Judaism And Early Christianity Essay

Judaism and Christianity forms part of the Abrahamic religions where Islam is the third. They both believe in ancestral background of Abraham where they believe in the great covenant between God and Abraham. However, Judaism and Christianity posses both similarity and differences. They both follow suit the bible as the holy book. However Christianity has Sunday as their worship day while Saturday is for the Judaism. They both depict a close relationship in theological and historical backgrounds. However they posses substantial distinctions which emanate from the nature of their religious response. The basic similarities born to the Christians is because it came from Judaism. Its breakdown from Judaism however led to a totally different religion though sharing some specific characteristics. As much difference as occurring between the two, they are almost the same believing in the biblical teachings and a divine supernatural being. An important opening comparison between the two is that they belief in Abraham as their founding ancestor. To the Judaism however, they have a basic belief of all the religions as being God’s children whom therefore brings a sense of equality to them all. They have the believe of God’s love for his people but does not campaign on sole conversion towards Judaism for them to have salvation. In the same however, it welcomes those who wish to join this religion without hesitation of what would be their current religions background. (http://www. catholiceducation. org/articles/apologetics/ap0007. html) Generally, both can be argued as monotheistic which means the believe in one powerful God. However, as much as monotheism is a similarity of God, a difference exists between the two on the nature of this God. To the Judaism, God cannot be broken down into other parts. They thus believe in a sole and a full God. However, Christians have the sense of Trinitarian where God exists in God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, though sharing the perception of one God, a sense of incompatibility arises when the existence of God as a whole according to Judaism has a subdivided personality according to Christians. To Judaism, idea of one God brings the essence of unity and the unique nature of his force towards the cosmos. To them (Judaism) God is the sole creator of everything. They refer Trinitarianism as weakening the essence of God’s unity /oneness. (Diane, 1992) However, a contrast of view exists between the two in their view about Jesus. To the Christians, they have Jesus has a Central pillar in their religion. He is part of the God’s trinity. He is the Son of God and gives the revelation of God through the flesh. To then, the belief that Jesus is the incarnate God who existed in flesh and came to save the sins of man through his death. However, a different point of view exists in Judaism about Jesus. To them, Jesus was just a mere Son of God but existed like a general human being to them. He has no power of saving human souls and therefore did not rise from his death. He had no power of absorbing man’s sins. Forgiveness is what removes man’s sins but not atonement of Jesus. To the Christians however, he came to replace the dominant Jewish law which however is contrasted by the Jewish. A contrast also sexists in their view of Jesus as the Messiah. This is true to the Chriatianity. However, the Judaism has the view that Messiah will be unique human being who will bring liberation towards human piece. To them, Messiah exists only when the whole worlds gets into peace. However, Jesus’ era on earth could not provide this. To the Jews however, a different pedigree of understanding about Jesus as man exists. (http://www. catholiceducation. org/articles/apologetics/ap0007. html) A conception into the traditions of the original sin and the doctrine of a free will elsewhere exists between the two. To the Judaism, original sin is a mere mythology. They reject the aspect that people are born with sins, which can only be removed whenever they believe in Jesus in his sacrificial death. To the Christians, salvation is the only way in which human sins can be washed away. However, the Jewish has the view that man is never good nor bad at birth. Consequently, they possess both good and bad inclinations at their birth. However, to them is the aspect of free will from which they choose how to model their conceptions. Their morality is built on ethics, which grants them the opportunity for choosing what best to do at specific times in time. (Diane, 1992) A similarity and difference in life on earth and after death also exist. To both, lives after death is a consequent reality. To the Jews however, an importance should be attached to improving life on the earth, which is important in improving the status of the world. However, they never count on the importance of life after death. They argue on death as a component towards giving life its overall meaning. They belief that whatever life is taken after death is to the best interest of God. They however lack of a clear sense of hell and heaven. To the Christians however, life is death is real and is modeled in response to what extent a person had when a life. They belief on life after death for those who went after God’s teachings while a life. (Richard, 1983) It clear that monotheism, Abrahamism and biblical understanding are the basic ideologies that the two share in common. However, they a plugged into different understanding of how their sacred lives are undertaken. Reference Comparing Christianity & Judaism. Retrieved on 10th May 2008 from http://www. catholiceducation. org/articles/apologetics/ap0007. html Diane, W (1992) Christianity & Judaism. Blackwell Publishers Richard, W (1983) Christianity and Judaism. The Deepening Dialogue. Ridge Row Press