Mercy for the Gentiles

[maxmammon]

Numerous OT prophets, especially Isaiah, spoke how the future Messiah would be a blessing to the Gentile nations (Greek ethnos). They would be drawn to his light and trust him; they would find his rest glorious; they would rejoice and praise God because of him.

In Matthew's NT genealogy, which moves from Abraham down to Christ, you'll notice very few women actually named. One exception was Ruth. She was born a Gentile in Moab, but became a widow when her Jewish husband died. In the book of Ruth you can read her moving plea to Naomi, to return with her to Bethlehem in Judah. There, she married Boaz, who begat Obed, who begat Jesse, who begat David. (Ruth was King David's great-grandmother.) If there was doubt about God's mercy toward the Gentiles, putting a devastated Moabitess directly into the Christ-line should have sealed the deal.

Ruth had become a proselyte to the faith of Israel and was counted as an Israelite. I believe this was God's desire: as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, Israel was to bring the nations to God. However, instead Israel often went the way of the Gentiles. For instance, God wanted to be their king, but they eventually demanded a king like the other nations. Solomon, their third king, started out with so much, but ended up breaking all the commands written for him in Deuteronomy. Notice our Savior's wisdom about this matter, when he said: Solomon in all his glory [multitudes of horses from Egypt; about a thousand wives and concubines; hundreds of tons of gold] was NOT arrayed like one of the lilies of the field.

Simeon blessed God and those present when he held up the infant Jesus in the temple, saying: he was a light for the unveiling (apokalupsis) of Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.

Christ told the scribes and Pharisees that the Queen of the South (Sheba) and the men of Nineveh would rise in judgment against them, because the afore-mentioned believed Solomon and Jonah, and now a greater one was here. In his hometown synagogue, he reminded them God had blessed and healed, not Israelites, but pagan Gentiles who believed the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Thus God was rejecting them because they rejected him. They became enraged, led him outside the city and tried to throw him over a cliff.

Christ said one man had greater faith than others in Israel. It was the Gentile Centurion who told him in our vernacular: I command many men and I know what authority is. You don't have to come to my house; just say it, and I know my servant will be healed. Christ's word was also enough to heal the Canaanite woman's daughter, and his disciples marveled when he spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, as Samaritans were considered half-breeds.

Jesus told his followers to herald the good message to all ethnos, beginning at Jerusalem. Proselytes were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, because proselytes were circumcised and kept the feasts. But in Acts 10 a messenger from God appeared to a Gentile, Cornelius of Caesarea, telling him to send for Peter, who himself was given three visions. Wisely taking six witnesses with him, Peter went to Cornelius, saying it was unlawful for him to keep company with Gentiles, and asked why Cornelius had sent for him. This prejudice against the uncircumcised Gentiles was so great that years later, when circumcised believers came to Antioch, Peter withdrew himself from the Gentiles, and Paul had to reprove and correct Peter, as he mentioned in Galatians 2.

In fairness to Peter, Paul wrote in Ephesians 3 that it took unveiling (apokalupsis) from God to make known what had been a mystery; that the ethnos would be joint-heirs, of a joint-body and joint-partakers of the promise in Christ. It seems God shut up all in disobedience that He might have mercy upon all.

[Ross]

Paul wrote in Ephesians 3 that it took unveiling (apokalupsis) from God to make known what had been a mystery;

Literal divine revelation so that no one can boast.

It seems God shut up all in disobedience that He might have mercy upon all.

True equality, again, so that no one can boast.
I.M.O that concept about not boasting is basically opposite to the current view of life by mankind which promotes self-centred glory- i.e the proverbial pat ourselves on the back; pretty much what Paul talks about to the Corinthians about "comparing themselves with themselves'".

[marie glen]

It seems God shut up all in disobedience that He might have mercy upon all.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 3 that it took unveiling (apokalupsis) from God to make known what had been a mystery;

Amen!! And I think that's how it will be concerning all those not saved during this lifetime!

    Literal divine revelation so that no one can boast.

True equality, again, so that no one can boast.
I.M.O that concept about not boasting is basically opposite to the current view of life by mankind which promotes self-centred glory-

     :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Amen! And that alone will be a vast improvement of things! :gsmile: