ABSTRACT: Early Church history provides important context for (1) Paul’s arguments that Jewish and Gentile Christians are united under the same law, (2) that the Law of Moses is no longer applicable, (3) that man is not justified by the works of the Law and (4) for Paul’s teaching, or lack of it, with respect to the Seventh Day Sabbath.
Summary
The church started as part of Judaism. John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles were all Jews. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell only on Jews. In the first few years of its existence, the church functioned as a movement within Judaism, consisting only of Jews and proselytes. They were all circumcised and they all observed the Law of Moses and the traditions.
Only about ten years after the Cross, through divine intervention, did the church for the first time preach the Jesus message to Gentiles and were the first Gentiles baptized. The Gentile Christians in the church caused a dispute over whether they must observe the Law of Moses. This dispute was settled a further ten years later when the church council meeting, recorded in Acts 15, decided that Gentile Christians do not have to observe the Law of Moses. Jewish Christians, on the other hand, remained zealous for the Law of Moses (Acts 21:10) throughout the period recorded by the Book of Acts.
The history explained in these articles is therefore important context for Paul’s letters, most of which were written in the decade after the Jerusalem council decision recorded in Acts 15 (see, for instance, Bible Hub). For example:
The dispute raging in the church before the Jerusalem Council decision explains the letter to the Galatians.
The separation between Jewish en Gentile Christians concerning the Law of Moses explains the need for Paul’s arguments for unity.
The continued observance of the Law of Moses by Jewish Christians provides background to Paul’s statements that the law was added “until the seed (Jesus) would come” (Gal 3:19), which implies that the Law of Moses is no longer relevant; even for Jewish Christians.
The claim that “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1) explains the idea of justification by the works of the Law (Rom 3:27), which Paul had to contend with in his letters. Justification by the works of the law is the idea that compliance with the rituals and ceremonies of the Law and the traditions will compensate for one’s sins, in contrast to Paul’s argument that we are “justified as a gift by His grace”.
This history provides important context for Paul’s teaching, or lack of it, concerning the Seventh Day Sabbath, and for his comments on the observance of “days” (Rom 14:6; Gal 4:10). When he wrote, all Jewish Christians observed the Sabbath while the Gentile Christians probably observed the Sabbath, but the different Sabbath taught by Christ.
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Overview of the First 30 Years
The church was conceived within its mother religion – Judaism. John the Baptist was a Jew, calling Israel to repentance. Jesus was a Jew, and His followers were Jews. He preached in the Jewish countryside, not the Hellenistic cities. When a Gentile woman once asked for healing for her daughter, Jesus responded (at first)
“Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Mark 7:27).
The apostles were all Jews. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell only on Jews. In the first few years of its existence, the church functioned as a movement within Judaism, consisting only of Jews and proselytes. They were all circumcised and they all observed the Law of Moses and the traditions. In those first years, the church grew exponentially, but it was confined to Jerusalem – the capital of Judaism.
In the earliest stage, Christianity was made up of all those Jews who accepted Jesus as the Messiah (Christ). [David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers (2000). Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Amsterdam University Press. p. 709. Retrieved 15 February 2014.]
After the first few years, the church was dispersed throughout Judea and Samaria by the persecution of the church by the Jewish authorities. Many Samaritans accepted Christ and were baptized, but the Samaritans also accepted the five books of Moses. Consequently, all Christians still observed the Law of Moses.
Only about ten years after the Cross, through divine intervention, did the church for the first time preach the Jesus message to Gentiles and were the first Gentiles baptized.
The Gentile Christians in the church caused a dispute over whether they must observe the Law of Moses. This dispute was settled a further ten years later when the church council meeting, recorded in Acts 15, decided that Gentiles do not have to observe the Law of Moses. This decision created a double separation:
Firstly, the decision was not relevant to Jewish Christians, who were still the majority in the church. The Jewish Christians, particularly in Judea, continued to be zealous for the Law of Moses and continued to live like Jews, as evidenced by Acts 21, which is dated to nearly 30 years after the cross. There arose, therefore, a separation between Gentile and Jewish Christians; one group observing the Law of Moses, the other not.
