New Testament Survey - School of Missions - Glasgow Church of Christ

1. Gospel Unity

2. Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called
“uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is
done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were
separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to
the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought
near by the blood of Christ.
~Ephesians 2:11-13

3. Key Defining Events in Israel History1800BCE
Abraham &
Circumcision
1300BCE
Moses &
Law
825BCE
Solomon &
Temple

4. Key Defining Events in Jewish History722BC
Assyrian Exile
(10 Tribes)
586BC
Babylonian
Exile
(Diaspora)
527BC
Jerusalem
Repopulated

5. Jew-Gentile Demographics in Roman Empire
Group Population % of the Empire % of Palestine
Entire Empire
Gentiles 51,000,000 93
Jews 4,000,000 7 100
Palestine (Jews & Gentile)
Palestine Gentiles 1,050,000 2 60
Palestine Jews 700,000 1 40
Jerusalem Jews 25,000-95,000

6. Jewish Identity
Jews zealously guarded their
heritage and identity.
Relatively small numbers in
comparison to Gentile
neighbors only heightened
sense of special selection by
God.
Enter Jesus Christ and the
gospel...

7. Jew-Gentile Gospel Relationship
John 12
• Greeks meet
Jesus
Acts 1
• Great
Commission
Acts 6
• Hebraic/Greek
Widows
Acts 8
• Preaching
outside Judea
Acts 9
• Paul sent to
Gentiles
Acts 10
• Cornelius’
Conversion

8. Acts 11 - Flashpoint Antioch
 41 AD, the Antioch church begins with
the first large-scale conversion of
Gentiles.
 Antioch becomes a major hub for the
Gentile Christian church, Paul and
Barnabas launch first missionary journey
into the Gentile world around 49AD.
 Within a year, the “Judaizing
Controversy” would reach a fever-point,
resulting in the letter of Galatians and
the Jerusalem Council

9. Judaizing Controversy
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were
teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to
the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” – Acts 15:1
Question:
Do you have to become Jewish before you can become Christian?

10. Controversy Resolved
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and
disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to
choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and
Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we
are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with
anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food
sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from
sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.

11. Paul’s Arguments
Legal Argument
Circumcision obligates one to obey whole Law – impossible! (Gal 5:3).
Christ is the end of the Law (Romans 10:4)
Historical Argument
Faith, in Abraham's instance, preceded circumcision; Abraham (Gen
15:6) was declared righteous by faith before he was circumcised (Gen
17). God promised blessings through Abraham before circumcision and
before the Law (Moses).

12. Paul’s Arguments
Prophetic Argument
God had indicated in the Scriptures that a time would come when the
Gentiles would be included with His people. (Galatians 3:8, Romans 9).
Theological Argument
Law and grace work oppositely. If we can work our way to God, or to
heaven, by Law, then there was no need for Christ to come and be
sacrificed (Romans 11:5-6)

13. Controversy Resolved
Galatians 2:1-10 - Leaders united on big picture salvation doctrine
Romans 10-11 - Importance of Jewish covenants, God’s plan for Israel
I Corinthians 10:1-11 - Jewish Scriptures are foundation for church
I Corinthians 8-10, Romans 14-15 – idol feasts restrictions, freedom in
disputable matters, law of love
Ephesians 2:11-21 – Christ destroys barriers and reconciles Jew/Gentile
Philp 3:2, Titus 1:10 – “Judaizers” continued to be a problematic
influence in early church

14. Key Points
Unity threat - Do you have to be Jewish in order to be Christian?
No!
NT Books - Highlight books that speak to controversy
Galatians, Romans
Portions of I and II Corinthians, Eph, Colossians, Philp, I Tim, Titus
Important church teachings that persist to this day:
Salvation by grace through faith
Faith/deeds relationship
Law of Love and Disputable Matters

15. Jewish War 66-73AD
Roman-Jewish tensions explode
over taxation, sacrilege, resulting
in Great Revolt of 66AD
Roman general Vespasian
dispatched from Rome
Campaign in Galilee against
Zealot-backed forces in 67AD
Roman campaign halted around
Jerusalem with emperor turmoil

16. Vespasian becomes emperor in Rome, leaves son Titus in command
Siege of Jerusalem breaks through in 70 AD
Roman forces sack Jerusalem and demolish Temple

17. The End of Temple Judaism
 No Temple = no sacrifices, no priesthood, no observance of Law
 Rise of synagogue Judaism and rabbis
 Christians viewed by Jews as disloyal
 Jesus’s prophecy regarding temple fulfilled