Bloomsbury Attitudes to Gentiles in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (The Library of New Testament Studies)

This volume describes the attitudes towards Gentiles in both ancient Judaism and the early Christian tradition. The Jewish relationship with and views about the Gentiles played an important part in Jewish self-definition, especially in the Diaspora where Jews formed the minority among larger Gentile populations. Jewish attitudes towards the Gentiles can be found in the writings of prominent Jewish authors (Josephus and Philo), sectarian movements and texts (the Qumran community, apocalyptic literature, Jesus) and in Jewish institutions such as the Jerusalem Temple and the synagogue. In the Christian tradition, which began as a Jewish movement but developed quickly into a predominantly Gentile tradition, the role and status of Gentile believers in Jesus was always of crucial significance. Did Gentile believers need to convert to Judaism as an essential component of their affiliation with Jesus, or had the appearance of the messiah rendered such distinctions invalid? This volume assesses the wide variety of viewpoints in terms of attitudes towards Gentiles and the status and expectations of Gentiles in the Christian church. Introduction - James McLaren Chapter 1: GENTILES, GOD-FEARERS AND PROSELYTES David C. Sim Chapter 2: PHILO AND THE GENTILES David T. Runia Chapter 3: GENTILES IN THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS John J. Collins Chapter 4: JOSEPHUS AND THE GENTILES James S. McLaren Chapter 5: THE PORTRAYAL OF GENTILES IN JEWISH APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE Michael P. Theophilos Chapter 6: THE TEMPLE AND GENTILES James S. McLaren Chapter 7: THE SYNAGOGUE AND THE GENTILES Donald Binder Chapter 8: Q AND THE GENTILES Christopher M. Tuckett Chapter 9: PAUL'S ATTITUDES TO THE GENTILES Sean F. Winter Chapter 10: FISHING THE OTHER SIDE: THE GENTILE MISSION IN MARK'S GOSPEL Ian J. Elmer Chapter 11: THE ATTITUDE TO GENTILES IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW David C. Sim Chapter 12: 'TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH': ATTITUDES TO GENTILES IN LUKE-ACTS Elizabeth V. Dowling Chapter 13: GENTILES IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: NARRATIVE POSSIBILITIES - JOHN 12.12-43 Mary L. Coloe Chapter 14: GREEKS IN COLOSSAE: SHIFTING ALLEGIANCES IN THE LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS AND ITS CONTEXT Alan Cadwallader Chapter 15: 'YOU SHALL NOT GIVE WHAT IS HOLY TO THE DOGS' (DIDACHE 9.5): THE ATTITUDE OF THE DIDACHE TO THE GENTILES Jonathan A. Draper Chapter 16: JEWS, CHRISTIANS AND GENTILES: OBSERVATIONS AND SOME CONCLUDING REMARKS David C. Sim Bibliography 267 Index of References 287 Index of Authors