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WAS PAUL AN ANTI-SEMITE AFTER ACTS 28?

Was Paul anti-Semitic after Acts 28? This may seem like an outrageous question, but it comes from a study of the Greek word “ethnos” translated “Gentiles” in the prison epistles.

Let us begin this study with a definition of terms. What is the scriptural definition of “Gentiles”? As mentioned above, The Greek word translated “Gentiles” is “ethnos”. It is the word used in Matt. 10:5-6 where we read, “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them saying, ‘Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; But go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel‘”. This passage contrasts Gentiles with those of the “house of Israel”, i.e. Jews. We know that Jews are all those descended from Jacob. Therefore, Gentiles are all those not descended from Jacob.

Now let us look at some of the occurrences of “ethnos” in the prison epistles.

Eph. 3:1, “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.…”. The Greek word translated “for” in the phrase “for you Gentiles” is “huper”. The Companion Bible Appendix 104 gives the following definition: “In the interest of…. . On behalf of….For the purpose of…..” . To what cause is Paul referring? That question is answered in verses 14-19. “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ……that He would grant you…..to be straightened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and the length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God”.

Please note that Paul bends his knees, according to this passage, “for you Gentiles”. Gentiles are, by definition, those who are not Jews. Paul does not pray that Jews would understand the love of Christ that they may be “filled with all the fulness of God”, only Gentiles are included in his prayer.

Eph. 3:8, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ”. Note here too that Paul sees his mission as preaching to the Gentiles, Jews, by definition, are not included.

Col. 1:27, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”. It would seem from this verse that Paul does not think of Christ as the hope of glory for Jews, but only Gentiles.

Now to answer the question posed in the title of this little study. No, I do not believe for one second that Paul was an anti-Semite. But I wanted to make a point. That point is that we cannot understand the Greek word “ethnos” to refer to Gentiles in the prison epistles. It refers to the people the nations, as in Jn.11:52 where we read of the high priest prophesying that “Jesus should die for that nation“. Jesus did not die for a nation, He died for the people in the nation(s).. That being the case, Eph, 3:6 cannot refer to “Gentiles” as being together (or “joint”) heirs. With whom were they joint heirs? They could not have been heirs with Jews because there are no Jews or Gentiles in the dispensation of the mystery, there are only people of the nations. And it cannot refer to Jews and Gentiles in the “same body” because there are no Jews and Gentiles in the dispensation of the mystery, there are only people of the nations. The paper on this web-site What Exactly Is The Mystery That Had Been Hid In God? will prove from Scripture that it is people of the nations that are joint heirs, and it is nations that are “together bodies” (Gr. “sussoma”).

And logic demands that the one body of Eph. 2 cannot be the church which is His body. Why? Because the one body is made up of Jews and Gentiles being made one. How can there be a one body of Jews and Gentiles when there is no Jew and Gentile? Please see the paper on this web-site The One Body Of Ephesians Two Is Not The Church Which Is His Body for a more complete study of this very important subject.

This paper was written by Joyce Pollard. If you would like to respond please e-mail me at: [email protected]

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