The non-Hebrew Yahosheanism took over control of the movement through efforts of the aclaimed “Apostolic Fathers”. These were early and influential Theologians that operated after the immediate apostles of the first century. The earliest Assembly Fathers that learnt directly from the apostles were called the “Apostolic fathers.” Some of these apostolic fathers were Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna. There were discoveries of early writings of the apostolic works as the Didache and the shepherd of Hormas that have no known authors. Majority of these early apostolic fathers were gentiles and they helped to influence the change of Hebrew Yahosheanism into the Gentile- Yahosheanism that evolved to Christianity in later centuries. One of the earliest Apostolic Fathers was Clement of Rome who was viewed by later theologians as the earliest successive apostle to originally appointed apostles by Yahoshea Meshiyach. He was best known for his “First Letter of Clement” that was contested to be canonized as one of the Apostolic works. The book was included among the Codex Alexandrinus and in the Canon of the Apostles. Clement was taken as the fourth Bishop of Rome that was later changed to the office of Pope. Although Clement is hold to high esteem by the Catholic Church but remains indicted of transference of ecclesiastic power of the Hebrew Yahosheanism to Gentile form of the faith. He was credited of establishment of the Papal supremacy and the leadership of Roman assembly ahead other stations. Clement of Rome equally formulated new ecclesiastical order in which the office of bishop was created to oversee the activities of brethren at urban cities. By the new method, Bishops oversee the urban assemblies and followed by Elders (presbyters) and Deacons. This was a total departure from the ecclesiastical order of the Hebrew Yahosheanism as was observed by immediate apostles of Yahoshea Meshiyach at the city of Yerusalem. The new covenant scriptures presented the office of “Overseer”, “Elder” and Deacon”. The early apostles did not operate the system of “Apostolic Episcopacy” that is held in Christendom at the present rather all followers of Yahoshea held each other as “Brethren” although with minor executive power exercised by Peter, Paul and Yames the Just. The new covenant account did not record of Peter occupying the office of the Bishop of Rome. There was no tangible evidence of transmission of Apostolic authority to Linus as claimed by the Catholic Church. There was no prove of institution of Apostolic succession by the early Yahosheans rather these ideas were formulated and naturalized by the later acclaimed Apostolic Fathers such as Clement and others. Conception of ideas of “Apostolic Episcopacy” and “Apostolic succession” with their institution within Christianity steamed from the acts of the Apostolic Fathers of the gentile Yahosheanism. Observations as Sunday rest or worship (Lords day) were part of changes effected by the apostolic fathers. The Hebrew Yahosheans took the form of Hebrew traditional faith. They continued with daily Temple attendance and traditional Hebrew home prayer. They were identified by similar observance of traditional Hebrew piety and fasting, they reverenced Torah and observance of Hebrew holy days. The tide of these Hebrew traditional worship and fellowship began to change when the gentile Yahosheans began to assert authority in the movement. One of the dangerous additions by the Gentile Yahosheans was the observation of Sunday as the Lord’s day which later metarphorsed into a primary day of worship. Through this evolution, Sabbath rest that was observed by Hebrew Yahosheans was set aside for the Sunday worship in line with Greek and Roman Pagan traditions. The gentile Yahosheans introduced weekly or daily Eucharist through what they termed as “sharing of bread and wine”. This practice was never observed by Hebrew Yahosheans who partook of bread and wine on 13th evening of Abib as for “Passover Feast” as they learnt from their master. In the beginning, the stations of Gentile Yahosheans were observing Sabbath on the Seventh day (Saturday) and equally observed the liturgy of breaking of bread and wine on Sunday and they were flourishing because of lesser persecution upon them than their Hebrew counterparts. For example, the Hebrew traditional and religious authority had the “Nuahide Laws” that require any gentile into Hebrew related faith to adhere to the Mosaic laws. This law was not strictly followed by Hebrew Yahosheans by exempting the gentile converts to adhere to circumcision. This earned the Hebrew Yahosheans opposition and persecution by their kinsmen. The Hebrew traditional authority convened a Council of Jamnia in 85 CE which concluded with condemnation to people or sect that belief that the expected Hebrew messiah has manifested. This law was primarily targeted at Hebrew Yahosheans and the gentile converts were not seriously affected. Again, during the late first century, Hebrew religion received a legal protection from Roman rule. This was a compromise between Hebrew people and the Romans over religious freedom. The law called the “Fiscus Judaicus” in 96Ad stipulate that Hebrew citizens will be free of their religious rite with privilege to abstain from Roman civil pagan rites or obligations. The Hebrew citizens in return have to pay Annual Tax in such effect. Both Hebrew religious sect and Yahosheanism were meant to pay the tax but due to differences between both movements, the Roman Emperor Nerva decreed that Yahosheans should not pay the tax. As Yahosheans refused to worship the Roman State Pantheon, they were strictly persecuted. This maltreatments were harsh upon Hebrew Yahosheans while the gentile Yahosheans were viewed as Roman citizens and were mildly handled by the magistrates. The first century Yahosheanism was championed by the Hebrew Yaosheans but towards the later years and the second centuries, the Gentile Yahosheans began to exercise authority through the activities of the acclaimed Apostolic fathers and the Episcopal order that evolved in the movement. The second century Yahosheanism was a period when the first hand apostolic of Yahoshea were all Meshiyach Yahzitere Yahmarabhi (+234) 7066195260 Email: okohmeshiyach@yahoo.com
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