Before Jerusalem Fell
by Kenneth L. Gentry by Kenneth L. Gentry
A Catena of Scholars Th Role ofJewtih Christiani~ 229 Many scholars recognize the significance of A.D. 70 in the separation of Judaism and Christianity. Perhaps a catena of their authoritative statements will prove helpful in throwing light upon the matter. Schaff writes: A few years afterwards followed the destruction of Jerusalem, which must have made an overpowering impression and broken the last ties which bound Jewish Christianity to the old theocracy. . . . The awfiul catastrophe of the destruction of the Jewish theocracy must have produced the profoundest sensation among the Christians. . . . It was the greatest calamity ofJudaism and a great benefit to Christianity; a refutation of the one, a vindication . . . of the other. It separated them forever. . . . Henceforth the heathen could no longer look upon Christianity as a mere sect of Judaism, but must regard and treat it as a new, peculiar religion. The destruction of Jerusalem, therefore, marks that momentous crisis at which the Christian church as a whole burst forth forever from the chrysalis of Judaism, awoke to a sense of maturity, and in government and worship at once took its independent stand before the world. 3 i Harnack agrees with this view when he notes that “it was the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple which seems to have provoked the final crisis, and led to a complete breach between the two parties [i.e., Jew and Christian] .“3 2 Ewald observes in this regard: “As by one great irrevocable stroke the Christian congregation was separated from the Jewish, to which it had clung as a new, vigorous offshoot to the root of the old tree and as the daughter to the mother.”3 3 Henderson concurs: “The destruction of the Temple incidentally liberated Christianity from the gravest peril which still threatened the diffusion of the new religion, releasing it in its youthful years from shackles by which its straiter Jewish adherents, defiant of the memory of the Apostle of the Gentiles, sought to fetter and impede its growth. “3 4 31. Scha~ History, 1:196,403-4. 32. Adolf Harnack, The Mimion and Expam”on of Christianip in ths Ftrst Three Centuries, 2 VOIS. (New York: Putnam, 1908) 1:63. 33. G. H. A. Ewald, Geschichti des Volkes Israel, 2nd cd., vol. 7, p. 171. Cited in Schaff, Histoy, 1 :4Q4n. 34. B. W. Henderson, Five Romun Emperors (Cambridge University Press, 1927), p. 9.
230 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL In an introductory synopsis of his epilogue, Brandon writes of the matter: “Christianity twice-born. The Jewish overthrow of A.D. 70 emancipated the infant ftith from its Jewish cradle, thus making possible its career as a world-religion. . . . The destruction ofJerusalem gave other cities decisive parts in the life of the Church, especially Rome. The Jewish catastrophe of A.D. 70 is probably the next most crucial event for Christianity after the Resurrection experiences.”35 Bo Reicke writes that Despite the Zealot movement, the church thought it theologically and politically important to maintain a positive relationship with Jerusalem and Judaism, until the martyrdom of James in 62, the growth of terrorism, and the first Jewish War finally forced a break with organized Judaism. This long association elucidated the connection between the Old and the New Covenant. It also facilitated the conversion ofJews and the growth of the Christian community in the Roman Empire, where, from the time of Caesar to that of Nero, the prohibition of associations did not apply to the Jews and therefore also not to the Christians.36 Davies argues that the fall of Jerusalem made “absolute the divorce between Church and Synagogue,” and further that “traces of Jewish Christianity are to be found in the following centuries, but the fall ofJerusalem reduced them to a position of complete insignificance for the future history of the Church. “3 7 Dix writes that “the transition was made, and quickly, in the ‘life of the Church.’ The events of A.D. 66-70 hastened the concluding stages.”3 8 Frend states that “there can be little question of the members of the ‘new Israel’ desiring to break all links with the old in the period from 75 to 100.”3 9 Other scholars can be consulted on this matter.w 35. Brandon, Fall ofJem.mlem, p. xix. 36. Bo Reicke, Tb New T~tameat Era: The World of the Bible From 500 B. C. to A.D. 100, trans. David E. Green (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1968), p. 211. See also comments on pages 227,245,251. 37. J. G. Davies, The Ear~ Chrirtian Church (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1965), p. 46. 38. Dix, Jew and Greek, p. 111. 39. Frend, Tle Rzse of Chtitianip, pp. 122-123. 40. For example: J. C. I. Gieseler, Textbook of E2cle.sia.siical Hi-story, trans. Francis Cunningham, vol. 1 (Philadelphia Carey, Lea, and Blanchard, 1836), pp. 55, 62.
- Page 194 and 195: T4.e Contempora~ Integrigv of the T
- Page 196 and 197: Tb Contempora~ Integrip of tb Templ
- Page 198 and 199: The Contemporap Integrip of the Tmp
- Page 200 and 201: The Contemporary Integrip of tfw Tm
- Page 202 and 203: Tb Contempora~ Integtip of the Temp
- Page 204 and 205: The ContemPora~ Integtip of the Tem
- Page 206 and 207: Tb Contanpora~ Integrip of the Tmpl
- Page 208 and 209: 12 THE ROLE OF NERO CAESAR In an ea
- Page 210 and 211: The Role of Nero Caesar 195 In Suet
- Page 212 and 213: The Role of Nero Caesar 197 051 all
- Page 214 and 215: The Role of Nero Caesar 199 666. An
- Page 216 and 217: T/w Role of Nero Caesar 201 them co
- Page 218 and 219: Th Role of Nero Caesar 203 the Beas
- Page 220 and 221: The Early Fathers The Role of Nero
- Page 222 and 223: I’%e Role ofNero Caesar 207 ‘Ti
- Page 224 and 225: Th Role of Nero Caesar 209 represen
- Page 226 and 227: Tb Role of Nero Caaar 211 between l
- Page 228 and 229: The Role of Nero Caaar 213 Hellenis
- Page 230 and 231: Th Role of Nero Caesar 215 family.
