
Jesus was a Galilean first-century Jew. He was born of a Jewish mother, Mary, was addressed by his followers as Rabbi, quoted Hebrew scripture in his teachings, and taught in the Temple in ancient Jerusalem. According to Roman Catholic teaching, Jesus established his disciple St. Peter as the first pope of the nascent church. The Catholic Church maintains the apostolic succession of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope – the successor to Saint Peter. However, Jesus did not establish a denomination. The term Catholic was first used in a letter by Bishop and Saint Ignatius of Antioch around 110, and some have translated the term as the universal church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Jesus's ethnicity and religion | Jewish |
| Jesus's mother's religion | Jewish |
| Jesus's message and vision | Universal |
| Jesus's teachings | Monotheism |
| Jesus's appointment | Twelve Apostles |
| Jesus's instructions | Continue His work |
| Catholic Church founded by | Jesus Christ |
| First surviving use of the word 'Catholic' | Bishop and Saint Ignatius of Antioch's letter to the Christian community at Smyrna around 110 |
| The word 'Catholic' means | According to the whole or universal |
| The word 'Catholic' stems from | Greek kataholos |
| Catholic Church's history | Can be traced to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in Roman-occupied Jewish Palestine about 30 CE |
| Catholic Church's sacraments | Instituted by Christ himself |
| Catholic Church's belief | Jesus established his disciple St. Peter as the first pope of the nascent church |
| Catholic Church's belief | Jesus was a Jew by blood, and a Catholic Christian by faith |
| Theistic Religion of Roman Catholicism | Advanced from a cult to a status of Religion upon acceptance and promotion of Christianity by Emperor under the Edict of Milan in 313 CE |
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What You'll Learn

Jesus was ethnically and religiously Jewish
The term "Jew" is used in Scripture to refer to those who are ethnically and religiously Jewish. Jesus was a Jew in both senses. He was born to a Jewish mother, Mary, and was raised in the Jewish religion. He observed the Hebrew holy days and worshiped in the temple and synagogue.
Jesus was a Jew by blood and a Catholic Christian by faith, according to some. He is believed to have founded the Catholic Church, which is considered a continuation of the early Christian community established by his disciples. The Church sees its bishops as the successors to Jesus' apostles and the Church's leader, the Pope, as the sole successor to Saint Peter, whom Jesus appointed as the head of the Church.
Jesus is believed to have completed the Jewish religion by serving as the Messiah or Christ, fulfilling the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures. However, many ethnically Jewish people did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah and did not accept Christianity, which is seen as the completed form of Judaism. They continued to practice a partial or incomplete form of Judaism.
It is important to note that the separation of Christianity and Judaism was a gradual process. In the early days, Jesus' disciples and followers were all Jewish, and there was no command to convert to another religion. It was only hundreds of years later that new Christology doctrines were introduced, and the Jesus movement deviated from Judaism. The two religions were not completely separate until the 4th century when the last remaining Jewish customs of some Christians were abandoned, and a distinct calendar was adopted.
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The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus
The New Testament records Jesus' activities, teachings, and his appointment of the twelve Apostles, who were tasked with continuing his work. Ephesians 2:20 and Revelation 21:14 in the Bible state that the Apostles are the foundation of the Church: "the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles". The Catholic Church teaches that the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, an event known as Pentecost, signalled the beginning of the public ministry of the Church.
According to the Catholic Church, it started on the day of Pentecost in the upper room of Jerusalem and is a continuation of the early Christian community established by Jesus's disciples. The Church considers its bishops to be the successors to Jesus's apostles and the Church's leader, the Pope, to be the sole successor to Saint Peter, whom Jesus appointed as the head of the Church.
Jesus established the Church, its offices, and procedures, and gave primacy to Peter among all the apostles. The Church is understood as an institution under Peter's primacy, synonymous with the "kingdom of God" proclaimed by Jesus. However, some argue that Jesus did not found a bureaucratic institution but a life-giving community sustained by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The Catholic Church proclaims itself to be the church that Jesus Christ died for and established. It is important to note that the Church may have evolved differently from its early beginnings, but the Spirit remains the connection between Jesus and his Church.
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Jesus wanted no religions or denominations
Jesus was born and died a Jew. However, some sources claim that Jesus was a Catholic Christian by faith. According to the tradition of the Catholic Church, it was founded by Jesus Christ. The New Testament records Jesus' activities and teachings, His appointment of the twelve Apostles, and His instructions for them to continue His work.
