The Gentiles’ Place in The Gentiles’ Place in God’s KingdomGod’s Kingdom

Gentiles in the Hebrew Bible Gentiles in the Hebrew Bible and Jesus’s Teachingsand Jesus’s Teachings

►Bart Ehrman and some other scholars Bart Ehrman and some other scholars claim that the God of the Jews was not claim that the God of the Jews was not interested in reaching out to other interested in reaching out to other nations.nations.

►These scholars likewise assert that These scholars likewise assert that Jesus’s disciples misunderstood Jesus’s Jesus’s disciples misunderstood Jesus’s teachings and that they extended the teachings and that they extended the gospel to Gentiles as a result. gospel to Gentiles as a result.

Problem:Problem:

►How can these critics trust How can these critics trust anythinganything that the disciples taught if the readers that the disciples taught if the readers consider them to be faulty channels of consider them to be faulty channels of information regarding Jesus’s information regarding Jesus’s message?message?

►How can Ehrman proceed to How can Ehrman proceed to reconstruct what Jesus reconstruct what Jesus reallyreally said, if all said, if all of our data stems from His followers?of our data stems from His followers?

Ehrman’s “Earliest Sources”:Ehrman’s “Earliest Sources”:

► Paul’s lettersPaul’s letters► ““Q” (that is, the common source shared by Q” (that is, the common source shared by

Matthew and Luke for stories not found in Matthew and Luke for stories not found in Mark) Mark)

►MarkMark

—Bart Ehrman, —Bart Ehrman, The New Testament: A The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings. Fourth EditionWritings. Fourth Edition (New York, Oxford: (New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), 231.Oxford University Press, 2008), 231.

OutlineOutline

►God’s plans for the Gentiles in the God’s plans for the Gentiles in the Hebrew Bible.Hebrew Bible.

►Gentiles in Paul’s letters.Gentiles in Paul’s letters.►Gentiles in “Q”.Gentiles in “Q”.►Gentiles in Mark.Gentiles in Mark.►ConclusionConclusion

Gentiles in the Hebrew BibleGentiles in the Hebrew Bible

Genesis 18:17-18Genesis 18:17-18

►““The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall become do, seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and a great and mighty nation, and all the all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in nations of the earth shall be blessed in himhim?” ?”

God Said to Isaac:God Said to Isaac:

►““I will make your offspring as I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and numerous as the stars of heaven, and will give to your offspring all these will give to your offspring all these lands; and lands; and all the nations of the earth all the nations of the earth shall gain blessing for themselvesshall gain blessing for themselves through your offspring.”through your offspring.”

—Genesis 26:4 —Genesis 26:4

Deuteronomy 10:17-19Deuteronomy 10:17-19

►““For the Lord your God is God of gods For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and…the widow, and…

Deuteronomy 10:17-19 Deuteronomy 10:17-19

►……who loves thewho loves the foreignersforeigners, providing , providing them with food and clothing. You shall them with food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”strangers in the land of Egypt.”

Isaiah 42:6Isaiah 42:6

►““I am the Lord, I have called you in I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; hand and kept you; I have given you I have given you asas a covenant to the people,   a covenant to the people,  a light to a light to the nationsthe nations.” .”

Isaiah 49:5-6Isaiah 49:5-6

►“…“…my God has become my strengthmy God has become my strength— He says, ‘It is too light a thing that — He says, ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel;…survivors of Israel;…   

Isaiah 49:5-6Isaiah 49:5-6

►……I will give you as a light to the I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earthto the end of the earth.’”.’”

Isaiah 56:6-8Isaiah 56:6-8

►““And And the foreigners who join the foreigners who join themselves to the Lordthemselves to the Lord, to minister to , to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants,to be his servants,all who keep the Sabbath, and do not all who keep the Sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenantprofane it, and hold fast my covenant— —

Isaiah 56:6-8Isaiah 56:6-8

►……these I will bring to my holy these I will bring to my holy mountain,mountain,   and make them joyful in my house of    and make them joyful in my house of prayerprayer; their burnt-offerings and their ; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my sacrifices will be accepted on my altar… altar…

Isaiah 56:6-8Isaiah 56:6-8

►……for my house shall be called a house for my house shall be called a house of prayer of prayer for all peoplesfor all peoples. .

Thus says the Lord God,Thus says the Lord God,   who gathers the outcasts of Israel,   who gathers the outcasts of Israel,I will gather I will gather othersothers to them to them      besides his gathered onesbesides his gathered ones.” .”

Zechariah 2:11Zechariah 2:11

►““Many nations shall join themselves to Many nations shall join themselves to the LORDthe LORD on that day, and shall be my on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst.”people; and I will dwell in your midst.”

Zechariah 8:22-23Zechariah 8:22-23

►““Many peoples and strong nations Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek YHWH of hosts in shall come to seek YHWH of hosts in JerusalemJerusalem, and to pray in the presence , and to pray in the presence of YHWH. Thus says YHWH of hosts: In of YHWH. Thus says YHWH of hosts: In those days those days ten men from nations of ten men from nations of every languageevery language shall take hold of a shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and Jew, grasping his garment and saying, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with youthat God is with you.’” .’”

Gentiles in Paul’s LettersGentiles in Paul’s Letters

Romans 3:29-20Romans 3:29-20

► “ “2929Or is God the God of Jews only? Is Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles alsoof Gentiles also, , 3030since God is one; since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same uncircumcised through that same faith.”faith.”

