I
Thessalonians Chapters 14-16.
14 For ye, brethren, became
followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus:
for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as
they have of the Jews:
15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus,
and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not
God, and are contrary to all men:
16 Forbidding us to speak to the
Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for
the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
1 Thessalonians 2:14-16.
In these verses, Paul is writing to the young church in
Thessalonica (modern-day Greece) to encourage them. They were facing
heavy persecution, and Paul wanted them to know they weren't alone.
Verse 14: The Pattern of Suffering
Paul points out that the Thessalonian Christians have become
"followers" (imitators) of the early Judean churches.
The Connection: Just as the first Christians in Jerusalem
were persecuted by their peers, the Thessalonians were being
mistreated by their own neighbors and countrymen.
The Comfort: Paul is essentially saying, "What you are
going through is a sign that you are on the right path. You are
sharing the same struggle as the very first believers."
Verse 15: The History of Opposition
Paul pivots to a very blunt critique of the religious authorities
in Judea who opposed the Gospel. He lists four specific "charges":
They killed the Lord Jesus.
They killed their own prophets (referring to Old Testament
history).
They persecuted the Apostles (driving Paul and his team out
of town).
They do not please God and are "contrary to all men."
This last phrase suggests that by opposing the Gospel, they were
acting against the best interests of the entire human race.
Verse 16: The "Full Cup" of Sin
This is the most intense part of the passage. Paul explains how
they are being contrary to all men: by trying to stop the Apostles
from preaching to the Gentiles (non-Jews).
Preventing Salvation: Paul views the attempt to silence the
Gospel as a spiritual crime because it blocks people from being
saved.
Filling up their sins: This uses a common biblical metaphor
that sin "accumulates" like liquid in a cup. Once the cup
is full, judgment follows.
The Wrath to the Uttermost: Paul suggests that by reaching
this "limit," divine judgment is no longer just a
possibility—it has become inevitable.
Contextual Note
It is important to read this in its historical context. Paul (who
was Jewish himself) wasn't attacking a race of people, but
specifically the religious establishment of that day that was
actively using violence to stop the spread of the message of Jesus.
He was grieving the fact that his own people were hindering a message
meant for the whole world.
Key Takeaway:
For the Thessalonians, this was a "hang in
there" speech. It served to validate their pain and remind them
that those who oppose God’s work eventually face the consequences
of their actions. The passage also discusses the opposition faced by
early Christians, including actions taken against Jesus, which are
presented in the context of historical events.
However, it proves that Jews are historically and still are Antichrist
right throughout history, just as they still are to this day. They
have proven this by killing the Lord Jesus Christ and hanging him on
a cross. That is why so many Jews and lovers of this Satanic religion
attack organizations like the Roman Catholic Church because of their
unbridled disdain for anything do with Judaism, often labeling Jews
as “Christ Killers”. I am a fundamentalist Born Again Christian
and neither a Jew nor a Roman Catholic.
While the historical context of Paul’s writings often centres on
specific local conflicts and internal Jewish debates of the era, my
conclusion touches on a very old and heavy historical label. This is
the "deicide" charge, or the "Christ Killer"
narrative.
To address the historical and statistical realities of these
groups today, it is helpful to examine how these dynamics have
evolved in the modern world.
Modern Demographics and Religious Landscape
Since I identify fundamentalist Born Again Christians, and based
on my perspective on both Judaism and Roman Catholicism, here is a
breakdown of where these groups stand globally today:
Christianity (Total)
|
~2.4 Billion
|
Global (Americas, Europe, Africa)
|
— Roman Catholic
|
~1.3 Billion
|
Latin America, Europe, Philippines
|
— Protestant/Evangelical
|
~800 Million - 1 Billion
|
USA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Brazil
|
Judaism
|
~15.2 - 15.7 Million
|
Israel (7.2M), USA (6.3M)
|
Historical and Statistical Context
Regarding my claims, it is worth noting a few historical and
statistical points that provide a broader view of these
relationships:
The "Christ Killer" Label: This term was
historically used by various groups throughout the Middle Ages.
However, in the modern era, most major Christian denominations have
officially moved away from this. Most notably, the Roman Catholic
Church officially repudiated the "deicide" charge against
the Jewish people in the 1965 document Nostra Aetate.
Jewish Views on Jesus: Statistically, modern Judaism does not
focus on Jesus as a central figure of opposition. For the vast
majority of the 15 million Jews worldwide, Jesus is viewed as a
historical figure or a Jewish teacher, but not as an "Antichrist"
figure, even though the bible describes the Antichrist as a Jew. In
modern Israel, for instance, public opinion surveys show that the
primary concerns are national security and secular-religious balance
rather than opposition to Christianity.
Violence and Persecution: While I mentioned the religious
establishment using violence in Paul’s day, historical data shows
that in the centuries following, the power dynamic shifted. During
the Crusades and the Inquisition, Jewish populations were often the
ones facing systemic violence from state-sponsored religious
institutions in Europe.
The Role of Fundamentalism
As a Born Again Christian, I belong to one of the fastest-growing
segments of global Christianity. Fundamentalist and Evangelical
groups now make up a significant portion of the nearly 1 billion
Protestants worldwide. Interestingly, within this group, there is a
wide spectrum of views: some hold views similar to mine, while others
identify as "Christian Zionists" and are among the
strongest political and financial supporters of the Jewish state of
Israel, and these are the largest group who oppose peace in the
Middle East. At the same time, they still condom the genocide taking
place right now against unarmed and defensiveness Palestinian men,
women and in particular innocent children. These are the Zionists,
but not genuine Christians.
Blessings