When Did Christianity Begin?

When did Judaism begin? 

Most present-day Christians believe that Christianity began with the Ministry of Jesus Christ.  Below are a couple of representative articles from Christian ministries: 

A,  History of Christianity: The Beginning of the Faith 
History of Christianity -- how did it all start? Christianity started about 2000 years ago in Judea (present-day Israel) with Jesus Christ and His faithful group of disciples. During this period, Judea was a cross-cultural mecca of bustling cities and farms. The emperor of Rome was the ruler. The Israelites at that time hated Roman rule.  The polytheistic cultural beliefs of Rome were pagan and intrusive to Israelite life. Some Israelites saw that their only hope was to conform to this change. Others became religious zealots who formed pockets of guerilla resistance against Rome. Still others withdrew themselves into the Judean wilderness to study Israelite law and wait for the eventual coming of their promised Messiah (Savior).  http://www.allaboutreligion.org/history-of-christianity.htm

And here’s a second website giving essentially the same view: 

B. When did Christianity begin? 

Public Christianity began on the day of Pentecost, as described in Acts Chapter two. One could debate this date. For example, one could say that Christianity began the day Jesus rose from the dead, or one could say that Christianity began the day Jesus was born, or the day he began his public ministry. Since “Christianity” is not defined precisely in the New Testament, one can always debate the day it started (In fact, the word Christian only appears twice in the New Testament, being used by outsiders, not the disciples). However, this debate would probably not be a fruitful one. 

The reason I pick this date is two-fold. First, the events in Acts Chapter two are the first recorded example of salvation in the name of Jesus Christ being preached to the general public. This was the first time we have record of the public proclamation of salvation in the name of Jesus Christ upon repentance and baptism for forgiveness of sins. One could debate whether anyone was saved before this time, as the Bible is silent on the issue, but there is simply no other event recorded anywhere in the New Testament which is even a close second to Acts 2 and the Day of Pentecost.  John Oakes, PhD 

http://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/when-did-christianity-begin-r/ 

But with this error being perpetuated by virtually every Christian denomination and every Christian church, they are at a loss to successfully resist the onslaught by those who claim to be experts in “religions of the world” who say that Christianity was either 1) an outgrowth of Judaism, or 2) a “knock-off” of Hinduism or Buddhism. 

But Christianity Began LONG BEFORE Jesus came to earth! 

Christianity began 6,000 years ago – in the Garden of Eden – immediately after Adam and Eve sinned.  God said to Satan: 

“I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman (Eve) and between thy seed (Satan’s “offspring” = those who hate Christ) and her (Eve’s) seed (Jesus Christ.)  And He (Christ) shall bruise thy (Satan’s) head, and thou (Satan) shall bruise His (Christ’s) heel.”  Genesis 3:15 

Right there, in the Garden of Eden, immediately after Eve sinned, and enticed Adam to sin also, God gave them a promise of a Savior – Jesus Christ. 

Adam and Eve were the first Christians.  They were looking forward to the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ. 

Satan would “bruise the heel” of Jesus Christ by instigating Satan’s followers (the Pharisees and the rest of the Israelites), to crucify Christ.  But by rising from the dead, Jesus Christ would “bruise the head” of Satan, becoming the “Savior of ALL mankind” (1 Tim 4:10) making all Satan’s efforts of no effect. 

There is the Beginning of Christianity: in the Garden of Eden, 6,000 years ago. 

Christianity was the very FIRST religion.  Every other subsequent religion has been a counterfeit of Christianity – a Johnny-come-lately – including Judaism.  

The Old Testament Israelites were not “Jews.”  They were Israelites, but of no specific ethnic origin.  The Bible tells us the people in the Exodus from Egypt were a “mixed multitude” (Exodus 12:38). 

Judaism began long after the Old Testament, and even long after the New Testament was written, and long after Jesus Christ was crucified, resurrected and ascended to heaven.  In fact, Judaism didn’t begin until long after the second temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, in 70 A.D. 

When Was the Beginning of Judaism? 

Christianity did NOT arise out of Judaism.  In fact, there were no “Jews” until several centuries after Christ, when the Pharisees committed their Oral Traditions to writing, which became the Talmud.  These were the very writings that Jesus so strongly rebuked, saying they “made the Word of God of no effect.” Mark 7:13 

Long after Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, the Pharisees wrote the Talmud, probably the most blasphemous book (or series of books called “tractates”) in the world. 

The Talmud has two parts: the Mishnah, is the written compendium of Rabbinic Judaism’s Oral traditions of the Pharisees.  It came into existence in written form in about 200 A.D.  The second part, the Gemara, written about 500 A.D., is the supposed “elucidation” of the Mishnah, written by later Rabbis.  The Gemara is really just a series of rather nonsensical debates about minutiae regarding the Mishnah. 

So Judaism began around 200 A.D., 4,000 years AFTER the beginning of Christianity.  Judaism is the antithesis of Christianity.  It turns the Word of God “upside down.” 

Conclusion: 

Without this biblical understanding of the beginning of Christianity in the Garden of Eden, with the promise of a Savior, Jesus Christ, given immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, the Christian of today will be literally tongue-tied and unable to resist the supposedly intellectual assaults of those who do not understand the Bible and who constantly promote the view that Christianity is nothing but a weak variation of a pagan religion. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Christianity was the FIRST religion.  ALL other religions, including Judaism, are counterfeits of Christianity.