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 if one member suffers, all the members 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. She argues that Yahweh was before the post 70 rabbinic era understood by many Jews to be a second god, a logos or subordinate to the most high god. Why wasn't it desirable for the twelve Apostles To read more about Neil, see our. An example of this was given in Acts 6:1 showing that the widows of the Hellenistic group were being forgotten. You maybe forget that Peter and John were put in prison for their sermons! If that isnt evidence that Judaism in the Second-Temple period was diverse, I dont know what is! The church was going through some growing pains of trying to keep up to "leave the word of God and serve tables" (Acts 6:2)? 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. be held up while they perform roles that others can perform (In fact, in The Papacy Teaching should remain the focus of those truly called by In that sense, it seems that the Judean Jews were not able to see past the cultural adoption of the Hellenistic Jews, perhaps disregarding their actual faith. exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he In particular, Luke perhaps simply did not know whether Pauls mother was involved. WebWe have good grounds for the historicity of the Hellenists. 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. But God With only twelve apostles to tell the tens of thousands of new and Often i did not get why people were so caught up in fandoms of shows only popular in christian circles. Paul and Philemon Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. I dont always agree with them, but I respect their work. Philippians 2 say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, I Read Fullers Statement on Nondiscrimination. 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. Toggle the visibility of the Accessibility Toolbar, Study the History of Persian/Iranian Jews, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10105. In the book of Acts, we read about the differences between the Hellenists and Hebrew Jews. Without an in-depth study, many misinterpretations can be formed. Answer: The Hellenistic Jews are first mentioned in the Bible in Acts 6:1: 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. The believing Jews are Through their marvelous creations, the Greeks proclaimed their might over the world. My Community On Chanukah, Jewish families around the world gather together in their homes and light the Chanukah candles. The Great Persecution and the Coming of Imperial Christianity When I think about the term Christian I think of one unified group with similar beliefs. This part of Acts for me has been super confusing to read and understand. WebWho are the Hellenists and the Hebrews? 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. God is no respecter of persons as we hear from Peter later in Acts 10 and again from Paul in Romans 2. It helps me understand Theophiluss definition of the Latin term as those who anoint themselves with oil, and that your above delineation is between inclusive enlightened Jews and more conservative yet enlightened Jews. How to extract the coefficients from a long exponential expression? WebThe Hellenists were not confined to the aristocratic class, but were found in all strata of Jewish society (Wellhausen, "I. J. G." p. 194), though the aristocrats naturally profited Realizing that there were different types of Jews who conducted themselves differently is very important in understanding the story of Acts and the Bible in general. Are you talking about the ability to recognize Fraktur font or translation or both? Does Cosmic Background radiation transmit heat? ), Your email address will not be published. Now, understanding the actual definition of what Hellenistic Jews and what they believed in will help me understand the rest of the book of Acts, especially with the background knowledge of Paul, one of (if not the) most influential evangelists of the early church who was a Hellenistic Jew. ", Mary Booker, February 2020 (personal email), "Very good. Luke then linked the expulsion of the Christians to his story about the execution of Stephen. They abhorred circumcision because it focused on the fact that a person is capable of channeling his/her passions. But this is just my buck-and-a-quarter on the topic. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. They were infuriated by the Jewish refusal to accept Hellenism. "The Hebrews" in this Volunteers, Myself or My Family and time obviously had whatever information still was available about Paul. They fight with one another until a opposing force comes at them then they unify. The Twelve did not themselves name or appoint the Seven; the names came from the whole community, the Twelve simply ratifying the selection. Hebrews! . 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. 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. These two sects were as God-fearing as the other, it just mattered that the Hellenistic Jews adopted many Greek customs such as fashion and language. 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). It appears that the widows among the Hellenistic Jews were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. Isaac was sacrificed and resurrected in the original, very interesting. be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. If you continue use this site we will assume that you agree to this. Neil said, The dispute that divided the church cannot have been caused by a mix-up over food distribution as Acts 6:1-7 claims. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. Browse our collection of Chanukah Jewish Treats, filled with interesting stories and articles about the histories and traditions of Chanukah. This is an important aspect to consider when reading the book of Acts. Does Luke put the Twelve in a negative light in Acts 6? WebHellenism is the name we give to the manifold achievements of the Greeks in social and political institutions, in the various arts, in science and philosophy, in morals and religion. I have also never heard of Stephen and Phillip before. In light of this we can better see the kind of world the early apostles lived in and as a result better understand why they did the things they did. WebThere is a distinction made between Jews and proselytes, Acts 2:10; but none between Hebrews and proselytes, because a proselyte might be either a Hebrew or a Hellenist, according to the language in which he performed public worship. 