Re: What Happened?
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 1:07 am
It wasn't Jewish at all, very far from it.davidmartin wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 2:48 am So if this is so, then how could original Christianity have been Jewish when there's this lack of knowledge of Jewish scripture on display in 2nd century and arguably in the gospels and even Paul (Ben pointed out some wild stuff in his writings too)?
That could be explained if the original form was more of a mystical, spiritual movement within Judaism and wasn't really about all this detailed, learned exegesis of scripture you see attempted eg by church fathers, it just used a few psalms and scripture in a familiar, everyday fashion
A more earthy type of Jewish Christianity is pointed to here potentially quite different to what came later
The entire fantasy about very early Christianity being very Jewish is a counter reaction to its astonishing anti-Judean nature, both in Mark and Thomas.
People call it antisemitism but that's rubbish, there are perfectly good reasons for hating Judeans when you're Samarian. And whether you take the viewpoint that Thomas was Samarian or not, the very anti-Pharisee and anti-Judaic attitude in Thomas is clear; as well as in the canonicals for that matter although all the anger is redirected to the Pharisees alone: it is their praying, caring and giving alms that is criticised, not those practises in general (Judaism)
I know they all want to scream that early Christianity was so very Jewish, but if I look at it I only see that is so very anti-Judean