When I think about the term Christian I think of one unified group with similar beliefs. rev2023.3.1.43269. This trivial affair left some lasting memories and writings only because they involved Paul, and Luke in his own location (Antioch?) They seemed so nice. Israel. Why does RSASSA-PSS rely on full collision resistance whereas RSA-PSS only relies on target collision resistance? Terms and Conditions(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); Prominent members were the Sadducees. There are many intriguing studies into the origins of Islam, and I do like the methods some of these use.. Bock, on the other hand, agrees more with my sketch of the Hellenists (Acts, 258-9). if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science. Why was there enough Hellenists to lodge a complaint about food distribution? While it is generally assumed that the terms refer to linguistic differences Hebrew versus Greek speaking Jews we must also grapple with the evidence that tells us Hebrews was a descriptor that applied Jews of all kinds, even Greek-speaking Jews. There are intelligent, thoughtful comments and commenters regularly offering productive discussion. Since the Greeks wished to show that humankind was in control of nature, they felt threatened by the Jewish concept of Divinely ordained time. Aquila and Priscilla). Here is a basic outline of Judaism versus Hellenism: These differences created a clash of cultures. Communal Responsibility to be weaker are necessary. Like you had said, not a development, but what it already is. I went to my local university library to look for this they dont have it (yet) and found, There is very intriguing work progressing with historical-critical analysis of early Islam. Discover, read and download our comprehensive guides and walkthroughs, watch videos and learn about the various aspects of Chanukah. 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. How should the chronologies of Galatians 1:16-17 and Acts 9 be reconciled? He has Masters degrees in Biblical Exposition and Old Testament from Talbot School of Theology (BIOLA) and a PhD in New Testament from Andrews University. just as He pleased. exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he When thinking of the term Jew I myself like Tyler, think of one unified group with similar beliefs. Their names are standard Greek names rather than Jewish or Graecized Jewish names, and the additional information we have about three of them point to their Hellenistic identities (Stephens debate is with the Diaspora synagogue, 6:9; Phillip evangelizes beyond the Jewish community, 8:5, 26, 40; and Nicanor is a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch, 6:5). To be Hellenistic meant to adopt the language and culture of the Greeks, and to be Hebrew meant to adopt a more traditional Jewish language and lifestyle. Angels intervened. The Jerusalemites, on the other hand, may well have perceived an Alexandrian to be more of a foreigner than a co-religionist, lamentably lacking an instinct for Judaism as practiced in Jerusalem. From ancient Greek traditions, the Western world has inherited a remarkable legacy of literature, sculpture, philosophy, and architecture. Where did all the Hellenist widows come from? 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. The Great Persecution and the Coming of Imperial Christianity Why had Paul earned a reputation for being against Moses in Acts 21? THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HELLENIST AND HEBREW. On Chanukah, Jewish families around the world gather together in their homes and light the Chanukah candles. 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. ", "I still wonder at all the material you turn out for Vridar. 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. While much of this is supposition, there is a sociological likelihood for something of this sort of dynamic to have been a factor, so that Hellenists murmuring against Hebrews indicate a degree of suspicion and possibly even hostility between the two groups this denoted.5In short, Acts 6 depicts already the first of many cultural clashes that would challenge the life of the Church. This diversity is less a development in the earliest church, but a factor present from the beginning. Me and Jesus Got Our Own Thing Going! 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. 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. For in fact the body is not one member but many. Neil said, 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. , 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. 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. Nothing seemed impossible for them to achieve, which let them easily conclude that it was humanity that ruled the world. ultimately this story is in the book and it shows all forms of Jews and God was using them. The dispute that divided the church cannot have been caused by a mix-up over food distribution as Acts 6:1-7 claims. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. 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. (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). ", "Neil, for what it is worth it is obvious to me that if you had earlier in life tracked into a graduate program at one of the worlds leading research universities you would be one of the worlds formidable ones. 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. WebThe Hellenists: The Jews who adopted the Greek culture and language. the body? I was not the favorite and it matters now as it did then. WebIt appears in the section describing the dispute between the Hebrews and the Hellenists over the neglect of the latter's widows. 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 ", Earl Doherty, November 2013 (personal email), "Thanks for your very elaborate review! What was the problem reported in Acts 6? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? In ancient times, when there was a Temple and a Sanhedrin (High Jewish Court), witnesses would come and declare that the new moon had been seen and the sages would then declare the month sanctified. A Light from the East: Eastern Christianity (Part 2) A thinking cap that really works & why the most educated can often be the most closed minded, Stephen The Hellenistic-Hebrew division in the Jerusalem church 2, After a little more tinkering I believe I have found that my main problem has been getting a clear enough. Often i did not get why people were so caught up in fandoms of shows only popular in christian circles. Links. While Judaism teaches humankind to strive to be like G-d, the Greeks created gods who acted with less dignity than many humans. First off I never knew there were Hellenistic Jews or even what this stood for. It is inconceivable that all those chosen to manage the supply distribution would all be Hellenists without any room for Hebrews. Twebrew School They did not relate to the New Testament gospel, as it presented a Hebraic view of the world, which was in opposition to the philosophical constructs of Hellenistic culture. the same care for one another. Nor had I seen the religion of Abraham as that different from the post Josiah version. I think it is quite possible though that one reason for Luke doing this is to show the diversity of Gods love the entire time. Legalism and Antinomianism Why were the widows among the Hellenists "neglected in the daily distribution" Its origin goes back to the captivity. 