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Answer   Why were Jesus’ followers persecuted?

According to the 5th Epochal Revelation Urantia Papers Why were Jesus’ followers persecuted?

According to The Urantia Book, which presents itself as the 5th Epochal Revelation, Jesus' followers were persecuted for several key reasons, rooted in religious, political, and social tensions of the time. Here are the primary factors:

1. Religious Opposition from Jewish Leaders

• The Jewish religious authorities (particularly the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes) saw Jesus' teachings as a threat to their authority and traditions.
• Jesus challenged legalistic interpretations of the Mosaic Law, emphasized a personal relationship with God, and exposed hypocrisy among religious leaders (The Urantia Book calls this the "dead ceremonialism" of Judaism).
• After Jesus' crucifixion, his followers (like Stephen and Paul) continued preaching that salvation was through faith in Jesus, not just adherence to Jewish law, which further enraged the Sanhedrin.

2. Political Fear of Roman Authorities

• The Roman Empire viewed any movement that could incite rebellion as dangerous. While Jesus was not a political revolutionary, his proclamation of the "kingdom of God" was misinterpreted by some as a challenge to Caesar’s rule.
• Early Christians refusing to worship the emperor as divine made them targets for persecution under Roman law.

3. Social and Cultural Rejection

• Jesus' message of equality (e.g., Gentiles and Jews being equal in God’s love) upset Jewish exclusivism.
• His followers were accused of undermining social norms, such as table fellowship with sinners and disregard for strict Sabbath laws.

4. The Charge of Blasphemy

• Jesus’ claims of divine sonship and forgiveness of sins were seen as blasphemous by Jewish leaders (The Urantia Book elaborates that Jesus' spiritual authority threatened their institutional power).
• Early Christians' worship of Jesus as the Messiah (and later as divine) was viewed as heresy.

5. Economic Factors

• The early Christian communal sharing (Acts 2:44–45) and Paul’s missions disrupted local economies tied to pagan temples (e.g., the silversmith riot in Ephesus, Acts 19).

The Urantia Book’s Perspective:

• It emphasizes that Jesus' religion of love and personal spiritual experience was radical and disruptive to entrenched systems. Persecution arose because his followers "dared to overthrow all the gods of Rome" (The Urantia Book, Paper 195).
• The book also notes that martyrdom strengthened the faith of early believers, helping Christianity spread despite oppression.

In summary, persecution stemmed from a clash between the transformative, inclusive teachings of Jesus and the rigid religious, political, and social structures of the time.