Christianity vs Judaism
Christianity and Judaism share similarities in their teachings and faiths, particularly in their belief in God. However, they also display significant differences, most notably in their perception of Jesus Christ. According to Christianity, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of a messiah. In contrast, Judaism recognizes Jesus Christ as a good teacher and perhaps even a prophet of God, but not as the messiah.
What is Christianity?
Christianity, as defined by the Oxford dictionary, is “The religion based on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ, or its beliefs and practices.” It is the most widespread religion globally, with followers mainly belonging to Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox churches. It is interesting to note that Christianity originated from Judaism. Christianity believes that Jesus Christ was the messiah, and that he was God in the flesh. They maintain that God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ, who sacrificed his life to pay the price for our sins. Christians refer to the Biblical books about Jesus as the New Testament and the Hebrew books as the Old Testament. They also believe in the future second coming of Jesus.
What is Judaism?
The Oxford dictionary defines Judaism as “The monotheistic religion of the Jews.” Jewish people celebrate special annual festivals such as Yom Kippur and Passover. Judaism does not believe that Jesus was the messiah, nor do they accept that he sacrificed his life to pay the price for our sins. They argue that such a sacrifice was unnecessary and do not accept that Jesus was God personified. Judaism sees God as a single entity and rejects the notion that Jesus or any other living being could be God. They describe Heaven as a place where God debates with Angels on Talmudic law.
Key Takeaways
- Christianity believes that Jesus Christ was the messiah, while Judaism does not.
- Christianity maintains that Jesus Christ sacrificed his life to pay the price for our sins, whereas Judaism does not believe such a sacrifice was necessary.
- Christianity sees Jesus as God in the flesh, while Judaism views him as a human being.
