Part 1 How did the new Gentiles members of the Church miss the NATURE of His Parousia?

If Christ returned as he promised the (High Priest, Caiaphas, you will) "see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:59-65) How did the new Gentiles members of the Church miss the NATURE of His Parousia?

Historical background. By the time of Christ and early Christianity started the nation of Israel had been under the domination of the Roman Empire for several decades. Jews had legal privileges because their ancestral laws predated Rome. Jews had legal privileges giving them the right to assemble, in the "Synagogue" have common meals own property, govern them self and enforce their own discipline.

When the word "Synagogue" is mentioned in Scripture it is important to note this is not simply some building. The Synagogue was the only place for teaching scripture and where the members of Israel could hear the Scriptures read from their Old Testament other than (the actual Temple in Jerusalem). Leaders were also responsible for schooling children, in the Mosaic, law among other things. Jesus went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath day as it was his custom. And he stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. (Luke 4:16-17)

All authority was placed under the auspices of the Synagogue and its legal body, the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was a unique ruling body in Israel in the time of Jesus. The Sanhedrin was comprised of 70 men, plus the high priest, who served as its president. The Sanhedrin had its own police force which could arrest people, as they did Jesus Christ. Some of their authority, including judgement and punishment. As seen in the illegal trials of Christ. (Mark 14:54-55)

While the Sanhedrin heard both civil and criminal cases and could impose the death penalty, in New Testament times it did not have the authority to execute convicted criminals. That power was reserved to the Romans, which explains why Jesus was crucified—a Roman punishment—rather than stoned, according to Mosaic law.

The nation of Israel was only non-pagan religious group in the Roman empire who did not worship the gods of Rome as every other conquered people were forced to do. And they were despised by the rest of the Roman people for their religious practices. The Roman culture with their “gods”stood in great contrast to that of the Israel and their God Jehovah.

GENTILES ENTERING THE EARLY CHURCH.

In the midst of a Roman Empire society a Christian society was founded on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem 30AD. (Acts 2) Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost was entirely Jewish, quoting the prophets and the Psalmist David, and would have meant nothing to any Gentiles standing around, if there were any. The 3000 people who were saved that day would have been all Jewish. (Acts 2:1-41) A very noticeable minority.

In the earliest years of Christianity the Church was consisted of only Jews for the first ten years. The book of Acts makes it clear that the first Christians were Jewish and went to the Temple in Jerusalem, attended synagogue services, and wanted to remain Jews. They met regularly in the Temple, where Gentiles were excluded (Acts 2:46). The nearest the Gentiles could get was the Court of the Gentiles, that surrounded the Temple

Luke tells the story of the fundamental turning point in the history of the early church. For the first time Gentiles will be directly evangelized and admitted into fellowship with Jewish Christians ten years later. Cornelius (in Greek, Κορνήλιος) was a Roman centurion who is considered to be the first Gentile to convert to the faith, as related in (Acts 10). This section shows that God, through the Holy Spirit, is bringing the Gentiles into his spiritual body, the church. Acts 15:5-11 shows a decision regarding Gentiles coming into the Church.

There were minimal requirements for Gentiles who were evangelized and became a part of the body of Christ. However, Gentiles who made the conversion to Judaism had the SAME laws applied to them such as circumcision to become a member among the nation of Israel. (Exodus. 12:48-49; Numbers.9: 14;) Such gentiles were regarded as"proselyte.”

Some of the proselyte Jesus said the Jews traveled land and sea to win, but when they won, one they make him twice as much a son of hell as themselves. (Matthew 23:15) This did not apply to all proselyte however. See Acts 6:3-6.

The Gentiles proselyte that converted to Judaism were regular Synagogue attendees. While the evangelized Gentiles were not previously regular Synagogue attendees. These Gentiles Christians had no background in the Old Testament Levitical laws or an understanding of the prophetic apocalyptic and metaphoric language that was used.

