Proselyte
Encyclopedia
The biblical term "Proselyte", derives from the Koine Greek
προσήλυτος/proselytos, as used in the Septuagint for "stranger", i.e. a "newcomer to Israel
"; a "sojourner in the land", and in the New Testament
for a convert to Judaism
from Paganism
. It is a translation of the Biblical Hebrew word גר/ger
.
A righteous proselyte was a Gentile
who had converted to Judaism, was bound to all the doctrines and precepts of the Jewish economy, and was considered a full member of the Jewish people. They were to be circumcised
and immersed in a mikvah
should they wish to eat of the Passover
sacrifice. A gate proselyte was a "resident alien" who lived in the Land of Israel
and followed some of the customs. They were not required to be circumcised nor to comply with the whole of the Torah
. They were bound only to conform to the seven precepts of Noah, the Noahide Laws
: do not worship idols
, do not blaspheme God's name
, do not murder
, do not commit immoral sexual acts
, do not steal
, do not tear the limb from a living animal, and do not fail to establish courts of justice
.
c.50, see also Circumcision in the Bible
.
made specific regulations regarding the admission into Israel's community of such as were not born Israelites. The Kenite
s, the Gibeonites, and the Cherethites and 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
. According to the Books of Chronicles
, in the time of Solomon
(c.971-931 BCE) there were 153,600 proselytes in the land of Israel and the prophets speak of the time as coming when the proselytes shall share in all the privileges of Israel. Accordingly, in New Testament times
, we read of proselytes in the 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", or "Godfearers".
On the historical meaning of the Greek word, in chapter 2 of Acts of Pilate
(roughly dated from 150 to 400 CE), Annas
and Caiaphas
define "proselyte" for Pilate:
In the citation we can also see that Pilate's wife is a gate proselyte. 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.
lists several rules that proselytes (גר/ger,Strong's H1616) must follow. These precepts and their interpretation in the Talmud
form the basis for any rules regarding converts to Judaism
.
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
προσήλυτος/proselytos, as used in the Septuagint for "stranger", i.e. a "newcomer to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
"; a "sojourner in the land", and in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
for a convert to Judaism
Conversion to Judaism
Conversion to Judaism is a formal act undertaken by a non-Jewish person who wishes to be recognised as a full member of the Jewish community. A Jewish conversion is both a religious act and an expression of association with the Jewish people...
from Paganism
Ancient Greek religion
Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs and rituals practiced in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. These different groups varied enough for it to be possible to speak of Greek religions or "cults" in the plural, though most of them shared...
. It is a translation of the Biblical Hebrew word גר/ger
Ger
Ger may refer to:*Ger , a Hasidic dynasty from Góra Kalwaria*Ger , the javelin of the Germanic tribe of the Teutons*Germany *German language *Granular endoplasmic reticulum *Gross Enrollment Ratio...
.
Two kinds of proselyte in Judaism
There are two kinds of proselyte:- Ger tzedek (righteous proselytes, proselytes of righteousness, religious proselyte, devout proselyte)
- Ger toshavGer toshavGer toshav , is a term used in Judaism to refer to a gentile who is a "resident alien", that is, one who lives in a Jewish state and has certain protections under Jewish law, and is considered a righteous gentile .-Definition:...
(resident proselyte, proselytes of the gate, limited proselyte, half-proselyte)
A righteous proselyte was a Gentile
Gentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
who had converted to Judaism, was bound to all the doctrines and precepts of the Jewish economy, and was considered a full member of the Jewish people. They were to be circumcised
Circumcision in the Bible
Religious male circumcision generally occurs shortly after birth, during childhood or around puberty as part of a rite of passage. Circumcision is most prevalent in Muslim countries and Israel, and is most prevalent in the Jewish and Muslim faiths, although also common in the United States, the...
and immersed in a mikvah
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
should they wish to eat of the Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
sacrifice. A gate proselyte was a "resident alien" who lived in the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
and followed some of the customs. They were not required to be circumcised nor to comply with the whole of the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
. They were bound only to conform to the seven precepts of Noah, the Noahide Laws
Noahide Laws
The Seven Laws of Noah form the major part of the Noachide Laws, or Noahide Code. This code is a set of moral imperatives that, according to the Talmud, were given by God as a binding set of laws for the "children of Noah" – that is, all of humankind...
: do not worship idols
Idolatry
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god, or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God. In all the Abrahamic religions idolatry is strongly forbidden, although...
