Proselyte

Proselyte, from the Koine Greek ??????????/proselytos, is used in the Septuagint for stranger (1 Chronicles 22:2), i.e., a comer to Palestine; a sojourner in the land (Exodus 12:48; 20:10; 22:21), and in the New Testament for a convert to Judaism from Paganism. It is a translation of the Hebrew term ??/Ger. In general there are two kinds of proselyte, proselytes of the gate or gate proselytes and proselytes of righteousness or righteous proselytes, and the term has been used, like its Hebrew counterpart, often indiscriminately to refer to either or all. The religious proselytes spoken of in early Christian writings were righteous proselytes, as distinguished from gate proselytes. There is some debate however as to whether the God-fearers (Phobeomenoi) and Worshippers (Sebomenoi) who were baptized but not circumcised fit into the righteous, or gate category.

Related Topics:
Koine Greek - Septuagint - New Testament - Convert - Judaism - Paganism - Hebrew - ??/Ger

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Proselytes have had a place in Judaism from early times (Isaiah 56:3; Nehemiah 10:28; Esther 8:17). The Law of Moses made specific regulations regarding the admission into Israel's Qehilah of such as were not born Israelites (Exodus 20:10; 23:12; 12:19,48; Deuteronomy 5:14; 16:11,14, etc.). The Kenites, the Gibeonites, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites were thus admitted to levels of Israelite privileges. Thus also we hear of individual proselytes who rose to positions of prominence in the Kingdom of Israel, as of Doeg the Edomite, Uriah the Hittite, Araunah the Jebusite, Zelek the Ammonite, Ithmah and Ebedmelech the Ethiopians.

Related Topics:
Law of Moses - Kingdom of Israel - Uriah the Hittite

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In the time of Solomon there were one hundred and fifty-three thousand six hundred proselytes in the land of Israel (1 Chronicles 22:2; 2Chr 2:17,18). And the prophets speak of the time as coming when the proselytes shall share in all the privileges of Israel (Ezekiel 47:22; Isaiah 2:2; 11:10; 56:3-6; Micah 4:1). Accordingly, in New Testament times, we read of proselytes in the synagogues, (Acts 10:2,7; 13:42,43,50; 17:4; 18:7; Luke 7:5).

Related Topics:
Solomon - Synagogues

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The gate proselytes (half proselytes) were not required to be circumcised nor to comply with the ceremonial aspects of Mosaic law. There is some debate among experts as to whether or not they were dipped. They were bound only to conform to the so-called seven precepts of Noah, the Noahide Laws: to abstain from idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, uncleaness, the eating of blood, theft, and to yield obedience to the authorities. Besides these laws, however, they were required to abstain from work on the Sabbath, and to refrain from the use of leavened bread during the time of the Passover (for early Jewish Christians also called the Quartodeciman).

Related Topics:
Circumcised - Mosaic law - Dipped - Noahide Laws - Sabbath - Passover - Jewish Christians - Quartodeciman

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The distinction between gate proselytes (Exodus 20:10) and righteous proselytes is said to have originated only with the rabbis. The righteous proselytes, religious or devout proselytes (Acts 13:43), were bound to all the doctrines and precepts of the Jewish economy, and were members of the synagogue in full communion. They were to be circumcised and dipped should they wish to eat the Passover.

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The name proselyte occurs in the New Testament only in Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:10; 6:5; 13:43. The name by which they are commonly designated is that of devout men, or men fearing God, or worshipping God, or God fearers.

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On the historical meaning of the Greek word, Acts of Pilate, roughly dated from 150 to 400, in chapter 2, has Annas and Caiaphas define proselyte for Pilate:

Related Topics:
Acts of Pilate - Annas - Caiaphas - Pilate

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:"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 was born of fornication, and are not believed; these 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 http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelnicodemus-roberts.html

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In the citation we can also see that Pilate's wife is a limited proselyte (or a half-proselyte, both being an alternative term for gate proselyte). Indeed numerous authors on the subject have concluded that the earliest Gentile Christians were Proselytes of the Gate at least until the early 4th century. Though drawn to the Jewish religion, she could never become a Jewess as long as she was married to a gentile uninterested in adhering to Judaism. Pilate's apparent ignorance also shows us something of the lack of communication in that marriage.

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