Rather, they entered their "new faith" directly from the pagan Roman world, full of its anti-Jewish prejudices, As new "believers," they knew very little about God and Israel’s Messiah, and virtually nothing of the Torah and how God’s prophets used apocalyptic and metaphoric language. It would be foolish to think that new Gentile Christians had time to understand all that was written in the Torah and Israel’s prophetical writing. There was no "corner bookstore" for them to purchase a copy of the Old Testament and go home and read and study it.

Ever the Jews have had trouble with the elementary principles of Christ. (Hebrew 5:12-14; 6:1-3.) The need for “milk” in this context is an indictment of the reader’s spiritual maturity. Needing “milk” indicates spiritual infancy. Just what is “milk” and “solid food” in this context? The author of Hebrew for example wishes to teach his readers about Jesus’ priesthood. This entails going in-depth regarding the order of Melchizedek, biblical typology and fulfillment, and applying the significance of these truths to their current situation. These theological truths are considered “meaty stuff” and, thus, solid food. These truths were necessary to hear, understand, and heed, in order to avoid the temptation in their midst – returning to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant.

“Milk,” on the other hand, is synonymous with the “elementary principles of the oracles of God” (vs. 12). These would be considered the “basics” one learns upon initiation into the New Covenant community. The most compelling definition comes through reading the immediate context. In chapter 6:1-2, the author exhorts: “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-2)

These are the “elementary principles” of the New Covenant. These are the “foundation” of the faith. These truths are the “milk” of which all believers partake. The author of Hebrews is “describing in no uncertain terms a level of immaturity among his Jewish readers. Spiritually, they are like babies still suckling at a mother’s breast, unconcerned with the rich, hearty foods of the adults’ table.

The people of God are called to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews desire was the maturity of his readers in the Gospel.

So if these Jewish believers were still babies. Remember the Jews had been keepers of the written law for 15.000 years. There is no way the Gentiles who had no background in the Old Testament understood the prophetic apocalyptic and metaphorical language in such a short time.

CHANGING TIMES.

After the destruction of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. There was a split between Jews and Gentiles, which brought with it the beginning of Christian anti-Judaism, anti-Jewish sentiments. Christianity attacked the old religion as fiercely as it could, including demonization.

Anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews began to creep into the church toward the Jews just because they were Jewish. The Jews were demonized because of the crucifixion of Christ. More on this part of history in my next article.

The church became greatly influenced by Gentile thinking such as the Church, was God’s plan B after the Jews rejected their Messiah. However the birth of the early first century Church was brought about from within the womb of Judaism. Salvation is of the Jews. (John 4:22) Paul was a saved Jew and member of Israel who had come to Christ and who would never be cast out (John 6:37) The Church was thoroughly Jewish from its earliest days (since there were no Gentiles in it from 32 to 42). When the Gentiles did begin to come into the church it was at the council in Jerusalem. ( Acts 15)

Along with the gentile influence came the idea of the “end of the literal world” and last days of the New Covenant ever though Hebrew states the New Covenant is everlasting. (Hebrews 13:20) In order to determine how the phrase “last days” was originally used in the Hebrew Scriptures. We will consider the first usage of the phrase "last days" and consider those who are primarily addressed:

Genesis 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. So, it is clear that Israel is the subject of Jacob ‘s swan song about the last days and the last days concern the Jews.

Moses confirms that in the latter days the Jews would be ultimate scattered among the nations. Deuteronomy 4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. Deuteronomy 4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice.

And what about the end of the world?

And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth, which He has established forever. (Psalms 78:69)

You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, (Psalms 104:5)

Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. (Psalms 119:90)

One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. (Ecclesiastes 1:4)

Ephesians 3:21KJV Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

So Gentiles who became a part of God’s Israelis starting teaching (different concept about scripture) and the (nature of the coming/Parousia of Christ) that was totally alien to the teaching of the Old Testament.

Part 2 How did the new Gentiles members of the Church miss the NATURE of His Parousia?

If Christ returned as he promised the (High Priest, Caiaphas, you will) "see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:59-65) How did the new Gentiles members of the Church miss the NATURE of His Parousia?

