Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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JUDAIZERS

Early Jewish Christians who considered the Mosiac law still binding. Observance of the Sabbath instead of Sunday, circumcision, and keeping the severe dietary laws were the principal customs they wanted to keep. Some Judaizers were sincere Christians, but others were in fact heretical Gnostics. The Judeo-Christians in Antioch drew opposition from St. Peter for claiming that salvation depended upon being circumcised, and he finally separated from these so-called Christians even though at first he had refused to eat foods that by Mosiac law were held to be unclean.