Jewish Views on Gentiles in Paul's Era

In Paul's era, the term "Gentiles" referred to all people who were not Jews, being aliens from the worship, rites, and privileges of Israel ^[1]. The Hebrew term "goyim" was used to describe these nations, and over time, it acquired unpleasant associations as Jews prided themselves on their peculiar privileges ^[4].

The Jewish view of Gentiles was complex and multifaceted. On one hand, Gentiles were seen as being outside the covenant and were often viewed with contempt. The term "Gentiles" was used in a derogatory manner, implying that they were unclean and idolatrous ^[5]. Jewish literature, such as the writings of Flavius Josephus, reflects this attitude, describing Gentiles as being prone to idolatry and immorality ^[2].

On the other hand, there were also Jewish traditions that emphasized the importance of treating Gentiles with kindness and respect. The Jewish scriptures contain passages that exhort Jews to be good neighbors to Gentiles and to treat them with fairness ^[6]. In Romans 2:4, Paul notes that God's kindness is intended to turn people from their sin, a theme that is echoed in Jewish passages such as Wisdom of Solomon 12-15 ^[9].

The early Christian church was influenced by these Jewish views on Gentiles. The apostle Paul, in particular, grappled with the issue of how to relate to Gentiles in his missionary work. In Galatians 2:14, Paul rebukes Peter for compelling Gentiles to live as Jews do, arguing that Gentiles should not be forced to adopt Jewish customs ^[3]. Paul's own approach was to become "as a Jew to the Jews" and "as a Gentile to the Gentiles," in order to win both to Christ ^[12].

The Jewish concept of Gentiles as "sinners" is also reflected in the New Testament. In Galatians 2:15, Paul notes that Jews viewed Gentiles as being outside the law and therefore sinners. However, Paul argues that this view is ironic, given the sinful condition of all people, Jews and Gentiles alike ^[7].

The early church fathers also wrestled with the issue of how to relate to Gentiles. John Chrysostom, for example, notes that the representatives of the narrower Jewish view came to Antioch to antagonize the work of Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles, arguing that salvation depended on circumcision ^[8].

In Romans 11:13-14, Paul addresses the Gentile Christians in Rome, rebuking them for thinking too highly of themselves in relation to their Jewish brothers and sisters. He emphasizes that their enjoyment of salvation depends entirely on God's kindness and that God's final goal is to stimulate repentance among the Jews ^[11].

The complex and multifaceted nature of Jewish views on Gentiles in Paul's era is reflected in the various traditions represented in the early Christian church. While some Jews viewed Gentiles with contempt, others emphasized the importance of treating them with kindness and respect. The early Christian church, influenced by these Jewish traditions, grappled with the issue of how to relate to Gentiles, with Paul and other church leaders developing approaches that balanced the need to evangelize Gentiles with the need to maintain Jewish traditions and customs.