, do not blaspheme God's name
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
, do not murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, do not commit immoral sexual acts
Fornication
Fornication typically refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. For many people, the term carries a moral or religious association, but the significance of sexual acts to which the term is applied varies between religions, societies and cultures. The...
, do not steal
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
, do not tear the limb from a living animal, and do not fail to establish courts of justice
Rule of law
The rule of law, sometimes called supremacy of law, is a legal maxim that says that governmental decisions should be made by applying known principles or laws with minimal discretion in their application...
.
Proselytes in early Christianity
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 proselytes known as Godfearers (Phobeomenoi) and/or Worshippers (Sebomenoi) - who were baptized but not circumcised - fit into the righteous or gate category. A dispute over this subject is recorded in the Council of JerusalemCouncil of Jerusalem
The Council of Jerusalem is a name applied by historians and theologians to an Early Christian council that was held in Jerusalem and dated to around the year 50. It is considered by Catholics and Orthodox to be a prototype and forerunner of the later Ecumenical Councils...
c.50, see also Circumcision in the Bible
Circumcision in the Bible
Religious male circumcision generally occurs shortly after birth, during childhood or around puberty as part of a rite of passage. Circumcision is most prevalent in Muslim countries and Israel, and is most prevalent in the Jewish and Muslim faiths, although also common in the United States, the...
.
History of the proselyte in Israel
Proselytes have had a place in Judaism from early times. The Law of MosesTorah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
made specific regulations regarding the admission into Israel's community of such as were not born Israelites. The Kenite
Kenite
Kenites or Cinites , according to the Hebrew Bible, were a nomadic clan in the ancient Levant, sent under Jethro a priest in the land of Midian. They played an important role in the history of ancient Israel. The Kenites were coppersmiths and metalworkers. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, was a...
s, the Gibeonites, and the Cherethites and Pelethites
Cherethites
Cherethites is a name given by the Hebrew Bible to one of the ethnic groups in the Levant. Their identity has not been determined with certainty....
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
Doeg the Edomite
Doeg was an Edomite, chief herdsman to Saul, King of Israel.He is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible book of First Samuel, chapters 21 and 22, where he is depicted as responsible for the deaths of a large number of priests.-Biblical account:...
, Uriah the Hittite
Uriah the Hittite
Uriah the Hittite was a soldier in King David’s army mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. He was the husband of Bathsheba, and was murdered by order of David by having the soldiers retreat from him in battle. Uriah's wife was pregnant by King David through an adulterous affair...
, Araunah
Araunah
Araunah was a Jebusite who was mentioned in the Books of Samuel who owned the threshing floor on the summit of Mount Moriah that David purchased and used as the site for assembling an altar to God. The Scholar renders his name as Arunah....
the Jebusite
Jebusite
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Jebusites were a Canaanite tribe who inhabited and built Jerusalem prior to its conquest by King David; the Books of Kings state that Jerusalem was known as Jebus prior to this event...
, Zelek the Ammonite, Ithmah and Ebedmelech
Ebed-Melech
Ebed-Melech is mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah as an official at the Palace of King Zedekiah,of Judah during the Siege of Jerusalem. The name is translated as Servant of the King, and as such may not be his proper name but a hereditary title...
the Ethiopians
History of Ethiopia
This article covers the prehistory and history of Ethiopia.-Prehistory:Lucy, discovered in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar region, is considered the world's second-oldest, but most complete and best preserved, adult Australopithecine fossil...
. According to the Books of Chronicles
Books of Chronicles
The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...
, in the time of Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
(c.971-931 BCE) there were 153,600 proselytes in the land of Israel and the prophets speak of the time as coming when the proselytes shall share in all the privileges of Israel. Accordingly, in New Testament times
Apostolic Age
The Apostolic Age of the history of Christianity is traditionally the period of the Twelve Apostles, dating from the Crucifixion of Jesus and the Great Commission in Jerusalem until the death of John the Apostle in Anatolia...
, we read of proselytes in the 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", or "Godfearers".
On the historical meaning of the Greek word, in chapter 2 of Acts of Pilate
Acts of Pilate
The Acts of Pilate , also called the Gospel of Pilate, is a book of New Testament apocrypha. The dates of its accreted sections are uncertain, but scholars agree in assigning the resulting work to the middle of the fourth century...