Secondly, this decision erected a permanent barrier between Judaism and the Church. For the Jews, it was a great sin to associate with uncircumcised people. By associating with uncircumcised Christians, the Jewish Christians became unclean in the eyes of their Jewish friends and families (Gal 6:12), hastening the separation of the church from Judaism.
The apostles and the other Christian Jews in Jerusalem, therefore, remained zealous for the Law of Moses throughout the period recorded by the Book of Acts. The Jerusalem church also had a strong influence over the wider church, as evidenced by the following:
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- The Samaritans only received the Holy Spirit after Peter and John laid hands on them (Acts 8:14-17).
- The Gentiles received the Holy Spirit through Peter (Acts 10).
- The dispute about whether Gentiles must observe the Law of Moses was referred to Jerusalem for resolution (Acts 15).
The influence of the Jewish Christians on the wider church diminished in later years due to various factors, but this is not discussed in this article because the purpose here is to describe the context within which Paul’s letters were written, at a time when the influence of Jewish Christianity still was strong.
Context for Paul’s Letters
Christians today find it difficult to appreciate the Jewishness of the early Christian church. They tend to think that the early church was like the church of today; unaware that the past 2000 years have transformed the church from a movement within Judaism—an exclusively Jewish organization—to an almost exclusively Gentile organization. The consequence is that Christians today read Paul’s letter into today’s context, and then misinterpret what he wrote with respect to issues such as the Law of Moses, the role of the nation of Israel, justification, and the Sabbath.
The history explained in these articles is therefore important context for Paul’s letters. The dispute raging in the church before the Jerusalem Council decision explains the letter to the Galatians. Even after that decision, Paul’s letters had to frequently explain why it is not necessary to observe the law, namely that man is not saved by the works of the Law, but by grace.
This history makes us aware of the sensitivities which Paul had to avoid. Paul did his best not to offend the Jewish Christians. In many towns, there were Jews and Jewish Christians, and when Paul arrived in a town, he first preached his message to the Jews. That normally failed. Then he turned to the Gentiles. With his letters, he addressed both groups simultaneously, and he had to be very careful not to offend unnecessarily.
Unity of Jew and Gentile
One aspect that is explained by this history is Paul’s arguments for the unity of Jewish en Gentile Christianity.
Even 30 years after Pentecost the mother church of Christianity, namely the church in Jerusalem, made a distinction between Jewish and Gentile Christians. It expected Jewish Christians to adhere to the Law of Moses:
Jewish Christians combined the confession of Jesus as Christ with continued adherence to Jewish traditions such as Sabbath observance, observance of the Jewish calendar, observance of Jewish laws and customs, circumcision, and synagogue attendance. [David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers (2000). Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Amsterdam University Press. p. 709. Retrieved 15 February 2014.]
1st century “Jewish Christians” were totally faithful religious Jews. They differed from other contemporary Jews only in their acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah. In effect, the Jewish Christians seemed to regard Christianity as an affirmation of every aspect of contemporary Judaism, with the addition of one extra belief — that Jesus was the Messiah. [ McGrath, Alister E., Christianity: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing (2006). ISBN 1-4051-0899-1. Page 174: “
On the other hand, they allowed Gentile Christians freedom from the Law of Moses. It is not suggested here that Jewish Christians are still subject to the Law of Moses, but rather that this explains the context within which Paul taught that the two groups are made one, such as:
“Neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision” (Gal 6:15).
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise” (Gal 3:29).
“He (Jesus) Himself is our peace, who made both groups (Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles) into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall” (Eph 2:11-14).
He described Israel as an olive tree from which some branches have been broken off (unbelieving Jews), while branches from a wild olive (the Gentiles) have been grafted in, sharing in the wealth of the root (the fathers of the Jewish nation and the promises they received) (Romans 11:11-24).
While the Christian Jews in Jerusalem based their separateness on Moses and his law, Paul taught the unity of two groups in Abraham; both groups are children of Abraham, and both share in the promises to the fathers of the nation of Israel (Gal 3:17).
