The First Crusade
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. Acts 2:41 NASB
Received – It is common to believe that this verse records the first Christian mass conversion, the first example of a Christian evangelical crusade. Taken out of the context of the first century and the cultural element of Gentile God-fearers, we might conclude that Peter’s “salvation” message began the movement from Judaism to Christianity. But Heschel’s remark makes us re-evaluate this conclusion. “He who is swift to believe is swift to forget.”[1] Culturally sensitive analysis of this verse demonstrates that these three thousand were not novices to the faith of Israel. They were at the Temple mount during the festival because they already followed the practices of the Jewish way of life. They knew YHWH and were Torah observant. Otherwise they would not have been there. Furthermore, once we realize that the three thousand were God-fearing followers of YHWH, we see that Peter’s message is not about conversion but rather about the recognition that Yeshua is the long-expected Jewish Messiah. The reason that these people respond so quickly is that they were not swift to believe. They had been a part of the culture of Israel for some time. They knew the Scriptures (the Tanakh). They followed the customs. They anticipated the Messiah. They were swift to confess but their faith had a very long gestation.
One of the great mistakes of the post-tent revival evangelical faith movement is the assumption that instantaneous conversion is the norm. Yes, some do experience a radical turn in their lives, but on the whole nearly everyone comes to faith over a long period of struggle. When Augustine interpreted Paul’s Damascus road experience as the paradigm of Christian conversion, he shifted the whole context of Scripture from a long journey for faithfulness to an instantaneous miracle of divine encounter. But even those who are struck by the lightening bolt of grace find real transformation a life-long process. The crusade notion that faith comes by raising a hand in the midst of thousands is not only a misunderstanding of the Bible, it is an open door to misdirecting the very process of faithfulness.
“Faith is not a system but an ongoing striving for faith, involving acceptance of perplexity, joy to devotion as well as the agony of doubts, moments of illumination as well as groping in the darkness of vapidity.”[2]
When the early church fathers rejected the foundation of the Torah as the basis of faith in the God of Israel, they created a religion that knew no divine revelation. Their religion was one of universalism, elevated human ethics and substitute rituals. “Was not the God of Israel the God of Jesus? How dare a Christian substitute his own conception of God for Jesus’ understanding of God and still call himself a Christian.”[3]
Heschel summarizes our inescapable choice. “An ultimate decision for Jew or Christian is whether to be involved in the Hebrew Bible or to live away from it. The future of the Western world will depend on the way in which we relate ourselves to the Hebrew Bible.”[4]
Topical Index: conversion, evangelical, faith, Acts 2:41
I have to point out that at Shavuot, Moses came down from the mountain with the Torah and he and the levites ministered death to three thousand Israelites. In contrast, at Pentecost, Peter and the apostles came down from the upper room with God’s Holy Spirit and ministered life to three thousand Israelites.
Perhaps I am misunderstanding your inference here. As I see it, it was the heart of the people in the wilderness that led to their own slaughter. They had followed Moshe, not YHVH. As soon as Moshe wasn’t there, they turned their backs on YHVH and returned their hearts to their customary pagan worship. The 3000 who fell that day had already chosen not to be part of God’s camp.
In contrast, the 3000 in Yerushalayim had already demonstrated they were devout followers of God — that’s why they had made aliyah to Yerushalayim because they had hearts for God and the keeping of His commandments. This 3000 were ready to hear and do the Word.
In both case the disciple (Moshe and Peter) came with the Word — the telling point was whether the people had the hearts to receive. Heschel would say that all of scripture is God reaching out to man. It is always about man’s willingness to shema (hear and do).
YHWH’s appointed times!
That might be true is there really was an “upper room” to come down from. The “upper room” metaphor needs to be revised to “Temple mount” since that is the only place in first century Jerusalem that would hold this many and the only place where the crowd would have been gathered. Nevertheless, the contrast you mention is important.
These quotes from Heschel make it look like he recognizes Yeshua (Jesus), even if not embracing him as Messiah. Further, it looks also like he’s acknowledging “Christian” choice to pursue YHWH as well.
Except that Heschel notes the true follower will embrace the God of the Tanakh as Jesus (Yeshua) did. That leaves out nearly all replacement theology.
Agreed.
Conversions happen at the right time for each individual.
And REAL conversions are to God Himself and often into
religions like Judaism or Christianity. But not always.
Having worked with two of the world’s leading evangelists,
no one in these camps are under any illusions about how
true conversions take place.
Most people come to faith on a long, choppy journey. Even
Paul’s flash experience was preceded by many tumultuous
years of preparation.
So, when many pre-converts are gathered together in a crowd,
whether in a church or synagogue or evangelistic crusade, and
the Word of God is spoken and RECEIVED, many will reach
their true tipping point and genuine conversion is evident. Others
will “think” or “wish” they have done so, only to realize there’s more
time needed on their journey and more road to tred. Their time
will come.
Bottom line: This is God the Father’s business. He’s been drawing
man to Himself since the beginning and he’s got it down pat.
Have You Seen This Man?
It may be a matter of semantics, but instead of a “converted” Jew, (one who would need to abandon(?) Torah living?) let us be more specific to say a “completed” Jew!! Yes, a “twice-blessed” man!. To be Jewish by birth (first birth) is a blessing in and of itself. These are (and will always remain btw), “God’s chosen people!”. But to be Jewish, according to the flesh- (whose your daddy?) AND to be “completed” through faith in the shed blood of the final Sacrifice, – there is a blessing “indeed!”
