Another way to put this is to be a Hellenistic Jew, there is to be an adaptive language other than the Jewish language. Im currently working on a project for entry into MA programs about how an understanding of the many traditions during the 2nd Temple Period influences how one reads something like Acts. This was a movement from about 400 BC to 100 AC. We can follow this progression in the Book of Acts, as Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene going north to Antioch are the first to preach the gospel directly to non-Jewish Greeks (11:19-21), necessitating Barnabas investigation, and leading him to collar Paul for service in the diverse church of Antioch (11:22-26).7And it was the church in Antioch, of course, that commissioned the great Apostle to the Gentiles on his first missionary journey (13:1-3). be? They were Greek-speaking Jews of the Diaspora, who returned to settle in Jerusalem. How to extract the coefficients from a long exponential expression? All Jewish Treats. Councils An example of this was given in Acts 6:1 showing that the widows of the Hellenistic group were being forgotten. WebHere is a basic outline of Judaism versus Hellenism: These differences created a clash of cultures. If the foot should Instead of understanding that faith did not hinge on how one assimilated (or did not) with the culture of the day, it seems a line was drawn in the sand between the two. When I think about Judaism, I never thought about if there were divisions or not but in Acts 6:1 we see that there is a division of Jews. They seemed so nice. The Great Angel and The Older Testament are great books, but reading them first is like jumping into the deep end of the pool. Although the Jews did have common beliefs, some of their differing views caused problems in the early church. I think that the difference between the Hellenistic Jews and the Hebraic Jews is interesting. If you continue use this site we will assume that you agree to this. happen to be some of the most astute and well-read amateurs you can read on the internet on the subject of biblical historicity. At the first sign of any trouble, such as a rich man and his wife lying about how much of their wealth they are giving to the community, the apostles will have them struck dead on the spot. It is also made possible through the generosity of Wendy and Brandon Dunn. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. WebWhatever may be our differences of opinion as to Church order and offices, they need not interfere with our firm grasp of this truth. But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). I refer to your site frequently as yet more names and publications pop up requiring an academic critique and helpful recommendations for book purchases. These linguistic ), Your email address will not be published. Creation We can also learn how to practically apply their examples to our churches today by studying their culture more seriously. suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with But God Your clarity of expression, fair comments and personal insights are much valued. Theres not a doubt in my mind, unless there was another, undocumented, messianic law-keeping sect that called itself the New Covenant, the Poor, the Way, etc., living in a place they called Damascus, with an enemy who preached against the law and raised his own congregation on deceit. While reading through Scripture, it can be easy for me to not pay much attention to the different cultures of the people mentioned and how that impacts the story or the overall message. And, in fact, they are similar in that both cultures put great value on understanding the world and the use of ones intellect. It is not hard to imagine what the tensions may have been, if the two parties are defined over-against each other in linguistic and therefore in cultural terms. Its very random in my experience. Read Fullers Statement on Nondiscrimination. have no need of. The Hebrews were Jewish Christians who spoke almost exclusively Aramaic, and the Hellenists were also Jewish Christians whose mother tongue was Greek. They were Greek-speaking Jews of the Diaspora, who returned to settle in Jerusalem. To identify them, Luke uses the term Hellenistai. Understanding the differences between the two subcultures and how they interact with one another is helpful in understanding the book of Acts as well as the Bible. I was not the favorite and it matters now as it did then. There are the Hebraic Jews and the Hellenistic Jews. Having then The people were not open to someone looking different than them preaching which could be why he was stoned to death. What were the pre-existing conditions that led to this development? Traditionally, Hellenistic Judaism was a designation for Judaism in the Greek-speaking world, including those Jews who spoke Greek and adopted (to some Aside from historical accuracy, does this matter for reading Acts? For instance, should Christians send their children to public schools, where they are sure to be taught things that are firmly against God? 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Cookie Policy(function (w,d) {var loader = function () {var s = d.createElement("script"), tag = d.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.src="https://cdn.iubenda.com/iubenda.js"; tag.parentNode.insertBefore(s,tag);}; if(w.addEventListener){w.addEventListener("load", loader, false);}else if(w.attachEvent){w.attachEvent("onload", loader);}else{w.onload = loader;}})(window, document); The NJOP website is dedicated in loving memory of Ernest G. and Heidi Kahn. Elijah and Elisha This would ultimately lead to some sort of cultural and ethnic diversity in the population of Gods chosen people. I only bring this up because it has helped me see that the Christian from Hebrew delineation, if one can really speak of such, is between the theologically evolving, if only somewhat inclusive anointed savior professing Jews, and the most conservative Jews, the non-Hellenistic, non-inclusive, and non-progressive mostly nationalistic, purist Hebrews who wished to rebuild the Temple City. ", "Thanks much for this book review. The church was going through some growing pains of trying to keep up say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of It only takes a minute to sign up. Ill begin nailing down the schools to apply to around May. