This article addresses the relationship between the church and Israel as it is reflected in the different views on Jesus as Messiah. The history of the early church reflects a vigorous debate between Jewish scholars and the church about the true identity of the Messiah. Probably the most well-known interaction from the patristic period is Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho, who was the Jew from the second century.

The life and literary activity of Hippolytus of Rome lead to a major debate in the middle of the 20th century in patristic scholarship. In this article that debate is surveyed and its relevance for apologetics is indicated.