After Jerusalem’s destruction there is evidence that anti-Judaism, anti-Jewish sentiments. Whatever its source, became a prominent aspect of Christian thought and life.

The Deicide charge is deeply in the anti-Judaism that began to infect through the church, in the early centuries of Christianity. “In the earliest centuries of the Christian era, preexisting pagan antagonism toward the Jew was replaced by the conviction that Jews, all Jews, were forever responsible for murdering God. This anti-Jewish attitude became a permanent element in the fundamental identity of Western Christian civilization.”

Some examples of anti-Jewish attitudes of this period: The emperor Constantine adopted a policy of Jewish segregation so that faithful Christians “would not be polluted by Jewish false teachings.” The church father Origen declared that “… the blood of Jesus falls not only on the Jews of that time, but on all generations of Jews up to the end of the world.” John Chrysostom, (344-407 A.D.) – One of the "greatest" of church fathers; known as "The Golden Mouthed." a bitterly anti-Jewish church father, A missionary preacher famous for his sermons and addresses. The synagogue is worse than a brothel… it is the den of scoundrels and the repair of wild beasts… the temple of demons devoted to idolatrous cults… the refuge of brigands and debauchees, and the cavern of devils. It is a criminal assembly of Jews… a place of meeting for the assassins of Christ… a house worse than a drinking shop… an den of thieves, a house of ill fame, a dwelling of iniquity, the refuge of devils, a gulf and an abyss of perdition."…"I would say the same things about their souls… As for me, I hate the synagogue… I hate the Jews for the same reason. From "The Roots of Christian Anti-Semitism" by Malcolm Hay.

St. Augustine (c. 354-430 A.D.), Confessions, 12.14 How hateful to me are the enemies of your Scripture! How I wish that you would slay them (the Jews) with your two-edged sword, so that there should be none to oppose your word! Gladly would I have them die to themselves and live for you!

Peter the Venerable – known as "the meekest of men, a model of Christian charity." Yes, you Jews. I say, do I address you; you, who till this very day, deny the Son of God. How long, poor wretches, will ye not believe the truth? Truly, I doubt whether a Jew can be really human… I lead out from its den a monstrous animal, and show it as a laughing stock in the amphitheater of the world, in the sight of all the people. I bring thee forward, thou Jew, thou brute beast, in the sight of all men. From "The Roots of Christian Anti-Semitism" by Malcolm Hay

Martin Luther – 1543 On The Jews and Their Lies. What then shall we Christians do with this damned, rejected race of Jews? Since they live among us and we know about their lying and blasphemy and cursing, we can not tolerate them if we do not wish to share in their lies, curses, and blasphemy. In this way we cannot quench the inextinguishable fire of divine rage nor convert the Jews. We must prayerfully and reverentially practice a merciful severity. Perhaps we may save a few from the fire and flames of hell. We must not seek vengeance. They are surely being punished a thousand times more than we might wish them. Let me give you my honest advice.

First, their synagogues should be set on fire, and whatever does not burn up should be covered or spread over with dirt so that no one may ever be able to see a cinder or stone of it. And this ought to be done for the honor of God and of Christianity in order that God may see that we are Christians, and that we have not wittingly tolerated or approved of such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of His Son and His Christians. Translated by Martin H. Bertram, "On The Jews and Their Lies, Luther's Works, Volume 47"; Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971.

John Calvin. A Response To Questions and Objections of a Certain Jew Their the Jews rotten and unbending stiffneckedness deserves that they be oppressed unendingly and without measure or end and that they die in their misery without the pity of anyone. Excerpt from "Ad Quaelstiones et Objecta Juaei Cuiusdam Responsio," by John Calvin; The Jew in Christian Theology, Gerhard Falk, McFarland and Company, Inc., Jefferson, NC and London, 1931.

To be sure, the early days of Christianity did not tread a smooth path. It wrestled with internal dissension (such as shall the just live by faith) and eschatological disputes, especially over the ("doubts about the imminence of the Lord’s return ) So begins the thinking of a physical body of Jesus desending out of the sky for a second coming??!!!

