Late Republic Christian Beliefs

During the Late Republic, Romans were dropping and picking up new religious beliefs left and right. Due to Rome’s expansion into the Mediterranean, Romans began to lose faith in their old religion completely. These new religions being brought to Rome, however, were all polytheistic with the exception of one religion, Judaism. The Jews believed that there was one God, and that God did not allow the worship of any other gods. The Romans respected this faith and admired how the they did cause conflict by constantly trying to convert people; therefore, they were not forced to worship the Roman gods as well as the Emperor. Shortly thereafter, the Jews began to have riots and because of the disruption the Romans decided they were done putting up with the Jews. This caused a war between …show more content…
Due to all the fighting between the two forces, the birth of a religion was nearly overlooked, and that religion was Christianity (“Many Europes” 151-153). Born under the reign of Augustus, Jesus of Nazareth is the head of the Christian faith. Around 14 AD, Jesus began to preach and spread the new word by preaching all throughout Judea and Galilee (“Many Europes” 153). At this historical point in time, a well renowned proclamation was given to the Jews by Jesus known as “The Sermon on the Mount.” Because this sermon was given orally and then later written down by Mathew, one of Jesus’ apostles, so that it could be of use for the generations to come, one must keep in mind the time in which this teaching was delivered while reading this passage (Sources of the West 103). Throughout Jesus’ sermon, he takes the laws given to the Jews in the Old Testament and fulfills them. Jesus says, “[referring to the laws given by Moses] I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Sources of the West 102). For example, in the Old Testament it is written that if someone has been wronged, that person should deliver the same wrong doing in return.