CHAPTER 4 – Gentiles and the Sabbath

QUESTION: What is a Gentile?

A Gentile^[2] is a person who is not born an Israelite.

“Gentile” or “Gentiles”^[3] are terms used to describe people of all nationalities who are not born as an Israelite. Eventually Jews used these terms in a derogatory way applying it to people they considered “sinners.” Jesus used the terms in His teaching to distinguish between people of Israel and those of other nations, but He occasionally used it to refer to sinners (compare with Matthew 18:17).

There are four different Greek word forms used in the New Testament writings that have been translated as “Gentile,” “Gentiles,” “people,” “nation,” “nations,” or “pagans.” The Gospel of John does not mention the words “Gentile” or “Gentiles”; however, the word “nation” in singular form is used in John five times and always refers to the Jews. See “APPENDIX D – Usage of the word Gentile in the New Testament” for a table showing the Greek words and their English renderings.

QUESTION: Where do Gentiles fit in the covenants?

Gentiles in the Abrahamic Covenant

Promise of blessing and redemption

One of the promises of the covenant between the Lord and Abraham was concerning the blessing of all nations on earth:

“And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1–3)

“… Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed …” (Genesis 18:17–18)

“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 22:15–18)

This promise was repeated to Abraham’s son Isaac:

“… and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed …” (Genesis 26:1–5)

And again, this promise was repeated to Abraham’s grandson Jacob:

“Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 28:10–15)

Those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham

The apostle Paul wrote that through Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant to bless Gentiles by faith.

Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. (Galatians 3:6–9)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. (Galatians 3:13–16)

Gentiles in the Old Covenant

In the Old Covenant economy, “the nations,” also known as “the peoples,” refers to Gentiles. They were not included as beneficiaries of the blessings promised in this covenant. People of the nations were to be kept separate from regular interaction with Israel, except in certain situations. Here are some examples of this prohibition:

The fact that Gentiles had no beneficial part in the work that the Lord God was doing through the Old Covenant was confirmed in the letter of Paul to the Ephesians:

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (Ephesians 2:11–12)

One exception to this was that Gentiles who were servants and slaves belonging to the Israelites, as well as any sojourners, and strangers who might be staying with the Israelites, were instructed to observe the Sabbath. (Exodus 20:10; 23:12; Deuteronomy 5:14; see also Exodus 23:9–12; Deuteronomy 16:11–12; 24:14–22)

Gentiles in the New Covenant

In the New Covenant, Gentiles are now able to enjoy the spiritual blessings that previously, were available only to Israelites. Gentiles now have access to salvation through Jesus Christ, when they believe the gospel of the kingdom of God.

(13) But now you [Gentiles] have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ. (14) For Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. (15) He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. (16) Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. (17) He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from Him, and peace to the Jews who were near. (18) Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (19) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. (20) Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. (21) We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. (22) Through Him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit (Ephesians 2:13–22 NLT; see also Ephesians 3:1–6; Romans 3:29; Romans 9:22–26; Romans 11:25)

Gentiles grafted in

In Romans 11, Paul explained that Israel was not completely rejected by God, but instead God had kept a remnant of Israel according to His “gracious choice” (Romans 11:1–5). Those of Israel who were chosen by God obtained salvation by God’s grace; however, the rest were not able to obtain salvation because they tried to do so by the works of the law (Romans 11:6–7).

The stumbling of some of Israel made an opening for some Gentiles to be added. God was now bringing together both Jews and Gentiles into one body known as the church. In Paul’s words, Gentiles “were grafted in among [Israel] and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree.”

Paul uses the example of grafting as seen in gardening. For various reasons a gardener will take a live twig from one plant and insert it into a slit on the trunk or stem of another living plant. This causes the inserted twig to draw sap from the living plant in which it has been inserted. That new branch will then join with the original plant to produce new growth.

