Truth to Power

During the days of what some call the 'early church' (others call it the Jewish rebel sect called The Way getting out of hand), there arose a legal debate and discussion about whether gentiles who wished to be included with the Messianic Jews following Jesus of Nazareth had to learn and adopt all the 613 plus Jewish laws to be included in the tent of worship meeting as it were. Those gentiles who responded to and accepted Jesus' teachings wanted to join the Jewish Apostles and disciples, and those Jews had the right to set the rules- who are we going to let in. Are we going to let in just everyone or do they have to learn all our laws and keep all of them. There were a lot of rules. In scientific hindsight they all make sense practically from a health and survival perspective-kosher kept people from dying from shellfish allergies, etc.. but were they all mandatory to be included as a follower of Jesus? After a discussion between Paul and Peter (the first Pope) it was decided that gentiles did not have to follow all the levitical laws, or even be circumcized (likely a painful procedure for an adult.) Paul was a Pharisee- which is like a lawyer-theologian. He was well versed in all the laws. It was decided there were three non-negotiable laws that the new converts MUST follow -levitical laws ,that had to be kept. 1. the Jewish laws against eating meat sacrificed to idols. The pagans offered animal sacrifices to foreign gods and it was a form of idolotry to eat those sacrifices. 2. Do not eat blood. It is a levitical prohibition. and 3 Keep the Jewish marriage law---no 'unlawful marriage.' Anything not lawful marriage was sexual immorality- whether it was sex with cult pagan temple prostitutes of either gender, same gender homosexuality-rampant in greek culture particularly, or any form of sexual activity outside lawful Jewish marriage which was legally regulated. It entailed a ceremony and a legal binding contract of marriage which detailed obligation regarding child support and what would happen in event of divorce. Those are the three Non-Negotiables to be called a Christian. The culture of the time was one in which adultery was a stoneable offense-they stoned adulterers to death. That is what the woman running to Jesus from the men seeking to stone her was guilty of- (he who is without sin may cast the first stone)- Jesus did away with capital punishment for a repentant adulteress (go and sin no more- a second offense might have been less merciful.) But Jesus did not do away with the Jewish marriage laws. There are three non-negotiables of the faith to be considered a christian according to what the first council of Peter and Paul determined that allowed the faith to spread into the gentile world: 1. do not eat meat sacrificed to idols, 2. do not eat blood, 3 no unlawful marriage. Keep the Jewish marriage laws. All the laws and all the prophets are summed up in the supercommandment "Love your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself." And Jesus did not come to do away with the laws but to fulfill them. So all these three must be kept as non-negotiable to the precept to the fundamental one- You shall Love the Lord Your God with all your Heart, Mind, Soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself.