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[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol of Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
[[Image:Olive tree.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The olive tree has long been used as a symbol in Messianic Judaism: "''Thou, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them''" (Romans 11:17)]]
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:
'''Messianic Judaism''' is a religious movement which:
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
*regards its members to be committed [[Jew]]s.
Many people wrongly assume that Messianic Judaism originated from Christianity, or that it is a hybrid religion formed comparatively recently by combining Jewish and Christian beliefs and practices. However, Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. Yeshua and his [[disciple]]s (''talmidim'') were all Jews, and did not convert to another religion; furthermore, as the Bible clearly states He came to earth to be the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion.
Many people wrongly assume that Messianic Judaism originated from Christianity, or that it is a hybrid religion formed comparatively recently by combining Jewish and Christian beliefs and practices. However, Messianic Judaism predates Christianity by several decades, and Christianity evolved from the Messianic Judaism of the first century. Yeshua and his [[disciple]]s (''talmidim'') were all Jews, and did not convert to another religion; furthermore, as the Bible clearly states He came to earth to be the prophesied Messiah of Judaism, not to form a new religion.
The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. To escape this persecution, Gentile Christians sought to widen the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish. By the time of the [[Council of Nicea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref>
The first people to be known as Christians were the Gentiles in [[Antioch]] ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2011:20,21,26;&version=9; Acts 11:20,21,26]) but Christianity was still widely considered to be a sect of Judaism. In 70 AD, the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] general [[Titus]] sacked the city of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Second Temple]] was burned down. It is estimated that as many as one million Jews died during the revolt.<ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html ''The Great Revolt''] Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Many Jews were taken captive and deported to [[Italy]] where they were forced to build the [[Colosseum]] in [[Rome]]. The emperor [[Vespasian]] then introduced a tax (the "Fiscus Judaicus") to be paid by all Jews to finance the reconstruction of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Even after construction was completed, the tax was still levied, and was used as a measure to deter people from converting to Judaism.<ref>Lendering, Jona [http://www.livius.org/fa-fn/fiscus/judaicus.html ''Fiscus Judaicus''] "Articles on Ancient History" Livius. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref> Well into the second century, Gentile Christians were also required to pay the ''fiscus judaicus'' and persecuted as a sect of Judaism. To escape this persecution, Gentile Christians sought to widen the division between themselves and the Jews, and their practices became less and less Jewish.
Messianic Judaism was presumed by many to have died out after the Council of Nicea. However, in the records of the [[Inquisition]] there are accounts of Jewish believers in Yeshua who were persecuted by the inquisitors well into the 12th and 13th centuries, but as persecution from the Roman church became stronger, Messianic Judaism became almost invisible to history.<ref>Chaimberlin, Richard Aharon [http://www.petahtikvah.com/Articles/MessianicForDummies.htm ''Messianic Judaism For Dummies''] Petah Tikvah. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>
==The wild olive branch==
The church in Rome was began as a Jewish fellowship, started by those who returned from Pentecost in Jerusalem,<ref>[http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%202%20;&version=9; Acts 2]</ref> not by an [[apostle]] As these Jewish believers evangelized, many Gentile believers joined them. Around 50 AD [[Claudius]] banished many Jews from Rome,<ref>Barclay, John M. G.; Hooker, Morna Dorothy and McMurdo, John Philip (ed.) "Early Christian Thought in Its Jewish Context" (Cambridge University Press; 2007) ISBN 0-5210-4412-X</ref> leaving the church entirely Gentile. Twelve years later [[Nero]] invited the Jews back to stimulate trade. However the Gentiles refused to allow the Messianic Jewish believers back into the church, having concluded that Claudius' rejection signified God's rejection, which is probably the first appearance of [[Replacement Theology]].<ref>[http://fp.thebeers.f9.co.uk/olive.htm ''The Olive Tree and the wild olive branch''] "The Wild Olive Branch" Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>
[[Paul]]'s [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%209-11;&version=9; letter to the Roman church] addresses this matter, and he urges them to remember that they are like a "wild olive tree, grafted in" among the Jews, and warns them against "conceit", particularly as it is the Jewish root which supported their Christian branch. ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:17,18,25;&version=9; Romans 11:17,18,25])
However, by the time of the [[Council of Nicea]] in 325, Christianity was both anti-Judaic and [[anti-Semitic]].<ref>As [[Constantine]] said at the Council: "''Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.''" Boyle, Isaac "A Historical View of The Council of Nicea" (T Mason and G Lane, New York; 1839)</ref> Messianic Judaism was presumed by many to have died out after the Council of Nicea. However, in the records of the [[Inquisition]] there are accounts of Jewish believers in Yeshua who were persecuted by the inquisitors well into the 12th and 13th centuries, but as persecution from the Roman church became stronger, Messianic Judaism became almost invisible to history.<ref>Chaimberlin, Richard Aharon [http://www.petahtikvah.com/Articles/MessianicForDummies.htm ''Messianic Judaism For Dummies''] Petah Tikvah. Accessed 18 February 2008</ref>
==Messianic Judaism in the 19th century==
==Messianic Judaism in the 19th century==