Factions also were beginning to rise through the influence of Judaizing teachers, who urged that the converts to Christianity should observe the ceremonial law in the matter of circumcision. They still maintained that the original Israel were the exalted and privileged children of Abraham, and were entitled to all the promises made to him. They sincerely thought that in taking this medium ground between Jew and Christian, they would succeed in removing the odium which attached to Christianity, and would gather in large numbers of the Jews.{LP 121.1}

Der begyndte også at rejse sig fraktioner fra jødiske læreres indflydelse, som ansporede at kristendommens nyomvendte burde overholde ceremoniloven når det gælder omskærelse. De fastholdt stadig at det oprindelige Israel var Abrahams ophøjede og priviligerede børn, og blev berettiget til alle de løfter han fik. De mente oprigtig at de på denne mellemgrund mellem jøder og kristne, ville de det lykkes for dem at fjerne modviljen at komme ind i kristendommen, og ville indsamle et stort antal jøder.