This section examines how the earliest followers of Yeshua understood themselves within the world of first-century Judaism. Rather than assuming that Christianity began as a new religion distinct from Israel, these studies explore the historical, social, and theological context of the early movement.

By considering the ethnic, covenantal, and temple-centered framework of Second Temple Judaism, we revisit common assumptions about whether Jesus and his disciples formed a separate religion or saw themselves as participants in the fulfillment of Israel’s story.