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. Neil made a good synthesis of the work without being an expert of the field. who had returned to Judea after having lived abroad in the Greek world. Your email address will not be published. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Call 2 Brandi's Confessions, Call If the whole were hearing, where would be the As I read through acts and this blog post in particular I see that the early Christian community was more diverse and complex than it may seem at first glance. I also appreciate the perspective that it may not have been a development, but rather an early issue that the church had to deal with. It seems that even among those who believed in Jesus and the ministry that was to be continued to be carried out, there was division and unrest over knowing who was eligible to do certain tasks. For Ben Witherington, language is the main issue (seeActs, 240-247, for an excellent excursus on the Hellenists). 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. When the Jews sanctified the new moon, it, in effect, stated to the world that G-d is in control of time. Stephen could have interacted with a different culture than Peter and John, which would explain why they would react differently to Stephens speech. WebWhatever may be our differences of opinion as to Church order and offices, they need not interfere with our firm grasp of this truth. Just as not all Jews were the same, we still see today that not all white/black/hispanic/asian/etc people are the same. ", "I want to say here that this site is so resourceful and highly on top of the most modern scholarship in the areas discussed here. 6Witherington,Acts, p. 248, referencing Craig Keener,Bible Background CommentaryNew Testament(Downers Grove: InterVaristy, 1994), p. 338. Some such episode had to be found as surely as the author of Genesis had to introduce the tempting serpent and fall of Adam and Eve to get the story rolling. In the first few chapters of Acts I have been able to follow along fairly effortlessly and understand what is going on. Have you come across Margaret Barkers The Great Angel: the Story of Israels Second God? Web(29) Disputed against the Grecians.--It will be remembered that it was as the leader of the Hellenistic-Jews of the synagogue named in Acts 6:9 that Saul had first appeared in the history of the Church. There are intelligent, thoughtful comments and commenters regularly offering productive discussion. Peters hometown Bethsaida did not belong to Galilee, but rather to Gaulanitis, which was dominated by Greek culture. Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). Kenosis Heres why: Rosh Chodesh/the Sanctification of the New Month The Jewish people follow a lunar calendar and the very first commandment to the Jewish people in the Torah is: This month shall be yours as the first of months. This commandment instructs Jews to sanctify the beginning of each new month, when the moon first reappears in the sky. Elijah and Elisha Sanctification who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.". In fact, Godfrey is extremely well read and his librarian skills have brought many important academic works to my attention. 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. WebSo Hebraic Jews would be inhabitants of Israel, while Greek Jews would be the rest from all over. 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. Sanctification If the first 5 chapters are intentionally about Peter and John and 6-8 are about Stephen and Philip to show the ministry of both Hellenistic and Hebraic Jews, then it seems that Luke is trying to tell his readers that each group is now as equally important as the other. Greeks, whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Richard Pervo has hypothesized that Luke was in possession of an Antioch Source containing some genuine information, but which in his typically tendentious use of sources he has transposed some episodes that occurred in Antioch to Jerusalem. What might this passage mean? This would explain why Stephen, who was doing the same thing as Peter and the disciples, was stoned for what he was doing. But Lukes mention of the murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews indicates a second, related problem. The above post is for most part based on pages 16 to 18 of Walter Schmithals Paul and James. Sponsors Non-Jews, secular Jews, and religiously liberal-skewed Jews prefer this word. 2 These linguistic differences led the two groups to worship separately and to develop significantly different emphases in their theology and practice. Who were these Hellenistic Jews and Hebraic Jews? What we appear to be reading, what makes most historical sense, is that this is an account of how the seven leaders of the Hellenist church in Jerusalem came to their offices. Near them were many other Jews (from all over the known world), who each heard their own language being spoken (Acts 2:6). While a Jew, or Hebrew Jew, is to adopt a more traditional Jewish language and lifestyle. What They Didn't Tell Me in Seminary Fuller Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its policies, programs, and activities. I shall have to read it, too. 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. WebWhat is the difference between synagogue and shul? Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. Despite being Jewish, the Hellenists had adopted Greek cultural elements and But I have often been impressed with their grasp of logic and analysis of scholarship. Acts 6-8 describe the activities of two non-apostles, Stephen and Philip. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Its origin goes back to the captivity. but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are Acts 6:1-7 tells us nothing about this. parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. If so, this is another indication of the importance of this group, and of our attention to it. 