Early Christianity was a Jewish splinter group, an after~life~ resurrrection cult that believed there had been a messiah, that "the kingdom" (nirvana for the just believers ) was to come within their lifetimes. There's no need for making a case for Chrstianity, it was offshoot Jewish cult, created by Jews, that begins to accept gentiles into their midst later with Paul. The second Temple period had many such cult risings over a 200yr period ,the mistake lay in thinking there was just one state religion called "Judaism". Not even close to reality, there was constant sectarian violence between the "Jews".
Essentially Christianity is a Jewish story, begins with council of Jerusalem relaxing laws of conversion of gentiles with opens the prospect of enticing new gentile proselytes, early proto~Jewish Christians were principally apocolyptic, you still have graveyards in Jerusalem today for those that wish there dead boidies to be near to the scene, when the the Day of Judgment ( Persian/Zorostrianism) occurs.
You can read more here, it all sounds very Darwinian to me, if you can't beat them with obstinancy & rebellion , try starting an after~life cult of pacifism. Slay them with kindness, therefore not get your ears boxed over & over again or have to witness 1000's of dead brother countrymen hanging from wooden crosses, which was the case , btw, the Romans left the crosses up for constant crucifixions. There was also the establishment of a Jewish Tax known as Fiscus Judaicus helped widen the gap between Christians and Jews for anyone that appeared to be Jewish was taxed after A.D. 70. (surprise surprise)
Split of early Christianity and Judaism
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
Christian abandonment of Jewish practices
See also: Christian views on the old covenant
According to historian Shaye J.D. Cohen, early Christianity ceased to be a Jewish sect when it ceased to observe Jewish practices. [15] Among the Jewish practices abandoned by Proto-orthodox Christianity, Circumcision was rejected as a requirement at the Council of Jerusalem, c. 50, though the decree of the council may parallel Jewish Noahide Law. The establishment of a Jewish Tax known as Fiscus Judaicus helped widen the gap between Christians and Jews for anyone that appeared to be Jewish was taxed after A.D. 70. Sabbath observance was modified, perhaps as early as Ignatius of Antioch (c.110). [16] Quartodecimanism (observation of a Paschal[ disambiguation needed] feast on Nisan 14, the day of preparation for Passover, linked to Polycarp and thus to John the Apostle) was disputed by Pope Victor I (189-199) and formally rejected at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. [17]
Council of JerusalemIn or around the year 50, the apostles convened the first church council (although whether it was a council in the later sense is questioned), known as the Council of Jerusalem, to reconcile practical (and by implication doctrinal) differences concerning the Gentile mission. [18] At the Council of Jerusalem it was agreed that gentiles could be accepted as Christians without full adherence to the Mosaic Laws, possibly a major break between Christianity and Judaism, though the decree of the council ( Acts 15:19-29) seems to parallel the Noahide laws of Judaism, which would make it a commonality rather than a difference. The Council of Jerusalem, according to Acts 15, determined that circumcision was not required of Gentile converts, only avoidance of " pollution of idols, fornication, things strangled, and blood" ( Acts 15:20), possibly establishing nascent Christianity as an attractive alternative to Judaism for prospective Proselytes. Around the same time period, Judaism made its circumcision requirement of Jewish boys even stricter. [19]
According to the 19th-century Roman Catholic Bishop Karl Josef von Hefele, the Apostolic Decree of the Jerusalem Council "has been obsolete for centuries in the West", though it is still recognized and observed by the Greek Orthodox Church. [20] Jehovah's Witnesses also believe the decree still applies today [21] and perhaps other Christian denominations[ who?] as well. Acts 28 Hyperdispensationalists, such as the 20th-century Anglican E. W. Bullinger, would be another example of a group that believes the decree (and everything before Acts 28) no longer applies.
In addition, the Apostolic Age is particularly significant to Christian Restorationism which claims that it represents a purer form of Christianity that should be restored to the church as it exists today.
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