations of God's will for Judaism meant that in a profound sense, these groups could be seen as believing in "different Gods," each with a unique vision for what Judaism should become.
Topic 2: The Reaffirmation and Reinforcement of Judaism A significant portion of Jews in antiquity aimed to reaffirm Judaism by faithfully living according to the Mosaic law. This involved regular synagogue attendance, circumcising infant sons, raising children in the Jewish faith, adhering to dietary and purity laws, offering prayers, celebrating holy days, and participating in sacrificial worship at the Jerusalem temple during festivals or pilgrimages. While minor differences in interpreting the law existed, they generally did not prevent communal gathering. Beyond mere reaffirmation, some Jews actively sought to reinforce Judaism. Groups like the Pharisees, for instance, aimed to persuade their fellow Jews to adopt stricter interpretations and practices of the Torah, encouraging greater piety and devotion. This reinforcement could involve legislative authority through bodies like the Sanhedrin or simply peaceful encouragement.
Topic 3: Calls for Reform within Judaism For certain Jewish thinkers, simply reaffirming or reinforcing existing Jewish practices was insufficient; they believed God desired a fundamental reformation of Judaism. This involved advocating for significant changes in how Judaism was practiced or structured. John the Baptist, for instance, urged Jews to go beyond mere literal observance of the Torah, calling for a deeper living out of its principles and prescribing practices like baptism, which were not explicitly commanded but arguably grounded in the Torah. Other calls for reform included changes in Torah interpretation, adjustments to the sacrificial worship at the Jerusalem temple, or even demands to replace corrupt high priests with more deserving individuals. There were also proposals to alter how Jewish authorities interacted with the Roman rulers, ranging from less tolerance to more aggressive resistance. All these reformers shared the conviction that God was displeased with the current state of Judaism and called for substantial changes.
Topic 4: The Longing for Restoration of Israel and Judaism Many Jews held the belief that the practice of Judaism and the Torah had become corrupted over time and needed to be restored to an earlier, purer form. This longing often manifested as a desire for the "restoration of Israel," which could be understood in various ways—from a return to the glorious days of Israel under King David and Solomon, to achieving a paradisiacal state reminiscent of the time before Adam and Eve's sin. Regardless of the specific vision, this concept inherently critiqued the prevailing conditions of foreign domination, suffering, and oppression. The core conviction was that for God's promises to be fulfilled, His people needed liberation from foreign rule and a return to living precisely as God commanded in the Torah. While the restoration of Israel was not yet believed to have occurred in Jesus' day, it was understood that this would inevitably involve the restoration of Judaism itself, ensuring that God's people would once again fully practice His mandated way of life.
Topic 5: The Hope for Redemption and a New Age Closely related to restoration, yet distinct, was the Jewish hope for redemption. While restoration implies a return to a previous state, redemption signified a liberation that would usher in something entirely new—a "new age" unlike anything Israel or humanity had ever experienced. Hopes for this new era varied widely, from a radical transformation of all creation to the advent of a Davidic Messiah. Some anticipated a period of great tribulation, or the resurrection of the dead and a final judgment, preceding this redemption. A crucial aspect of this belief was the understanding that Israel's redemption from external oppression (including potentially from spiritual forces like the devil) was inextricably linked to its redemption from sinful behavior. It was often believed that God would act to enable His people's obedience by creating new hearts, writing His law upon them, and pouring out His Spirit, as prophesied in ancient texts, or by forgiving past sins and establishing a new covenant.
Topic 6: Radical and Revolutionary Approaches to Judaism For some Jews, the existing forms of Judaism were simply not radical enough to align with God's will. This radicalism could manifest as an active struggle against Roman oppressors and even against fellow Jews perceived as collaborators, as seen with groups like the Sicarii who believed it was God's will to execute some of these individuals. Another form of radicalism involved extreme Torah-observance, such as the Essenes' practice of selling all possessions and withdrawing to live in desert communities, which was considered extremist by the majority. Beyond radicalism, some Jews longed for a "revolutionized" form of Judaism, anticipating a total upheaval of the world order leading to a fundamentally different political, social, economic, and religious system. This could involve the replacement of the existing Jerusalem temple with a new, eschatological temple, or even the expectation that God would provide a new or revised version of the Torah to supersede the current one, making a drastically altered Judaism a reality.