But whether Jewish or Gentile (in the final analysis) or Buddhist or Episcopalian or Vegetarian is not what matters. What matters, what “counts” is are you a “child of the King?” Do you Mr. Jew, do you Mr. Gentile, do you sir.. do you m’am know and love and belong to the (always) Good Shepherd? Are you “one of His own?” Have you (whether born into a Jewish family or whether born in Taiwan or Panama) entered into a new relationship,- entered deep enough to know “Yes, (absolutely I know) I have been “twice born.” I am His and He is mine. Do you have “blessed assurance?” His invitation (none will ever be “turned away”) is (always) “come.” ~ Come unto Me – “ALL” (Jews only?) No. Come unto Me (only Gentiles?) No. Friends, (we have covered this ground before!)- “ALL” have sinned. (All?) All Jews. All Gentiles.- This invitation, (His invitation) reads “sinners only, welcome here”.
Torah and the Word of God will never “fade away”. His word(s) are eternal. There has been no “doing away with” Thou shall or thou shalt not..” The Word of the LORD endures (remains) forever. ~ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall never pass away..~ “ALL” flesh, (whether Jewish flesh or Gentile flesh) will,- like the flowers, “fade away!” But as our own Savior said to a very devout and very respected leader-long time ago.. Sir, “you MUST be born from above!!”
Well friends.. has this message ever changed? Nope. We (as in all of us) still even today and centuries later… “must be born from above..” We (all) must.
There was a time in my life when I was born into this world. I don’t remember much, but I must have cried like a baby. Years, (yes, decades) later, here am I- a “grown” man! Whether a spider, a young sapling or a precious puppy, – growth is a process. No one, (no, not one) is born “fully mature!”
This “new creation” who is now *in Christ* must grow. How is this “accomplished?” Hey babe!.. -are you hungry? Those little new bairns have one thing (a very “fixed focus!”) upon their minds, one strong desire, (even a demand?) : GIVE ME MILK!! Such intensity! Such passionate desire! FEED ME!!
Fitness is a very “large percentage”- diet. ~ As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby ~ ( 1 Peter 2.2 )
Why are we in such “sad shape” these days? We are eating (please pardon me) a “crappy” diet! GIGO rears its’ ugly head once again! GIGO babe. Garbage in- garbage out. Jeremiah had a “healthy appetite!” ( a sign, btw, of “health!”) ~ When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear Your Name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies ~ (Jeremiah 15.16) Yes, Jeremiah,- ” Look. Find. Feast!!”
Our Savior (the Living Word of God), whose words are “eternal” has said: (and oh.. how I agree!!)- ~ You (Mr. or m’am) do err.. not knowing the scriptures (yes, the Tanakh!) nor the power of God ~ (Matthew 22.29) Are we then, to “study the scriptures?”
And the answer is? ~ You study the Scriptures (diligently) because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me. ~ (And ???)
~ and you (mr. or m’am) are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.…~ (John 5.40)
What is my response to this? wOW!
The Scriptures (all of them) reveal a Person. And tHis Name is Wonderful!! Have “you” seen this Man? Do “you” know Him? Is our “strong desire” the same as the man formerly known as “Saul?” …and (that I) may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I (too) may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3. 9-11)
Friends, not only are we to know “something..”- but far and away- “much more”- we are to know “Someone!!”- And His Name is?
This “Chosen One” – this “son of man”-this carpenter’s son from Galilee- just who is He? Is He “who” He claims to be? Is He the Lamb sent from God?
Why was He, the Christ, born in a barn? Why did the angels announce the Shepherd unto shepherds? ~ By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. ~ (1 Timothy 3.16) And??- this story.. (His-story) continues.. !!
Friends, – it’s not over yet!! Yes,- there’s more! (the best is yet to be!)
The idea of a “completed” Jew is just as offensive and just as misguided. It is based on the Christian assumption that Jews must embrace the Christian Savior in order to be what God wants. You may not have intended this in your comment, and probably didn’t mean this, but the wording smacks of anti-Semitism and a complete misunderstanding of the relationship between Israel and YHWH. Time to remove this from the vocabulary.
No, sorry Skip.. This one stays. Yeshua is not the “Christian” Savior, He is the Savior of the world. All (including all who happen to be born into a Jewish family) are in need of the new birth He alone provides. Again, “all have sinned” includes “all” – both the Jew and the Gentile, – “all” (including you and I) are deeply in need of our (very Jewish) Savior! ~ If any man be *in Christ* is exactly that- “any man”- and furthermore,according to the scriptures themselves- “Here” (*in Christ*) there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all ~ (Colossians 3.11). Was Nicodemus “offended” when the Messiah said to him- “you (too) must be born from above?”
He who is swift to believe,is swift to forget.This is not what happened at the temple that day.I now see it as a continuation of there faith,apposed to something new.Two years ago a jewish friend of mine who is a follower of messiah,tried to tell me I was not living as a first century follower of the way.I spent months,going back and forth,between my pastor and this new friend.I wanted my friend to be wrong because I new the price to change would be high.To make a long story short,logic won tradition failed.This might sound weird,but I am glad I had to fight for this understanding wich has turned my world upsidedown.