[maine-iac7]

Christianity began as a Jewish sect, and the reason it was not stillborn is because it was in line with Jewish thinking at the time.

True - and the leader that took the reigns after the Crucification was also from the lineal House of David, James the Just - blood brother of Jesus. He was also a High Priest - and killed by the priesthood in 62 AD.

It was Paul, who never met Jesus nor was taught by Him, that anointed himself an apostle and preached for many years before ever deigning to go the Jerusalem to meet with James the Just and Peter and John.

It was Paul that, basically, preached to the non-Jews - and changed many things that the early Christians held to.

Jesus didn't come to start a new religion, but the set aright the things that had been corrupted...

Matthew 5:17

"17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

[Boagenes]

Dude, Paul says in Galatians that after three years he went up to Jerusalem to be sure that the gospel he was preaching was in keeping with what Peter and the Jerusalem church were preaching - that Peter and James agreed with him, and gave him the "right hand of fellowship". Paul even reproached Peter for behaving badly in dealing with the Gentiles in the presence of the Jews.

Ever read the book of Acts? Paul received his instruction directly from Jesus himself. None of the apostles contradicted this belief and none of them challenged Paul as an apostle. Paul was completely in line with the Jewish church centered around James and Peter in Jerusalem, and vice-versa. They were preaching the same gospel.

[bahblahbah]

“””””””””””””
Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion, but the set aright the things that had been corrupted...

Matthew 5:17

“17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
“””””””””””””

I trust paul more than you, especially if your trying to use that verse to justify following the jewish law. Jesus fulfills the law and Jesus fulfills a prophets. Jesus fulfillment of the law brings in a new order.

[SuziQ]

the leader that took the reigns after the Crucification was also from the lineal House of David, James the Just - blood brother of Jesus. He was also a High Priest - and killed by the priesthood in 62 AD.

I've never read anything about Jesus appointing anyone named James as the leader of the Church after His death. Jesus clearly names Simon, Peter, "The Rock" on which His Church would be built, and "the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it". Since those words came from Jesus's mouth, as written in the Scriptures, I assume it to be what He clearly intended.