📆 71–85 AD — After Jerusalem’s Destruction: Hebrew Faith in Hiding
✅ 70 AD – Jerusalem Falls Rome destroys the Temple. The Netzarim — Yeshua’s Torah-keeping followers — had already escaped to Pella, obeying the Aramaic warning (Luke 21:20–22).
✅ What they still had: – Torah – Prophets – Oral sayings of Yeshua in Aramaic 🚫 No Greek gospels 🚫 No written "New Testament"
✅ Ya'aqov (James) already martyred (~62 AD). – His teachings lived on – But he did not lead after 70 — remove any claim that he did.
💥 Other Sects Rising (Fragmented, Underground): – Siminians (from Simon Magus — used sorcery) – Elkesaites (Torah + mystical washings) – Proto-Gnostics (secret knowledge, anti-Torah) – Docetists (claimed Yeshua only seemed human)
🚫 Fiscus Judaicus imposed by Vespasian – Forced all Torah-keepers (including Netzarim) to pay tax – Rome treated all of them as Jews 🔥 Torah scrolls burned in major cities 📍 Scrolls hidden in caves: Qumran, Wadi Murabba’at, Nahal Hever
📆 85–95 AD — THE SPLIT BEGINS: Birkat HaMinim Introduced
⚠️ This is the turning point when Netzarim were cursed from within Israel by Pharisaic rulers.
❗ BIRKAT HAMINIM — FULL EXPLANATION
📍 When? ~85–90 AD, after destruction of the Temple, during the rise of Rabbinic Judaism from Yavneh (led by Gamliel II and his Sanhedrin council).
📍 Who created it? Rabbinic leaders (especially Shmuel HaKatan, under Gamliel II) added it to the Amidah prayer (central 18 blessings). This became the 19th “blessing” — actually a curse.
📜 Early Form:
“Let there be no hope for the minim (heretics), May all wickedness perish in an instant, And all Your enemies be cut down. Blot them out of the book of life.”
📍 What was it used for? – To flush out Netzarim and Ebionites from synagogues. – The prayer was said out loud — if someone refused to say it, they were exposed. – If you believed in Yeshua as the Messiah but still kept Torah, you were cursed as a heretic.
📍 Why is it a false teaching? 1. 🚫 Not in Torah — YHWH never commanded to curse those who follow Him. 2. 🔥 Twisted prayer into a political weapon 3. 💀 Divided faithful Israelites — turned Torah-keepers against each other 4. 📖 Violates Torah commands: – “You shall not curse the deaf” — Leviticus 19:14 – “Do not bear false witness” — Exodus 20:16 – “Judge your neighbor in righteousness” — Leviticus 19:15
📚 Proof Sources: – Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 28b – Historical accounts from Edessan and Aramaic assemblies – Netzarim letters recorded in Edessa (some fragments survived via Aramaic tradition)
✅ Result: – Netzarim expelled from synagogues – Forced into homes, caves, and non-rabbinic villages – This is when “The Way” was officially cut off from rabbinic Judaism
✅ Meanwhile: – Greek assemblies in cities like Antioch and Rome were growing – Still illegal — but now they had space to redefine Yeshua without Hebrew accountability
📆 95–110 AD — Rome Targets Both Sides
✅ Pliny the Younger (Letter 10.96 to Trajan) – Confirms that people were executed for refusing to curse “Christ” – Proves: there was no safe Roman church, and no public bishop had power
✅ Ignatius of Antioch (c. 105 AD) – Wrote 7 letters pushing: – Sunday worship – Obedience to bishops – Rejection of Torah and Sabbath 🛑 He was not a church ruler. He was under arrest, headed to execution.
✅ False writings appear: – Gospel of Peter (docetic) – Gospel of Thomas (gnostic) – Revelation (Greek, not accepted by Hebrew followers)
✅ Netzarim stayed underground – Aramaic teachings continued orally – Hebrew Matthew preserved by Ebionites – Torah obedience never abandoned
📆 110–130 AD — Hebrew Roots Silenced, Not Destroyed
✅ Ebionites: – Still used Hebrew Gospel of Matthew – Still rejected Paul – Still kept Torah, circumcision, Sabbath – Still believed Yeshua was a human chosen by YHWH — not divine
✅ Elkesaites: – Followed some Torah – But also brought in mystical, astrological ideas – Not fully Netzarim — semi-blended
✅ Greek assemblies spread – Promoted “grace over law” – Rewrote Yeshua as divine “Logos” – Introduced pre-Trinity language
⛔ Netzarim never joined either side – Rejected Rabbinic curses – Rejected Roman lies – Walked Torah quietly, hidden, hunted
📆 132–136 AD — Bar Kokhba Rebellion & Total Suppression
✅ Rabbinic leaders declared Bar Kokhba the Messiah – Netzarim refused to follow him – Called him a false messiah
📖 Eusebius and Justin Martyr confirm their refusal
🔥 Emperor Hadrian crushed Judea: – Torah outlawed – Sabbath banned – Circumcision banned – Scrolls burned – Jews banned from entering Jerusalem – City renamed Aelia Capitolina – Temple to Jupiter built on the ruins