Topic 7: The Preservation of Status Quo and Relaxation of Observance A distinct vision for Judaism, termed "refrigerated," aimed to preserve the status quo. This was often advocated by the Jewish elite who collaborated with the Romans, such as the chief priests and Sadducees. Their objective was to prevent any social or political unrest that could disrupt their favored position, which benefited immensely from the existing system of temple wealth and dealings with Rome. They actively promoted obedience to Roman rule and peaceful participation in temple worship, rejecting ideas like the resurrection of the dead because such beliefs could incite rebellion and instability. Conversely, some Jews, especially in the diaspora, found themselves adopting a "relaxed" form of Judaism. This was often driven by a desire to assimilate, avoid discrimination or persecution, or due to practical limitations posed by their occupations or living environments that made strict law observance impossible. They might participate in gentile rites, or even equate Israel's God with other deities, believing God understood their circumstances and prioritized moral living over rigid adherence to specific laws.
Topic 8: The Idea of Judaism Being Replaced While most Jews fiercely resisted attempts to replace Judaism, some individuals or small groups may have considered the possibility that God desired the Torah to be set aside entirely for another set of laws, perhaps temporarily or in specific contexts, particularly if it improved relations with foreign powers. This could even involve accepting the worship of other deities alongside, or in place of, Israel's God, especially if they identified Israel's God with the deities worshipped by non-Jews. Historically, the Christian idea of "supersessionism"—that the church or Christianity has replaced Judaism—emerged, but early believers likely did not conceive of it this way, as their community was not seen as replacing Israel as a people. However, within Judaism itself, the question of "who constitutes the true Israel" was a continuous debate. It is plausible that the first Jewish believers in Christ believed their form of Judaism was the "truest" or most correct, and in that sense, might have seen it as superseding other forms, much like certain Dead Sea Scrolls communities viewed themselves as the only true Israel.
Topic 9: Paul's Redefinition of Judaism around Christ Paul's understanding of God's vision for Judaism was fundamentally different from the various contemporary Jewish perspectives. For Paul, Judaism was not to be replaced or merely relaxed; rather, it needed to be "redefined by being resignified around Christ as the Son of him whom Israel had always called 'God'." This meant that Jewish believers in Christ were encouraged to continue observing the Torah and living as Jews, not because such observance was necessary for salvation or justification (which came through faith in Christ), but because by doing so, they would point both themselves and others to Christ. In Paul's view, Christ was the fulfillment, purpose, and meaning of the Torah. This redefinition allowed Judaism to continue to serve God's purpose of bringing to pass His ancient promises by directing people to Christ.
Topic 10: Paul's Reinterpretation of Torah Observance and Sacrifice Paul maintained that Torah observance, though not a means to salvation, was intrinsically good and beneficial for well-being. Crucially, he believed the law pointed to Christ as its fulfillment. He employed a typological interpretation, seeing past events and commandments (like the Passover sacrifice, the cleansing out of leaven, or the rock providing water in the desert) as prefiguring what God would accomplish through Christ. Thus, for Jewish believers, continued observance of the Torah allowed them to reread and reinterpret these practices in light of Christ, finding new, deeper meanings. Paul likely encouraged Jewish believers to continue observing the Torah, viewing it as a divine command for all generations. Moreover, he argued that ceasing such observance would scandalize other Jews and demonstrate a lack of love, implying a disparagement of the law. Similarly, Paul's extensive use of sacrificial imagery suggests he believed Jewish believers should continue participating in Jerusalem temple worship. He reinterpreted these rituals, such as those of Yom Kippur, seeing the high priest's actions as prefiguring Christ's redemptive work, and connecting sacrificial offerings to Christ's death as the means through which God now offered redemption, forgiveness, and righteousness to all nations.