One of the basic assumptions most Christian have about Jews in the first century is that they kept separate from the Gentiles. Josephus said that Jews “did not come into contact with other people because of their separateness” (Antiq. 13:245-247). Any Gentile who chooses to live according to the Law of Moses may be admitted, but otherwise there is no real fellowship with Gentiles.
Josephus, Against Apion 2.210 Accordingly our legislator [Moses] admits all those that have a mind to observe our laws, so to do; and this after a friendly manner, as esteeming that a true union, which not only extends to our own stock, but to those that would live after the same manner with us; yet does he not allow those that come to us by accident only to be admitted into communion with us.
But perhaps the situation was not as strict as Josephus would have us believe. Gentiles were not totally excluded from Jewish worship. There was a huge “court of the Gentiles” in the temple complex which gave Gentiles a place to worship in the Temple. On a number of occasions in the gospels Jesus speaks with Gentiles, although usually the faith of the Gentile is in contrast to the unfaithfulness of the Jews.
One factor bearing on this issue is the long standing Jewish belief that purity laws did not apply to Gentiles even when they lived in Israelite territory. The “sojourner laws” (Deut 5:14) define these Gentiles as resident aliens and require only a few general commands for them while they are living within the nation of Israel. These are the same commands given by James at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:24-29.
Did Jews of the first century consider Gentiles impure and therefore exclude them from the inner courts of the temple? In the Second Temple re-telling of the story of Joseph known as Joseph and Asenath we are told that “Joseph never ate with the Egyptians, for this was an abomination to him” (7:1). In fact, he refuses to even kiss the lovely Egyptian Asenath because her lips have touched unclean food.
Several Second Temple period texts indicate Jews did not mix at all with Gentiles:
Jubilees 22:16 And you also, my son, Jacob, remember my words, and keep the commandments of Abraham, your father. Separate yourself from the Gentiles, and do not eat with them, and do not perform deeds like theirs. And do not become associates of theirs. Because their deeds are defiled, and all their ways are contaminated, and despicable, and abominable.
Tobit 1:10-12 After I was carried away captive to Assyria and came as a captive to Nineveh, every one of my kindred and my people ate the food of the Gentiles, but I kept myself from eating the food of the Gentiles. Because I was mindful of God with all my heart . . .
Judith 12:1-4 Then he commanded them to bring her in where his silver dinnerware was kept, and ordered them to set a table for her with some of his own delicacies, and with some of his own wine to drink. But Judith said, “I cannot partake of them, or it will be an offense; but I will have enough with the things I brought with me.” Holofernes said to her, “If your supply runs out, where can we get you more of the same? For none of your people are here with us.” Judith replied, “As surely as you live, my lord, your servant will not use up the supplies I have with me before the Lord carries out by my hand what he has determined.”
In any case, it was certainly not normal for a missionary from Jerusalem to turn up in the home of a Gentile to preach the gospel, as did Peter in Acts 10. If a Gentile was worshiping in the Temple or synagogue, such as Cornelius, then that Gentile would be welcome to hear the gospel. But for the Jewish mission in Judea, the home of a Gentile is not really the normal venue for missionary activity!
Yet Paul plans to take the Gospel to places where it has not gone before. On the island of Crete he approaches a Roman governor, Sergius Paulus, and in Lystra and Iconium he tries to preach the Gospel to Gentiles outside of the Synagogue.
If the examples listed above are a fair reading of Judaism in the first century, then how radical was Paul’s Gentile mission strategy?
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If your examples are a true reading of Judaism, then by all means Paul’s journey was a very radical outreach strategy! When we look at what Paul’s journey as a whole might of looked like, the effort that Paul put into reaching gentiles when Jews would be even reluctant to interact with them, is astounding! As Longennecker describes in his book Thinking Through Paul, the actual traveling part of the journey itself is a testament to the radical effort Paul put in. He most likely had very little money, not enough to buy a horse or maybe not even a donkey, therefore most of his traveling was most likely by foot, and it is hard to believe that he would be staying in 5 star luxury Courtyard Marriott. Instead Paul probably spent many nights on the side of the road, putting himself at risk of being robbed and or killed (Longennecker 39). What Jew, who wouldn’t even have a meal made by Chef Ramsey himself if he were a gentile in those days, would dare to put their lives at risk or suffer through such a hard journey to teach gentiles the law? Only Paul, but because he had something better to offer; the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because the gospel of Christ itself is radical, of course Paul’s mission journey and strategy would be.
In reading through the book of Acts, it appears that there is a shift in focus from primarily the Jews to the inclusion of the Gentiles as well. This shift even extends to the main characters, as it begins with Peter reaching Jews and struggling to come to terms with the mindset of ministering to Gentiles, and then it transitions to Paul, whose mission was, as it states in Galatians 1:16, to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. I think you are exactly right in saying that Paul’s mission was radical! The Jews spent so much time avoiding all contact with the Gentiles that this sudden change would be mind blowing to them. However, I believe that Paul recognized that the Gospel was for all people. As it says in Longenecker’s book, Thinking Through Paul, his goal was to “form converts into Christ-shaped communities” (40).
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Reblogging for future reference.