Original Word: Ἰουδαϊσμός
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Ioudaismos
Pronunciation: ee-oo-dah-is-MOS
Phonetic Spelling: (ee-oo-dah-is-mos')
KJV: Jews' religion
NASB: Judaism
Word Origin: [from G2450 (Ἰουδαίζω - live like Jews)]

1. "Judaism", i.e. the Jewish faith and usages

Jewish Faith

From Ioudaizo; "Judaism", i.e. The Jewish faith and usages -- Jews' religion.

see GREEK Ioudaizo

Word Origin
from Ioudaizó
Definition
Judaism
NASB Translation
Judaism (2).

Term Overview

Strong’s Greek 2454 designates the religious system and way of life commonly called “Judaism”—the covenantal faith, practices, and traditions that distinguished Israel under the Mosaic law and the oral teachings of the elders. While positively rooted in God’s revelation at Sinai, the term in its New Testament setting especially points to the institutional and cultural form that had developed by the Second Temple era and that stood in marked contrast to the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ.

Scriptural Occurrences

The term appears twice, both in Paul’s autobiographical remarks to the Galatians:
• Galatians 1:13 – “For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.”
• Galatians 1:14 – “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.”

These references portray Judaism as the framework in which Paul’s pre-conversion zeal expressed itself, providing the backdrop against which his dramatic transformation and apostolic calling are set.

Historical Context

By the first century, Judaism had diversified into several sects—Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots—yet all held the Law of Moses as foundational. Emphasis on ritual purity, temple worship (until its destruction in AD 70), synagogue instruction, and meticulous observance of the oral tradition created a cohesive identity amid pagan surroundings. Rabbinic authority and “the traditions of the elders” (Mark 7:3) functioned as boundary markers safeguarding covenant faithfulness, but they could also mask the deeper intent of Scripture (Matthew 23:23).

Paul, educated “at the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3), embodied this milieu. His persecution of the church was not a rejection of God’s will in his own eyes but a defense of covenantal purity. Thus the term in Galatians signals not generic Jewish identity but an entrenched religious system resistant to the revelation of the crucified and risen Messiah.

Theological Significance

1. Works versus grace: Judaism—in Paul’s experience—rested on law-keeping, pedigree, and tradition, competencies the apostle later counted as “loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7).
2. Human righteousness exposed: Romans 10:3 notes Israel’s attempt “to establish their own” righteousness. Judaism, as practiced by Paul, epitomized that effort, illustrating the universal human tendency toward self-justification.
3. Continuity and fulfillment: Jesus affirmed Torah’s validity (“I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them,” Matthew 5:17). The gospel does not discard Judaism’s revelation but reveals its true telos in the Messiah and the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:6).

Contrast Between Judaism and the Gospel of Christ

• Basis of acceptance: Law observance versus faith in Christ (Galatians 2:16).
• Covenant sign: Circumcision in the flesh versus circumcision of the heart by the Spirit (Romans 2:29).
• People of God: Ethnic Israel distinguished by Torah versus a multi-ethnic body united in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-16).

Paul’s use of the term therefore underscores a decisive shift: from religious striving within Judaism to Spirit-empowered life in Christ.

Implications for Ministry

1. Testimony: Paul’s account models how God redeems even the most zealous opponents (1 Timothy 1:13-16).
2. Apologetics: Understanding Judaism’s contours helps explain fulfilled prophecy and demonstrates continuity between Old and New Testaments when presenting the gospel to Jewish seekers.
3. Guarding against legalism: Churches must beware of adding cultural or traditional requirements that obscure justification by faith (Galatians 5:1).

Related Concepts

• “Law” (nomos): The covenant code given through Moses.
• “Traditions of men” (paradosis): Human additions that can nullify God’s word (Mark 7:8).
• “Zeal” (zelos): Earnest devotion that can serve either God’s redemptive purpose or human pride (Romans 10:2).

Key Insights for Contemporary Believers

• Religious heritage, however honorable, cannot save; only union with Christ does.
• Scripture presents a seamless storyline—from Abraham to the apostles—culminating in the gospel that both affirms and transcends Judaism.
• True obedience springs from the Spirit writing the law on the heart, not mere conformity to external codes.

Thus Strong’s Greek 2454 reminds the church of the indispensable role of Old Testament revelation, the danger of elevating tradition above truth, and the surpassing glory of the new covenant inaugurated by Jesus Christ.

Ιουδαισμω Ιουδαϊσμώ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ Ιουδαϊστι Ioudaismo Ioudaismō Ioudaïsmôi Ioudaïsmō̂iInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts