There were many differences between the religions. The single most important difference was that Judaism was monotheistic (Believing in One God - 'Yahweh/Jehovah') while ancient Greek and Roman Religions were Polytheistic (Believing in many different Gods for different purposes)
Judaism differed from the ancient Greek and Roman religions in the following ways:1) It was the only religion in which God spoke to the entire assembled nation (Exodus ch.19) of over two million people.
2) It made a complete break from the surrounding idolatry. Their monotheism (belief in One God) set the Jews apart because other ancient nations did not share it. We've heard (for example) of Greek mythology and Roman mythology. What not everyone is aware of is that idolatry tended to go hand in hand with cruel, licentious and excessive behavior, since the caprices which were narrated concerning the pagan gods were adopted as an excuse to imitate those types of behavior.
(See: cruelties of the polytheists)
Compare that to God, who reveals His attributes in the Torah as wise, kind, holy, and pure. God is One, so the command to imitate His attributes (Deuteronomy 8:6) was (and is) a straightforward matter once one is even minimally familiar with the Torah.
(See: What do Jews believe God is like?)
Accordingly, Judaism was:
3) The only ancient religion in which a large percentage of its adherents were literate and scholars.
4) It was the only religion in which the people were ruled by God, with no need for a king, for several centuries (see Judges 8:23 and 1 Samuel 8:4-7).
5) The concept of morality was also the work of the Hebrews' religion, including the dignity and value of a person. It is the responsibility of the community to support the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger passing through.
6) Under the law of Judaism, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, poor person, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which (at most) only mature, land-owning males had rights.
7) Government is accountable to a higher authority. In other ancient societies, the monarch was all-powerful. Among the Israelites, however, the king was under the constant scrutiny of the Divinely-informed prophets, who didn't hesitate to castigate him publicly for any misstep in the sight of God.
(See: What was the role of the Israelite prophets?)
And, other than for the crime of rebellion, the king couldn't punish any citizen by his own decision. He was obligated by the Torah-procedures like everyone else (Talmud, Sanhedrin 19a).
8) A robber repays double to his victim, or works it off. Unlike in many other ancient societies, in Judaism debtors are not imprisoned or harmed. They are made to sell property and/or work to repay what they owe. Compare this to the Roman practice by which anyone could accuse a man of owing them money and the debtor could be killed (Roman Twelve Tables of Law, 3:10).
It is important to note that every one of the above existed in Judaism thousands of years earlier than in other nations. Here's just one example: Infanticide was practiced in classical European nations until Judaism and its daughter-religions put a stop to it.
At that time of Abraham the Hebrew, the area where he lived was full of pagan cults; they were polytheistic, worshiping multiple deities. Abraham was the first to advance the idea of ethical monotheism: the worship of One God, and the appropriate ethical code of conduct.
Judaism differed from other ancient religions in the following ways:1) It was the only religion in which God spoke to the entire assembled nation (Exodus ch.19) of over two million people.
2) It made a complete break from the surrounding idolatry. Their monotheism (belief in One God) set the Jews apart because other ancient nations did not share it. We've heard (for example) of Greek mythology and Roman mythology. What not everyone is aware of is that idolatry tended to go hand in hand with cruel, licentious and excessive behavior, since the caprices which were narrated concerning the pagan gods were adopted as an excuse to imitate those types of behavior.
(See: cruelties of the polytheists)
Compare that to God, who reveals His attributes in the Torah as wise, kind, holy, and pure. God is One, so the command to imitate His attributes (Deuteronomy 8:6) was (and is) a straightforward matter once one is even minimally familiar with the Torah.
(See: What do Jews believe God is like?)
Accordingly, Judaism was:
3) The only ancient religion in which a large percentage of its adherents were literate and scholars.
4) It was the only religion in which the people were ruled by God, with no need for a king, for several centuries (see Judges 8:23 and 1 Samuel 8:4-7).
5) The concept of morality was also the work of the Hebrews' religion, including the dignity and value of a person. It is the responsibility of the community to support the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger passing through.
6) Under the law of Judaism, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, poor person, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which (at most) only mature, land-owning males had rights.
7) Government is accountable to a higher authority. In other ancient societies, the monarch was all-powerful. Among the Israelites, however, the king was under the constant scrutiny of the Divinely-informed prophets, who didn't hesitate to castigate him publicly for any misstep in the sight of God.
(See: What was the role of the Israelite prophets?)
And, other than for the crime of rebellion, the king couldn't punish any citizen by his own decision. He was obligated by the Torah-procedures like everyone else (Talmud, Sanhedrin 19a).
8) A robber repays double to his victim, or works it off. Unlike in many other ancient societies, in Judaism debtors are not imprisoned or harmed. They are made to sell property and/or work to repay what they owe. Compare this to the Roman practice by which anyone could accuse a man of owing them money and the debtor could be killed (Roman Twelve Tables of Law, 3:10).
