"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 10:5-9
In this verse Jesus' command seems to clearly conflict with Paul's statement. However, a deeper study will show that it is really misinterpreted. Let's look at the word 'Gentile', which is translated from the Greek word -- 'Ethos'. 'Ethos' means -- 'a tribe', 'nation', 'people group'. It is further defined as a -- 'race', 'nation'. It also means -- "in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles. Also, "Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians". So what did Paul mean?
Using the word 'gentile' is really used in context from the individual's view point. To a Greek, all non-Greeks are 'gentiles' ('ethnos'), even if they were Israelites or Jews living in Greece. To an Israelite, all non-Israelites were 'gentiles' ('ethnos'), even if they were Romans or Jews or Greeks living in Judaea. To a Jew, all non-Jews around the world are 'gentiles' ('goy'). To Israelites like Paul and Jesus Christ, non-Israelites like Caiaphas were 'gentiles' ('ethnos'), but to Jews like Caiaphas, Paul and Jesus Christ were 'gentiles' ('goy'). The word "nation" can refer to a group of people of the same race in the same country, or in a different country, or to someone of another race in either place.
A 'gentile' comes from the word Latin word --'Gentilis'. It means -- 1). Among Jews, one not a Jew. (2). Among Christians, a heathen or pagan. (3). Among Mormons, one not a Mormon. (4). Of or pertaining to a gens, tribe, or people. (Funk
& Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary, Volume 1), [which excludes the most important example: 5) Among Israelites, a non-Israelite]. If you will consult a good dictionary, you will find that the word 'gentile' is properly understood means 'non-something'.
So, Paul being a Roman citizen, did he mean 'non-Roman' citizen or did Paul being an Israelite mean 'non-Israelite? Paul undoubtedly spoke Greek and preached to Greek speakers, so did he mean 'gentile' ('ethnos') to mean 'non-Greek'?
My point is the word 'gentile' is used from the context of the speaker. Despite Paul's meaning of 'gentile' in Romans 3:29, it cannot undermine the command of Jesus, as given in Matthew 10:5-9 above or in the similar verses like the following:
"I'm not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." -- Matt 15:24.
"For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep (Israelites), and seek them out." Ezekiel 34:11
"To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of Sons (Galatians 4:5). From Romans 9:4-5, it reads, "the adoption pertains to Israel... and for their flesh Christ came." The word -- 'Sons' is translated from the Greek word -- 'yhiothesia', which means-- "that relationship which God was pleased to establish between himself and the Israelites in preference to all other nations".
Rev 7:9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"Moreover, the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known." --Deuteronomy 28:64
"You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste." --Leviticus 26:33
Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’ --Ezekiel 11:16
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” --John 10:27
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd." --John 10:16
There are sons of Jacob in every nation. Again, it is important to understand what Gentile means.Basically it is a -- 'non-something'. You provided Act 10:45. This will make my point. Let's look at it. In the first half of Acts 10, Cornelius and Peter both saw visions given by God. In his vision, Cornelius, a Roman centurion and a devout Gentile, was ordered to send for Peter. Did you catch this? Cornelius is a "devout Gentile" (non-something). He is a "Roman centurion". So, is Cornelius a non-Judean? That is, not from the Roman 'province' of Judea? Yes. Is he a non-Israelite? Many Romans were descendants of Israelites too. DNA results indicate mitochondrial lineage to the Levant. Herodotus wrote the Etruscans emigrated from Lydia, a region on the eastern coast of ancient Turkey. A place that evidence shows Israelites inhabited.
In Acts, just as Peter was trying to understand the meaning of this troublesome vision, the men sent by Cornelius arrived. Then the Spirit said to Peter, “Behold, three men seek you. But arise, go down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them” (10:19-20). Peter went with the men to Joppa, where he met Cornelius. He said, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean” (10:28).
Peter went with the men to Joppa, where he met Cornelius. He said, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man a Judean to join himself or come to one of another nation (tribe), but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean” (10:28). This tells us the word 'gentile' is referring to Israelites of "another nation (tribe)". In other words, 'gentile' refers to an Israelite, who isn't recognized as a fellow Israelite and is therefore thought to be unclean.
In Acts 10:45 the gentiles are fellow Israelites of another 'nation' (tribe), but under law were not recognized.
