Hi Longfellow
1) WHEN DID CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY (I.E. THE PROMISE OF A MESSIAH/CHRIST) BEGIN?
Longfellow said : “Oh. I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about Jewish beliefs. When you say "early Judeo-Christian," how early is that? Before His ascension, or after?”
The term “Judeo-Christian” refers to literature and theology that interconnects or bridges “Jewish” and “Christian” theology and traditions.
The specific “origin” of Christianity (or proto-christianity) depends on what literature one uses as historical context.
For example, one can use the early Jewish and Christian literature where Adam himself was educated regarding and promised a Messiah; a Christ. IF this is correct, then a form of Christianity or Messiahism existed from the very beginning.
For example, the apostolic Father Ignatius taught Christians of his day that “It is utterly absurd to profess Jesus Christ and to practice Judaism. For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity,...” Ignatius to the Magnesians 10:3 and Ignatius would have good reason to claim if he was familiar with Judeo-Christian literature of the early era.
For example, the promise and belief in a Christ/Messiah was present long before Jesus’ birth.
This seemed to be the case in ancient Judeo-Christian literature. I gave an example from Biblical, Jewish 1 Enoch in post #14 where pre-rabbinic Judaism described The Son of Man or Messiah thusly: “This is the Son of Man, to whom belongs righteousness, and with whom righteousness dwells…for the Lord of the Spirits has chosen him, and he is destined to be victorious before the Lord of the Spirits in eternal uprightness.” (1st Enoch 46:1-6)
Early Christian Literature also describe many examples where they believed Adam was promised a Christ (i.e. a Messiah). Seth, the son of Adam relates the promise of a Christ, given to Adam when Seth says:
“He (Adam) spoke to me about this in Paradise after I picked some of the fruit in which death was hiding: ‘Adam, Adam do not fear […] I am consigning you to death, and the maggot and the worm will eat your body.’...But after a short time there will be mercy on you because you were created in my image, and I will not leave you to waste away in Sheol. For your sake I will be born of the Virgin Mary. For your sake I will taste death and enter the house of the dead.... And after three days, while I am in the tomb, I will raise up the body I received from you.” (Testament of Adam 3:1-4)
Another example comes from the syncretic Judao-christian witness of Enoch where God relates to the prophet enoch what he (God) said to Adam : “And I said [to him], ‘You are earth, and into the earth once again you will go, out of which I took you. And I will not destroy you, but I will send you away to what I took you from. Then I can take you once again at my second coming. And I blessed all my creatures….” 2nd Enoch 31:2-8, 32:1
Another example from the early text Apocalypse of Adam relates Adams interaction with Three angel who relate the promise of a future Christ. Adam says : “The men [spoke] , saying to me, ‘Rise up, Adam, from the sleep of death, and hear about the aeon and the seed of that man to whom life has come, the one who came forth from you and from Eve your wife…Now then, my son Seth, I will reveal to you what was revealed to me by those men whom I once saw before me. The Apocalypse of Adam 2:1-6-7, ch 3:1;
The Life of Adam and Eve (apo) text relates the same promise of a Christ to Adam thusly: “And the Lord turned and said to Adam, ‘From now on I will not allow you to be in Paradise. And Adam answered and said, ‘Lord, give me from the tree of life that I might eat before I am cast out.’ Then the Lord spoke to Adam, ‘You shall not now take from it…But when you come out of Paradise, if you guard yourself from all evil, preferring death to it, at the time of the resurrection I will raise you again and then there shall be given to you from the tree of life, and you shall be immortal forever.” 28:1-4
Another example of this promise to Adam appeared in earlier chapters of the same text:
