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.
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