Law of Moses
This evidence that a large number of Jewish Christians observed the Law of Moses during the entire period during which Paul worked and wrote his letters, explains the context for his statements about the law. Paul was accused by the Christian Jews in Jerusalem “that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses” (Acts 21:21). Reading his letters, this was true. Paul wrote of himself that he is not under the law (1 Cor. 9:20) and that the law was added “until the seed (Jesus) would come” (Gal 3:19), which implies the Law is no longer relevant; even for Jews. See the discussion of Galatians 3:19-25 for more on this subject.
Justification
This context allows one to better understand the idea of justification by the works of the Law (Rom 3:27), which Paul had to contend with in his letters:
The Jewish Christians maintained: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). That is justification by the works of the law. It does not mean that one is justified by not sinning. Justification by the works of the law is the idea that compliance with the rituals and ceremonies of the Law and the traditions will compensate for one’s sins and put one in a right relationship with God. This was not a novel idea that developed after the church was established, but a concept that the church inherited from its mother religion – Judaism.
In contrast, Peter argued, “We are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 15:11). This is the same as saying that we are “justified as a gift by His grace” (Rom 3:23), which is something that Paul emphasized. This means that our sins are wiped away by grace (mercy); not by the rituals and ceremonies of the Law.
Seventh-Day Sabbath
This history is also an important context for Paul’s teaching, or lack of it, concerning the Seventh Day Sabbath.
For the first years of the church, when it was still confined to Jerusalem and consisted of Jews only, all Christians observed the Law of Moses, and therefore also the Sabbath. After the church was dispersed by persecution throughout Judea and Samaria, many Samaritans put their faith in Christ, but since they also based their religion on the five books of Moses, all Christians were still circumcised and observed the Sabbath. Seven to ten years after the Cross the first Gentiles were allowed into the church (Acts 10). A dispute arose about whether they must observe the Law of Moses (15:1). About twenty years after the Cross a church decision was made that Gentiles do not have to observe the Law of Moses (Acts 15).
But the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem continued to be “zealous for the Law” (Acts 21:20). The Law included the Sabbath. If the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem observed the Sabbath, then probably all Jewish Christians in Judea and even the Jewish Christians who lived in Gentile nations also observed the Sabbath.
When the first Gentile Christians received the Holy Spirit, about seven to ten years after the cross, the Christian Jews were most surprised. They thought that the Holy Spirit was for circumcised people only. What is revealing about the account is that Peter did not convert them to Judaism first through circumcision, and then to Christianity through baptism; under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he received them directly into Christianity through baptism. The implication of these events is the then-novel idea that Gentile Christians do not ever have to convert to Judaism through circumcision.
The question is what the Gentile Christians were taught about the Sabbath. The Jerusalem Council decision in Acts 15 means that Gentiles are not under the Law of Moses. It is nevertheless proposed here that we should conclude that the first Gentile Christians were probably taught to observe the Sabbath, for the following reasons:
(1) The specialness of the Seventh Day originated at creation.
(2) A seven-day cycle was maintained before Moses.
(3) The Acts 15 decision obviously did not free the Gentile Christians from moral laws, and the Sabbath is included in the Ten Commandments with nine other moral principles.
(4) Christ never indicated that the Sabbath was aborted, but argued with the Pharisees what is allowed on the Sabbath. He said the Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27), that “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matt 12:12) and that the Sabbath is the preferred day for healing (Luke 13:16). (See the article What did Jesus teach about the Sabbath? for more information.).
(5) Christ in His teachings already replaced the Law of Moses with the “Law of Christ” (Gal 6:2; 1 Cor 9:21). For instance, in Matthew 5 Jesus several times quoted from the Law of Moses and then gave His alternative, which is always at a much higher moral level. This is not something that happened at the Cross. Christ’s teaching with respect to the Sabbath was therefore not an interpretation of the Sabbath commandment, but a replacement of it. (See the article on the Law of Christ for more information.) Consequently, when the church decided that Gentiles do not have to observe the Law of Moses, it simply applied something which Christ already taught twenty years earlier.