And theological disputes, over how to describe and define Christ. . Even the settlement of some of those matters — such as whether Christ had one or two natures and whether he was God the Father’s first creation or, rather, was co-eternal with the Father — produced schisms and dissension that threatened to atomize the church.

Now Listen to Kurt Aland another will know Church father as we discover a decisive turning point in the second half of the second century of how the Gentiles tampered with the clear understand of scripture about the return of the Lord and the expectation of that return by the first century saints a watershed decisive for the development of the Christian church.

It was the definite conviction not only of Paul, but of all Christians of that time, that they themselves would experience the return of the Lord; The Apocalypse expresses the fervent waiting for the end withing the circles in which the writer lived-not an expectation that will happen at some unknown point in time, but one in the immediate present. If we browse through the writings of that period we observe that this expectation of the end continued. In fact, we also find ti the writing of the first half of the second century sufficient evidence to indicate that the expectation of the Parousia was by no means at an end then.

At the end of the Didache ("the teaching of the twelve apostles"), from the time shortly after 100, there is, for example, an apocalyptic chapter which corresponds completely in its outline to the Synoptic apocalypse in Mark 13 (and the parallel chapters in the other Synoptic Gospels.); here we can only very cautiously say that it used the same words, but that its content is imperceptibly in the process of change. It quite similar to the Epistle of Barnabas which was written a little later that the Didache, where we read: (The day is near in which everything will perish together with the evil. The Lord ans his recompense are near).

Again and again the old expressions echo. They echo apparently almost unchanged, but ("doubt about the imminence of the Lord’s return is increasingly mixed with them until around the middle of the second century when the Shepherd of Hermas thinks he has found a solution and expresses it with great thoroughness and emphaisi: the Parousia-the Lord’s return-has been postponed for the sake of Christians them selves. The building of the tower has not been stopped,) it is only temporarily suspended. Therefore and this is the warning of the Shepherd of Hermas, on account of which the entire work was really written do good works for your purification, for if you delay too long, the construction of the tower may be finished and you will not be included as stones built into it.

The thought of a postponement of the Parousia appears all through 2 Clement but here it is expressly mentioned for the first time. Thus, about the middle of the second century, a decisive turning point occurs one which can be compared in significance to all other great turning points, including the Reformation. Obviously, we cannot fix this turning point precisely at the year 150, for it took a while until the though caught hold everywhere. But a development does begin with the Shepherd of Hermas which could not be stopped-a development at the end of which we stand today. As soon as the thought of a postponement of the Parousia was uttered once and indeed not only incidentally, but thoroughly presented in an entire writing-it developed its (own life and power).

At first, people looked at it as only a brief postponement, as the Shepherd of Hermas clearly expresses. But soon, as the end of the world did not occur, it was conceived of as a longer and longer period, until finally-this is today’s situation nothing but the thought of a postponement exists in people’s consciousness. (Kurt Aland. A History of Christianity. (2 vols.) Fortress Press: 1985. Vol. 1,pp.89-102

Sense the Gentile’s entered into their "new faith" in Christ directly from the pagan Roman world, full of its anti-Jewish prejudices, and were never associated with the Synagogue were they teach the Torah and prophetical writing such as the apocalyptic and metaphorically language. And Christianity, hostility toward Jews and Judaism became central to religion and the Church for the first time. It would be foolish to think the early Gentile Church took the time to ask any Jew how they understood their Jewish apocalyptic and metaphorically language.

If they were wrestling with a simple concept like the (The just shall live by faith) we know they were also wrestling with the timing of Christ because of the NATURE of his coming/Parousia. So begins the thinking of a physical body of Jesus descending out of the sky for a second coming??!!!

Well they missed the NATURE of the Parousia when Jesus promised the High Priest, Caiaphas, that (he would) "see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. This prophecy is cut from the same cloth as those in the Old Testament which speak of God in the clouds. No wonder Caiaphas, tears his garment an outward expression of extreme anger towards Jesus. You have heard His blasphemy! (Matthew 26:59-65)