Judaism is the religion of the Jews that expresses their pattern of beliefs and practices based on their accumulated tradition of OT rabbinic interpretation. It began during the Babylonian exile after the destruction of the temple in 586 B.C. as an attempt of the Jews to adapt the OT Law to their exilic living. The term "Judaism" (Gr. Ioudaismos; cf. Galatians 1:13, 14) originated from "Judah," which designates the Southern Kingdom of the divided monarchy and was initially used by Greek-speaking Jews in the intertestamental period to distinguish themselves religiously and culturally from the Gentiles (cf. 2 Macc 2:21; 8:1; 14:38). Judaism continued to develop through such historical periods as the intertestamental, rabbinic, medieval, and modern eras with its three current forms: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed Judaism. Orthodox Judaism emphasizes worship in the local synagogue and studying and keeping of the Torah ("Law") along with the hundreds of detailed ordinances in their tradition. Jewish beliefs not only have influenced their religious life but also their cultural, social, and political outlook on life. Ezra the skilled scribe and teacher of the Law (Ezra 7:6; 10; Nehemiah 8; 12:26) evidently represented an early form of Judaism. Such true biblical Judaism was rooted in a proper understanding of the OT and a right response of heart to God which is "not of the letter, but of the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:6; cf. Romans 2:28-29). However, the genuine people of God composed only a minority in the midst of a wider Judaism, and this righteous remnant existed only through God's gracious election and preservation of them (Romans 9:6, 27, 29; 11:1-7; cf. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:5-80). An institutionalized form of Judaism also began to develop and increasingly prevailed in Jewish history. This emphasis in Judaism became epitomized in a form of Pharisaism, which emphasized outward, ritualistic observance and ordinances based on certain rabbinical interpretation of the OT Law. Such hypocritical religion was strongly condemned by Christ as vain worship that substituted human doctrines and traditions for the commandments of God (Matthew 23:1-36; Mark 7:1-9). While orthodox Christianity is monotheistic like Judaism (Deuteronomy 6:4; cf. 1 Timothy 2:5), the Christian doctrine of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19) and the NT revelation that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God (John 1:11; 20:30-31) is rejected by Judaism. Christianity is founded upon the confession of Jesus' lordship and the messianic fulfillment of OT Scriptures as recorded in the NT (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:14-36; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 2:20). Both Testaments place a strong emphasis upon the practical ethics of religion (e.g., Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Micah 6:8; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10).

This topic is from the Lockman Foundation.