A key concept introduced is the "parting of the Gods." Early followers of Jesus, including Paul, came to understand God fundamentally in relation to Jesus Christ as His Son. This was a distinct understanding from that of other Jews, who would not have recognized God as having sent, resurrected, or exalted Jesus in this manner. This perspective led Paul to redefine God's purposes for the world, His will, how He saves, and even Judaism itself.
Paul's redefinition of God's purpose extended salvation equally to all nations, not solely Israel. God's will was now definitively revealed through Christ, not just the Torah. Paul understood salvation as God's gracious act, accomplished through Christ's faithfulness and self-giving love—a love that led to His suffering and death for the establishment of the ekklesia (community of believers), rather than through a necessary penal satisfaction for sin. Righteousness, in Paul's view, was a gift from God, flowing from faith, and intrinsically linked to a life of love, justice, and obedience, contrasting with a superficial observance of law.
Importantly, Paul did not advocate for the abolition or replacement of Judaism. Instead, he believed it needed to be "resignified" around Christ, seeing the Torah as pointing towards Christ's fulfillment. Jewish believers were encouraged to continue observing the Torah, but with this new, Christ-centered meaning. The sources highlight a later, second "parting of the Gods" in Western Christian theology, where the idea of God requiring satisfaction for His wrath became prominent—a notion alien to Paul's and ancient Jewish understandings of God, and one that regrettably fueled historical tensions.
Introduction To The Parting Of The Gods
Redefining God’s Purpose For Israel And The World