Why did the interaction of the Greeks and the Jews create such problems? . What was the real difference between the Hebrews and Hellenists? labor was somehow below them, but that telling people about Jesus couldn't This is portrayed through Acts 6 and will be shown through the remainder of Acts I am interpreting. Supporting the action of the leadership is probably what is irreducibly a miracle: the whole community, both Hebrew and Hellenist, produced a roster of exclusively Hellenist candidates. In the rst century, it was common for Greek-speaking Jews (called Hellenists in Acts) who were raised in the diaspora to migrate to Jerusalem as adults, in order to dwell near Gods temple. Although ethnically Jewish, they grew up in Gentile nations speaking Greek, in church or even working to provide for themselves. Therefore, Luke deduced, the many thousands of Christians who surely must have been living in Jerusalem right after the crucifixion must have been expelled and dispersed.in the following years. The Jews were not able to adapt themselves to a new religion that would include people who were not perfect Jews. On Humility I try to imagine what they would call themselves. According to Acts 21:17-26 are the Jews who are under the New Covenant bound to keep the law of Moses for any reason? For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or . They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. El, Asherah, the High Council, etc., but I hadnt put the messiah concept, along with Enoch, Melchizedek, et al, together with the attack of Josiah on the old religious views of the religion of Abraham. How about this: They were Christian Hellenistic Jews who were convinced Jesus was the messiah and was about to return at any moment, so why return home? Sanctification The Papacy WebWho are the Hellenists and the Hebrews? There is a dissection and discrimination going on between the Jews. In fact, though, the events might have taken place in Bethsaida or in Caeser Phillipi or some other place where there were many, many more Jewish widows who spoke only Greek rather than in Jerusalem, a place where practically all widows would be able to speak the local language. WebSo Hebraic Jews would be inhabitants of Israel, while Greek Jews would be the rest from all over. On a deeper level, however, circumcision represents humanitys ability to have control over ones physical self. Understanding the difference between these branches of Judaism will help you recognize the seriousness and momentousness of Stephen acting as the first martyr of the early church. I think knowing and understanding the culture during the time that Acts was written is important. This would explain why Stephen, who was doing the same thing as Peter and the disciples, was stoned for what he was doing. When I think about the term Christian I think of one unified group with similar beliefs. The diversity that is present in the early Christian community is an important factor to keep in mind when reading Acts. This is the point at which some scholars suggest the real reason for the rift and the real reason for the sudden inequitable treatment of the Hellenists had to do with doctrinal teachings, that is missionary efforts of the Hellenists that were felt to be threatening by the Hebrews. Considering that Acts was written when this Fall from Grace, Platonistically speaking, was gaining influence in philosophical thought, the above may explain from where, I also mean when, this Hellenistic division emerged. Recipes, All NJOP Posts Hellenist was to adopt the language and culture of the Greeks, while to be a Hebrew was to adopt a more tradition Jewish language and lifestyle. What was there about Hellenism that lured so many Jews to assimilate and at the same time, aroused in other Jews such staunch opposition? 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. Bock, on the other hand, agrees more with my sketch of the Hellenists (Acts, 258-9). How were they able to appoint so many Greek-named men to help? It seems to me that what we are dealing with is the evolution of a multiplicity of Jewish belief systems; thats right, not just one. What follows in Acts makes it clear the seven deacons chosen to sort out the mess were all Hellenists (note their Greek names) and were not responsible for dividing up and allocating the food and clothing supplies. Councils 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. Native Jews used Hebrew in Ironically, Greek culture and Judaism are the roots of modern Western civilization. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. 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. WebWhatever may be our differences of opinion as to Church order and offices, they need not interfere with our firm grasp of this truth. the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. The Parable of the Late-Coming Workers Its a lot to get a handle on, but whats compelling is that it makes sense of a whole lot of things, as you said, ties many loose ends together. You should visit her web site, too http://www.margaretbarker.com/, 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. Spirit. Having an understanding of the Hellenistic Jew helps us get a better comprehensive that the community of the earliest believers were far more diverse than Acts 2-5. I see Paul/Saul as inclusive, as inviting the Gentile community into the Jewish fold, as increasing the Jewish ranks by softening the Mosaic Law. 