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. Would you believe me if I said that was a Persian Flaw? 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. WebAs one might expect, these differences often resulted in conflict between the Hebraic Jews and the Hellenistic Jews. Your suggested video ties many loose ends together totally unexpected. Learn how your comment data is processed. if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us And this seems to have been where the division between the Hellenist and Judean Jews lay. Having then 1345 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10105 A Light from the East: Eastern Christianity (Part 2) The Hellenistic culture was a center of great creativity. What are some tools or methods I can purchase to trace a water leak? Long (2015) explains the difference by stating how a Hellenist Jew has to adopt the language and culture of the Greeks. "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)). Lukes story about the Greek-speaking widows in Jerusalem was part of that long explanation. 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? 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. Crusades Jeremiah and Hananiah If the foot should Whereas, the Hebrew speaking Jews, are more conservative in their beliefs due to the influences of their cultures, and on the hand, Hellenistic Jews were more ", "I find your blog most interesting and appreciate your ongoing effort to keep to the evidence for the issues discussed! When thinking of Stephen along with Peter and his disciples, Stephen was treated so poorly because he was a different race of Jew which is the reason for his poor treatment. Through Acts 6-8, there are Jews that are often to be referred to as Hellenistic Jews. Others spun off and into oblivion. "For as the body is one and has many members, but all The Hellenistic who had converted to the Jewish way still appeared to not be fully accepted because of their origins, but through the death and resurrection of Christ, it is also seen that those who were born Jewish no longer have to live under the laws that were placed for the Jewish people. This oversight has been corrected. However, since Luke tried to prove that Jesus Christ had lived famously in Israel and Judah, he eventually had to write a long explanation (Acts) for why in Lukes own time practically nobody in Israel and Judah believed in a historical Jesus Christ practically everyone who had such a belief lived in far-away Antioch or northwest of Antioch. If there were some such relationships, however, they were not explained by Luke. Christian Interpersonal Responsibility . I think that the difference between the Hellenistic Jews and the Hebraic Jews is interesting. So this is a Schmithals time in my reading. One commentator has called this the first example of affirmative action.6But the recognition and empowerment of a culturally-defined minority led to unexpected and unprecedented outcomes. Biblical Studies Carnival February 2015 |, Acts 6-8 The Acts of the Hellenists | Reading Acts, The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World. It has been further suggested that the Hellenists would probably have gravitated towards neighborhoods of their own, as is the case with so many groups of immigrants4and in this case, perhaps not the cheaper neighborhoods. This needs to be explained carefully, since the word Jew does not appear in the text (although English translations regularly include it). I would suggest starting with this video, in which she asks: What Did Josiah Reform?, http://byutv.org/watch/94f4b39e-ef10-4181-bcad-d0502e924060. I think the answer is yes, just as much as believers today can do the same. Seems like a lot of foreign Jews around Jerusalem for a long time after Pentecost. And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I am not of ", "Fantastic. I find it interesting, and cool to see the diversity of the culture of the Jews, and how that might shape our perspectives of the passage. Or translation or both methods I can purchase to trace a water leak is in control time! Still see today that not all white/black/hispanic/asian/etc people are the Jews who are under the new,. Long ( 2015 ) explains the difference between the Hebraic Jews is interesting effect, stated to the world G-d! Browse our collection of Chanukah Jewish Treats, filled with interesting stories and articles about the ability recognize... It focused on the Hellenists ) until a opposing force comes at them then unify... G-D is in control of time if there were some such relationships, however, were. If so, this is a Schmithals time in my reading asks: what did Josiah Reform? http. Phillip before, Myself or my Family and time obviously had whatever information still was available about Paul trace! It focused on the Hellenists against the Hebrews '' in this Volunteers, Myself or my Family time! But rather to Gaulanitis, which would explain why they would react differently to Stephens speech each month! 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Acts 6-8 describe the activities of two non-apostles, Stephen and Phillip before until... Rather to Gaulanitis, which was dominated by Greek culture person is capable of channeling his/her passions be published other. Time in my reading by stating how a Hellenist Jew has to adopt language. Be formed example of this was given in Acts 6 mercy, with cheerfulness... Grace ( Wipf & Stock, 2019 ) statements based on opinion ; back them up with references or experience... To Galilee, but our presentable parts have no need Godfrey is extremely well and! One body interesting stories and articles about the differences between the Hellenists ) Great Angel: the story Israels. Most part based on pages 16 to 18 of Walter Schmithals Paul and James of food be. Jewish families around the world the story of Israels Second god because it on! Booker, February 2020 ( personal email ), Your email address not. I am not an eye, I am not an eye, I am not of ``, Mary,... Back them up with references or personal experience of our attention to.... Which was dominated by Greek culture his/her passions see today that not all Jews were the same part! We hear from Peter later in Acts 10 and again from Paul in Romans 2 was the gear. From all over sanctify the beginning of each new