ANCIENT ECHOES PODCAST: WHY I NO LONGER BELIEVE IN GOD (JESSUP PA)

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

One of the most important historical questions about Jesus is also one of the most misunderstood. Did Jesus intend to start Christianity? For many modern believers, the answer seems obvious. After all, Christianity traces its origins to Jesus of Nazareth. Churches, denominations, seminaries, mission organizations, and billions of Christians around the world identify him as their founder. Yet when historians examine the evidence, a more complex picture emerges. Jesus never called himself a Christian. He never instructed anyone to become a Christian. He never established a religion called Christianity. In fact, during his lifetime, the word “Christian” did not even exist. Understanding this reality does not diminish Jesus. Instead, it helps us better understand the world in which he lived and the movement he actually began.

Jesus was born, raised, and lived as a Jew. He worshiped in synagogues, celebrated Jewish festivals, observed Jewish customs, and taught from the Jewish Scriptures. His Bible was what Christians later called the Old Testament. The people around him were Jewish. His disciples were Jewish. His arguments were usually with other Jews about how best to understand God, Scripture, and faithfulness. Modern readers often forget that Christianity and Judaism were not separate religions during Jesus’ lifetime. The separation between them would take decades to develop after his death.

The historical Jesus existed within the rich and diverse world of first-century Judaism. This was not a single, unified religious system. Different groups held different beliefs about how God would act in history. The Pharisees emphasized careful observance of the Law and believed in resurrection. The Sadducees were closely connected to the Temple and rejected certain beliefs accepted by other Jews. The Essenes withdrew from society and awaited God’s intervention. The Zealots believed liberation from Rome might require revolutionary action. Into this world stepped Jesus, offering his own vision of God’s purposes for Israel.

When historians ask what Jesus was trying to accomplish, the answer repeatedly points to one central theme found throughout the Gospels: the Kingdom of God. Again and again, Jesus announced that the Kingdom of God was near. He told parables about the Kingdom. He instructed his followers to seek the Kingdom. He described the Kingdom as a mustard seed, a treasure hidden in a field, a pearl of great price, and a great banquet. The Kingdom of God was not a side topic in Jesus’ teaching. It was the center of his message.

Modern Christians often associate the Kingdom of God primarily with heaven after death, but Jesus’ audience would have heard something different. For first-century Jews, God’s kingdom referred to God’s rule becoming visible in the world. It was the hope that God would finally set things right. It was the expectation that injustice would be overturned, that the poor would be lifted up, that oppression would end, and that God’s will would be done on earth. Jesus proclaimed that this kingdom was already beginning to break into history through acts of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and compassion. Yet he also spoke of a future fulfillment when God’s reign would be fully realized.

This emphasis is significant because Jesus spent remarkably little time discussing the creation of a new religious institution. Instead, he called people to participate in God’s coming kingdom. He invited fishermen, tax collectors, laborers, women, and ordinary villagers into a renewed vision of life centered on God. His message challenged religious hypocrisy, economic exploitation, social exclusion, and indifference toward the suffering of others. He taught that greatness was found in service, that enemies should be loved, that the poor were blessed, and that mercy mattered more than ritual performance.

Jesus’ teachings placed him firmly within the prophetic tradition of Israel. Like Amos, he challenged injustice. Like Isaiah, he proclaimed hope. Like Jeremiah, he warned of coming judgment. Like Micah, he emphasized mercy and righteousness. The Gospels portray Jesus as deeply rooted in Israel’s story and convinced that God was acting decisively in his own generation. He did not present himself as the founder of a new religion replacing Judaism. Rather, he called Israel back to what he understood as the heart of God’s covenant.

One of the clearest examples of this can be seen in Jesus’ summary of the law. When asked about the greatest commandment, he did not create a new teaching. He quoted Deuteronomy: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” He then quoted Leviticus: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” According to Jesus, all the law and the prophets depended on these principles. His vision was not one of abandoning Judaism but of fulfilling its deepest purposes through love, justice, compassion, and faithfulness.

Jesus also gathered disciples. This was not unusual within Judaism. Rabbis commonly attracted students who learned from their teachings and sought to imitate their way of life. Jesus’ disciples traveled with him, listened to his teachings, witnessed his healings, and participated in his ministry. They believed they were joining a movement within Israel, not founding a new religion. They hoped Jesus would play a central role in God’s restoration of his people. Like many Jews of their time, they expected God to act powerfully in history.

