The Persecution of the early Messianic Jews began with the stoning of Stephen in about 34 CE. Stephen had gotten into trouble by denying the need of the Temple. He showed in his testimony before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7 that God was mobile not stationary. He visited Abraham in Mesopotamia, Joseph in Egypt, Moses in Median, took care of Israel in the wilderness and only condescended to David to reside in a stationary Temple because of David’s heart request.
In any event, Stephen’s testimony was not appreciated, and he was stoned. The Grecian Messianic believers who settled in Jerusalem from the Diaspora were immediately sought and hunted down. They represented the liberal wing of the new Messianic faith. It was only this part of the Messianic believers that was persecuted at this time. The Apostles, though watched, didn’t have to run from Jerusalem for their lives. It was the Grecian or Hellenist believers coming from the liberal wing headed by the seven who were evangelists ordained by the Apostles to oversee Jews of the Diaspora who had come to believe that were expelled from Jerusalem. Once they fled, they kept moving and preached in the synagogues wherever they had gone, but to Jews only.
The second wave of persecution didn’t come until after King Agrippa was appointed King of Judea. In about 43 CE he attempted to hurt a certain part of the Messianic believers, namely, the moderates, when he killed James the Apostle and brother of John. Seeing that this pleased the Jewish authorities, he attempted to kill Peter as well, but Peter escaped his hand. Nevertheless, at this point the Apostles were expelled from Jerusalem, in that they had to flee for their lives, leaving only the conservative Messianic believers in Jerusalem, headed up by James, the brother of Jesus. The conservative group was largely composed of believing Pharisees who were also some of the low level priests who had joined the community of believers after Stephen and the Grecian Messianics formed their own group in about 33-34 CE (Acts 6).
James, one of the Twelve, was killed with the sword, indicating he was beheaded, which is an execution for a traitor. It is important to see this point, so one can understand that he was not executed as a criminal. James, as we know, was one of the “sons of thunder,” implying he was a very outspoken believer. This is probably what got him into trouble with the Jewish authorities. In Acts 10 Peter had baptized a Gentile into the faith without commanding him to be circumcised. Remember that at this time the early believers were considered part of Judaism. The authorities weren’t very happy with us, but we were still considered part of the Jewish community. What Peter did was to accept an uncircumcised Gentile and his family and friends into the Jewish community. While it is true that he was received as a believer in Jesus, and all Jews didn’t accept Jesus as the Messiah, the Messianic sect was still considered a part of Judaism. Peter had received a Gentile and all his uncircumcised family and friends into Judaism without requiring their taking part in the sign of righteousness, circumcision. This was frowned upon, but James was probably one of its most foremost defenders. The most vocal in any matter tend to attract the most attention. As was the case of Stephen before him, James was taken and executed for testifying of the truth.
The third wave of persecution probably began in the early to mid 50s CE. It was conducted against the conservative Messianic believers, the last remaining Messianic group in Jerusalem. This group, as I mentioned above, included the believing Pharisees, many of whom were the low level priests who held off joining with the Apostles, until the Grecian believers formed their own group in Acts 6. The conservatives probably thought the liberal Hellenist believers were ceremonially unclean. However, the moderate group headed by the Apostles probably kept the Oral Law (at least until the Cornelius incident of Acts 10), and so were not considered a ceremonial problem for this group.
In any event, Josephus mentions that the Sadducees, particularly the high priestly family groups had begun persecuting the low level priestly groups by robbing them of their rightful tithes and offerings, which were theirs as part of their payment for services in the Temple. Josephus doesn’t mention that this group of priests were Christians (Messianic believers), and perhaps they all were not of the Messianic faith, but many were and probably the original target of the persecution. The high level priesthood used a group of evil men, such as the two crucified with Jesus, to take the tithes by force. Many of these priests were poor men, and some died for lack of food, for they so depended upon the tithes and offerings that were due them for the time they spent in the Temple [Josephus: Antiquities; 20.8.8; 20.9.2].
About the time of the beginning of this persecution, Paul had sent word to the churches in Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia to lay aside an offering so he could bring it to the poor in Jerusalem when he made his journey there. I believe it was for this very purpose—for the conservative believers and poor priests who were dying for lack of food—that Paul had come to Jerusalem. Paul’s final trip to Jerusalem was in about 58 CE. He was captured there by the Jewish authorities who had intended to kill him, but after two years of imprisonment under Roman authority, he was sent to Rome for a hearing before Nero. The persecution of the conservatives climaxed in the death of James the brother of Jesus in 62 CE by Ananias the High Priest and son of Annas the High Priest who originally wanted Jesus dead, however it continued even until the beginning of the Jewish war with Rome.
The persecution of believers was largely conducted through the authority or influence of the Annas family. Caiaphas, the High Priest who condemned Jesus and handed him over to Pilate, was Annas’ son-in-law. He was also responsible also for Stephen’s death. Paul received papers to bring back believers from Damascus from Jonathan the High Priest and son of Annas. Theophilus, his brother, succeeded him and continued the persecution against the Grecian Messianic believers. Matthias the High Priest and fourth son of Annas, was reigning when King Agrippa (probably through his advise) seized James, the Apostle and brother of John, and killed him. Jonathan received the office of High Priest for a second time in 51-52 CE and during his term of office the persecution of the low level priesthood was begun. Probably he had tried to get Paul executed, but Felix grew tired of his meddling into his affairs and had Jonathan killed by the very men he used to carry out his evil deeds against the poor priests.
Finally, Ananias, the youngest son of Annas, had James the brother of Jesus and other believers killed in 62 CE. Festus, the Roman governor had died while in office. Ananias had seized the opportunity to carry out his evil desires. King Agrippa II (son of Agrippa who had James the Apostle killed) had Ananias removed from the office of High Priest, and the new Roman procurator, Albinus, had promised his own retribution when he would come to Jerusalem, but Ananias was able to escape his punishment by bribing Albinus when he arrived. Nevertheless, the persecution against the low level priesthood continued.
A few years later war with Rome broke out in Jerusalem and the Messianic believers fled to Pella for safety. Thus, we have the first three persecutions conducted against believers in Jesus by the Jewish leadership. It was a persecution conducted by the Sadducees and particularly through a single family of that group. The earliest persecutions of believers came through the family of Annas, the High Priest who wanted Jesus crucified.
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