In the same way, when Gentiles are inserted into the trunk of Israel, there is new growth; in this case, the purpose is to make the Gentiles partakers in what the Lord had promised to Israel. (Romans 11:11–32; see also Acts 13:42–52)

Paul testifies concerning the Gentiles

While Paul was visiting Jerusalem later in his ministry, he was accused of taking Gentiles into the temple, and was arrested based on these false charges (Acts 21:27–28). Eventually Paul got the chance to speak on his behalf before King Agrippa and Governor Festus. In wrapping up his testimony Paul said:

“So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:22–23; see also Acts 26:15–18)

Once again Paul confirmed that God had already planned to include Gentiles in His plan of salvation from sin, and its penalty of death.

QUESTION: What did the early church require from Gentile converts concerning the Sabbath?

Nothing.

Early in the history of the church, some individuals introduced incorrect teaching:

Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1)

Paul, Barnabas, and some others were chosen to go to Jerusalem to discuss this issue with the apostles and elders of the church (Acts 15:2). Along the way while passing through Phoenicia and Samaria, Paul and Barnabas brought great joy to the brethren by describing the conversion of the Gentiles (Acts 15:3). When the team arrived in Jerusalem and were received by the church, including the apostles, and elders, they gave a report of what God had done through them for the Gentiles (Acts 15:4). However, some of the Pharisees who were now believers said, “It is necessary to circumcise [the new Gentile believers] and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses” (Acts 15:5). This caused a debate among the leaders.

(7) After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. (8) “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; (9) and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. (10) “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? (11) “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” (12) All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. (13) After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. (14) “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. (15) “With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, (16) ‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, (17) SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’ (18) SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO. (Acts 15:7–18)

This debate about circumcision of new Gentile believers was an excellent opportunity to also settle the matter of Sabbath observance by new Christian converts—especially Gentiles. However, Acts 15 does not record even a hint of a Sabbath debate or discussion. Instead, the judgment from James was to “not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.” (Acts 15:19–20)

Some people argue that the conclusion of this debate did not address Sabbath observance because Sabbath was not the subject being discussed during the debate. Using that logic, we must say that James was out of place because his conclusion introduced matters that had not been discussed during the debate.

In the context of Acts 15:19–20, James wraps up the discussion in Acts 15:21 by saying, “For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” In other words, James was advising that Gentile converts be respectful of those Jews who were not believers and therefore continued to observe the practices of the Old Covenant.

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him … every sabbath day — thus keeping alive in every Jew those feelings which such practices [discussed in Acts 15:20] would shock, and which, therefore, the Gentile converts must carefully respect if the oneness of both classes in Christ was to be practically preserved. The wisdom of these suggestions commended itself to all present. (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown 1871)

CONCLUSION

Gentiles are people who are not of Israelite birth. When the Lord made His unconditional covenant with Abraham, known as the Abrahamic Covenant, He promised that through Abraham’s seed all the families of the earth would be blessed; that includes Gentiles. The promise was repeated to Abraham’s son, Isaac, and his grandson, Jacob.

In the meantime, when the Lord made His conditional covenant with Israel, known as the Old, or Mosaic Covenant, He did not want Israel to intermingle or intermarry with Gentiles. The laws that God gave to Israel were designed to make Israel stand out as unique—a peculiar people, apart from the Gentile nations.

The Lord God gave the Sabbath command to Israel alone. He stated that it is a sign between Him and Israel so that they would know that God set them apart for His purpose. Gentiles were excluded from this distinction as the apostle Paul wrote many years later.

However, in the New Covenant Gentiles are now included in the work the Lord is doing to redeem a people for, and to Himself. Gentiles from all nations, and tribes, and tongues, and peoples are being grafted into Israel, and are partakers of the promises made to Israel in the New Covenant. In this covenant there is no Sabbath observance.

The early church fathers—Peter, Paul, Barnabas, James, and others did not mandate, or teach Sabbath observance. They did however, advise Gentile converts be respectful of those Jews who were not believers and therefore continued to observe the practices of the Old Covenant. They concluded that Gentile converts should be taught to abstain from things contaminated by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled, and from blood.

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CHAPTER 4 – Gentiles and the Sabbath

From The Sabbath Was Made For Man by Meshach Baptiste. Copyright 2021. RBGDevotional.org

RBGDev 82–0–107

24-Jun-21, 05:52