- Page 232 and 233: The Beast’s Red Color The Role of
- Page 234 and 235: Tb Role of Nero Caesar 219 Surely N
- Page 236 and 237: Th Role ofJmish Chri@izni~ 221 focu
- Page 238 and 239: Tb Role ofJewtih Christiani~ 223 ci
- Page 240 and 241: Tb Role ofJiwish Christianip 225 wi
- Page 242 and 243: The Role ofJewish Christiani~ 227 w
- Page 246 and 247: The Role ofJ2wish Christianity 231
- Page 248 and 249: The Looming Jewtih War 233 ofJudaea
- Page 250 and 251: Trk Looming Jewish War 235 prophesi
- Page 252 and 253: Th Looming Jmish War 237 Mariamne,
- Page 254 and 255: Tb Looming Jmtih War 239 Here then,
- Page 256 and 257: Th Looming Jewish War 241 to histor
- Page 258 and 259: Th Looming Jewish War 243 way diffe
- Page 260 and 261: Tb Looming Jwish War 245 Perhaps on
- Page 262 and 263: The Looming Jewish War 247 Such sho
- Page 264 and 265: T/u Looming Jewish War 249 ity and
- Page 266 and 267: The Looming Jewish War 251 against
- Page 268 and 269: Th Looming Jewi.rh War 253 Now from
- Page 270 and 271: Tb Looming Jmish War 255 With frets
- Page 272 and 273: PART N ALLEGED DOMITIANIC EVIDENCES
- Page 274 and 275: 260 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL tions tha
- Page 276 and 277: 262 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL Christian
- Page 278 and 279: 264 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL The Pre-N
- Page 280 and 281: 266 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL temple of
- Page 282 and 283: 268 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL was repre
- Page 284 and 285: 270 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL Now, one
- Page 286 and 287: 272 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL Suetonius
- Page 288 and 289: 274 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL Who is th
- Page 290 and 291: 276 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL sion of I
- Page 292 and 293: 278 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL imperial
230 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL<br />
In an introductory synopsis of his epilogue, Brandon writes of the<br />
matter: “Christianity twice-born. The Jewish overthrow of A.D. 70<br />
emancipated the infant ftith from its Jewish cradle, thus making<br />
possible its career as a world-religion. . . . The destruction of<strong>Jerusalem</strong><br />
gave other cities decisive parts in the life of the Church, especially<br />
Rome. The Jewish catastrophe of A.D. 70 is probably the next most<br />
crucial event for Christianity after the Resurrection experiences.”35<br />
Bo Reicke writes that<br />
Despite the Zealot movement, the church thought it theologically and<br />
politically important to maintain a positive relationship with <strong>Jerusalem</strong><br />
and Judaism, until the martyrdom of James in 62, the growth of<br />
terrorism, and the first Jewish War finally forced a break with organized<br />
Judaism. This long association elucidated the connection between<br />
the Old and the New Covenant. It also facilitated the conversion<br />
ofJews and the growth of the Christian community in the Roman<br />
Empire, where, from the time of Caesar to that of Nero, the prohibition<br />
of associations did not apply to the Jews and therefore also not<br />
to the Christians.36<br />
Davies argues that the fall of <strong>Jerusalem</strong> made “absolute the<br />
divorce between Church and Synagogue,” and further that “traces<br />
of Jewish Christianity are to be found in the following centuries, but<br />
the fall of<strong>Jerusalem</strong> reduced them to a position of complete insignificance<br />
for the future history of the Church. “3 7<br />
Dix writes that “the transition was made, and quickly, in the ‘life<br />
of the Church.’ The events of A.D. 66-70 hastened the concluding<br />
stages.”3 8<br />
Frend states that “there can be little question of the members of<br />
the ‘new Israel’ desiring to break all links with the old in the period<br />
from 75 to 100.”3 9<br />
Other scholars can be consulted on this matter.w<br />
35. Brandon, Fall ofJem.mlem, p. xix.<br />
36. Bo Reicke, Tb New T~tameat Era: The World of the Bible From 500 B. C. to A.D. 100,<br />
trans. David E. Green (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1968), p. 211. See also comments on pages<br />
227,245,251.<br />
37. J. G. Davies, The Ear~ Chrirtian Church (London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1965),<br />
p. 46.<br />
38. Dix, Jew and Greek, p. 111.<br />
39. Frend, Tle Rzse of Chtitianip, pp. 122-123.<br />
40. For example: J. C. I. Gieseler, Textbook of E2cle.sia.siical Hi-story, trans. Francis<br />
Cunningham, vol. 1 (Philadelphia Carey, Lea, and Blanchard, 1836), pp. 55, 62.