“Seth, man of God, do not labor, praying with this supplication about the tree from which the oil flows, to anoint your father Adam; it shall not come to be yours now (but at the end of times. Then all flesh from Adam up to that great day shall be raised, such as shall be the holy people; then to them shall be given every joy of Paradise and God shall be in their midst and there shall not be any more sinners before him, for the evil heart shall be removed from them, and they shall be given a heart that understands the good and worships God alone Life of Adam and Eve (Apocalypse) 13:2-6;
Another version of this promise to Adam is in later chapters:
“And the Lord said to him, “I told you that you are dust and to dust you shall return. 3 Now I promise to you the resurrection; I shall raise you on the last day in the resurrection with every man of your seed.” Life of Adam and Eve (apocalypse) 41:1-3;
The early Hellenistic Synagogal prayers reflect this same belief. The narrative of prayer #12 reads, regarding Adam:
“But having subjected to him the creation, You have given to him, through sweat and hard labors, to provide by himself the nourishment for his own family, while you are causing all things to grown, and to ripen. And in time, having caused him to fall asleep for a while, you called (him) by an oath to a new birth; having dissolved the boundaries of death, you promised life by resurrection! 51 And not only this; but also those who poured forth from him… Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers (Prayer #12)
Jewish literature such as the Haggadah also confirms this ancient belief. This Jewish version reads: “Also, Adam’s prayer, to be given of the fruit of the Tree of Life, was turned aside, with the promise, however, that if he would lead a pious life, he would be given of the fruit on the day of resurrection, and he would then live forever. The Haggadah (The Punishment);
Yet another version of this Story concerning Adam and Seth comes from the Christian literature, Gospel of Nicodemus. The text begins with the Angel saying to Seth: ‘What do you desire, Seth? Do you desire, because of the sickness of your father, the oil that raises up the sick, or the tree from which flows such oil? This cannot be found now. Therefore go and tell your father than after the completion of fifty-five hundred years from the creation of the world, the only-begotten son of God shall become man and shall descend below the earth. And he shall anoint him with that oil. And he shall arise and wash him and his descendants with water and the Holy spirit. And then he shall be healed of every disease. But this is impossible now. Gospel of Nicodemus- Christ’s descent into hell
Such literature from both Jewish sources and Christian sources that agree on certain theological points are called "Judeo-Christian" literature.
The point here is that IF such early Judeo-Christian beliefs are correct, then Adam was the first Christian and person who was taught concerning a future Christ or Messiah. This early belief does not, typically, coordinate with modern Christian assumptions. Christians tend to believe the early Prophets referred to a Messiah, but the connection between old testament promises of a Messiah and to the arrival of that Messiah as Jesus are more tenuous than ancient Judeo-Christianity.
1) WHEN DID CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY (I.E. THE PROMISE OF A MESSIAH/CHRIST) BEGIN?
Longfellow said : “Oh. I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about Jewish beliefs. When you say "early Judeo-Christian," how early is that? Before His ascension, or after?”
The term “Judeo-Christian” refers to literature and theology that interconnects or bridges “Jewish” and “Christian” theology and traditions.
The specific “origin” of Christianity (or proto-christianity) depends on what literature one uses as historical context.
For example, one can use the early Jewish and Christian literature where Adam himself was educated regarding and promised a Messiah; a Christ. IF this is correct, then a form of Christianity or Messiahism existed from the very beginning.
For example, the apostolic Father Ignatius taught Christians of his day that “It is utterly absurd to profess Jesus Christ and to practice Judaism. For Christianity did not believe in Judaism, but Judaism in Christianity,...” Ignatius to the Magnesians 10:3 and Ignatius would have good reason to claim if he was familiar with Judeo-Christian literature of the early era.
For example, the promise and belief in a Christ/Messiah was present long before Jesus’ birth.