"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 10:5-9
In this verse Jesus' command seems to clearly conflict with Paul's statement. However, a deeper study will show that it is really misinterpreted. Let's look at the word 'Gentile', which is translated from the Greek word -- 'Ethos'. 'Ethos' means -- 'a tribe', 'nation', 'people group'. It is further defined as a -- 'race', 'nation'. It also means -- "in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles. Also, "Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians". So what did Paul mean?
Using the word 'gentile' is really used in context from the individual's view point. To a Greek, all non-Greeks are 'gentiles' ('ethnos'), even if they were Israelites or Jews living in Greece. To an Israelite, all non-Israelites were 'gentiles' ('ethnos'), even if they were Romans or Jews or Greeks living in Judaea. To a Jew, all non-Jews around the world are 'gentiles' ('goy'). To Israelites like Paul and Jesus Christ, non-Israelites like Caiaphas were 'gentiles' ('ethnos'), but to Jews like Caiaphas, Paul and Jesus Christ were 'gentiles' ('goy'). The word "nation" can refer to a group of people of the same race in the same country, or in a different country, or to someone of another race in either place.
A 'gentile' comes from the word Latin word --'Gentilis'. It means -- 1). Among Jews, one not a Jew. (2). Among Christians, a heathen or pagan. (3). Among Mormons, one not a Mormon. (4). Of or pertaining to a gens, tribe, or people. (Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary, Volume 1), [which excludes the most important example: 5) Among Israelites, a non-Israelite]. If you will consult a good dictionary, you will find that the word 'gentile' is properly understood means 'non-something'.
So, Paul being a Roman citizen, did he mean 'non-Roman' citizen or did Paul being an Israelite mean 'non-Israelite? Paul undoubtedly spoke Greek and preached to Greek speakers, so did he mean 'gentile' ('ethnos') to mean 'non-Greek'?
My point is the word 'gentile' is used from the context of the speaker. Despite Paul's meaning of 'gentile' in Romans 3:29, it cannot undermine the command of Jesus, as given in Matthew 10:5-9 above or in the similar verses like the following:
"I'm not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." -- Matt 15:24.
"For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep (Israelites), and seek them out." Ezekiel 34:11
"To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of Sons (Galatians 4:5). From Romans 9:4-5, it reads, "the adoption pertains to Israel... and for their flesh Christ came." The word -- 'Sons' is translated from the Greek word -- 'yhiothesia', which means-- "that relationship which God was pleased to establish between himself and the Israelites in preference to all other nations".
Rev 7:9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands
Acts 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"Moreover, the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known." --Deuteronomy 28:64
"You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste." --Leviticus 26:33
Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’ --Ezekiel 11:16
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” --John 10:27
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd." --John 10:16
There are sons of Jacob in every nation. Again, it is important to understand what Gentile means.Basically it is a -- 'non-something'. You provided Act 10:45. This will make my point. Let's look at it. In the first half of Acts 10, Cornelius and Peter both saw visions given by God. In his vision, Cornelius, a Roman centurion and a devout Gentile, was ordered to send for Peter. Did you catch this? Cornelius is a "devout Gentile" (non-something). He is a "Roman centurion". So, is Cornelius a non-Judean? That is, not from the Roman 'province' of Judea? Yes. Is he a non-Israelite? Many Romans were descendants of Israelites too. DNA results indicate mitochondrial lineage to the Levant. Herodotus wrote the Etruscans emigrated from Lydia, a region on the eastern coast of ancient Turkey. A place that evidence shows Israelites inhabited.
In Acts, just as Peter was trying to understand the meaning of this troublesome vision, the men sent by Cornelius arrived. Then the Spirit said to Peter, “Behold, three men seek you. But arise, go down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them” (10:19-20). Peter went with the men to Joppa, where he met Cornelius. He said, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean” (10:28).
Peter went with the men to Joppa, where he met Cornelius. He said, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man a Judean to join himself or come to one of another nation (tribe), but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean” (10:28). This tells us the word 'gentile' is referring to Israelites of "another nation (tribe)". In other words, 'gentile' refers to an Israelite, who isn't recognized as a fellow Israelite and is therefore thought to be unclean.
In Acts 10:45 the gentiles are fellow Israelites of another 'nation' (tribe), but under law were not recognized.
Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
This also backs my analysis.