Desert Snake
Veteran Member
Why did the Bible gain such significance? Why is Israel, largely unrelated to the spread of Christianity gain such significance in Christian thought?
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The Bible, Israel, significance
- Thread starter Desert Snake
- Start date
Israel and Judaism are the entire backstory for Christianity. Taking that out is like taking out the first book of a series.
Desert Snake
Veteran Member
Yes, the backstory, but Christianity basically developed outside Israel and Judaism, Judaism doesn't accept the precepts of Christianity, are you saying that it makes sense to combine the two beliefs? They oppose each other theologically.
Once upon a time there was a kingdom called Rome, and in this kingdom there lived ...
Desert Snake
Veteran Member
Yes, we get it, but my question isn't really about the NT, it's about the significance/importance of Israel to Christianity.
I suspect that would depend entirely on the Christian.
The Bible, a volume of 66 books were gathered together - other scrolls were rejected for one reason or another and others added- some of the new Testament were letters Paul and others wrote to various peoples. Whomever put them together decided which scrolls were important. The earliest Christians did not have a Bible and the very earliest followers of Jesus (or Yehoshua) were Jewish. I would assume that the Scrolls that are the OT were included because 1. Jesus quoted from them quite extensively, 2. Jesus and the Apostles were Jews. 3. Constantine thought they were important.
All of this is, of course, speculation on my part.
All of this is, of course, speculation on my part.
F0uad
Well-Known Member
This should have been Paul..
Desert Snake
Veteran Member
The Bible, a volume of 66 books were gathered together - other scrolls were rejected for one reason or another and others added- some of the new Testament were letters Paul and others wrote to various peoples. Whomever put them together decided which scrolls were important. The earliest Christians did not have a Bible and the very earliest followers of Jesus (or Yehoshua) were Jewish. I would assume that the Scrolls that are the OT were included because 1. Jesus quoted from them quite extensively, 2. Jesus and the Apostles were Jews. 3. Constantine thought they were important.
All of this is, of course, speculation on my part.
Christianity developed outside of Judaism and Israel, so what is the focus of Christians on Israel.
Source?
F0uad
Well-Known Member
Well it was influenced by Christianity ''Hellenization creeds'' before scripture came to existence maybe that's why?
I SAID it was an assumption.
I heard these things, never really researched them.
InChrist
Free4ever
Israel is the major topic of Bible prophecy, mentioned more than 2,900 times in the scriptures. God has chosen Israel distinctly as His focus apart from all other nations in this world throughout history. Israel is significant to Christians because Israel is significant to God.
Desert Snake
Veteran Member
How can a nation be the focus of any divinity, it isn't even a Christian nation. Are all the Jews in Israel going to convert to Christianity or something?
(By the way, it was most likely Yeshua or, if David Flusser et al are to be believed, Yeshu. Just sayin ...)
Yep. I call Him Yeshua (or Y'shua) mostly (look at my religion underneath my name above-
fallingblood
Agnostic Theist
Why would Israel be largely unrelated to the spread of Christianity? If we look at where Christianity first developed, and had it's headquarters at, it was within Israel. The entire movement started there, and it is there that the founder (founder is not exactly correct as he was only the beginning of the movement that would develop over quite some time) was from. It was also Israel in which Jesus spoke of, not to mention the individual who wrote Revelations.
It was also Jews, or the Israelites who gave Christianity the foundation in which allowed it to form. It then becomes almost like a homeland, or maybe the ideal homeland based on a grandiose view of the Kingdom of David, and Kingdom of God.
In many ways, there was the idea in which Christians were to become the new Israel as well. One can still find such sentiments in various Christian sects, even though to a large extent, that idea is slipping away or is being seen through a new lens.
... a relatively new insight on the part of a stream of evangelicals.
I do not know, but would be most interested in knowing, what the likes of Calvin and Luther thought about Israel; ditto Pope Pius XII and those who preceded him.
Desert Snake
Veteran Member
Christianity only spread in any significant way outside of Israel, that's why it is an officially Jewish nation.
Simply relating the beginnings of Christianity to Israel does not address my question.
InChrist
Free4ever
The God of the Bible, who is stated to be the Creator of heaven and earth and involved in the affairs of humanity, has identified His Name with Israel, He calls Himself the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. I suggest you read the scriptures while prayerfully asking God why His focus is upon Israel.
"It is common sense that the true God would only reveal Himself to sincere and earnest seekers who want to know Him in truth in order to obey Him. The first prerequisite to knowing God is the willingnessindeed, the passionto know Him as He really is, not as one imagines or would like Him to be. It is no less idolatry to create an imaginary god in ones mind than to make one out of clay, wood, or stone. So, who is the true God who proves Himself by unfailingly foretelling the future in the Bible? As we have seen in past articles, the Bible identifies Him as the God of Israel 203 times, the God of Jacob 28 times, the God of Abraham 17 times, and the God of Isaac 13 times. Never is He called the God of any other ethnic group. These designations are foundational to everything the Bible teaches, including the very character of God. To profess to believe in God and at the same time to hold a prejudice against Gods chosen people, the Jews, or against Israel, which turns these clear biblical identifications into meaningless titles, casts doubt upon whether one really knows the true God."
excerpt:
God of Jacob, God of Israel (Part 1) | thebereancall.org