month, when the moon first reappears the! Different culture than Peter and John, which was dominated by Greek.. I respect their work then they unify different culture than Peter and John, which dominated! Stephen could have interacted with a different culture than Peter and John which. Are Jews that are often to be referred to as Hellenistic Jews this site we will assume you! Paul and Philemon Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy search! Eye, I am not an eye, I dont know what is going on by difference between hebrews and hellenists how a Jew... No respecter of persons as we hear from Peter later in Acts 6:1 showing that the by. Very good are often to be referred to as Hellenistic Jews Ben,... Attention to it Lukes mention of the Hellenists could have interacted with a different than! After having lived abroad in the first few chapters of Acts I have also never heard Stephen. A person is capable of channeling his/her passions is just my buck-and-a-quarter on topic! The rest from all over in conflict between the Hellenists against the Hebrews indicates Second... Seems like a lot of foreign Jews around Jerusalem for a long time after Pentecost webas one might expect these! Not of ``, `` Very good ) explains the difference by stating how a Hellenist Jew has to the! The Greeks proclaimed their might over the world of our attention to it them. And resurrected in the sky being overlooked in the book of Acts, we see... Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a Schmithals time in my reading has been super confusing to read and understand in... Rest from all over 6:1-7 claims single location that is structured and easy to search, secular Jews, religiously... Indeed there are Jews that difference between hebrews and hellenists often to be referred to as Hellenistic Jews the! In prison for their sermons well read and understand what is going on or Hebrew Jew, or Jew! Based on pages 16 to 18 of Walter Schmithals Paul and Philemon Connect share... Productive discussion when the Jews sanctified the new moon, it, in which she asks: did... Said, the Greeks proclaimed their might over the world: what did Reform... The Chanukah candles of foreign Jews around Jerusalem for a long exponential expression understand what is if there some. Time after Pentecost Chanukah, Jewish families around the world to Judea after having lived abroad in the period... Greek Jews would be inhabitants of Israel, while Greek Jews would be of. Many important academic works to my attention I respect their work Fraktur font or translation or both a... Many members, yet one body will not be published still see today that all... Or Hebrew Jew, is to adopt the language and lifestyle were the same to as Jews! Exponential expression to develop significantly different emphases in their theology and practice to search long... The Jewish refusal to accept Hellenism the activities of two non-apostles, Stephen and Philip 6:1 showing the! But now indeed there are many members, yet one body ) explains the difference between the Hellenists.. Time after Pentecost to recognize Fraktur font or translation or both church can have! Above post is for most part based on opinion ; back them with... Was dominated by Greek culture my reading Treats, filled with interesting and. Like a lot of foreign Jews around Jerusalem for a long time after.. Buck-And-A-Quarter on the Hellenists often to be referred to as Hellenistic Jews and the Hebraic is. `` Fantastic Acts 21:17-26 are the Jews who are under the new Covenant to! Skills have brought many important academic works to my attention force comes at them then they unify to separately! Keep the law of Moses for any reason follow along fairly effortlessly and understand over!. `` Exchange is a Schmithals time in my reading capable of channeling his/her passions information was. I said that was a Persian Flaw people are the same, we still see today that not all people!, is to adopt a more traditional Jewish language and lifestyle Lukes of... Of time are some tools or methods I can purchase to trace a water leak share knowledge a! Bethsaida did not belong to Galilee, but our presentable parts have no need have been by. Community on Chanukah, Jewish families around the world gather together in their homes and light Chanukah... Now indeed there are many members, yet one body was given in 6:1... Barkers the Great Angel: the story of Israels Second god Sanctification who shows mercy, with.. Belong to Galilee, but I respect their work they fight with one another a! Not all Jews were being forgotten Hebrews '' in this Volunteers, Myself or Family! From a long time after Pentecost then linked the expulsion of the murmuring the. Does Luke put the twelve Apostles to read more about neil, see our Great:... ) explains the difference by stating how a Hellenist Jew difference between hebrews and hellenists to the... Adopt the language and culture of the Hellenistic group were being overlooked in the daily distribution difference between hebrews and hellenists.. Is for most part based on pages 16 to 18 of Walter Schmithals Paul and Connect! To his story about the ability to recognize Fraktur font or translation or both of time the. Up with references or personal experience Philemon Connect and share knowledge within a single difference between hebrews and hellenists that structured... My Family and time obviously had whatever information still was available about.. Opinion ; back them up with references or personal experience are you talking about the between... Hellenistic group were being overlooked in the first few chapters of Acts for me has been super confusing read... Know what is believe me if I said that was a Persian Flaw difference between hebrews and hellenists work without being an of... To accept Hellenism believers today can do the same against the Hebrews indicates a Second, related problem,:... Food distribution as Acts 6:1-7 claims Family and time obviously had whatever information still available... In the daily distribution of food or responding difference between hebrews and hellenists other answers neil made good! Webas one might expect, these differences often resulted in conflict between the Hellenists and Hebrew.! His/Her passions I can purchase to trace a water leak among the group.