The Audacity of Paul

Paul received grief from some of his Jewish colleagues and opponents because of his ministry to the Gentiles. This was more than a disagreement about evangelistic strategy. At the heart of the controversy was a larger question: Who belonged within the people of God, and how far should the message of Israel’s Messiah extend beyond Israel itself?

Judaism certainly had mechanisms by which Gentiles could become proselytes. Gentiles could associate themselves with Jewish communities, adopt Jewish practices, and, in some circumstances, become full converts. There were also “God-fearers”—Gentiles who were attracted to Jewish worship and ethics and associated with the synagogue without necessarily becoming full proselytes.

So Judaism was not simply closed to Gentiles. There were recognized ways for Gentiles to participate in Jewish religious life and, for those who chose to do so, become proselytes.

There is, however, an important distinction when we look at Paul’s ministry.

While Jewish individuals and communities could certainly engage positively with Gentiles, Judaism did not generally operate with the same kind of missionary mandate to evangelize the Gentile world that Paul understood himself to have received. Paul’s calling was distinctive in both its scope and its urgency.

He wasn’t simply saying, “The door is open if you would like to come in.”

He was going through the door.

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Paul Defends His Ministry to the Gentiles

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Paul Defends His Ministry to the Gentiles

In His Grip,

Paige