“Judaizers” is the name of a specific group of Jews. While they did not use this name, scholars use this name to describe these people and the things they believe. These Jews taught that Gentile Christians needed to be circumcised and do what the law of Moses said to do. They taught this was the only way to truly be at peace with God. The apostle Paul did not agree with the Judaizers.
Scholars use the word “Judaizers” to talk about the people in Acts 15:1. Scholars also call those whom Paul talked about in his letters “Judaizers.” Judaizers were found in the churches at Galatia, Philippi, and Corinth.
Paul talked about people who taught this wrong gospel to the Galatian church (see: Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-2; 5:2-3). They were Judaizers because they taught that Christians needed to obey the law of Moses. Paul said the Judaizers teach these things only because they did not want to be persecuted for believing in Jesus (see: Galatians 6:12).
Paul also talked about a group of people in Corinth that said people had to be circumcised and obey the law of Moses to be Christians. This group claimed to be doing what was right (see: 2 Corinthians 11:15). However, this group did not teach what Paul taught. Paul spoke against them (see: 2 Corinthians 3:7-9). He said these people were fake apostles who lied and served only Satan (see: 2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
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