As stated by a commentator in the documentary, Jesus to Christ, Jesus was born, lived and died a Jew. Contrary to the occasional belief that Christianity is a religion that stands on its own, in many ways, Christianity as a religion is heavily influenced by Judaism, especially in relation to the teachings of Jesus himself and those who spread those teachings.
Jesus was born in a Jewish land to a Jewish mother during a time where politics and religion were seamless and considerably domineering. One could infer that Jesus’ upbringing under these heavy religious circumstances would have impacted him in ways that reflect in his teachings. Stemming from Judaism, Jesus preached from a monotheistic standpoint. He believed and enthused that there was only one God. He preached from Jewish texts highlighting the commandments and worshipped in the Temple.
Jesus’ straying away from the strict laws of the Jewish religion was the catalyst to his untimely demise. In many ways he challenged Judaism and the religious authorities of that time. Unlike the majority of the Jews, Jesus had a firm belief that the Kingdom of God was at hand. It was central in his teachings that the end was near and that there would be an abrupt and drastic change to come upon their current era. As he gained followers and spread this idea, many people began to give him the title as the “messiah”. Many Jewish officials were angered by his new entitlement, partly because they feared disorder amongst the people who they have held a tight grip on. Jesus further angered the religious authorities by violating the Sabbath when he continued to pick grain and heal the sick. As Jesus began to slowly break away and challenge the old Jewish law, he no longer felt as though Jewish teachings should only exclusive to the Jewish. This in turn, in my opinion, is the driving force behind why Christianity is a major missionary religion, which could be attributed to the help of those who followed Jesus after his death, such as Paul.
After Jesus’ death, the few