[xzins]

I am not such a stickler for words that it matters to me what folks call themselves. I like the sound and the clarity of Messianic Jews as a name. My only point is that it’s a relatively new term, and not one used in the Bible. But neither is Methodist, so live and let live.

[Buggman]

That reminds me of the one about the young couple that was arguing over whose denomination came first. The girl said, "Catholics were here first; we were founded by Peter and Paul, for crying out loud."

To which the guy holds out his Bible, points at a page, and says, "Look! Right here! It says John the Baptist, not John the Catholic!"

*rimshot*

Words obviously change meaning and even form over time. Given that this is the case, given that nowhere in the New Testament does any Apostle identify himself as a "Christian," and given that you've admitted yourself that it's an apt term, how is Uriel wrong to point out that by the way we use the terms today, the Apostles would be Messianic Jews rather than Christians?

Shalom and Merry Christmas!