Judaism

Background

Judaism originates in the faith of ancient Israel, handed down through Abraham and Moses. It rests on monotheism, the belief in one God alone. Central to it are belief in the covenant God made with Israel and observance of the Law (Hebrew Torah), the body of norms for living in keeping with that covenant. Its scripture is the Hebrew Bible, which contains the same books as the Christian Old Testament but arranges and groups them differently.

Development

• Sixth century BC: The Babylonians destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem in 587 or 586 BC and carried the people into exile (the Babylonian Exile). From this time a form of faith centered on reading and studying the Law without a temple began to develop. Later, under Cyrus of Persia, the Jews returned, and the rebuilding of the Temple was carried out.
• The Intertestamental Period and the time of Jesus: Various groups existed, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, and the synagogue, where Jews gathered to read Scripture and pray, became the center of religious life.
• AD 70: Rome destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, bringing sacrifice-centered worship to an end. Afterward, "Rabbinic Judaism," led by rabbis (teachers of the Law) who carried on the Pharisaic tradition, became established.
• Around AD 200: The Mishnah, a compilation of orally transmitted interpretations of the Law, was edited. The Talmud, which adds discussion and commentary to it, was compiled in Palestine and Babylonia over the course of the fifth and sixth centuries.
• Middle Ages: Jews lived dispersed (the Diaspora) across Europe and the Middle East, enduring discrimination and expulsion. The twelfth-century scholar Maimonides is known for formulating the Thirteen Principles of Faith.
• Nineteenth century: In the course of modernization, Judaism divided into Reform, Orthodox, Conservative, and other movements.
• Twentieth century: About six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany. In 1948 the State of Israel was founded.

Outcomes and Influence

Jesus, the twelve disciples, and Paul were all Jews, and the early church began within Judaism. After the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) decided not to require circumcision of Gentile believers, the two communities gradually separated over the first and second centuries. The greatest difference lies in how Jesus is regarded. Christianity confesses Jesus as the promised Messiah. Judaism does not accept this and holds that the Messiah is still to come.

In the Korean church, the Jewish background is often mentioned when explaining the relationship between Passover and the Lord's Supper, and between the Sabbath and the Lord's Day. Pilgrimages to Israel are popular, and books introducing the Talmud and Jewish approaches to education in the home have been widely read. Some churches also take an interest in ministries that support Jews who believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

Assessment

Theological traditions differ on how to view the Jewish people and Israel today. Dispensationalism holds that God has a future plan for ethnic Israel distinct from the church, and it sometimes attaches eschatological significance to the emergence of the modern State of Israel. The Reformed tradition, following covenant theology, tends to hold that the Old Testament promises are fulfilled through Christ in the church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, and is therefore generally cautious about assigning separate prophetic significance to the modern state. The interpretation of Romans 11, including Romans 11:17–24, is a key point of contention in this discussion.

Antisemitism in Christian history has also become a subject of reflection since the Holocaust. The writings denouncing the Jews that Martin Luther composed in 1543, late in his life, are frequently cited as a prominent example. On the Jewish side, some criticize the way Christianity interprets the Old Testament, as well as the expression "old covenant," as disparaging their tradition.