ANSWERS: 15
  • You are so right. So you are on to the theological tricks. Very good. We need more like you who can think for themselves. And of course Jesus said this: "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." So he was really against the kind of theology we hear these days. A more complete explaination in my profile. Jesus was born Jewish and never did convert to Christianity. And of course, the sacrifice religion we see these days was put together after he was gone.
  • I don't think Jesus commands the people to start a religion, actually the only command he told as far as i know is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and "love your neighbor as you love yourself"
  • Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus tell people to start a new religion. Jesus was a Jew who taught Jewish law ... and as Lakely said, Jesus never converted to 'Christianity'. He was born a Jew and he died a Jew. It appears that Paul was the one who decided to start a "new religion" built around Jesus.
  • Jesus did not start a "new" religion. He was the fulfilment of Jewish prophecy concerning the Messiah. Niether Peter, nor Paul started any "new" religion. They were Jews, and kept the law. However, Paul taught that non Jews were not required to keep Jewish law because Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law itself.
  • Matthew 16:18 "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it."
  • Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. Jesus doesnt care about religions... just faith, forgiveness and love
  • The literal historical existence of Jesus is a matter of debate, and unproven. I will answer from a Biblical text perspective, which will go on the assumption that Jesus existed and the Gospels are a record of His teachings. Jesus never did command anyone to start another religion. He was a Jew and referred to as a Rabbi. Indeed, He makes it clear that He considers His teachings as for Jews only (Matthew 15:24), uses an analogy to dogs for Gentiles (in this case a Canaanite woman), and only makes some limited exceptions. Matthew 15:22-28 (New International Version) 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Jesus was very clear that the Jewish Law (Mosaic Law) was to be followed. Matthew 5:18-20 (New International Version) 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus taught a personal relationship with Yahweh within a Jewish framework. However, His message was largely rejected by the Jews (because He didn't fulfill the prophecies of the Messiah, but that is another topic, but this link covers the main points http://www.aish.com/spirituality/philosophy/Why_Dont_Jews_Believe_In_Jesus$.asp ). It was at this point of rejection of His message by the Jews that the preachings turned to Gentiles, which is a direct result of a revelation Paul (previously known as Saul) had from Yeshua AFTER Yeshua's death. Galatians 1:13-17 (New International Version) 13For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when God, who set me apart from birth[a] and called me by his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Matthew 16:18 has a reference to building a church upon Peter, but this is not a clear reference to building an entirely new religion. Indeed, it is unclear whether or not this refers to a literal church or a metaphorical one. References to Christian churches and congregations are not within the 4 Gospels that chronicle the life and teachings of Jesus.
  • Matthew 5:17 teaches us that "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy but fulfill." This comes from the mouth of the Man who died for my sins. Paul understood it, and started the church age right into today. It is up to God's church to uphold and convey that which has already been established. Jesus Christ is the center of our faith.
  • I think the mistake here is in assuming Christianity is a new religion. There is a reason that people refer to judeo-christian faith or religion. Christianity isn't a new religion, it is the fulfillment of Judiasm. God told Abraham that he would bless all peoples through Abraham. Jesus is a descendant of Abraham. He is the Jewish Messiah. He is the fulfillment of Judiasm. Christianity is just the continuation of Judiasm and carrying it to all nations. We are all children of God in Christ. It is no longer open only to descendants of Abraham, but to all men (mankind).
  • Chrisitanity simply means "followers of Christ". Nothign more, nothing less. All those divisions of it are there because people wanted to do things their way. Jewish people didn't believe that Jesus rose form the dead. While Christians do. Chrisitans also have the New Testment and from what I've sene, read form it much more often than the Old.
  • Jesus did not command anyone to start a new religion. There's no scripture I can refer you to for that. However, he did fulfill scores of prophecies identifying the Messiah. And he 'fulfilled' the law. According to the Bible "the law", (the Mosaic law, which in part, outlined the Jewish religious system), was "a tutor, leading to Christ". The Bible also states that "Christ was the end of the law". And so, also, the end of this system of worship. The Christian congregation was established at Pentecost 33CE, and God gave evidence of his Divine backing and the shifting of his approval upon THIS religion by providing signs. (Such as the ability to speak in languages that had never been learned.) Paul said that these 'gifts' would only be present during the 'infancy' of the Christian faith. Just as God empowered Christ to perform miracles, thus showing his backing, he likewise gave miraculous, but temporary gifts, to SOME early Christians.
  • Interesting question. Jesus did not say anything about starting another Religion. He told His disciples to go out and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19) Christianity is the only source in the New Testament. Religions are just guides, and it is up to us to determine which denomination knows the Master's voice. You know His voice by adhering to Scripture. John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"
  • Jesus was the end of the line for a 1500 year 'journey for theJews...All those years they had trained to be obedient...with their annual sacrifices...Jesus became the single sacrifice that superceded all the other animal sacrifices...making them all no longer necessary...and in doing so, he virtually changed everything from Jewry,to Christianity... That the Jews carried on with their traditions was wrong...and still is today...Seems they are still waiting for Jesus' arrival...when in fact he HAS arrived in kingdom power...in heaven in 1914 and we are waiting for his cleansing of the earth... Daniel prophecied it...Daniel 2:44 and (Daniel 9:25-27) You should know and understand that from the issuing of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Mes
  • What makes you think the bible is the be all end all exact wording and nothing can be right unless its in the book? Parts were written 70 years after Jesus died other parts written a couple hundred years after he died. There was no scribe following Jesus around taking dictation verbatim. Old people remembering, people who knew somebody who had been there, then people who heard it from someone who heard it. Etc etc. You don't think a lot of it got mixed up or dropped out or turned around in the translation or incomplete memories Most religions have gotten started by men who wanted to have power over someone else like slaves, women, people with education or power, cultures, races etc. You simply say Jesus said .. and if you argue you are against Jesus and I will order you killed. Then to tighten up the loopholes they started saying Jesus told me to tell you that you must do this and must not do that. All except for L. Ron Hubbard and the Thetans in Mt Shasta who told him tell every one. Slightly different story but still have an IRS religious rating.
  • It's my understanding that the earliest stories in the Bible were written 40 years after Christ died. It is highly unlikely that ANY quotations of Jesus were actually spoken by Jesus. Then King James had the Bible re-written when he added some stories, modified many of them to meet his personal preferences, and deleted many of them.

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