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. "Ive even been cited by atheists with approval (which I really dont know how to take, so thanks, I think, but Im not sure,Vrider(even though I feel like I need to take a shower now)). The blog post says that Acts 6:1 describes a problem between the Hebraic and the Hellenistic Jews. Schism His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). What did the Jewish exorcists do wrong in Acts 19:13. So yes I think this information is valuable to know when reading Acts. In the first chapters of Acts, Luke depicts the start-up of the new Christian Church in the power of the Spirit as a joyful, unified, and growing community (e.g., Acts 2:41-47). This is one of the three feasts Jews are commanded to go to Jerusalem. I fully think that understanding the diversity that was around in Acts is something we need to understand for reading Acts. mean to serve food on tables, but to 'tend to 'business,' which I have also never heard of Stephen and Phillip before. It is clear that for Luke the Hellenists are Jews and not Gentiles, since according It is clear even today that every religion has different aspects of conservative vs. liberal beliefs. Perhaps they were among the crowd who hear Yet Stephen is the first martyr and his speech summarizing some important theological points in the transition between Peters ministry in Jerusalem and Pauls mission in Acts 13. Looking forward to more segments. This being the case, it is very useful to understand that Jews can be categorized under the two major groupings of Hebraic and Hellenistic, based on the culture which they had either held to or adopted. 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. Sponsors WebWe have good grounds for the historicity of the Hellenists. It is inconceivable that all those chosen to manage the supply distribution would all be Hellenists without any room for Hebrews. "For as the body is one and has many members, but all 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. Arius and Nicea This opens up a whole new can of worms in the book of Acts because, as youve mentioned regarding Stephen, there may have been racial divisions and prejudices that, along with religious dissonance, contribute to a personal hatred of new Christians preaching the gospel. , Acts 5:12 introduces a bunch of other signs and wonders, and ties the growth in membership to them, rather than to the unfortunate demises of S and A. If the foot should An example of this was given in Acts 6:1 showing that the widows of the Hellenistic group were being forgotten. (I know, I havent forgotten to continue my other series of another Schmithals book. The Greeks nurtured the great philosophers and gave the world Plato and Aristotle. Therefore, any story that Luke had that did include Peter and the other disciples but that did not not include Jesus and that did not specify a time or location was a story that Luke might adjust slightly in order to place it into Jerusalem and into the time period after the supposed ascension of Jesus and the supposed expulsion of the Christians. Sons of God, Daughters of Men and Giants Why are they in the Bible? Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. Fuller Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its policies, programs, and activities. What was the difference between the two groups? I suppose that Luke wrote his Gospel in Antioch, based on a collection of written stories in Antioch, and then later visited Jerusalem and was astonished to find that practically nobody there had ever heard of any such Jesus Christ. if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us And if they were all one member, where would the body . 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. What is the meaning of the phrase "men and brethren" in Acts? Great topic for an MA project, where are you looking to study? Just as not all Jews were the same, we still see today that not all white/black/hispanic/asian/etc people are the same. If both sought Truth in the world, why were they hostile to one another? 242-245. More specifically, Im examining how the Pseudepigrapha tend to present Jewish/Gentile relations before 70 A.D. Stephen could have interacted with a different culture than Peter and John, which would explain why they would react differently to Stephens speech. Why was there enough Hellenists to lodge a complaint about food distribution? And, in fact, they are similar in that both cultures put great value on understanding the world and the use of ones intellect. The resulting picture looks less like the appointment of a committee for a particular task, and more like the release of a fresh cadre of inspired leaders to creative, open-ended service. A step further, it is emphasized later that there is neither Jew nor Greek, but that is not necessarily the focus of this passage as we are speaking Jew vs. Jew (hellenistic jew/jew of Greek ways). And if one member suffers, all the members Perhaps there really was a subsequent trial and execution of a real person named Stephen, and perhaps Paul really did participate in those legal proceedings (perhaps because of his own widowed mother). This was a movement from about 400 BC to 100 AC. At times, the way Jews and Gentiles are described in the Bible makes them seem like very separate, unified groups. Further, the Seven were apparently all Hellenists. My Community How did such a special group come into existence in Jerusalem? ", "Thanks much for this book review. When the Jews sanctified the new moon, it, in effect, stated to the world that G-d is in control of time. 