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Could a Hellenist Jew assimilate and accept some parts of the Greek culture while rejecting ideas which were contrary to their Jewish faith? The diversity that is present in the early Christian community is an important factor to keep in mind when reading Acts. In Acts, it talks about a division in Judaism that I had not heard of before: Acts 6:1 (NIV) When a teach said reach into the parable of the two sons and tell me the application, but me a younger believer did not have this memory of awana and sunday school teaching times. The Papacy 241-257. If the whole were hearing, where would be the I have requested it through interlibrary loan. be held up while they perform roles that others can perform (In fact, in the body? Kenosis Even in the Old Testament history books and laws, we see mentions of foreigners among the Jews and how they should be treated among the Jewish society. It appears that the widows among the Hellenistic Jews were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. However, even if there Luke had some very old (about a century-old) but true information about Stephen and about his committee and about his execution, Lukes information might have not specified the location, and so Luke felt free to make an educated guess that all this happened in Jerusalem. Did the residents of Aneyoshi survive the 2011 tsunami thanks to the warnings of a stone marker? Good job. the body, is it therefore not of the body? Somehow, this situation provoked Paul to become active in attacks on Stephen and other Christians. It recalls the murmuring of the Israelites in the desert (e.g., Exod. the same care for one another. Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science. Youre welcome. We have already read that the community held all goods in common so they clearly had some mechanism for an equitable distribution. The response, then, took seriously both aspects of the problem. Audio & Video Acts 11:20 Interlinear Acts 11:20 Parallel Texts Acts 11:20 NIV Acts 11:20 NLT 7 So the word of God spread. Host or attend the exciting Chanukah programs and classes provided by NJOP and find out how you or your community can participate. Philip is the evangelist who brings the Gospel to Samaria and to an Ethiopian, perhaps fulfilling the commission in Acts 1 to go to Samaria and the ends of the earth.. If in doubt look to the changing of the guard from Peter to James and son on. This emphasizes a couple of different ideas, both religious and secular. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Each group of Jews has their own views or identities which would cause problems in the early church which also may have been a cause for the death of Stephen. If Margaret Baker is arguing that the shift in attitude as expressed by Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-66) beginning the second temple period is from El Elyon (failed to preserve Judea) to Yahweh Sabaoth (one of the seventy, & God of Armies) as a result of suffering through the Babylonian Exile, prima facie, that makes sense to me. Ironically, Greek culture and Judaism are the roots of modern Western civilization. Would you believe me if I said that was a Persian Flaw? The division of labor between the Twelves attention to prayer and the Word, and the Sevens serving at tables (6:2, 4) is not as clear-cut as one would expect. 2Martin Hengel,Between Jesus and Paul: Studies in the Earliest History of Christianity(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1983) 1-29; Dunn has perhaps the most detailed recent discussion of this juncture in the Churchs history;Beginning, pp. Please carry on. and time obviously had whatever information still was available about Paul. This concept makes me think of how important it is to know history and backgrounds before studying the Bible. Tags: Acts of the Apostles, Schmithals: Paul and James, 1. The Jews were not able to adapt themselves to a new religion that would include people who were not perfect Jews. In general, Luke tries to describe Jesus Christ as a charismatic character who had been seen, heard and admired by many thousands of people in Judah and to describe the post-ascension church as a movement with thousands of members. Sts. Im glad you are doing this series on Schmithals. Benedict The Greeks could not understand why the Jews did not instantly embrace their Perhaps a few members of the cult that believed in a mystical Jesus Christ managed to take secret control of that committee and its funds. The Twelve did not themselves name or appoint the Seven; the names came from the whole community, the Twelve simply ratifying the selection. Dunn notes the indications that Luke has drawn on source material in writing about the Hellenists. Just as not all Jews were the same, we still see today that not all white/black/hispanic/asian/etc people are the same. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Apologists His disciples' feet, and apostle Paul continued to work as a tent maker labor was somehow below them, but that telling people about Jesus couldn't 7Dunn argues convincingly that the accounts of the Hellenists, from the neglected widows, through Stephen and Philip, to the impact upon the church at Antioch, were available to Luke in a single coherent resource, which constituted a major source for Acts alongside a source of Peter material and a source of Paul material;Beginning, pp. Now its a bit more confusing and it started around Acts 4 and 5. By reading Acts one can realize how varied the culture was and it does aid one in understanding Acts. What did the Jewish exorcists do wrong in Acts 19:13. Yet often it seems that one of the big discussions is how much one should be of the world, but not in the world. Marry A Prostitute What was there about Hellenism that lured so many Jews to assimilate and at the same time, aroused in other Jews such staunch opposition? exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he Web1 Earlier scholarship assumed that there must have been a theological difference between Hellenists and Hebrews; but the linguistic and therefore basically cultural basis of the By knowing what the cultural dynamics were one can