However, there is no place in Scripture where the Catholic denomination is listed. Jesus promoted discipleship, followers of Christ, and not followers of His Mother Mary. The Early Church named the Church "Catholic". St. Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of St John the Apostle, was the first to refer to it as such in his letters while he was being dragged to Rome to be martyred in 110 A.D.
Jesus did not come to start a religion, but to end it. Christianity is not just about knowing the truth, but about letting the truth direct our actions. God's Spirit within us changes our desires. We are able to set aside our tendency to focus all our attention and effort on ourselves and instead reach out to people around us.
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The word 'Catholic' was first used in a letter by Bishop and Saint Ignatius of Antioch
The term "Catholic" was first used in a letter by Bishop and Saint Ignatius of Antioch in Syria, also known as the Letter to the Smyrnaeans, in 107 AD or 110 AD. In the letter, Saint Ignatius writes, "Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church." The term "Catholic" is derived from the ancient Greek adjective "katholikos", which means universal.
Saint Ignatius was a disciple of St. John and, according to some accounts, was appointed to his see by St. Peter himself. He wrote this letter on his way to martyrdom in Rome, where Emperor Trajan condemned him. Saint Ignatius accepted his fate joyfully, strengthening Christian communities through his letters and visitations during his journey from Antioch to Rome.
The use of the term "Catholic" in Saint Ignatius' letter indicates that the word was already known and understood by the recipients, including Bishop St. Polycarp of Smyrna, as he did not provide any further explanation of its meaning. The term was likely in widespread use by the beginning of the second century, as indicated by its appearance in other early epistles written after Saint Ignatius' letter, which applied the term in the same manner.
The word "Catholic" in the context of Christian ecclesiology has a rich history and several usages. It is closely related to the use of the term "Catholic Church," which refers to the aggregate of all Christian congregations or the "universal church." Over time, the term "Catholic" took on a secondary meaning of "orthodox" or "non-heretical", representing the belief that Catholics taught the whole truth and represented the whole Church.
It is important to note that Jesus himself was neither Catholic nor any other denomination. He was born and died a Jew, and his teachings were rooted in Jewish beliefs.
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Jesus established his disciple St. Peter as the first Pope
Jesus was born and died a Jew. However, according to sacred tradition, he founded the Catholic Church. The New Testament records Jesus' activities and teachings, including his appointment of the twelve Apostles and his instructions for them to continue his work.
The Catholic Church teaches that the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, an event known as Pentecost, signaled the beginning of the public ministry of the Church. Catholics believe that Saint Peter was the first Bishop of Rome, starting an unbroken line of popes. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus designated Peter as the "rock" upon which he would build his church.
Saint Peter was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and is recognized in the early Christian church as the leader of the disciples. The Roman Catholic Church holds that Jesus established Saint Peter as the first pope, giving him "the keys of the kingdom of heaven". After Jesus' death, Peter served as the head of the Apostles and was the first to perform a miracle after Pentecost.
Peter is believed to have died as a martyr for his faith in Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero in 64 CE. Tradition holds that he was crucified upside down, as he felt unworthy of dying in the same manner as Jesus Christ.
The early church fathers considered bishops, priests, and deacons to be essential to the Church. The Catholic Church maintains that its bishops are the successors to Jesus's apostles and that the Bishop of Rome, or Pope, is the sole successor to Saint Peter.
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Frequently asked questions
Jesus was ethnically and religiously Jewish, not Catholic. However, some people believe that Jesus was a Catholic Christian by faith.
Jesus was Jewish. He was born to a Jewish mother, taught in the Temple in ancient Jerusalem, and quoted Hebrew scripture in his teachings.
Some people believe that Jesus established the Catholic Church through his disciple St. Peter, who became the first pope of the church. However, others argue that Jesus did not establish a denomination or religion, and that the Roman Catholic Church was established by Emperor Constantine under the Edict of Milan in 313 CE.
If you define a Christian as a follower of Jesus and His doctrines, then Mary was a Christian. She was a Jewish Christian, or a Christian Jew.
Peter was a Jew and a believer in Christ, not Catholicism.











