The tension between Jewish and Gentile Christians is also reflected in the writings of the early church fathers, such as Augustine, who notes that the Jewish forefathers retained the temple, sacrifices, and priesthood, while abandoning idolatry ^[10]. This tension highlights the complex and nuanced nature of Jewish views on Gentiles in Paul's era, and the ongoing relevance of these issues in the early Christian church.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Gentiles — (nations). All the people who were not Jews were so called by them, being aliens from the worship, rites and privileges of Israel. The word was used contemptuously by them. In the New Testament it is used as equivalent to Greek. This use of the word seems to have arisen from the almost universal adaption of the Greek language.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, CHAPTER 33, section 14: XV. ch. 9. sect. 1. See the like also in the case of the three Jewish sects in the Antiquities, B. XIII. ch. 5. sect. 9, and ch. 10. sect. 4, 5; B. XVIII. ch. 1. sect. 5; and compared with this in his Wars of the Jews, B. II. ch. 8. sect. 2-14. Nor does St. Paul himself reason to Gentiles at Athens, Acts 17:16-34, as he does to Jews in his Epistles.]”
Galatians “But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do? -- Galatians 2:14”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gentiles — (Heb., usually in plural, goyim), meaning in general all nations except the Jews. In course of time, as the Jews began more and more to pride themselves on their peculiar privileges, it acquired unpleasant associations, and was used as a term of contempt. In the New Testament the Greek word Hellenes, meaning literally Greek (as in Acts 16:1, 3; 18:17; Rom. 1:14), generally denotes any non-Jewish nation.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gentiles — Comprehend all nations except the Jews -- Ro 2:9; 3:9; 9:24. Called Heathen. -- Ps 2:1; Ga 3:8. Nations. -- Ps 9:20; 22:28; Isa 9:1. Uncircumcised. -- Isa 14:6; 52:1. Uncircumcision. -- Ro 2:26. Greeks. -- Ro 1:16; 10:12. Strangers. -- Isa 14:1; 60:10. Ruled by God -- 2Ch 20:6; Ps 47:8. Chastised by God -- Ps 9:5; 94:10. Counsel of, brought to nought -- Ps 33:10. Characterised as Ignorant of God. -- Ro 1:21; 1Th 4:5. Refusing to know God. -- Ro 1:28. Without the law. -- Ro 2:14. Idolatrous. -- Ro 1:23,25; 1Co 12:2. Superstitious. -- De 18:14. Depraved and ”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 14, section 4: servants and himself. So Saul came to the camp while it was yet night. 4. Now it is but just to recommend the generosity of this woman, 28 because when the king had forbidden her to use that art whence her circumstances were bettered and improved, and when she had never seen the king before, she still did not remember to his disadvantage that he had condemned her sort of learning, and did not refuse him as a stranger, and one that she had had no acquaintance with; but she had compassion upon him, and comforted him, and exhorted ”
Galatians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Galatians 2:15: 2:15 Gentiles were ‘sinners’ in that they did not have the law and could not obey God’s commands. Paul was using the categories of Jewish thinking (cp. Matt 15:21-28; 26:45; Luke 6:32-34; 18:9-14) with strong irony in light of the sinful condition of all people (Gal 2:16; Rom 3:23).”
CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: It was in the line of this decree that the work of Paul was done, as the champion of catholic Christianity. The chief points to be noted in v. 1–12 are: (1) The representatives of the narrower Jewish view came to Antioch on purpose to antagonize the work of Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles ( v. 1 ). (2) They took the extreme position that salvation depended on circumcision and caused great anxiety and debate among the Gentile Christians regarding their relations to the Mosaic law ( v. 2 ). (3) The Apostles and messengers who were sent to appeal t”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 2:4: 2:4 Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? Behind Paul’s question are Jewish passages (e.g., Wisdom of Solomon 12–15; cp. Jer 7:1-5; Amos 5:18-27) that portray a prevalent Jewish complacency toward judgment. Many Jews thought that because they were God’s people, they did not need to worry about judgment, for their sins would not be punished as the sins of Gentiles would be. Paul emphasizes that God’s grace was intended to turn the Jews from their sin, not to condone a sinful lifestyle.”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XX. (part 25): wrong in saying that our Jewish forefathers, in their separation from the Gentiles, retained the temple, and sacrifices, and altars, and priesthood, and abandoned only graven images or idols, for they might have sacrificed, as some do, without any graven image, to trees and mountains, or even to the sun and moon and the stars. If they had thus rendered to these objects the worship called lards, they would have served the creature instead of the Creator, and so would have fallen into the serious error of heathenish su”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 11:13: 11:13-14 you Gentiles: Paul addresses the Gentile Christians in Rome with the practical goal of rebuking them for thinking too highly of themselves (11:20), especially in relation to their Jewish brothers and sisters. He shows that their enjoyment of salvation depends entirely on God’s kindness (11:22) and that God’s final goal is to stimulate repentance among the Jews (11:23). • I stress this: Paul devoted himself to the conversion of Gentiles because he knew that their salvation would ultimately lead to salvation for Jews as well.”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. IV.-- 12. You say in your letter: 1 "You do not require me to teach you in what sense the apostle says, ' To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews ;' ' and other such things in (part 2): of the matter: they will not become Christians, but they will make us Jews. 14. For what Christian will submit to hear what is said in your letter? "Paul was indeed a Jew; and when he had become a Christian, he had not abandoned those Jewish sacraments which that people had received in the right way, and for a certain appointed time. There”

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