INTRODUCTION
Prayer, baptism, and Communion are common terms, whether or not one is familiar with church. This paper will discuss the development of Christian rituals and how their foundations can be traced back to Judaism.
A ritual, defined by Merrian-Webster is “an established form for a ceremony. specifically : the order of words prescribed for a religious ceremony.”
We know that there is an established or commonly accepted way to pray, conduct baptism, and celebrate the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper). What is not common is the way we perform these acts of worship. In delving into their beginnings, it is to be hoped that the lines separating our differences will fade into bonds of peace and understanding.
In some settings one might see Messianic Jews and gentile Christians worshiping together. However, this is uncommon. Instead, both sides appear to have an “us and them” mentality. This of course, is because Christians and Jews believe differently. But it was not always thus. After all, Jesus, our Savior was Jewish.
“The earliest Christians did not reject Judaism, but were convinced that their faith was the fulfillment of the Messiah whom Jews over the ages had been anticipating. For this reason, Christians in Jerusalem continued to keep the Sabbath and attend worship at the temple.” (Gonzalez p. 27).
PRAYER
One of the most obvious Christian rituals is prayer. In a formal setting such as a church service, prayer is prominant. Today, we bow our heads when we say a blessing over our food, we bow our heads when the minister leads us in the pastoral prayer, and any time we are praying alone, we bow our head and close our eyes. Corporately, it is common to kneel in submission and reverence to God. Has it always been this way? No.
The earliest Christians saw themselves as Jews. Therefore, prayer, as we know it has its roots in Judaism.
In Luke chapter 18, verses 10-14, Jesus tells a parable about two men who went up to the temple to pray. Verse 11 says that “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.” He thanks God that he is not like the publican near him. His pride in his own accomplishments is easy to see. The publican, verse 13 tells us, “standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Even in his sorrow for his sins, the publican stood while praying.
So, when did things change?
“At an earlier time, the practice was not to kneel for prayer on Sundays, for that is the day of our adoption, when we approach the throne of the Most High as children and heirs to the Great King. Now after Constantine, one always knelt for prayer, as petitioners usually knelt before the emperor.” (Gonzalez p. 144).
Constantine was emperor of Rome in the early fourth century. Before him, Christianity was not looked upon with favor. In fact, many believers were tortured and killed because of their belief. In 313 Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, making christianity legal throughout the empire. Also, churches were restored, properties were returned, bishops were paid by the Empire and were exempt from secular work. Sundays were declared days of rest, and he began celebrating Christmas Day.
“The act of falling down, or prostration, was introduced in Rome when the Cæsars brought from the East the Oriental custom of worshipping the emperors in this manner as gods.” (Catholic Encyclopedia).
BAPTISM
Baptism is another Christian ritual that has its origins in Judaism. “For some time scholarly circles have been discussing the origin of Christian baptism. Some see its origins in the mystery cults that flourished during the first century A.D. Actually, it is not necessary to go beyond the religious heritage in which Christianity has its roots—the religion of Israel” (Ministry Magazine).
Concerning baptism, The Didache says, “Baptize this way: Having first said all these things, Baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (See Matthew 28:19). It goes on further with, “in living water. But if you have not living water, baptize into other water; and if you can not in cold, in warm. But if you have not either, pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
In the Hebrew Bible and other ancient texts, ritual purification meant immersion into water. If one came into contact with a corpse, for instance, one must immerse in water to become pure enough to be allowed to participate in the temple. “Immersion is required for converts to Judaism.” (Religion and Ethics). This ritual cleansing is called Mikvah.
Most scholars agree that the earliest Christian baptisms were done by immersion. As they saw themselves as part of the Jewish community, washing in a mikvah would have been the norm. “Lexicographers universally agree that the primary meaning of baptizo G966 is ‘to dip’ or ‘to immerse”, and there is a similar consensus of scholarly opinion that both the baptism of John and of the apostles was by immersion” (Jewett p. 466).
Not everyone agreed in total immersion. Some thought that one only needed to be rinsed. Therefore, they would either pour water over the head or have the person dip their head in. Either way, baptism symbolized washing oneself clean.
Early converts to Christianity were baptized usually on Easter morning. Men and women would be baptized separately, as they went into the water fully unclothed. When the immerged, a white robe would be wrapped around them, they would be anointed with oil, and only then would they be allowed to celebrate the Eucharist with the other believers.
COMMUNION
Early Christians celebrated the sabbath as they had always done. To this, though, they added the first day of the week, Sunday to celebrate the risen Lord Jesus. During these Sunday meetings they would have communion, which they called, celebrating the Eucharist. “Those early communion services did not center on the Lord’s passion, but rather on His victory through which a new age had dawned.” (Gonzalez p. 27)
The Christian Eucharist has its origin in the Last Supper. There, Jesus took bread, blessed God, broke the bread, and gave it to His disciples, telling them to take it and eat of it, because it was His body. In the same way, after they had eaten, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples, telling them all to take it and drink of it, because it was the cup of the covenant in His blood as redemption of sin for many (Matthew 26:26–28). At the end He said: “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Mazza p. 19).
The Apostle Paul talks about celebrating the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. When he speaks of Jesus taking the bread in the same night He was betrayed, was talking about those verses in Matthew 26 mentioned above.
Jesus did not create this form of remembrance and worship, however; he was celebrating the Passover, an ancient custom for the Jewish people began when they were enslaved in Egypt.
On that last night in Egypt, the first Passover, the Jews killed a spottless lamb, one without blemish and applied its blood to the doorposts and top of their doors. During the night, God said He would pass by. Wherever He saw the blood applied, He would pass over and spare the firstborn in that house (Exodus 12:7-14).
Jesus is the Lamb. The broken bread is His body broken for us; the wine is His blood spilled for us. Thus, the Eucharist developed from a Jewish ritual into a Christian one.
By the second century it was customary to commemorate a saint’s martyrdom by having communion where that saint had been buried. At some point, churches were built at these sites. “Eventually,” says Gonzalez, “some came to think that worship was particularly valid if it was celebrated in one of those holy places where the relics of a martyr were present.” (p. 144).
CONCLUSION
This paper has discussed the development of Christian rituals and how their foundations can be traced back to Judaism. Whether or not one attends church, prayer, baptism, and communion are common terms, and it is necessary to understand their origins.
Works Cited
Baptism in the Early Church, Ministry Magazine, March, 1981,
https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1981/03/baptism-in-the-early-church
Catholic Encyclopedia, Kneeling and Genuflection https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/ 06423a.htm
The Didache, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm
Gonzalez, Justo L., The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the REformation, HarperOne, 2014
Jewett, Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. 1, Zondervan, 2009
Religion and Ethics UK, Converting to Judaism, BBC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Mazza, Enrico, Celebration of the Eucharist: The Origin of the Rite and the Development of Its Interpretation (Liturgical Press, 1999
Merrian-Webster, Ritual, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritual
Shannon Wells 