Proselyte
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Proselyte is the anglicized form of the Greek word prosēlutos (Koine Greek: προσήλυτος, lit. 'stranger' 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 mitzvot (Hebrew: מִצְווֹת, lit. 'commandments') and practice of Judaism.[1][2][3][4] The term is itself a translation of ger toshav (גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב, 'resident alien'), 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 (גֵּר צֶדֶק).[5][6][7] 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
[edit | edit source]The Law of Moses made specific regulations regarding the admission into Israel's community of such as were not born Israelites.[8]
The New Testament makes mention of proselytes in synagogues.[9] The name proselyte occurs in the New Testament only in Matthew and Acts.[10] 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".[11][12][13][14]
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:
And Pilate, summoning the Jews, says to them: You know that my wife is a worshipper of God, and prefers to adhere to the Jewish religion along with you. ... Annas and Caiaphas say to Pilate: All the multitude of us cry out that he [Jesus] was born of fornication, and are not believed; these [who disagree] are proselytes, and his disciples. And Pilate, calling Annas and Caiaphas, says to them: What are proselytes? They say to him: They are by birth children of the Greeks, and have now become Jews.
— Roberts Translation[15]
In Judaism
[edit | edit source]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"[16] is a resident alien who lives in the Land of Israel and follows some Jewish customs.[14] 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[14] (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
[edit | edit source]The "religious proselytes" spoken of in early Christianity such as Acts 13:43 were likely righteous proselytes rather than gate proselytes.[citation needed] There is some debate however as to whether God-fearers (Phoboumenoi)[17] and/or Worshippers (Sebomenoi),[18] 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.[19]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ^ 1 Chronicles 22:2
- ^ Exodus 12:48
- ^ Exodus 20:10
- ^ Exodus 22:21
- ^ Talmud, b. Avodah Zarah 64b:7
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- ^ Talmud, b. Yevamot 48b:6
- ^ Exodus 20:10; 23:12; 12:19; 12:48; Deuteronomy 5:14; 16:11–14, etc.
- ^ Acts 10:2–7; 13:42–50; 17:4; 18:7; Luke 7:5
- ^ Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:10; 6:5; 13:43
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- ^ a b c
Proselytes ad God-fearers.-Many scholars see a parallel between the "God-fearers" in rabbinic literature and the "God-fearers" in the NT. In rabbinic literature the ger toshab was a Gentile who observed the 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 observed part of the law.
— Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1986, Fully Revised Edition), p. 1010, Vol. 3, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids: Michigan, Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ 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
- ^ Luke 1:50,18:2–4; Acts 10:2,10:22,10:35,13:16,13:26; 1 Pet 2:17; Rev 14:7, 19:5
- ^ Acts 13:43,13:50,16:14,17:4,17:17,18:7; Josephus Ant. 14.7.2
- ^ Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich, trans. Geoffrey Bromiley, volume VI p742.
External links
[edit | edit source]
- BeJewish.org
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- Public Domain Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- AskNoah.org - United Noahide Academies
- Noahide.org - Institute of Noahide Law
- HaMikdash.com - The Responsibilities of the Gentiles
- BneiNoach.org - Noachide Resource Center
- Noachide.org.uk - Bnai Noach in the UK
- Free Online Book: 'The Path of the Righteous Gentile'
- Gentiles and Circumcision
- Godfearers in the City of Love Biblical Archaeology Review
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