ATTITUDE OF THE JEWS TOWARD THE GENTILES In the time of Christ (and in the years leading up to that time) the attitude of the Jews toward the Gentiles varied a bit. The Jews living in and around Jerusalem had quite a ‘holier than thou’ mind-set. They even thought they were better than the Jews from the North, the Galilee area. This was likely because they were living in such close proximity to the Temple and saw themselves as having a much better grip on what Judaism was intended to be. Jerusalem was the center of Pharisaism and also the location of the (in)famous Sanhedrin council.
The Jews were under Roman domination at the time of Christ and this further compounded their negative attitude toward ‘the heathen’. Some Jews had formed a group called Zealots whose aim was to throw off the Roman yoke. Jesus group of 12 disciples had one of these named Simon (not Peter).
Judaism made an effort to turn gentiles into Jews. This was called proselytizing. Jesus said the Jews, “You compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is made he is twice the child of hell as you yourselves are. (Matthew 23:15)”
Once a proselyte was made, the Jews attitude toward a gentile was better.
There were two categories of gentiles who converted to Judaism.
One example of the Old Testament rationale that was at the root of Jewish disparagement toward gentiles is De 7:2 "and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. 3 "Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son.”
And this quote by Paul:
2Co 6:17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
In the book of Acts, the account of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch is an example of a ‘pagan’ person who had embraced Judaism and was returning to Ethiopia after having attended the Jewish Passover celebration. This man is the first ‘non-ethnic’ Jew to become a Christian. He falls under the category of 'proselyte'.
When Peter is called to the house of Cornelius, he is being called to the house of a man who is called ‘God-fearing’. This means he followed Jewish law and practice but was still of the category called ‘uncircumcised’, therefore still truly a gentile of the nations.(Return to Study No. 11)
The Jews were under Roman domination at the time of Christ and this further compounded their negative attitude toward ‘the heathen’. Some Jews had formed a group called Zealots whose aim was to throw off the Roman yoke. Jesus group of 12 disciples had one of these named Simon (not Peter).
Judaism made an effort to turn gentiles into Jews. This was called proselytizing. Jesus said the Jews, “You compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is made he is twice the child of hell as you yourselves are. (Matthew 23:15)”
Once a proselyte was made, the Jews attitude toward a gentile was better.
There were two categories of gentiles who converted to Judaism.
- An actual proselyte. These adopted the Jewish religion, kept the law, went through a ‘ceremonial washing’ (which some commentators refer to as a baptism) and underwent circumcision.
- A group called ‘God Fearers’. These kept the law, attended synagogues and celebrated the holidays, followed Judaism but did NOT submit to circumcision.
One example of the Old Testament rationale that was at the root of Jewish disparagement toward gentiles is De 7:2 "and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. 3 "Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son.”
And this quote by Paul:
2Co 6:17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
In the book of Acts, the account of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch is an example of a ‘pagan’ person who had embraced Judaism and was returning to Ethiopia after having attended the Jewish Passover celebration. This man is the first ‘non-ethnic’ Jew to become a Christian. He falls under the category of 'proselyte'.
When Peter is called to the house of Cornelius, he is being called to the house of a man who is called ‘God-fearing’. This means he followed Jewish law and practice but was still of the category called ‘uncircumcised’, therefore still truly a gentile of the nations.(Return to Study No. 11)