(6) Just before His ascension, Jesus said to His disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you …” (Matt 28:19-20).
(7) All Jewish Christians in the early church, and therefore the majority of all Christians, observed the Sabbath. The only teachers that the first Gentile Christians had were these Jewish Christians. The church in Jerusalem had a strong influence in those days.
(8) The Sabbath, by itself, was not a matter of controversy in Paul’s day, as indicated by the fact that he used the word “Sabbath” only once in all of his letters, and then only as part of a technical term to refer to the entire system of special days on the Jewish calendar (Col 2:16 See the article Feasts … New Moons … Sabbaths for more information). The fact that there was no controversy in the early church about the Sabbath, combined with the fact that the Jewish Christians observed the Sabbath, implies that all Christians observed the Sabbath.
However, Jesus taught a different Sabbath. Christ did more than interpret the Sabbath commandment; He gave a new meaning to it. He converted the seventh day from a day of compulsory idleness to a day that is filled with purpose, activity, and work; a day to show kindness and mercy; a day to free people from the physical, psychological and spiritual bonds of Satan, to elevate the entire man to God’s ideal; in particular, a day to heal. This does not mean that Christ taught that the requirement to rest, as given in the Law of Moses, is no longer binding, but the Law of Moses made rest the goal, while Christ shifted the focus to the purpose of the rest, namely healing. See the article Jesus taught a different Sabbath for more information.
The Gentile Christians would have been taught the seventh day as taught by Christ. Just like Christ’s Sabbath practices made the Jews so angry (Luke 6:11) that they wanted to kill Him (Matt 12:14), the Sabbath practices of the Gentile Christians would not have been acceptable to the strict Jewish Pharisees.
The analysis above of the first years of the church is an important context for Paul’s comments on the observance of “days” (Rom 14:6; Gal 4:10).
Other Articles
Early Church History
Key events in the first few decades that transformed the church from a sect of Judaism into an independent religion:
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- Jerusalem Phase 1After receiving the Holy Spirit, the church grew quickly but remained a Jewish sect, based in Jerusalem.
- Judea and Samaria phase 2After the 490 years of Daniel 9 have come to an end, God dispersed the church to Judea and Samaria through persecution.
- Gentile Dispute Phase 3When the first Gentiles became Christians, a dispute arose about whether they must observe the Law of Moses.
- Separation Phase 4The church council (Acts 15 ) caused a separation between Jewish and Gentile Christians when it decided that Gentiles are not subject to the Law while Jewish Christians continued in the Law.
- Theological Implications 5This history explains the disputes addressed by Paul’s letters.
- Chronology – Dates for key events
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Other Articles
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- All articles on this Site
- DANIEL
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- The Antichrist in Daniel 6The Antichrist in Daniel, which is the same as the beast in Revelation, arises out of the Roman Empire; it is not Antiochus Epiphanes.
- The 490 years of Daniel 9 7Discussion of the prophecy and the four main interpretations
- Is Daniel a fraud? 8Critical scholars teach that Daniel was written after the events it claims to predict.
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- REVELATION 9The ultimate purpose of this website is to explain the mark of the beast.
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- General Topics 10Does Revelation describe events chronologically? Must it be interpreted literally? The temple in heaven, Christ’s Return, Hear/See Combinations, and the Numbers in Revelation
- The Seven Seals (Rev 4-7) 11There was a book in heaven that not even Christ was able to read because it was sealed up with seven seals. But, by overcoming, He became worthy to break the seven seals and open the book.
- The Seven Wars (Rev 12-14) 12This is the apex of Revelation, providing an overview of history from before Christ until the end-time, with emphasis on the end-time persecution.
- The Seven Last Plagues (Rev 15-16) 13These plagues will follow after the end-time Christian persecution and will be followed by Christ’s return. What is the purpose of these?
- Revelation’s Beasts 14Revelation has three beasts with seven heads and ten horns each; a great red dragon, the beast from the sea, and a scarlet beast.
- Babylon – Mother of Harlots (Rev 17-18) 15Babylon is mentioned only once in the first 15 chapters but the seventh and final plague targets her specifically. Then Revelation 17 and 18 explain who and what she is.
