Why did Gentiles persecute and kill Jews after Christianity became the empire religion?
Gentiles persecuted and killed Jews after Christianity became the empire religion because they viewed the Jews as the Christ killers and enemies of God. This was a human reaction to circumstances, not God's intention. God had intended Israel's situation to provoke jealousy and draw Israel to Himself, not to incite violent persecution.
Les explains that history reversed God's purpose: instead of Israel being provoked to jealousy and turned to God, Israel was angered against Gentiles, and that in turn precipitated Gentile persecution of Israel. Once Christianity became more or less the official empire religion in the early centuries, Gentiles persecuted Jews, killed them by the thousands, and chased them out of communities. The stated reason was that Jews were regarded as the Christ killers and enemies of God; even some early Reformers spoke horrible things about them. Les says this was all a human reaction to circumstances, not what God intended. In Romans 11:12, Israel's fall brought spiritual riches to the world system, kosmos, which Gentiles have enjoyed.