This seemed to be the case in ancient Judeo-Christian literature. I gave an example from Biblical, Jewish 1 Enoch in post #14 where pre-rabbinic Judaism described The Son of Man or Messiah thusly: “This is the Son of Man, to whom belongs righteousness, and with whom righteousness dwells…for the Lord of the Spirits has chosen him, and he is destined to be victorious before the Lord of the Spirits in eternal uprightness.” (1st Enoch 46:1-6)
Early Christian Literature also describe many examples where they believed Adam was promised a Christ (i.e. a Messiah). Seth, the son of Adam relates the promise of a Christ, given to Adam when Seth says:
“He (Adam) spoke to me about this in Paradise after I picked some of the fruit in which death was hiding: ‘Adam, Adam do not fear […] I am consigning you to death, and the maggot and the worm will eat your body.’...But after a short time there will be mercy on you because you were created in my image, and I will not leave you to waste away in Sheol. For your sake I will be born of the Virgin Mary. For your sake I will taste death and enter the house of the dead.... And after three days, while I am in the tomb, I will raise up the body I received from you.” (Testament of Adam 3:1-4)
Another example comes from the syncretic Judao-christian witness of Enoch where God relates to the prophet enoch what he (God) said to Adam : “And I said [to him], ‘You are earth, and into the earth once again you will go, out of which I took you. And I will not destroy you, but I will send you away to what I took you from. Then I can take you once again at my second coming. And I blessed all my creatures….” 2nd Enoch 31:2-8, 32:1
Another example from the early text Apocalypse of Adam relates Adams interaction with Three angel who relate the promise of a future Christ. Adam says : “The men [spoke] , saying to me, ‘Rise up, Adam, from the sleep of death, and hear about the aeon and the seed of that man to whom life has come, the one who came forth from you and from Eve your wife…Now then, my son Seth, I will reveal to you what was revealed to me by those men whom I once saw before me. The Apocalypse of Adam 2:1-6-7, ch 3:1;
The Life of Adam and Eve (apo) text relates the same promise of a Christ to Adam thusly: “And the Lord turned and said to Adam, ‘From now on I will not allow you to be in Paradise. And Adam answered and said, ‘Lord, give me from the tree of life that I might eat before I am cast out.’ Then the Lord spoke to Adam, ‘You shall not now take from it…But when you come out of Paradise, if you guard yourself from all evil, preferring death to it, at the time of the resurrection I will raise you again and then there shall be given to you from the tree of life, and you shall be immortal forever.” 28:1-4
Another example of this promise to Adam appeared in earlier chapters of the same text:
“Seth, man of God, do not labor, praying with this supplication about the tree from which the oil flows, to anoint your father Adam; it shall not come to be yours now (but at the end of times. Then all flesh from Adam up to that great day shall be raised, such as shall be the holy people; then to them shall be given every joy of Paradise and God shall be in their midst and there shall not be any more sinners before him, for the evil heart shall be removed from them, and they shall be given a heart that understands the good and worships God alone Life of Adam and Eve (Apocalypse) 13:2-6;
Another version of this promise to Adam is in later chapters:
“And the Lord said to him, “I told you that you are dust and to dust you shall return. 3 Now I promise to you the resurrection; I shall raise you on the last day in the resurrection with every man of your seed.” Life of Adam and Eve (apocalypse) 41:1-3;
The early Hellenistic Synagogal prayers reflect this same belief. The narrative of prayer #12 reads, regarding Adam:
“But having subjected to him the creation, You have given to him, through sweat and hard labors, to provide by himself the nourishment for his own family, while you are causing all things to grown, and to ripen. And in time, having caused him to fall asleep for a while, you called (him) by an oath to a new birth; having dissolved the boundaries of death, you promised life by resurrection! 51 And not only this; but also those who poured forth from him… Hellenistic Synagogal Prayers (Prayer #12)
Jewish literature such as the Haggadah also confirms this ancient belief. This Jewish version reads: “Also, Adam’s prayer, to be given of the fruit of the Tree of Life, was turned aside, with the promise, however, that if he would lead a pious life, he would be given of the fruit on the day of resurrection, and he would then live forever. The Haggadah (The Punishment);
Yet another version of this Story concerning Adam and Seth comes from the Christian literature, Gospel of Nicodemus. The text begins with the Angel saying to Seth: ‘What do you desire, Seth? Do you desire, because of the sickness of your father, the oil that raises up the sick, or the tree from which flows such oil? This cannot be found now. Therefore go and tell your father than after the completion of fifty-five hundred years from the creation of the world, the only-begotten son of God shall become man and shall descend below the earth. And he shall anoint him with that oil. And he shall arise and wash him and his descendants with water and the Holy spirit. And then he shall be healed of every disease. But this is impossible now. Gospel of Nicodemus- Christ’s descent into hell
Such literature from both Jewish sources and Christian sources that agree on certain theological points are called "Judeo-Christian" literature.
The point here is that IF such early Judeo-Christian beliefs are correct, then Adam was the first Christian and person who was taught concerning a future Christ or Messiah. This early belief does not, typically, coordinate with modern Christian assumptions. Christians tend to believe the early Prophets referred to a Messiah, but the connection between old testament promises of a Messiah and to the arrival of that Messiah as Jesus are more tenuous than ancient Judeo-Christianity.