An in-depth study of the roots of Christianity is fundamentally crucial for contemporary believers because it allows them to identify the continuity of theological views and to determine the historical context in which the philosophy of Christ was created. The reason why the modern Christian must study the origins of religion is not only because of an earthly desire to be aware of the history of the doctrine to which he belongs. On the contrary, it is only through an understanding of the chronological development of Christianity that the true believer has a chance to know the divine plan and thus to be closer to God. In this sense, Luke’s Gospel, which recognized the early church as truly Jewish, is of crucial importance. As a consequence, it is this text that targets the Jewish context of Christianity more than any other. In addition, for a superficial acquaintance with this religion, it should be understood that its historical development is inextricably linked to the development of the Jewish community, their attitudes, and social attitudes.
It is easy to find in Luke a great deal of detail in the sacred texts that refers the careful reader to Judaism. Illustrative examples are the gathering of the people in the temple, the deliberate use of native Jewish terms, and the concretization of historical elements that seem not to be necessary at all: the number of people of 120. In particular, this is the number of Jewish men needed to form a Jewish community, and it is impossible not to recognize Luke’s deliberate use of this number. This is not surprising, given Luke’s deliberate desire to document the chronology of the divine miracles and the sequence of the life (and execution) of Jesus Christ for the Jewish community. The probable reason for this conversion is Luke’s attempt to convert more Jewish people to Christianity, but in such a way that they did not see this religion as a radical new current but recognized continuity from Abrahamic teaching, as shown in Acts 7. The idea is that the Jews truly believed the Old Testament concepts, and the New Testament modifies these teachings and introduces a new biblical figure. However, the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was a turning point, involving a considerable number of followers in a relatively new culture. The description of such events was critical to Luke, so it is clear that Christians and Jews had an inherently conflicting relationship, which Luke tried to smooth over.
On the other hand, one must pay attention to the subtexts of the narrators describing the New Testament stories. Luke was known primarily for his desire to unite the various groups and create intra-Christian harmony. Thus, the messages described in Acts addressed to the Jews allow the modern reader to understand and interpret the culture and traditions peculiar to the people of that era. Luke thus acts as a historian who wishes to preserve the chronology’s key historical milestones as religious heritage.
It is thus appropriate to conclude that Luke sought to portray the New Testament Christians in light of Abrahamism’s natural evolution. This was done primarily to prevent the development of any views that put Jesus on the same level as heretics or blasphemers. While it is not essential for the modern Christian to know the historical origins of religion, it does reflect a wise, informed approach to belonging. A Christian who understands the Jewish origins of Christianity perceives religion more profoundly and is closer to an understanding of the Divine plan.
References
Elwell, Walter, and Yarbrough, Robert. Encountering the New Testament, 3rd Edition. Baker Publishing Group, 2015.