Then came the crucifixion.

From a historical perspective, Jesus’ execution should have ended the movement. Roman crucifixion was designed not only to punish but also to humiliate and discourage followers. Numerous messianic and prophetic movements disappeared after their leaders were killed. Yet Jesus’ followers did not abandon him. Instead, they became convinced that God had raised him from the dead.

Regardless of one’s theological convictions, historians generally agree on one point: Jesus’ followers sincerely believed that something extraordinary had happened after his death. The frightened disciples who scattered during his arrest soon began publicly proclaiming Jesus as God’s chosen Messiah. They were willing to face persecution, imprisonment, and even death for this conviction. Their belief transformed the movement and gave it renewed purpose.

What is often overlooked, however, is that these earliest believers remained Jewish. Peter remained Jewish. John remained Jewish. James, the brother of Jesus, remained Jewish. The earliest community in Jerusalem continued worshiping at the Temple and participating in Jewish religious life. They did not see themselves as leaving Judaism. They saw themselves as Jews who believed that Jesus was the Messiah God had promised.

The Book of Acts reflects this reality. The earliest followers gathered in Jerusalem, prayed in the Temple, observed Jewish customs, and maintained strong ties to their heritage. The movement was initially understood as one expression of Judaism among several. The followers of Jesus were distinguished by their belief that God had raised Jesus and that he was the Messiah, but they remained part of the Jewish world.

The gradual emergence of Christianity as a separate religion occurred over many decades. One of the most significant developments was the inclusion of Gentiles, or non-Jews, into the movement. As the message about Jesus spread beyond Judea, increasing numbers of Gentiles became followers. This raised difficult questions. Did Gentiles need to become Jews before following Jesus? Were they required to be circumcised? Should they observe the entire Mosaic Law?

These debates became some of the most important controversies in the early movement. Leaders such as Peter, James, and Paul wrestled with how Gentiles could be included while remaining faithful to the God of Israel. Eventually, many communities concluded that Gentile converts did not need to fully adopt Jewish identity markers. This decision helped the movement spread throughout the Roman Empire.

The missionary efforts of Paul accelerated this expansion. Paul traveled extensively throughout the eastern Mediterranean, establishing communities in major cities and teaching that Gentiles could belong to God’s people through faith in Christ. His letters became some of the earliest Christian writings and profoundly influenced the future direction of the movement. Yet even Paul considered himself Jewish and believed he was serving Israel’s God.

Another major turning point came in AD 70 when the Romans destroyed the Jerusalem Temple. The Temple had been the center of Jewish religious life for centuries. Its destruction forced both Jews and followers of Jesus to rethink their identities and traditions. Over time, Rabbinic Judaism emerged as the dominant form of Jewish life, while the Jesus movement increasingly developed its own structures, leadership, beliefs, and practices.

The separation was gradual rather than sudden. It took generations. By the second century, Christianity had become increasingly Gentile in membership and culture. Distinctive Christian beliefs, rituals, and institutions began to emerge more clearly. What started as a Jewish movement centered on Jesus eventually became a global religion known as Christianity.

This historical reality leads to an important conclusion. Jesus did not spend his ministry establishing a religion called Christianity. He spent his ministry proclaiming the Kingdom of God. He called people to repentance, faithfulness, compassion, justice, forgiveness, and love. He challenged religious hypocrisy and social exclusion. He welcomed sinners, healed the sick, defended the vulnerable, and proclaimed God’s reign.

Christianity emerged from the movement that formed around Jesus, but historically speaking, Jesus’ primary focus was not creating a new religion. His focus was announcing that God’s kingdom was near and inviting people to live as citizens of that kingdom. Understanding this distinction allows us to see Jesus more clearly within his own historical setting. Before there were churches, denominations, creeds, and councils, there was a Jewish teacher from Galilee proclaiming the good news that God’s reign was breaking into the world.

Whether one approaches Jesus through faith, history, or both, this much is clear: the movement he inspired changed the course of human history. Yet its earliest chapters were written not as a new religion separate from Judaism, but as a Jewish movement convinced that God had acted decisively through Jesus of Nazareth. To understand Christianity’s origins, we must first understand that historical reality. Only then can we fully appreciate how a small Jewish movement became one of the most influential forces the world has ever known.