How the Jesus Movement Became The Church

The Jesus movement arose from Judaism in Israel; it had many followers worldwide. The Jesus movement created a legacy of God’s people; believers perceive Jesus as their Lord and wish to unite with him.¹ It also involves common beliefs of followers and suggests that God’s people will possess virtue through God’s kingdom. It is necessary to highlight the discussed topics, including the Jesus movement, the historical background, Early Christianity, and several other essential considerations. Examining the Christian movement’s external and internal factors is crucial to understanding its peculiarities and discussing critical constituents in Christian belief.

There are theological or religious aspects shaping and influencing the spiritual mindset. Some theological factors contributed to the development of this movement.² For instance, followers believed in traditional Christianity, accepted Bible, the New Testament, Gospel, and other sacred texts.³ Many believers hope for the best in their belief in Jesus Christ. Moreover, holy texts possess significant importance; rewards and punishments become essential principles of the sacred faith.⁴ Furthermore, it is assured that dedication to Christ and sacrificing human life for him is a responsibility of every Christian believer.

The resurrection of Jesus played a significant role as it is prominent evidence of Jesus’s authenticity. The resurrection is believed to become the factor the changing lives of Christians. The Jesus movement became the Church of Jesus Christ due to the emergence of the resurrection of Jesus along with belief in the Holy Spirit of the Trinity.⁵ Moreover, people claimed that Jesus would forgive them sins after his being resurrected. It is why the resurrection of Jesus is essential for the movement; people believe God will save them.

The power of the Holy Spirit is also an essential concept that influenced the formation of the Jesus movement. In general, the Holy Spirit is a definition describing the spiritual interaction between humans and God.⁶ Several blessings involve this concept, mentioning it equally with the Father and the Son in Saint Trinity. In sacred Christian texts, the Holy Spirit is the origin of the Son, which comes from the Father. Followers of the Jesus movement believe that the Holy Spirit is inside humans, and it is a necessary part. Apart from blessing and preaching, they believe in God’s kingdom and strive to appear there at a certain moment. Natural law is one of the core principles of the Jesus movement; there are virtuous people and sinners, and everyone gets what he deserves.⁷ Many believers suggest that God accepts his saint children in any case, and they try to follow the Church to become true God’s people.

Indeed, discussing historical religious background is also crucial in understanding ancient spiritual order. Roman Empire had a significant impact on shaping the New Testament and other sacred writings. There are several apparent references to the Roman Empire in the Gospel of Luke and its interaction with Jesus Christ. The earliest figure mentioned in sacred texts of the Roman Empire was Caesar Augustus, who became the source of salvation and victory for Rome.⁸ Freedom, liberty, and justice became critical points in his reign, and people glorified the actions of Augustus, considering him a great ruler.⁹ These premises started to form the emperor’s ideology, which was supported by promoting the glory of the Roman Empire and its ruler. Indeed, the reign of Augustus brought significant changes in the structure of the political and religious system of the Empire. For instance, the emperor implied taxes for churches, professional and transitional taxes, and other modifications. It created a vast gap between the elite and the working class; most people had to live in poverty.

Many centuries ago, Rome dominated Israel; after the Civil war in Israel, Romans invaded Jerusalem and colonized it. Herod was elected an emperor; he executed control over Jews and the control over the Empire.¹⁰ Herod implied sacrifices after expanding the Jerusalem church, leading to even more poverty in ordinary families. After his death, Jews faced the issue of accepting a compromise with the Empire, which they were meant to agree to voluntarily. After the fall of the Israel kingdom, many Jews had to be separated from their native country. They lost control over their motherland, religion, and culture; diasporas usually emerge from migration and sometimes result in civil resistance.¹¹ Jewish diaspora became one of the most disturbing events for Jews, affecting their location and mindset.

Early Christian methods of worship do not differ significantly from what occurs nowadays. There are multiple methods to join the Christian belief in the church; in particular, some traditional rituals exist.¹² Baptism became one of the most famous procedures, which became the metaphor for dying and rising with Jesus Christ.¹³ According to the book, baptism is an “identification with Jesus in his death and resurrection”.¹⁴ The early Christian believers worshiped baptism with immersion, though it is now possible to witness other varieties of this procedure. For instance, some centuries ago, people practiced affusion, but today, there is a mode of touching the human’s forehead with saint water. According to Paul, baptism was a part of Christianity, and the sacrament of baptism was established. The Acts and the Pauline mention baptism in their texts, keeping baptism a holy initiation process for the Christian believer.

Eucharist is an action that assumes the consecration of bread and wine and its usage. In historical churches, the action is interpreted as a sacrament. It allows uniting with God and enables Christian believers to become closer to Jesus Christ. As per Paul, by making the action of the eucharist, people connect their souls with the blood and body of Jesus.¹⁵ Believers claim that regular participation in the eucharist enables a person to receive salvation and get eternal life. Assemblies are other essential constitutes of the Christian belief; these are congregations of people with a common religious aim. For instance, people gather in a particular place to pray, allowing them to unite with God.

St. Paul the Apostle made an enormous contribution to the Christian church. He commented on the church in various religious texts and considered the church the place where the soul and God meet.¹⁶ Paul proclaimed that belief in God guarantees well-being and sacred union with Jesus. Moreover, some Paulinian values include Christ-centeredness, charity, and mercy. His message to the people of God was to live in the Christian faith, and it would contribute to a better afterlife.¹⁷ People of God visited the church to find consolation; most believed in union with Jesus after death.¹⁸ Furthermore, Paul left a significant legacy, for instance, Acts of Paul, various spiritual teachings, principles, and Christian traditions.

