I'm rather curious about something. If Jesus, His family, followers, companions all followed the Jewish faith, but somehow seemed to intermix that with a Christian faith.....why then do His followers of today not also carry on that tradition?

Thanks and God bless~

-- Jackiea (sorry@dontlikespam.com), June 05, 2002

Answers

to the top, please

-- Jackiea (sorry@dontlikespam.com), June 05, 2002.

There has been SO much written on this subject. In a very small nutshell, though: Catholocism is not merely an updated Jadaism. It is the "New and Eternal Testament" which, while flowing out of Judaism does not contradict Judaism, but rather fulfills all of the promises of the Old Covenant.

It can certainly be argued that the early Church worshiped in a more "Jewish" way, but the Rites of the Church evolved sowly over time as Catholic spiritual identity and practice came into being.

-- jake (jake__@msn.com), June 05, 2002.

Jackie,
We have to understand first, the Jews didn't live by a faith; although the Prophets and Patriarchs were holy and faithful. The Old Testament is God's Promise to a nation of His choosing. He promised them to always be their God. But He gave to them His Law; the Law of Moses. We see in the Old Testament a long history of this people; and how they would keep or else sometimes break the Law.

Jesus observed the Law too. He didn't have to, because He is God, the Lawgiver. Yet, it was always by example that He drew men to Him. He was a model of perfection; and by being that model-- the Law was finally fulfilled.

Saint Paul, who was born a Pharisee, knew everything about that Law. But in his eventual conversion, he explained to Christians why the Law was never meant to save us. It was FAITH, and Our Saviour Jesus Christ, which the Old Testament had made possible --that saves us. I say faith, which of course means in Jesus; the One whom the OT prophets told the Jews to expect. Read all the epistle to the Hebrews; and see the relation we have going back from Christ to the Old Testament Fathers and Prophets. Our Lord was given to us by His Almighty Father --Keeping His ancient promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Those were Jesus precursors. But who would have expected them to realise, He Jesus, (God) had made them the Promise?

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), June 05, 2002.