This equally marked the beginning of the “facts of Apostles of Yahoshea” which attracted persecution from the Hebrew traditional or religious authority. The persecution left some Yahoshean’s dead and such caused the disparsion of Yahosheans to many cities outside the Hebrew nation.
Dispersal of Yahosheans led to conversion and baptism of people like Simon Magus of Samaria and the Ethiopian Eunuch. This equally led to the establishment of the assembly stations outside the Hebrew territory. Conversions were extended to “Non-Hebrew Citizens” and the first record was the baptism of the Roman Centurion Cornelius. The first station outside the Hebrew land was at Antioch and that was the city that Yahosheans were named Christians.
EARLY CONTROVERSIES:
The Yahoshea’s ministry was of Hebrew religious background. The movement observed all doctrinal practices of the Second Temple Yahudaism” but differed on its adoption of Yahoshea as the “Awaited Meshiaych”. This belief was never accepted by other forms of Hebrew religious tradition. This claim was the main allegation that prompted the arrest and execution of Yahoshea Meshiyach and since his apostles held to such belief, they were persecuted by their Hebrew kinsman.
Yahosheans were persecuted by the larger Roman Community as they were accused by Emperor Nero in 64 AD for causing the Great Fire of Rome. As Yahosheans refused to give worship to the local deities and Emperors of Rome, they became exposed to charges of treason and punishment by execution.
The Roman persecution to Yahosheans caused the faithful to stick to underground worship that tarried to the 4th century when the movement was legalized as “Christianity”.
Another major controversy that rocked the early Yahosheanism was the scriptural accounted disputes over the application of Hebrew religions laws and rites in the newly found faith. One of such argument was based on the need for Gentile Yahosheans for indulging in circumcision before acceptance to the faith. This argument was resolved in the Council of Yerusalem where it was agreed that non-Hebrew Yahosheans will not be forced to circumcise before acceptance.
Another controversy was based on argument of “Non-Hebrew Yahoseans” on maltreatment especially during sharing of foods. This was equally settled by appointing of “Deacons” that were meant to overseer the welfare aspect of the ministry.
The early assembly leadership of the movement were headed by brethren at the Communities centre at the city of Jerusalem. The centre was called the “House and Mary” or later as the “St. Mark Monastery”. Many of the apostles lived at the Yahoshean community area while some of Yahoshean’s relatives lived at Nazareth during the first century.
The ministry accorded special privilege to the relation’s of Yahoshea and such prompted the leadership role of Yames at the Assembly headquarter in Yerusalem. Yames was a biological brother to Yahoshea Meshiyach who equally followed him in his ministry.
Apostles like Peter and Paul equally played leadership roles in the early age of Yahosheanism. The Assembly at Yerusalem acted as the coordinator to all activities of the movement and equally oversee the activities of other outer-stations that were established later.
The leadership role of the Yerusalem assembly helped to perpertuate the Hebrew related culture of the movement and transmitted same to other stations. The station of Yerusalem stood its ground to sustain the proper doctrines of the movement as put in place by Yahoshea Meshiyach and such gave the Hebrew Yahosheans edge above the non-Hebrew Yahosheans.
This leadership of the Yahosheans at Yerusalem ensured that the assembly lived in its normal garb of Hebrew religions continuity. The remained committed to worship of Yahweh alone through Yahoshea Meshiyach. They kept Sabbath rest and observed all religious holidays of the Hebrew nations.
Yaoshea Meshiyach was a Hebrew and called his first set of disciples from his Hebrew Kinsmen. All of the twelve apostles were Hebrews and they observed some of the Hebrew ordained religions practices. The major difference was the belief of Yahoshea as the Hebrew Messiah that distinguished the faith from mainstream Hebrew religious body.
The early Yahosheans held the Hebrew scriptures as sacred and authoritative. After the death of Yahoshea Meshiyach, the followers developed some religious texts that gave rise to the New Testament. This set of scriptures were used along the Hebrew scriptures by Yahosheans of the first century C.E.
Yahosheanism continued other religious practices of the Hebrew traditions as Baptism, Liturgical worship, scriptural reading as done in synagogues, use of sacred music in hymns, and prayer religious calendar and at other practices.
Yahosheanism observe all ordained festivals of the Hebrew religious tradition and such were held by the assembly station of Yerusalem.
Meshiyach Yahzitere Yahmarabhi
(+234) 7066195260
Email: okohmeshiyach@yahoo.com