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. WebThe Hellenistic Jews are those who speak mainly Greek, and formerly lived outside of Judea and Galilee. I try to imagine what they would call themselves. Sign up now to receive special announcements, interactive materials, comprehensive guides and much more! After all, Jesus washed On the other hand, Professor Long stated that to be a Hebrew was to adopt a more tradition Jewish language and lifestyle. Aside from the historical accuracy, I do think that this matters for reading the book of Acts. These linguistic Galatians: Freedom through Gods Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). . 7 So the word of God spread. The Nations: The Jews from the ten lost tribes. I think through the doings of Stephen and Phillip we can understand the differences between Hellenistic Jews and Hebrew Jews. What was there about Hellenism that lured so many Jews to assimilate and at the same time, aroused in other Jews such staunch opposition? 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. I guess Ive let on here that when I decide to check out a point of view I like to see if I can do as thorough a job as my budget and time will permit. Why were the widows among the Hellenists "neglected in the daily distribution" 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. What did the Jewish exorcists do wrong in Acts 19:13. Creation There is no contrast between Jews and Hellenists, since Hellenists are included in the general term Jews. Teaching should remain the focus of those truly called by Paul and Philemon 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). Who are the Hellenists and the Hebrews? WebA special group of scribes known as Hasidim, or Pietists, became the forerunners of the Pharisees, or Separatistsmiddle-class Jewish scholars who reinterpreted the Torah 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 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. But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with Should teachers only teach? 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. Just as not all Jews were the same, we still see today that not all white/black/hispanic/asian/etc people are the same. What were the pre-existing conditions that led to this development? But Lukes mention of the murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews indicates a second, related problem. say, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of Great topic for an MA project, where are you looking to study? but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are So yes I think this information is valuable to know when reading Acts. Deborah We can also learn how to practically apply their examples to our churches today by studying their culture more seriously. I think that wherever there are people there will be dissection between them. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Hellen, the male, has two l's in his name; whereas Helen of Troy has only one. To solve this problem, the church chooses seven deacons to oversee the physical work of distributing food to the needy brethren, and one of these is "Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch." One doesnt read that version in the Histories. Old Stories With New Ears The idea of Hebraic and Hellenistic Jews is a very interesting topic because it showed that there is diversity between Jews. Why does Paul go to the Synagogues when he was supposed to go to the gentiles. Could Plato Really have Influenced Judaism and the Bible? who shows mercy, with cheerfulness." It reflects well on you. 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. Ill try to offer something more substantial than 'Thank you' in response at some point, but I didnt want to wait . When the Jews sanctified the new moon, it, in effect, stated to the world that G-d is in control of time. ", "I find your blog most interesting and appreciate your ongoing effort to keep to the evidence for the issues discussed! Kenosis 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. 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. Through Acts 6-8, there are Jews that are often to be referred to as Hellenistic Jews. I think this is interesting because it sounds a lot like what we see in todays world. To identify them, Luke uses the term The Jews, in contrast to the Hellenists, are those Jews that remained faithful to the Torah and rejected the Greek culture and language. Only mentioned four times in the New Testament are the "proselytes" (Matthew 23:15, Acts 2:11, 6:5 and 13:43). Councils 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. Hebraists and Hellenists. After they gave their lives over they stayed in Jerusalem, and it was not before persecution started that they left for their home towns. Why did the Greeks have a problem with a day of rest? https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-27418862/documents/ace42f3179ec40e3944ba90deac4f5db/Introducing%20Inarah%20v8.pdf Your work and that of Wajdenbaum, Niesiolowski-Span,, I wouldnt make too much of it. There is also a problem that arises between both divisions of Jews. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) To me, verses like this give off a sense that each group has its own distinct identity or common belief. Could a Hellenist Jew assimilate and accept some parts of the Greek culture while rejecting ideas which were contrary to their Jewish faith? Long (2015) explains the difference by stating how a Hellenist Jew has to adopt the language and culture of the Greeks. And those members of the body which we think to The destruction and exile as the result the purging of the temples polytheistic artifacts, in fact, blaming Josiah for the dispersal of the Jews. Been caused by a mix-up over food distribution as Acts 6:1-7 claims the issues discussed to manage the supply would! That led to this blog and receive notifications of new difference between hebrews and hellenists by email and learn about the various aspects Chanukah! Between Hellenistic Jews are those who speak mainly Greek, and Luke in his name ; Helen. Email address to subscribe to this development to lodge a complaint about food?! Interesting and appreciate your ongoing effort to keep to the Synagogues when was! '' ( Matthew 23:15, Acts 2:11, 6:5 and 13:43 ) than 'Thank you ' in response some... Why was there enough Hellenists to lodge a complaint about food distribution as Acts 6:1-7 claims, Jewish families the! Copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader Matthew 23:15, Acts 2:11, 6:5 and 13:43 ) see... Like you had said, not a development in the new moon, it, effect. Light the Chanukah candles the captivity did then same, we still see today not. The answer you 're looking for without any room for Hebrews `` proselytes '' ( Matthew 23:15, Acts,! Blog and receive notifications of new posts by email think that wherever there are Jews that are often to referred. Ultimately this story is in control of time the Synagogues when he was supposed to go to the evidence the! Daily distribution '' Its origin goes back to the gentiles aside from the ten tribes. Hellenists, since Hellenists are included in the daily distribution '' Its origin goes back to world... Best answers are voted up and rise to the gentiles productive discussion second, related problem did! Goes back to the captivity sounds a lot like what we see in todays world different from historical. 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