What is not as well known about ‘authentic’ Christianity, or perhaps it would be better to say that it has been conveniently ignored throughout the nearly 1700 years of Western Ecclesiastical religious tradition, history, and intrigue; not to mention receiving the official imperial stamp-of-approval by the Roman rulers of old times, is it’s true nature. Now what emerges from the shadows, so long being suppressed but never truly extinguished, is the ‘Faith’ of nearly one and a half billion believers is originally Middle Eastern, and more specifically, “Jewish.”
In a careful study of the New Testament Scriptures, starting with the Gospels and from ACTS to REVELATION, it is obvious that a Jewish theme flows throughout its pages. The birthplace of Christianity starts in Jerusalem of Judea and even the Apostle Paul commences his First Missionary journey from Antioch in Syria into Asia Minor [Turkey]. The Gospel is carried into Europe, in as far away places as the Balkans, Albania, and Croatia, but even including Macedonia [Greece], only accounts for roughly 24.1% of the time.
The time spent in Turkey alone by the Apostle Paul’s ministry and his fellow laborers, directly or indirectly, amounts to 46.3%; the remaining 29.6% involves spreading the Word of God and making disciples in the Middle East region (Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, Judea, Galilee, Libya, etc.), by the Apostle Peter and Philip the Evangelist as well as others. The thing is, given the fact that HEBREWS and REVELATION are some of the most Jewish books in the New Testament, ACTS mentions the Apostle Paul spreading the Word of God starting among Jewish synagogues. Some of the more well known New Testament books with a brief synopsis of their content are as follows:
ROMANS- Located in Italy. Mentions about the Law [“Torah”], and the Law [“Torah”] is holy, just, good, and spiritual.
I CORINTHIANS- Started at a Jewish synagogue in Greece; circumcision, feast [unleavened], tablets of stone, handwriting of ordinances [the Oral Law “Halakh” of the Pharisees??].
GALATIANS- Churches [assemblies] in: Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and Perga in Pamphylia, which all are in Turkey. Works of the Law [“Torah”], the Law [“Torah”] is spiritual, The Law [“Torah”] becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish [when Jesus returns].
NOTE: If the Law [“Torah”] were annulled or destroyed, that would make this aforementioned statement redundant and unnecessary.
EPHESIANS- Circumcision, commandments contained in ordinances [the Oral Law “Halakh” of the Pharisees??], 4: 26 (quote from Psalms 4: 4a; 37: 8), 5: 31 (quote from Genesis 2: 24), 6: 2-3 (quote from Exodus 20: 12; Deuteronomy 5: 16).
PHILIPPIANS- Located in Eastern Macedonia around Northern Greece. Beware of the Mutilation (Circumcision), sweet smelling aroma and an acceptable sacrifice.
COLOSSIANS- Located in Turkey. The handwriting of ordinances [the Oral Law “Halakh” of the Pharisees??], festival [Feast Day??], New Moons, Sabbaths.
I THESSALONIANS- Located in Greece around the Macedonian region. The command to love one another (Cp. John 13: 34; 15: 12).
I TIMOTHY- [Jewish??] fables and endless genealogies.
II TIMOTHY- I am being poured out as a drink offering.
TITUS- Jewish fables and commandments of men (Cp. Matthew 15: 9; the Oral Law “Halakh” of the Pharisees??).
JAMES- The perfect Law [“Torah”] of liberty, the royal Law [“Torah”] {2: 18; Cp.
Leviticus 19: 18b}, blaspheme that noble name (Christian, Nazarene/Netzari, ha-Derekh??), Abraham (Cp. Genesis 15: 6), Elijah, One Lawgiver (Cp. Isaiah 33: 22), the prophets.
I PETER- The pilgrims of the [“Jewish”] Dispersion (Cp. John 7: 35), [Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,, and Bithynia] all in Turkey, and Asia {Minor}; spiritual sacrifices, holy priesthood, Zion, a holy nation, His own special people, sojourners and pilgrims, daughters of Sarah, Noah and the Ark, Babylon [Iraq].
II PETER- I must put off my tent (tabernacle), Sodom and Gomorrah, righteous Lot, Balaam son of Beor, 2: 22 (quote from Proverbs 26: 11), words spoken by the holy prophets, the “Flood” [Noah and the Ark]
JUDE- Sodom and Gomorrah, Michael the Archangel, Cain, Balak, the rebellion of Korah, Moses, love feasts, Enoch the seventh from Adam
NOTE: Aprcryphal Book of Enoch (I Enoch 1: 9)
What is demonstrated here, the writings by the Apostle Paul to the Churches, the letters of the Apostle Peter, and even the REVELATION of John, were written to believers who attended the various synagogues; among whom also some were God-fearing Gentiles as well. From ACTS to the last book in the New Testament, starting in Jerusalem [Judea], the Gospel message spread to Galilee, Samaria, Israel, Syria, and Phoenicia. The Missionary journey of the Apostle Paul started in Turkey ["Galatia" in Asia Minor], and the last one, essentially concluded with passing through the region ["Galatia"] on the way back to Jerusalem.
The Apostle Peter wrote to the "Dispersion" in Turkey ["Galatia" in Asia Minor], and John addressed the Seven Churches of Asia (Revelation 1: 4), which are still geographically, at least, in the far Western part of Asia Minor, still within the region of Turkey. While it is true that the Apostle Paul did visit some places in Europe [MACEDONIA: Greece {Achaia}] and Rome, the overwhelming evidence favors Turkey as a particular concern; not only that, but the Apostle Paul was from Tarsus, which is located in Cilicia, Turkey.
Why this is so important is because it shifts the attention and focus away from Europe as being the cradle of Christianity with its translation of the Holy Scriptures in Greek instead of Aramaic or Hebrew, and puts it squarely back in the Middle East; or more specifically, Asia and Asia Minor where it belongs. What has tended to legitimize Rome as center-of-the-universe for Christendom is the tradition that the Apostles Paul and Peter, the two great saints of God, both met martyrdom in this city and their tombs or sepulchers are located there. Peter is even credited with being the first "Pope" of Rome but there is no evidence to support the fact that he even visited there, and the letter he wrote was from Babylon and it is very likely that he died there as a martyr. The Apostle Paul seems to have written one of his last letters to Titus from Nicopolis, and the Apostle Peter wrote his letters from Babylon [not “spiritual” Rome].
Nicopolis- Ancient city of Epirus, a periphery in NW Greece; which is a region of SE Europe, spanning Greece and Albania. It borders West Macedonia and Thessaly to the East, West Greece to the South, the Ionian Sea to the West, and Albania to the North.
Babylon- Formerly located in Central Iraq at the site of what is now called “Al-Hillah.”
So, instead of approaching the Word of God from a Western perspective, try thinking of receiving the Word of God as if a Middle Easterner, or more specifically, as a Messianic Jew or someone who was taught the 'Tanakh' (Old Testament) including the Law ["Torah"] of Moses. In conclusion, then, it is therefore, highly unlikely that what has been the focus in nearly two-thousand years of the “Faith” has been misplaced by Western European theological tradition, cultural models and ethnocentric behavior. The recipients of these epistles were undoubtedly very familiar with the Jewish Scriptures (“Tanakh”) and Oral Traditions (“Halakh”) whether Native or Greek-speaking Jews, God-fearing Gentile friends or proselytes. The challenge is to strip away the religious blinders and layers of misconceptions to let the glorious light of Truth to shine through. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8: 32).
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
September 1, 2009
pbks@hotmail.com