The role of the church in the world is hard to overestimate. Church becomes the last chance to comprehend some severe trauma or loss for many people.¹⁹ There are many religious places except for Christian churches; people of various religions visit sacred places to be blessed and receive energy. Many Christian believers visit church weekly or more frequently; they complete particular rituals such as Eucharist, listen to preachers, and pray.²⁰ Ministry is the action held by certain persons who have the authority to serve religious purposes. Ministers should undergo particular vocational service and education to become autonomous subjects of Christian ministry. In some Christian churches, ministers pass an interview to determine whether beliefs, methods, and views are appropriate for ministry.

It is essential to mention how the abovementioned information is relevant for the church today. There were multiple topics discussed; for instance, it is vital to know theological and external factors that influenced Christian people’s beliefs. Moreover, early Christianity’s history and historical background were mentioned, which is vital for understanding religion. For the church today, it is necessary to discuss St. Apostle Paul’s legacy and values for grasping the Christian significance.

Overall, the concerned themes are critical for understanding Christian motives and beliefs. The abovementioned topics touch upon the history of Christian belief and various methods of religious commitment. The importance of Paul’s Acts and his spiritual heritage was discussed to show the essential constituent of religion. Moreover, it relates to the Jesus movement and responds to why the action continued and flourished; people’s faith in Jesus was strong, and they wanted to unite with Jesus Christ.

References

Chalke, S. (2019). The lost message of Paul: Has the church misunderstood the Apostle Paul? SPCK.

Edwards, J. R. (2021). From Christ to Christianity: How the Jesus movement became the church in less than a century. Baker Academic.

Elo, M., Täube, F., & Volovelsky, E. K. (2018). Migration ‘Against the tide’: Location and Jewish diaspora entrepreneurs. Regional Studies, 53(1), 95–106.

Fousek, J., Kaše, V., Mertel, A., Výtvarová, E., & Chalupa, A. (2018). Spatial constraints on the diffusion of religious innovations: The case of early Christianity in the Roman Empire. PLOS ONE, 13(12), 11-120.

Harrington, D. (2001). The church according to the New Testament: What the wisdom and witness of early Christianity teach us today (2nd ed.). Sheed & Ward.

MacCulloch, D. (2010). Christianity: The first three thousand years (1st ed.). Penguin Books.

Patterson, J. (2018). From John to Apollos to Paul: How the baptism of John entered the Jesus movement. Christian Origins and the Establishment of the Early Jesus Movement, 49–70.

Porat, R. (2017). The Ausraelis: Israelis in Australia as a test case of distinctiveness vis-à-vis the Jewish diaspora. Israel Affairs, 24(1), 167–190.

Tiwald, M., Zangenberg, J., Ebner, M., Lampe, P., Schreiber, S., Mader, H. E., Naerebout, F. G., von Bendemann, R., Magness, J., & Theißen, G. (2021). Early Christian encounters with town and countryside. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Footnotes

1. James Edwards, From Christ to Christianity: How the Jesus movement became the church in less than a century. Washington: Baker Academic, 2021), 12.
2. Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity: The first three thousand years (1st ed.). (London: Penguin Books, 2010), 62.
3. Daniel Harrington, The church according to the New Testament: What the wisdom and witness of early Christianity teach us today (2nd ed.). (London: Sheed & Ward, 2001), 52.
4. Markus Tiwald, et al., Early Christian encounters with town and countryside. (Germany: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2021), 11.
5. Daniel Harrington, The church according to the New Testament: What the wisdom and witness of early Christianity teach us today (2nd ed.). (London: Sheed & Ward, 2001), 102.
6. Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity: The first three thousand years (1st ed.). (London: Penguin Books, 2010), 14.
7. Daniel Harrington, The church according to the New Testament: What the wisdom and witness of early Christianity teach us today (2nd ed.). (London: Sheed & Ward, 2001), 110.
8. Jan Fousek et al., “Spatial constraints on the diffusion of religious innovations: The case of early Christianity in the Roman Empire”, PLOS ONE, no. 13 (2018): 20.
9. Jan Fousek et al., “Spatial constraints on the diffusion of religious innovations: The case of early Christianity in the Roman Empire”, PLOS ONE, no. 13 (2018): 32.
10. Maria Elo, et al. “Migration ‘Against the tide’: Location and Jewish diaspora entrepreneurs”, Regional Studies, no. 53 (2018): 95.
11. Ran Porat, “The Ausraelis: Israelis in Australia as a test case of distinctiveness vis-à-vis the Jewish diaspora”, Israel Affairs, no. 24 (2018): 167.
12. Markus Tiwald, et al., Early Christian encounters with town and countryside. (Germany: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2021), 92.
13. Stephen J. Patterson, “From John to Apollos to Paul: How the baptism of John entered the Jesus movement”, Christian Origins and the Establishment of the Early Jesus Movement, no. 1 (2018): 50.
14. Daniel Harrington, The church according to the New Testament: What the wisdom and witness of early Christianity teach us today (2nd ed.). (London: Sheed & Ward, 2001), 110.
15. Daniel Harrington, The church according to the New Testament: What the wisdom and witness of early Christianity teach us today (2nd ed.). (London: Sheed & Ward, 2001), 52.
16. Steve Chalke, The lost message of Paul: Has the church misunderstood the Apostle Paul? (Great Britain: SPCK, 2019), 81.
17. Daniel Harrington, The church according to the New Testament: What the wisdom and witness of early Christianity teach us today (2nd ed.). (London: Sheed & Ward, 2001), 108.
18. Markus Tiwald, et al., Early Christian encounters with town and countryside. (Germany: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2021), 101.
19. Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity: The first three thousand years (1st ed.). (London: Penguin Books, 2010), 98.
20. Steve Chalke, The lost message of Paul: Has the church misunderstood the Apostle Paul? (Great Britain: SPCK, 2019), 83.