Many people are surprised to learn that the earliest followers of Jesus Christ were Jews who continued practicing many aspects of the Torah. This historical reality is visible in the New Testament, especially in the Acts of the Apostles.
1. The First Christians Were Jewish
The earliest believers—including Peter the Apostle, John the Apostle, and James the Just—were all Jews.
They believed that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah of Israel, but they did not initially think they were starting a new religion.
They saw themselves as faithful Jews who had found the Messiah.
2. They Continued Temple Worship
Even after the resurrection of Jesus, the apostles still went to the Second Temple.
Example:
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Acts 3:1 shows Peter the Apostle and John the Apostle going to the Temple to pray.
This shows that early Jewish Christians still participated in Jewish religious life.
3. Many Jewish Believers Continued Keeping the Law
In Acts 21, James the Just tells Paul the Apostle:
“There are thousands of Jews who have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.”
This indicates that many Jewish believers in Jesus continued observing the Torah.
4. But Gentile Believers Were Not Required to Keep the Torah
When non-Jews began believing in Christ, the church faced a major question:
Should Gentiles follow the Jewish law?
This issue was settled at the Council of Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15.
The apostles decided:
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Gentiles did not need to follow the entire Law of Moses
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Salvation comes through faith in Jesus
5. Two Different Callings in the Early Church
The early church essentially allowed two different practices:
Jewish believers
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Often continued keeping Jewish customs and the Torah.
Gentile believers
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Were not required to follow Jewish law.
Both groups were united in faith in Jesus Christ.
6. Why This Changed Later
After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD, Christianity gradually became more Gentile.
Over time:
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Jewish practices became less common among Christians
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Christianity and Judaism developed as separate religions
Key Insight
The earliest followers of Jesus Christ were Jewish believers who still valued the Torah, but they believed salvation ultimately came through the Messiah.
The church later expanded to include people from every nation, which changed how Christian practice developed.
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