Why christian were antisemitic, considering their savior was jewish ?

Question

Considering that christianity came from judaism ?
Considering that Jesus came to keep god promise to his chosen people ( the jewish people ) and to offer the same deal to other non-chosen people ( if they believe in him ).

Were the christians not happy after the jews only because they had expected all of them would convert and recognise Jesus,
but after a few years they realised it was not going to happen,
and the church core people were going to be non-jewish people ?

Your thoughts on the subject ?

Please read carefully... I wrote christian @WERE@ antisemitic.
As in "in the past".
See spanish catolicism, or the various wars who drove jewish people into england or out of europe, in the middle ages.

Answer 1

Some "Christians" are antisemtic just like some Muslims etc.
It doesn't reflect the vast majority of Christians.

Answer 2

The fact that Jesus was an orthodox Jew from the West Bank has been mostly glossed over or hidden from Christians through the ages.
The early Church sought to discard anything "Jewish" within the new religion.
Today there's a growing movement of Christians studying the Jewish origins of their religion.

Answer 3

Because they (some, not all) believe that the Jews killed Jesus. Logic would state that it was not the Jewish people who demanded the death of Christ but the leaders of Christ's own church. The Romans had no issues with him (despite what some on here will tell you). The Jewish people were afraid to speak out against their church but that does not mean that they wished Christ to be dead. Personally, I've never thought that.

To my knowledge, the Jews do acknowledge Christ -- just not as the messiah.

Our current Pope wishes to reinstate Latin mass which specifically blames the Jews (very antisemitic) for Christ's death.

That man gives me the creeps.

Answer 4

As a Jew I can say that not all Christians are (or were) anti-Semitic. Anti-Semitism has historically been a minority viewpoint - even in Germany during WW2. However, that did not stop millions from being killed because unfortunately too many people of "Good Will" turned their heads away.

Good Luck!!!

"First they came for the Communists but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out;
Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists but I was not one of them, so I did not speak out;
Then they came for the Jews but I was not Jewish so I did not speak out.
And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me."


Martin Niemoller, 1892-1984

Answer 5

They aren't. They know Jesus was Jewish, and that God's chosen people are the Jews, not to mention the fact that the first Christians were largely Jews.

Answer 6

That's a good question and I agree with you that it shouldn't be.

I think the problem arose as we see the Early Church developing according to the emerging background scenario shown in the book of Acts and the Letters.

The Church began as a core group of the Apostles and followers, all of whom were Jewish; then at Pentecost, you got Jews from the Dispersion come in - 3,000 straightaway (Acts 2:41) and multitudes thereafter (2:47, 5:14). These were all taught directly by the Apostles in the Temple (Solomon's Porch - Acts 5:21) as to what they should believe.

Then came the persecutions of Saul, and believers travelled out of Jerusalem and the Holy Land the into further parts of the Roman Empire and set up groups of believers there. The believers there were mostly Gentiles of a greek background.

Places like Antioch became influential in Christian circles and related to the 'mother church' at Jerusalem increasingly independently. There also were frictions which arose, as in the matter of the 'Judaisers', who were trying to make Gentiles obey the Law of Moses and especially to be circumcised. This was settled by Paul and the Jerusalem elders (Acts 15:5 - 24). However, these people travelled to many of the Gentile churches and caused much trouble by their doctrine (Gal. 2:12-14). These were the beginnings of a history-long struggle over false doctrines which were creeping in.

The trouble really came in around the 4th century when, after years of persecution, Christianity finally gained acceptance, after the Emperor (Constantine) claimed conversion. The Apostles had died out by now and these were the times of the Early Church Fathers, some of which were blatantly antisemitic - eg. St. John Chrysostom.

These were the beginnings of the papal system, too, where Christianity had moved well away from its roots, was becoming more political and was falling into many doctrinal errors because it was compromising and mixing paganism with its faith. The system which began to be based at Rome made big claims for itself (none of which was founded on scripture) and was always antisemitic.

One of the major writings which came out in the early 5th century was Augustine's 'City of God' - the first classic piece of 'Replacement Theology' to emerge. (In a nutshell : the Church had replaced the Jews in God's scheme of things and they were no longer important people in his plan). This was the doctrinal justification for antisemitism.

After that, as people has no more access to the scriptures and had to rely on what the priests said, and as they had been fed the lie of replacement theology, it became okay to persecute the Jews. Jesus, to them, became a white man and his Jewish roots were never spoken of.

Therefore followed the Crusades and the disgusting incidence of so-called Christians massacring Jews wherever they found them if they wouldn't convert. It is true to say that no group of people has ever suffered such persecution, from all races in the world, as has the Jewish people. Wherever they have gone, they have met with this. It is no wonder they have clung to Judaism!

Finally, I have to say, that it is my strong conviction that God is very displeased with antisemitism, wherever it comes from. From those who claim to be Christians, there is the greatest condemnation. God will deal with these people in his time, for their behaviour has no relationship to the true faith which was once and for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3) from the mouths of the first Apostles of our Lord.

Answer 7

I noticed that a lot. I remember seeing a story on TV of a pope that kidnaped Jewish kids to force convert them. Ah if people only knew where they came from.
Anyway...Shalom

Answer 8

What are you talking about, the first Christians were Jews, then the Gentiles were preached to, and God said they would have ears to hear, but the Jews who refused to believe would be blinded to it.
I don't think it has anything to do with antisemitism. It had to do with if you believed, or if you didn't. God blinded them because they refused to believe.

Answer 9

Only uniformed Bigots think that way and it started with the Medieval Church of Rome, teaching a False Replacement theology..

Answer 10

This is a statement and not a question. Christians are not anti-semitic. You are correct, however, in that the Hero of the Christian religion is a Jew.