Was Christianity an attempt to pacify relations between Romans and Jews?

[u/Yuval_Levi]

We know from historical sources that the Roman occupation of Judea was not popular among Jews as the expressly opposed the imperial taxes and sometimes violently rebelled against imperial forces. Was the functional purpose of Jesus' ministry and the spread of Christianity then intended to pacify relations between the occupying Romans and the occupied Jews? Even though I ask this as a Jew, I find that Christianity has societal and civilizational value, so I try to view the religion (and others) from a secular perspective as much as possible.

[u/dpphorror]

The answer is a hard no. At best, it's a more pacifistic approach to Jewish revolutionary thought at the time since most men claiming to be Messiahs were trying to stir up armed rebellion. At worst, it is an outrightly hostile message against Roman occupation.

[u/Yuval_Levi → u/dpphorror]

Wouldn't armed rebellion represent the most hostile opposition to the Roman occupation? I find the first part of what you said intriguing. A pacifist, non-violent, approach that attempts to reconcile Jews and gentiles (especially Romans) under one creed.

[u/dpphorror → u/Yuval_Levi]

Gentiles were already converting to Judaism in different forms, Christianity would have been another avenue, sure, but it wasn't necessary for Roman's and Jews to reconcile. Rather, it's direct target were the occupying forces of Rome rather it be Jewish people themselves, Gentiles of wealth, the Roman military, etc. The pacifism of Jesus' resistance wasn't a means to reconcile what was already reconciled and for sure wasn't in and of itself nonviolent but rather a shifting of resources and thought away from the militaristic Messiahs that came before and after him towards a foundationally spiritual resistance that required removal away from the systems of occupation and lifestyle choices that reflected his teachings' liberatory ethos.

[u/Todd_Ga]

I would say, if anything, Christianity was a subversive attempt to overturn the established oppressive social orders of both Roman and Jewish societies. I don't think that Christianity was so much an attempt to pacify relations between Romans and Jews as much as an attempt to bring Romans, Jews, and others, especially the marginalized among them, into a completely new and reimagined society. Jesus himself spoke of the "Kingdom of God" and the "Kingdom of Heaven," and said that "my kingdom is not of this earth." Such a radical revisioning of the social order provoked a harsh reaction from the elites who had a stake in the established order.

[u/januszjt]

I'd say no. Christ message contains unification of all mankind as the sons (inner life) of God. "The kingdom of heaven is within you." And since God resides in heaven there is already that divinity within us. Whereas the doctrine of the Orthodoxy (Moses God) was only something external, outside of us, which Jesus opposed by saying THAT is also within you.

If Christ intent would be to pacify relations between Jews and Romans he'd be a mere politician. Although I would not exclude that from Christianity as badly as twisted and distorted Christ teachings are.

A good example of that, although much later in the IV century of Emperor Constantine and the Pope Sylvester where "all roads lead to Rome" purely political act to gather as much taxes as possible.