after Paul's death, emerged as the church fathers,
founders of the universal or catholic church.
We can not be totally sure what
started
the separation
from Gentiles on the Sabbath, but
by 90CE the division was
near complete.
Observing the Sabbath seems to be completely removed from the practices of
most Gentile "Christians".
Gentiles
seem to have been discouraged from attending
synagogue (as was suggested at the Jerusalem
conference). Why would that be? There is a belief (even among
many Jews today) that
a Gentile SHOULDN'T study Torah or observe the Sabbath. That
a Gentile is, in fact, required to BREAK the
Sabbath.
Where does THAT belief come from?
Rabbi Moshe Kerr explains:
Its a fundamental mistake
in scholarship to confuse a secondary
commentary for being a primary source!
...The Midrash gives a alligorical story that a
non bnai brit which keeps Shabbot does not get a
"reward". ...Now not getting a reward for doing
a great mitzva and being put to death for doing
a great mitzva seem poles apart. But in fact the
midrash interprets the meaning of "death".
A non bnai brit has no commandment to do
commandments. ...Hence no reward means, even
though they do commandments when their physical
body dies, their soul dies.
We are NOT considered righteous by
the number of laws we keep. If a pagan
observes the Sabbath or studies Torah (things that
he is not required to do) while ignoring the seven
Noahide laws, there is nothing "magical" about
Sabbath observance to gain him a place in the
World to Come. So if a pagan studies Torah or
keeps the Sabbath he merits death (receives no
reward), it however does NOT mean that he should be
prohibited from doing so.