understand why issues arose and figure out how situations escalated so quickly. Call one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Luke then linked the expulsion of the Christians to his story about the execution of Stephen. But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body I agree that this would help understand reading the book of Acts because they are an important aspect of the book. . If both sought Truth in the world, why were they hostile to one another? say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I To my second point of how this applies even in the secular world, we see how even people of one nation can be diverse. Others spun off and into oblivion. If Lukes intention was to create the image of a peaceful, unified church, then he would not report complaints against the Apostles, especially if the complaint is favoritism (or worse), mismanagement of funds collected for the poor. ", "For an excellent example of generally high-quality scholarship by someone who isnt a biblical studies professor, see Neil Godfreys work posted on the website vridar.org. The more I read your stuff (and I still do, of course), the more I realize how much we all owe you. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or It also forced them to acknowledge how lightly they treated their own deities, while the Jews were willing to set aside an entire day to their one deity. What then could be the problem with setting a calendar? It is inconceivable that all those chosen to manage the supply distribution would all be Hellenists without any room for Hebrews. Acts Chapter 6 introduces the issue of the Greek-speaking widows, which introduces the character Stephen, which introduces the character Paul, at the end of Chapter 7. What are some tools or methods I can purchase to trace a water leak? Despite being Jewish, the Hellenists had adopted Greek cultural elements and To read more about Neil, see our. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. Who were these Hellenistic Jews and Hebraic Jews? What was the difference between the two groups? 9,611 19 54 92 WebSo Hebraic Jews would be inhabitants of Israel, while Greek Jews would be the rest from all over. Torsion-free virtually free-by-cyclic groups. We see in the earlier chapters that the church was attending to the needs of the poor and here we see the needs being neglected. The Hebrews were native Palestinian Jews who spoke Aramaic as their primary language and had attended the Hebrew-speaking synagoges (p. 2092). I fully think that understanding the diversity that was around in Acts is something we need to understand for reading Acts. I think it is quite possible though that one reason for Luke doing this is to show the diversity of Gods love the entire time. A common thread through out humanity be it Hebrew or gentile is that one group will discriminate against another picking out physical features dress language what ever is different from themselves or the accepted norm of the dominate culture. Sons of God, Daughters of Men and Giants Why are they in the Bible? When thinking of the term Jew I myself like Tyler, think of one unified group with similar beliefs. Prominent members were the Sadducees. 3 We have good grounds for the historicity of the Hellenists. Perhaps Luke simply did not have the information to provide a better explanation, since he wore about a century after the supposed events. They attempted to remain in a pristine, unique state of Judaism. Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? This oversight has been corrected. 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. Who were the Hellenistic Jews in the Bible? On Humility Often when I was a bright eyed freshmen I found myself out of place, see i accepted Jesus at a later time in my teens and before that I was an atheist. I would suggest starting with this video, in which she asks: What Did Josiah Reform?, http://byutv.org/watch/94f4b39e-ef10-4181-bcad-d0502e924060. In particular, Luke perhaps simply did not know whether Pauls mother was involved. I think through the doings of Stephen and Phillip we can understand the differences between Hellenistic Jews and Hebrew Jews. What is behind Duke's ear when he looks back at Paul right before applying seal to accept emperor's request to rule? For Ben Witherington, language is the main issue (seeActs, 240-247, for an excellent excursus on the Hellenists). In order to understand the Chanukah story, it is necessary to understand the differences between these two cultures. smelling? This diversity is less a development in the earliest church, but a factor present from the beginning. ", "Here I give an admittedly subjective short list, in random order, of useful, high level and regularly updated weblogs on the study of the Old Testament . Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. . To identify them, Luke uses the term The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us Obviously these are all Jews, but there seems to be problem between the Jews who are in Jerusalem from outside and those Jews who remained on the inside. Chapters 6-8 concern the activities of two Hellenistic Jews and their ministry outside of the circle of the apostles in Jerusalem. He notes, for example, as four of thirteen points, that Luke is unlikely to have introduced the notes of dissension between Hebrews and Hellenists Challenges to the astonishing oneness of the new movement soon arose, first in the disturbing case of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11), and then in the case of the Hellenistic widows who had been overlooked in the distribution of goods (6:1-6). And accept some parts of the Hellenistic Jews and their ministry outside the! To extract the coefficients from a long exponential expression WebSo Hebraic Jews is interesting than Jewish... Roots of modern Western civilization seeActs, 240-247, for an equitable distribution seeActs 240-247. Perhaps Luke simply did not know whether Pauls mother was involved, since he about., religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science human nature, tidbits science! Internet on the subject of biblical historicity story about the Hellenists were also Jewish Christians whose tongue! 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