How Jesus dealt With Cults I can only think of one he dealt with and that was the Samaritans.. First a little history of who the Samaritans were.. " Term "Samaritan" used exactly once in OT (2 Kings 17:29).They were a mixed race including a remnant from the Northern Kingdom (Israel) " colonists placed by Assyrian kings Sargon II and Esarhaddon after the Assyrian Exhile. Were rejected from helping exhiles of the Southern Kingdom (Judah) returning from Babylonian in rebuilding the Temple at Jerusalem. As a result, they built their own temple on Mount Gerazim near Shechem. " Hostilities increased between Samaritans and "the Jews;" The Samaritan "halfbreeds" were not allowed to sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem. " Samaritans created their own cult with their own version of the Pentateuch (5 Books
of Moses) " they rejected the remaining portions of the OT. [:-]They practice circumcision, observe the Sabbath, and celebrate similar festivals. They expected the return of "The Prophet" referred to by Moses in Deut 18:15. " Hostility between Jews and Samaritans obvious in NT. The Samaritans, with their mixed religion, were despised and hated by the Jews. Samaritans were publicly cursed and were "excluded from the after life."
I"m sure many of you are familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan ..note Jesus does not bring up any of their cultish practices..fact at the end of the parable Jesus says ,"Which one was a neighbor"..the Levite , The priest or the Samaritan..It was the Samaritan..and He said ,"Go and do thou likewise." Therefore does it appear Jesus is looking for totally correct theology or obedience to the call of love??
Another place we find the Samaritans..was in John 4.. Jews would not pass through this "Cursed people"but walk many miles farther to advoid passing through them..However ; Jesus did not walk around the long way..Love has no boundaries...Again , we find him not talking aboutthe Samaritan's women's cultish errors ..but instead he wins her soul by giving her living water..
The Jews hated the Samaritans..why didn"t Jesus? Lastly"Jesus himself was called a terrible name by the religious leaders of the day..
John 8:48Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
God bless,
C7
Thank you for an excellent word. We could all learn a lesson from Jesus' example in these passages. I'm not sure I would call the samaritans a cult. To me they were more like a people that had been discriminated against for such a long period of time that they hadbecome defensive and therefore they reacted by retreating into themselves with where, when, and howthey would worship. It is very siginifigant that Christ used the parable he did when speaking to the expert in the law. I think He was trying to show him that no one, not even a samaritan, was so bad that he couldn't have some good in him. It also seems to me that there was a lot of prejudice when Jesus was on earth and I think this parable is also an attempt to address that subject. Thank you for your excellent research on the samaritans. Sometimes when we understand many of the customs and the culture that existed when Jesus was here, it serves to help us understand the word more fully.
Blessings.....Pastorjim
__________________
Mere religion is just hanging around the cross.......True Christianity is getting on the cross.
The Lord has been drawing me to know HIm deeper lately..I went fishing today..next week I plan to start witnessing to all the other fishermen I see ...The Lord impressed upon my heart..that I need to be at the place where I have something to offer them..something much more than religion..
First many people think the Samaritan Worshippers were wrong in their Doctrine , But Jesus knew their form of belief was as old as Moses.
Second people think Samaritans don't exist today, but in fact Samaritans lived undisturbed in Israel for the last 2000 years and they still practice
their brand of sacrifice and rituals that can be traced back to Moses' time.
__________________
The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. Zephaniah 1:14
פרץ
First many people think the Samaritan Worshippers were wrong in their Doctrine , But Jesus knew their form of belief was as old as Moses.
Second people think Samaritans don't exist today, but in fact Samaritans lived undisturbed in Israel for the last 2000 years and they still practice
their brand of sacrifice and rituals that can be traced back to Moses' time.
Jesus and the apostles were considered a cult weren't they?
Nope, Just another Jewish Sect, Jews who believed the Messiah arrived, it became a cult when Roman Gentiles took over "Messianism" and turned into Christianity or Churchianity as one might call it.
As far as the Samaritans which I know personaly many and even celebrated in their feasts, to me it is the purest form of Judaism.
__________________
The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. Zephaniah 1:14
פרץ
It's funny how some of you all missed the purpose of my thread..It had nothing to do with the Samaritans..I just wanted to show how loving Jesus was not to even let theological error cause prejudice as it does with some of the most 'devout' Christians.
It's funny how some of you all missed the purpose of my thread..It had nothing to do with the Samaritans..I just wanted to show how loving Jesus was not to even let theological error cause prejudice as it does with some of the most 'devout' Christians.
Pastor Jim got though...
No Chuck my brother I didn't miss your point, I only expanded on the misconceptions about Samaritans, specially about being half breeds.
I don't like to see misinformation on Bible subjects, even when I see Mary Magdalene being called a prostitute I also Jump in, as there isn't one single verse that says she was, but rather Jesus had exorcise 7 demons from head,etc etc.
Sorry to derail your thread, shalom
__________________
The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. Zephaniah 1:14
פרץ
How Jesus Dealt WIth Cults
May The Sheep Be With You
