Jewish Origin of Christianity
See also: Split of early Christianity and JudaismAccording to the Acts narrative, following the Crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the disciples, "together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" withdrew to the "upper room" (traditionally the Cenacle), in Jerusalem (Acts 1:10-14). Initial preaching (Acts ch. 1-9) was to Jews only. Jesus himself told his followers to observe the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-4), and that he had come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not to abolish them (Matthew 5:17-20). Nevertheless, Saint Paul the Apostle was to later argue that the Law did not apply to Christians of Gentile, as opposed to Jewish, background (Galatians 2:14).
According to Church tradition, the Roman Centurion Cornelius is considered the first Gentile convert, as recorded in Acts 10, although he was also a "God-fearing" proselyte who participated in a Jewish synagogue. The major division prior to that time was between Hellenistic and non-Hellenistic Jews or Koine Greek and Aramaic speakers. The conversion and acceptance of the Gentile Cornelius can be described in terms of the Judaic teaching which describes strangers becoming part of the community. Acts does not use the term "Jewish Christians", rather those led by James the Just, Simon Peter, and John the Apostle, the "Pillars of the Church", were called followers of "The Way". Later groups, or perhaps the same group by different names, were the Ebionites and Elkasites.
The terms "circumcised" and "uncircumcised", which occur frequently in the New Testament, are generally interpreted to mean Jews and Greeks respectively, who were predominant in the region at the time; however this is an oversimplification as 1st century Iudaea Province also had some Jews who no longer circumcised (usually Hellenized Jews living in the diaspora), and some Greeks (called Proselytes or Judaizers) and others such as Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Arabs who did. See also Abrahamic religion and Circumcision controversy in early Christianity#Jewish background.
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