It is important to note that every one of the above existed in Judaism thousands of years earlier than in other nations. Here's just one example: Infanticide was practiced in classical European nations until Judaism and its daughter-religions put a stop to it.
At the time of Abraham the Hebrew, the area where he lived was full of pagan cults; they were polytheistic, worshiping multiple deities. Abraham was the first to advance the idea of ethical monotheism: the worship of One God, and the appropriate ethical code of conduct.
The Israelites differed from other ancient peoples in the following ways:
1) It was the only religion in which God spoke to the entire assembled nation (Exodus ch.19) of over two million people.
2) It made a complete break from the surrounding idolatry. Their monotheism (belief in One God) set the Jews apart because other ancient nations did not share it. We've heard (for example) of Greek mythology and Roman mythology. What not everyone is aware of is that idolatry tended to go hand in hand with cruel, licentious and excessive behavior, since the caprices which were narrated concerning the pagan gods were adopted as an excuse to imitate those types of behavior.
Compare that to God, who reveals His attributes in the Torah as wise, kind, holy, and pure. God is One, so the command to imitate His attributes (Deuteronomy 8:6) was (and is) a straightforward matter once one is even minimally familiar with the Torah.
(See: What do Jews believe God is like?)
Accordingly, Judaism was:
3) The only ancient religion in which a large percentage of its adherents were literate and scholars.
4) It was the only religion in which the people were ruled by God, with no need for a king, for several centuries (see Judges 8:23 and 1 Samuel 8:4-7).
5) The concept of morality was also the work of the Hebrews' religion, including the dignity and value of a person. It is the responsibility of the community to support the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger passing through.
6) Under the law of Judaism, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, poor person, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which only mature, land-owning males had rights.
7) Government is accountable to a higher authority. In other ancient societies, the monarch was all-powerful. Among the Israelites, however, the king was under the constant scrutiny of the Divinely-informed prophets, who didn't hesitate to castigate him publicly for any misstep in the sight of God.
And, other than for the crime of rebellion, the king couldn't punish any citizen by his own decision. He was obligated by the Torah-procedures like everyone else (Talmud, Sanhedrin 19a).
8) A robber repays double to his victim, or works it off. Unlike in many other ancient societies, in Judaism debtors are not imprisoned or harmed. They are made to sell property and/or work to repay what they owe. Compare this to the Roman practice by which anyone could accuse a man of owing them money and the debtor could be killed (Roman Twelve Tables of Law, 3:10).
It is important to note that every one of the above existed in Judaism thousands of years earlier than in other nations. Here's just one example: Infanticide was practiced in classical European nations until Judaism and its daughter-religions put a stop to it.
See also:
Judaism was monotheistic while other ancient religions were polytheistic.
The largest difference is that Judaism has only one God and the other two were polytheistic religions.
Judaism has only One God.
The two ancient civilations are Egyptian and Babylonian (or Mesopotamian). The three major religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But other important religions born there are Zoroastrianism and Baha'i.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Egypt was polytheistic; while Judaism rejects idolatry, and is based upon the worship of the Creator, who is the One and only God.
Mesopotamia was a region in what is now Iraq, where the ancient tribes of Israel used to live. That is where Judaism started. However, I am not sure why you call Mesopotamian an invention. It isn't.
All of ancient Israel's history, the history that Jews celebrate as the history of God's people, happened in the same place that Jesus lived and died. This place is modern-day Israel. Therefore, the region is seen as holy by both religions.
judaism.
The two ancient civilations are Egyptian and Babylonian (or Mesopotamian). The three major religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But other important religions born there are Zoroastrianism and Baha'i.
The two ancient civilations are Egyptian and Babylonian (or Mesopotamian). The three major religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. But other important religions born there are Zoroastrianism and Baha'i.
They are all very ancient religions.
Belief in One God.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Judaism is one of the greatest Religions and the one the most ancient ones too.....Now when we look at the Global Chart of Religions....we come to see the only two Giants.. Christanity and ISLAM....these are the religions that can be called global religions...but For Judaism ...it might not be one of the largest religion but definitely it is one the most influencial religion
The area of the Mesopotamian valley saw the emergence of Judaism, Islam and Christianity.
Of the monotheistic religions (religions that believe in one God), Judaism is the oldest. Of the surviving polytheistic (religions that believe in many gods), Hinduism is the oldest.
No, no. Not by a long shot. RC is older than Islam, but both are younger than Judaism. There are many pagan and poly-theistic religions that are far older than Judaism, including the ancient religions of Egypt and Greece.
There is no one single important person in ancient Judaism. All of the prophets, Patriarchs, and Matriarchs of the Hebrew Bible are considered important.
The three main religions that share the Torah are Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.