So. To answer the question: Judah, son of Jacob.
If you want to pay homage to a spiritual Jew, why?
Paul only brought it up because there was a snooty attitude from some just because they WERE Jewish.
Really the question should more appropriately be - who was the first Christian?
The first Christian was Abraham:
Gal 3:6-9 NASB 6 Even so
Abraham BELIEVED GOD,
AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by
faith,
preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, [saying,] "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with
Abraham, the believer.
Rom 4:8-13 NASB 8 "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT." 9 Is this blessing then on the
circumcised, or on the
uncircumcised also? For we say, "
FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." 10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised?
Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. 13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
16 For this reason [it is] by faith, in order that [it may be] in accordance with grace,
so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, [even] God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
Gen 15:5-6 NASB 5 And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "
So shall your descendants be." 6 Then he
believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Gen 17:4-10 NASB 4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And
you will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For
I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and
I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. 7 "
I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8 "I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." 9 God said further to Abraham, "Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 "
This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Colossians 2:11
and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
Deuteronomy 30:6
“Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.
Jeremiah 4:4
“Circumcise yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskins of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire And burn with none to quench it, Because of the evil of your deeds.”
The distinction of "Jew" is irrelevant... it's really
circumcised or
uncircumcised. Those considered "part of the everlasting covenant" and those who are not. Abraham was the one to whom that covenant of righteousness by faith was given, and then he was promised that all of "descendants" would inherit that righteousness. There are 2 versions of circumcision counted in the Torah & in The Prophets - the foreskin and the heart. Those who are Jews outwardly are circumcised in their foreskins, those who are Jews inwardly are cicumcised in the heart. Interestingly, Abraham was made righteous for his faith in The Gospel (Gal 3:8) of Jesus Christ (Gal 3:16) while he was an uncircumcised Gentile. Paul makes an important distinction in Romans 4:10 that God made him righteous for his faith PRIOR to being circumcised in his flesh.
Romans 9:4
who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,
5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: "THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED."
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.