[This is the second guest post from one of my Advanced Studies in Acts students, John Caprari. John is a senior undergraduate Biblical Studies major with an emphasis on Pastoral Ministry. He and his wife will be going to Africa soon after graduation to explore a church planting ministry. He has therefore focused his attention on Paul’s missionary method.]
It amazing to reflect on the many Christian works Paul began. He had a strong desire to win as many people as possible (1 Cor. 9:19). In Paul’s epistle to the Romans he declares his inner yearning for the gospel’s proclamation: “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation” (Romans 15:20).
Paul set this framework in which he would preach the gospel, and he did just that. Although there were not many places where Christ had already been proclaimed, he certainly fulfilled this internal passion. He had a “commitment to pioneer evangelism, to pursue his mission only in virgin territory” (Dunn 544) Can you imagine entering a city that not only has a population of 0% Christians, but also live in a culture that worships pagan gods? Where and how do you even begin telling people about Jesus? Paul’s answer? The synagogue.
Luke communicates in Acts over and over that upon arrival in a city, the first thing Paul did was go to the Jewish synagogue (Acts 13:5; 14:1; 17:10). Wait a second… Wasn’t Paul supposed to be the light to the Gentiles? Why is he going to the Jewish gathering place?
There are some who understand Paul to believe that the gospel was meant to be proclaimed among Jews before Gentiles (Rom 1:16). They believe that Paul’s custom was to go to the Jewish synagogue because he had a theological understanding that the gospel must be heard by the Jews, and then upon rejection, the Gentiles (Acts 14:36). The following is an excerpt from a scholar who understands Paul’s custom of going to the Jewish synagogue as a theological issue rather than strategic:
Although Luke’s plain intent is to show how the gospel of Jesus Christ was carried from Jerusalem, the center of Judaism, to Rome, the center of the Gentile world, he records of Paul’s ministry in the Roman capital only his customary initial ministry to the Jews (Acts 28:17 ff.). In Acts too, therefore, the theme is clear, the gospel is “to the Jew first.” (Stek 17)
Paul went to the synagogues first because he thought it would be the best way to carry out his mission: to be a light to the Gentiles. These gathering places were mostly filled with Jews. However, it was common for there to be a couple of God-fearing Gentiles who would congregate with the Jews. Dunn writes, “for it was in the synagogues that he would find those Gentiles who were already most open and amenable to his message” (Dunn 560).
Why do you think upon arrival Paul would immediately go to the synagogue? Was it a theological understanding or a strategical method? If theological, how come? If strategical, what made the synagogue, a Jewish gathering place, the right place to be a light to the Gentiles?
Bibliography: Dunn, James D. G. Beginning from Jerusalem (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2009); Stek, John H. “To the Jew First.” Calvin Theological Journal 7.1 (1972): 15-52
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Paul is not shown in Scripture to be slow in understanding, or someone who would have in any sense been considered slow-witted, so I certainly would think Paul would use both theologically and strategically sound reasoning in his plan of action. For one thing, perhaps he was following the command of Scripture – to the Jews first, then to the gentiles. Perhaps the Jews really held his heart, as he had deep roots in their beliefs and traditions, a connection many of us may not understand.
One particular thought to cross my mind is how he would have wanted himself portrayed to the gentiles. The gentiles indubitably had all heard of, or known, Jews on their time – and probably seen God’s hand at work in protecting and prospering them. For Paul to go first to these Jews then, ensured those who were seeking the one true God to take notice of him, and to listen to him in other arenas. This also may have opened the door for those who considered the Jews God to be powerful, realizing that Paul was preaching the same God. Are there multiple reasons for Paul to have a strategy such as this? Certainly. But there is no doubt in my mind that he followed the Holy Spirit’s leading, and that God used his obedience for the benefit of the church in history, and the modern day church through Scripture.
Honestly, if it is a theological method, then God’s calling for Paul to be a light to the Gentiles, would have come up void in Paul’s ministry. For Paul to go to the Jews first, in order to preach to the Gentiles after he is rejected, does not seem like the Paul of the New Testament. Instead, I believe it to be a very strategic method, for the very reason that there are God-fearing Gentiles worshipping in the Synagogue and I would imagine that those Gentiles would be able to invite Paul to the homes of other Gentiles–whether “clean” or “unclean”. One such account of there being God-fearing Gentiles in the Synagogues–ones whom Paul addresses–can be found in Acts 13:16, where Paul has made his way to Pisidian Antioch and like usual makes his way to the Synagogue. In the Synagogue, the verse says, “Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: ‘Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me’.” In other words, Paul addresses the Jews, yet also addresses the Gentiles–whom may have truly been on his heart more. The Synagogue was a good place to be a light to the Gentiles because it seems like it is a good place to network. Like churches today or may I dare say, a mall, downtown, etc. Paul would have understood and been able to present the Gospel more readily with these Gentiles which would have led to the building of relationships, that would undoubtedly branch out from within those Synagogue walls.
Paul was following the Messiahs lead Jesus spent much time in synagogues (Matt. 4:23). He taught in them (Matt. 13:54), healed in them (Luke 4:33-35; Mark 3:1-5), and debated the interpretation of Torah in them (John 6:28-59). Clearly, he belonged to the community of the synagogue, because when he visited Nazareth, he was scheduled to read the Haphtarah (Luke 4:16-30)The new community of Jesus was born out of the synagogue. Believers were to become assemblies, not single individuals seeking God alone. We address God as “our Father” because we are his assembly. We are one body because we are made that way through Jesus (1 Cor. 12:12-13). In our fractured, broken world, with all its self-preoccupation, the model of the synagogue, the picture of the community of God, presents an alluring message. We would do well to understand the synagogue of Galilee.
I suppose the bottom line is that all the synagogue communities around the world were decidedly odd little enclaves of people wandering around doing odd things, and behaving oddly. Banging their heads against walls and stuff like that.
When they accepted Christ they were then freed from the yoke of the Law (but not obviously having a licence to sin – in case anyone is confused), and so would transform from a glum community of people trapped in the prison of sin and the Law, to a joyful community of people, motivated by love, and committed to love. This would be perhaps the best form of witness Paul could possibly want.
An introspective isolationist community hung up on their own racial superiority transforming into a people who could interact with their neighbours, and who showed the fruits of the spirit.
There are lots of practical considerations also but I think the aforesaid spiritual consideration is the critical point. God intended Israel as a witness to the nations. Paul was simply following through on God’s intention. If the local synagogue did not want to fulfil God’s calling, then Paul shook off the dust, and went direct to the locals.
I think the reason why Paul doesn’t clarify this more is that it was also a practical necessity. If he bypassed the local synagogue, there would be all sorts of problems.
The main one would be that he would be hunted down by the local Jewish constabulary anyhow, and they would probably try and kill him, which usually resulted in him having to leg it out their territory. This would be rather self-defeating.