From Psyche: “The Jews did not believe Jesus was the Messiah…”

What were the talmidim (“disciples”) if not Jews? (John 1:47, Matt. 20:25-26). What were the crowds who called, “Save us Son of David,” if not Jews? (Matt. 21:9). What multitude did the Prushim (“Pharisees”) fear? (Matt 21:46). Who were the devout men from every nation (Acts 2:5), who were the many who believed (Acts 4:4), the many priests who believed (Acts 6:7), etc. etc?
Some of the difficulty is that the NT Greek uses the same word for Judeans (residents of Judea), Jewish leaders, and all Jews (Israelites). Translators alienated from Israel have not felt the need to be specific in this area. This has led to the widespread impression that there was “Jesus” on one side and all Jews on the other, therefore what He lived and taught must not have been Judaism, He must not have self-identified as a Jew, and the first believers must have been converts to a new religion.
From Rachel: “should I, as a Christian, be following Jewish law if I want to practice a Christianity that is as Christ wanted, and not as Paul wanted?”
Firstly, it is better understood as God’s law, given to Israel. Israel is the starting point from which God’s Torah has spread throughout all the earth. (Deut. 4:6, Isa 2:3). Secondly, the question assumes that the faith Saul (Paul) taught differs from what Yeshua (“Jesus”) did. The Bible itself defines the Brit haDashah – [re]New[ed] Covenant – in Jer. 31. It consists, in part, of having the Torah (“Law”) written on our hearts. Torah is not a salvational document. Rather, for the people of faith it is a description of our new-creation selves, a mirror (Ja 1:23-25). The believer who doesn’t walk in its ways (all of us to one degree or another) is one who hasn’t fully comprehended who (s)he now is. Yeshua said, “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matt. 19:17). Our keeping of the commandments is not a gift we give God, it is a gift He gives us.
From Arlen: “Doesn’t sound on the face of it that he was all that committed to following jewish law and custom.”
Yeshua’s disagreements with the various other factions of Judaism were about how one keeps the commandments, not whether to. (Matt. 12:12, 23:23). “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven…” (Matt 5:19).
Jesus is a Jew