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. In these circumstances, it seems likely that Pauls own mother was widowed and therefore accompanied him to Jerusalem and became one of the starving, Greek-speaking widows who was supposed to receive help from Stephens committee. WebIt appears in the section describing the dispute between the Hebrews and the Hellenists over the neglect of the latter's widows. Phillip J. Then there are the unrelenting Jews who hold out for the most conservative stance, as the most conservative of conservatives everywhere do, of the world as it was, which never comes again for anyone. If Peter and John represent the only form of the early followers of Jesus, then it is hard to explain the violent suppression of Stephen. . Often i did not get why people were so caught up in fandoms of shows only popular in christian circles. Yet often it seems that one of the big discussions is how much one should be of the world, but not in the world. But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. who shows mercy, with cheerfulness." And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of Has Microsoft lowered its Windows 11 eligibility criteria? Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? this context, to "serve tables" didn't even To my second point of how this applies even in the secular world, we see how even people of one nation can be diverse. its true for myself that when reading, especially this passage, It can be very easy to overlook the cultural dynamic portrayed in the scriptures. According to Luke, in Acts 22:1-5, Paul grew up as a Greek-speaking Jew in far-away Tarsus and then as a young man came to Jerusalem and studied under the teacher Gamaliel. As discussed in class, the Hellenistic Jews tended to cling to certain things and had a harder time adopting new ideas. The word I keep coming back to is Jew. Humility in Leadership In this case, there are a lot of things going on. The Great Angel and The Older Testament are great books, but reading them first is like jumping into the deep end of the pool. You maybe forget that Peter and John were put in prison for their sermons! Previously to this the Jews had dwelt as far as possible alone, but through that I dont always agree with them, but I respect their work. have no need of. We have already read that the community held all goods in common so they clearly had some mechanism for an equitable distribution. Jesus the Questioner It seems that having more information about the early church is a good enough reason for this story to appear in this section of Acts. Despite being Jewish, the Hellenists had adopted Greek cultural elements and Your email address will not be published. The Greeks could not understand why the Jews did not instantly embrace their Why does the author of Acts fail to tell us what these differences were? As referred to in this passage, "the Hellenists" are the Christian converts among the Jews who had returned to Judea after having As for your first question above, Im persuaded that the pre-existing conditions for the rise of the Jerusalem group were the Essenes/DSS sect. Although the Jews did have common beliefs, some of their differing views caused problems in the early church. This would have impeded understanding between the groups, and it may have been a factor in the actual neglect of the widows if they lived in an area less convenient for delivery of goods. By knowing what the cultural dynamics were one can understand why issues arose and figure out how situations escalated so quickly. Till now the church has been portrayed as harmoniously united. And those members of the body which we think to I know of no other site which offers a wide range of topics related to careful critical analysis of historically and scripturally related issues. If the whole were hearing, where would be the It is possible these men were not followers of Jesus prior to Pentecost. To start with religious, it emphasizes that Christ welcomes many different people even of different culture and class to be a part of his body (his church). He didnt favor one Jew over the other. Thank you for this careful and engaged reading of my work much appreciated!". Paul and Philemon I think that wherever there are people there will be dissection between them. WEB: Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are Why does he not tell us anything about how the Hellenists came to emerge as a separate party in Jerusalem? There is no contrast between Jews and Hellenists, since Hellenists are included in the general term Jews. Some details about this action, however, come clear only upon closer scrutiny. But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body When thinking of the general term Jew, I tend to think of one, unified group with similar beliefs but something that we do not often realize is the racial diversity that covered all of these Jews. This was a really interesting blog post. WebWhat is the difference between Hellenists and Hebrews? exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he And if they were all one member, where would the body and time obviously had whatever information still was available about Paul. Acceleration without force in rotational motion? Having then It put in place a mechanism whereby the neglect could be addressed, and it ensured that the murmuring group felt represented in the solution. "Vridar is consistently thought-provoking, well-informed, and asking the right questions. gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: Lukes purpose is to write an origin tale to show how certain things came to be the way they were in his own day and how the true faith even/especially that said to be taught by Paul was founded on the perfect foundation of Jesus and the original Jerusalem church led by the apostles. It appears that the widows among the Hellenistic Jews were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. Vridar: Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science (http://vridar.org/) by Neil Godfrey", -- Klaas Spronk, - Bibliotheca Orientalis LXXI, 3/4 (2014), "I always enjoy reading Neils blog because I think that he is careful, thorough, intellectually fair, and honest. Appoint so many Greek-named men to help all those chosen to manage the supply distribution all... 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