INTRODUCTION

Jewish expectations of a Messiah who would free them from Roman rule and lead them to new heights of temporal power were especially high among Palestinian Jews of the early first century. Popular hopes, focused on various insurrectionists, were consistently disappointed. Very different from these claimants to messiahship was Jesus, who proclaimed a message of repentance and the imminence of the kingdom of God. His teaching and miracles, especially of healing, attracted large crowds and a small group of devoted followers. Jewish leaders, offended by his teachings and threatened by his popularity, which they feared would eventuate in violent suppression by the Romans, accused him of sedition and he was crucified. Belief that he had risen from the dead transformed his timorous and discouraged followers into bold heralds of the gospel of salvation from the penalty of sin, purchased by the death, and resurrection of their Messiah whose kingdom was not of this world. This revolutionary understanding of Old Testament messianic prophecies offended most Jews.

Many, however, became converts and obeyed their risen Lord's command to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19; cf. Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). As the new faith spread quickly through the Mediterranean basin, its adherents saw it as the fulfillment of Judaism, pagans saw it as a Jewish sect, and Jews saw it as a radical departure from Jewish tradition. Eventually the Roman imperial government distinguished it from Judaism and declared it an illicit religion.