1 Corinthians 12:12-131 Corinthians 12:12-13

►““For just as the body is one and has For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. body, so it is with Christ. 1313For in the For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews one body—Jews or Greeksor Greeks, slaves or , slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”one Spirit.”

Galatians 2:7Galatians 2:7

►““On the contrary, when they saw that I On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel had been entrusted with the gospel for for the uncircumcisedthe uncircumcised, just as Peter had , just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised…”circumcised…”

Gentiles in “Q”Gentiles in “Q”

Q 3:7-8Q 3:7-8

►““John said to the crowds that came out John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? the wrath to come? 88Bear fruits worthy Bear fruits worthy of repentance… of repentance…

Q 3:7-8Q 3:7-8

►……Do not begin to say to yourselves, Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to stones to raise up children to AbrahamAbraham.’” .’”

Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:

►““The pericope reflects the Q-The pericope reflects the Q-community’s apprehension that community’s apprehension that Gentiles will participate in the Gentiles will participate in the eschatological banquet with the eschatological banquet with the patriarchs, while Israelites will have patriarchs, while Israelites will have excluded themselves…excluded themselves…

Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:

►……As ‘sons of the kingdom,’ as the As ‘sons of the kingdom,’ as the descendants of Abraham, they may descendants of Abraham, they may have expected privileged places. But have expected privileged places. But the ‘line of Abraham’ which will enjoy the ‘line of Abraham’ which will enjoy salvation will be a line of faith and salvation will be a line of faith and repentance—…repentance—…

Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:

►……a line which the Q-community was a line which the Q-community was compelled to recognize includes compelled to recognize includes Gentiles freely.”Gentiles freely.”

—Paul D. Meyer, “The Gentile Mission —Paul D. Meyer, “The Gentile Mission in Q,” in in Q,” in Journal of Biblical LiteratureJournal of Biblical Literature, , Vol. 89, No. 4 (Dec., 1970), 412.Vol. 89, No. 4 (Dec., 1970), 412.

Q 7:1-9Q 7:1-9

►““After He had finished all his sayings in After He had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Capernaum. 22A centurion A centurion there had a there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. was ill and close to death. 33When he When he heard about Jesus, he sent some heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave... come and heal his slave...

Q 7:1-9Q 7:1-9

►……44When they came to Jesus, they When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, is worthy of having you do this for him, 55for he loves our people, and it is he for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.’… who built our synagogue for us.’…

Q 7:1-9Q 7:1-9

►……And Jesus went with them, but when And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, centurion sent friends to say to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under not worthy to have you come under my roof; my roof; 77therefore I did not presume therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed… word, and let my servant be healed…

Q 7:1-9Q 7:1-9

►88…For I also am a man set under …For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’…does it.’…

Q 7:1-9Q 7:1-9

►……99When When JesusJesus heard this he was heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he crowd that followed him, he saidsaid, , ‘I tell ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’such faith.’” ”

Q 13:28-30Q 13:28-30

►““There will be weeping and gnashing There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. yourselves thrown out. 2929Then people Then people will come from east and west, from will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of Godkingdom of God.” .”

Gentiles

Gentiles

Gentiles

Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:Paul D. Meyer Summarizes:

►““In conclusion, these studies indicate In conclusion, these studies indicate that the Q-community accepted the that the Q-community accepted the Gentile mission as a Gentile mission as a fait accomplifait accompli. . They considered it God’s activity and They considered it God’s activity and so acquiesced to it.”so acquiesced to it.”

—Paul D. Meyer, “The Gentile Mission —Paul D. Meyer, “The Gentile Mission in Q,” 417. in Q,” 417.

Gentiles in MarkGentiles in Mark

Mark 11:15-17Mark 11:15-17

►““Then they came to Jerusalem. And he Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, who were buying in the temple, and he and he overturned the tables of the money-overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who changers and the seats of those who sold dovessold doves;… ;…

Mark 11:15-17Mark 11:15-17

►1616…and he would not allow anyone to …and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. carry anything through the temple. 1717HeHe was teaching and was teaching and sayingsaying, , ‘Is it not ‘Is it not written,written,‘My house shall be called a house of ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’prayer for all the nations’?”?”

WhereWhere Were the Money- Were the Money-Changers?Changers?

►Money-changers were in Money-changers were in the court of the Gentiles.

► Jesus was upset that the “business” Jesus was upset that the “business” was preventing the Gentiles from was preventing the Gentiles from spending quality time with God in spending quality time with God in prayer.prayer.

►After all, God’s house “shall be a house After all, God’s house “shall be a house of prayer for all the nations” (Isaiah of prayer for all the nations” (Isaiah 56:7).56:7).

Mark 13:9-10Mark 13:9-10

►““As for yourselves, beware; for they As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to because of me, as a testimony to them. And them. And the gospel must the gospel must first first be be proclaimed toproclaimed to all nationsall nations.”.”

ConclusionConclusion

► In closing, every source that Ehrman In closing, every source that Ehrman identifies as preserving the most reliable identifies as preserving the most reliable historical information regarding Jesus and historical information regarding Jesus and His teachings indicate that Jesus stressed His teachings indicate that Jesus stressed God’s interest in acquiring Gentile God’s interest in acquiring Gentile followers.followers.

►As a Jew, like Paul, Jesus would have been As a Jew, like Paul, Jesus would have been aware of the Hebrew Bible passages that aware of the Hebrew Bible passages that predicted God would eventually bring predicted God would eventually bring Gentiles to Him.Gentiles to Him.