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Proselyte

Biblical term for convert

Biblical term for convert

Note

the biblical term "proselyte"

Proselyte is the anglicized form of the Greek word grc-x-koine ( or 'newcomer'). In the Septuagint, the classical Greek translation of the Tanakh, the term refers to someone born outside of the Jewish community who relocates to the Land of Israel and adopts, either fully or partially, the observance of he () and practice of Judaism. The term is itself a translation of hbo (), a rabbinic designation found in the Mishnah and Talmud for a non‑Jewish resident who accepts certain commandments and protections of the Jewish community; it is distinct from a full convert (). The term also has the more general meaning in English of a new convert to any particular religion or doctrine.

History of the proselyte in Israel

The Law of Moses made specific regulations regarding the admission into Israel's community of such as were not born Israelites.

The New Testament makes mention of proselytes in synagogues. The name proselyte occurs in the New Testament only in Matthew and Acts. The name by which they are commonly designated is that of "devout men", or men "fearing God", or "worshipping God", "fearers of Heaven" or "God-fearers".

On the historical meaning of the Greek word, in chapter 2 of the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, roughly dated between 150 and 400, Annas and Caiaphas define "proselyte" for Pilate:

In Judaism

There are two kinds of proselytes in Rabbinic Judaism: ger tzedek (righteous proselytes, proselytes of righteousness, religious proselyte, devout proselyte) and ger toshav (resident proselyte, proselytes of the gate, limited proselyte, half-proselyte).

A "righteous proselyte" is a gentile who has converted to Judaism, is bound to all the doctrines and precepts of Judaism, and is thus a Jew. The proselyte immerses in a mikveh to effect the conversion formally; a male proselyte must also be circumcised before the immersion can occur (mila leshem giur)

A "gate proselyte" is a resident alien who lives in the Land of Israel and follows some Jewish customs. They are not required to be circumcised nor to comply with the whole of the Torah. They are bound only to conform to the Seven Laws of Noah (do not worship idols, do not blaspheme God's name, do not murder, do not commit fornication (immoral sexual acts), do not steal, do not tear the limb from a living animal, and do not fail to establish rule of law) to be assured of a place in the world to come.

In early Christianity

The "religious proselytes" spoken of in early Christianity such as Acts 13:43 were likely righteous proselytes rather than gate proselytes. There is some debate however as to whether God-fearers (Phoboumenoi) and/or Worshippers (Sebomenoi), who were baptized but not circumcised, fall into the righteous or gate category. The New Testament uses the word four times, exclusively referring to converts to Judaism, and never referring to conversion to Christianity.

References

References

  1. {{bibleverse. 1 Chronicles. 22:2. NRSV
  2. {{bibleverse. Exodus. 12:48. JPS
  3. {{bibleverse. Exodus. 20:10. JPS
  4. {{bibleverse. Exodus. 22:21. JPS
  5. {{cite Talmud. b. Avodah Zarah. 64b:7
  6. Golinkin, David. (11 March 2002). ""The Stranger Within Your Gates" – Foreign Workers in Israel Today".
  7. {{cite Talmud. b. Yevamot. 48b:6
  8. {{bibleverse. Exodus. 20:10. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Exodus. 23:12. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Exodus. 12:19. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Exodus. 12:48. ; {{bibleverse. Deuteronomy. 5:14. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Deuteronomy. 16:11-14. , etc.
  9. {{bibleverse. Acts. 10:2-7. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 13:42-50. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 17:4. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 18:7. ; {{bibleverse. Luke. 7:5
  10. {{bibleverse. Matthew. 23:15. ; {{bibleverse. Acts. 2:10. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 6:5. ; {{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 13:43
  11. Louis H. Feldman. (1992). "Eusebius, Christianity, and Judaism". [[Wayne State University Press]].
  12. (1996). "Jewish Life and Thought among Greeks and Romans". [[T&T Clark]].
  13. Marcus, Ralph. (1952). "The Sebomenoi in Josephus". [[Indiana University Press]].
  14. {{Cquote. ''Proselytes ad God-fearers.''-Many scholars see a parallel between the "God-fearers" in [[rabbinic literature]] and the "God-fearers" in the [[New Testament. NT]]. In rabbinic literature the ''[[Ger toshav. ger toshab]]'' was a Gentile who observed the [[Noahide laws. Noachian commandments]] but was not considered a convert to Judaism because he did not agree to [[circumcision]]. [...] some scholars have made the mistake of calling the ''ger toshab'' a "proselyte" or "semiproselyte." But the ''ger toshab'' was really a resident alien in Israel. Some scholars have claimed that the term "those who fear God" (''yir᾿ei Elohim''/''Shamayim'') was used in rabbinic literature to denote Gentiles who were on the fringe of the synagogue. They were not converts to Judaism, although they were attracted to the Jewish religion and [[Law of Moses. observed part of the law]].. [[Geoffrey W. Bromiley]]. 0-8028-3783-2.
  15. "Gospel of Nicodemus: Acts of Pilate (ANF text)".
  16. bible verse Exodus 20:9-10, Deut 5:13-14, Deut 14:20-29 Deut 16:10-14, Deut 24:13-14, Deut 26:11-12, Deut 31:11-12
  17. {{bibleverse. Luke. 1:50,{{bibleverse-nb. Luke. 18:2-4; {{bibleverse. Acts. 10:2,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 10:22,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 10:35,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 13:16,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 13:26; {{bibleverse. 1. Pet. 2:17; {{bibleverse. Rev. 14:7, {{bibleverse-nb. Rev. 19:5
  18. {{bibleverse. Acts. 13:43,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 13:50,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 16:14,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 17:4,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 17:17,{{bibleverse-nb. Acts. 18:7; [http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/ant-14.htm Josephus Ant. 14.7.2]
  19. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich, trans. Geoffrey Bromiley, volume VI p742.
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beginners-and-newcomers christian-terminology cultural-assimilation early-christianity-and-judaism hebrew-words-and-phrases-in-the-hebrew-bible jewish-courts-and-civil-law new-testament-greek-words-and-phrases noahides religious-conversion septuagint-words-and-phrases
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