- Revelation 17 verse-by-verse
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- TRINITY
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- Is Jesus the Most High God? 16The conclusion that Jesus is ‘God’ forms the basis of the Trinity Doctrine.
- The Truth about the Origin of the Trinity Doctrine 17The decision to adopt the Trinity doctrine was not taken by the church.
- Trinity Doctrine – General 18Including Modalism, Eastern Orthodoxy view of the Trinity, Elohim, and Eternal Generation
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- SALVATION
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- Why Jesus had to die 19Discussions of the Atonement – How does God do away with sin?
- Justification 20How people are put right with God
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- THE LAW
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- The Law of Moses 21Must Christians observe the Law of Moses?
- The Sabbath 22Must Christians observe the Sabbath?
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- DEATH
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- State of the Dead 23Are the dead still alive and aware?
- Eternal Torment 24Will the lost be tormented in hell for all eternity?
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- DISCUSSIONS OF SPECIFIC LETTERS
- OTHER
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- Why does evil exist? 25And why does God not make an end to all evil?
- The church began as a Jewish sect.26Key events that transformed the church into an independent religion
- The Return of Christ 27When? How? Has His return been delayed?
- About Author 28I do not have any formal theological qualifications and I am not part of any religious organization. These articles are the result of my studies over many years.
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FOOTNOTES
- 1After receiving the Holy Spirit, the church grew quickly but remained a Jewish sect, based in Jerusalem.
- 2After the 490 years of Daniel 9 have come to an end, God dispersed the church to Judea and Samaria through persecution.
- 3When the first Gentiles became Christians, a dispute arose about whether they must observe the Law of Moses.
- 4The church council (Acts 15 ) caused a separation between Jewish and Gentile Christians when it decided that Gentiles are not subject to the Law while Jewish Christians continued in the Law.
- 5This history explains the disputes addressed by Paul’s letters.
- 6The Antichrist in Daniel, which is the same as the beast in Revelation, arises out of the Roman Empire; it is not Antiochus Epiphanes.
- 7Discussion of the prophecy and the four main interpretations
- 8Critical scholars teach that Daniel was written after the events it claims to predict.
- 9The ultimate purpose of this website is to explain the mark of the beast.
- 10Does Revelation describe events chronologically? Must it be interpreted literally? The temple in heaven, Christ’s Return, Hear/See Combinations, and the Numbers in Revelation
- 11There was a book in heaven that not even Christ was able to read because it was sealed up with seven seals. But, by overcoming, He became worthy to break the seven seals and open the book.
- 12This is the apex of Revelation, providing an overview of history from before Christ until the end-time, with emphasis on the end-time persecution.
- 13These plagues will follow after the end-time Christian persecution and will be followed by Christ’s return. What is the purpose of these?
- 14Revelation has three beasts with seven heads and ten horns each; a great red dragon, the beast from the sea, and a scarlet beast.
- 15Babylon is mentioned only once in the first 15 chapters but the seventh and final plague targets her specifically. Then Revelation 17 and 18 explain who and what she is.
- 16The conclusion that Jesus is ‘God’ forms the basis of the Trinity Doctrine.
- 17The decision to adopt the Trinity doctrine was not taken by the church.
- 18Including Modalism, Eastern Orthodoxy view of the Trinity, Elohim, and Eternal Generation
- 19Discussions of the Atonement – How does God do away with sin?
- 20How people are put right with God
- 21Must Christians observe the Law of Moses?
- 22Must Christians observe the Sabbath?
- 23Are the dead still alive and aware?
- 24Will the lost be tormented in hell for all eternity?
- 25And why does God not make an end to all evil?
- 26Key events that transformed the church into an independent religion
- 27When? How? Has His return been delayed?
- 28I do not have any formal theological qualifications and I am not part of any religious organization. These articles are the result of my studies over many years.
One hears, from time to time, preachers claim that 
Since the ethics of the New Covenant are based on what Christ taught, and since He taught more about the Sabbath than about all the other nine commandments put together, it is not true to say that the Sabbath commandment is not repeated in the New Testament.