(roughly dated from 150 to 400 CE), Annas
Annas
Annas [also Ananus or Ananias], son of Seth , was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High Priest of the newly formed Roman province of Iudaea in 6 AD; just after the Romans had deposed Archelaus, Ethnarch of Judaea, thereby putting Judaea directly under Roman rule.Annas officially...
and Caiaphas
Caiaphas
Joseph, son of Caiaphas, Hebrew יוסף בַּר קַיָּפָא or Yosef Bar Kayafa, commonly known simply as Caiaphas in the New Testament, was the Roman-appointed Jewish high priest who is said to have organized the plot to kill Jesus...
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 http://earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelnicodemus-roberts.html
In the citation we can also see that Pilate's wife is a gate proselyte. 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.
Rules for proselytes in the Torah
The TorahTorah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
lists several rules that proselytes (גר/ger,Strong's H1616) must follow. These precepts and their interpretation in the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
form the basis for any rules regarding converts to Judaism
Conversion to Judaism
Conversion to Judaism is a formal act undertaken by a non-Jewish person who wishes to be recognised as a full member of the Jewish community. A Jewish conversion is both a religious act and an expression of association with the Jewish people...
.
- partake in Yom KippurYom KippurYom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
- not possess ChametzChametzChametz, also Chometz, and other spellings transliterated from , are leavened foods that are forbidden on the Jewish holiday of Passover. According to Jewish law, Jews may not own, eat or benefit from chametz during Passover...
during Pesach - celebrate the Feast of Weeks
- celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and stand at the Day of Assembly of the Sabbatical Feast of Tabernacles
- not follow after any Nochri gods & their abominations (IdolatryIdolatryIdolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god, or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God. In all the Abrahamic religions idolatry is strongly forbidden, although...
) - not worship Molech nor practice any of the abominations of the EgyptiansAncient EgyptAncient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
& Canaanites (depravity) ' onMouseout='HidePop("70656")' href="/topics/Leviticus_18">Leviticus 18Leviticus 18Leviticus 18 is a chapter of the Biblical book of Leviticus. It narrates part of the instructions given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. The chapter deals with a number of sexual activities considered 'unclean' or 'abominable'...
) - not blaspheme ,
- may be donated carrion to eat if in need, but must observe ritual after eating carrion or treif to escape sin
- not engage in bloodshed but Proselytes of the gates & the settlers among them guilty of accidental manslaughter may flee to any of the six cities of refugeCities of RefugeThe Cities of Refuge were towns in the Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah in which the perpetrators of manslaughter could claim the right of asylum; outside of these cities, blood vengeance against such perpetrators was allowed by law...
- not steal by not making compensation for damages
- not if also settlers steal rights by not following the laws on contracting Jews
- not steal by eating the Paschal Feast OfferingPaschal cycleThe Paschal cycle in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, is the cycle of the moveable feasts built around Pascha . The cycle consists of approximately ten weeks before and seven weeks after Pascha. The ten weeks before Pascha are known as the period of the Triodion...
if also a settler or if not without accepting circumcision as compensation if he does there being one law for all in this regard - not steal God's compensation for sins by consuming blood and must remember also to drain & bury the blood of any edible game ever caught ,
- not steal God's due by not offering the first fruits after immigration
- not steal from AaronAaronIn the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
if anyone of the Proselytes of the gates would burn an offering by not bringing it to the tent of meeting to offer. but shall bring any free-will, vow, or sin offerings to the Aaronites to make atonement on the altar and shall follow the same rules as the communities of Israel with regards to them. - have the right to a just hearing of cases before the ShoftimShofetIn Hebrew and several other Semitic languages, shofet literally means "Judge", from the verb "Š-P-T", "to pass judgment". Cognate titles exist in other Semitic cultures, notably Phoenicia.-Hebrew:...
- have the right to be chosen to carry the red heifer ashes for a water of sprinkling, but must wash his clothes and declare himself unclean until evening
- have the right to loving unoppressive treatment from Jews especially if a poor or needy hired help
- have the right to exemption from being charged interest by Jews
- have the right if also settlers to have their children contracted to a Jew for life
- have the right as Israel's brethren not to be ruled over with rigour if under contract to a Jew
- have the right to enjoy rest on the SabbathShabbatShabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
- have the right if also settlers to eat of Jews' statutorily unharvested Sabbatical year produce
- have the right to field corners & purposefully ungleaned & forgotten harvest & fallen fruit in Jews' fields
- have along with the Levites, Asuphim & widows the right to in the Shaari (Beth DinBeth dinA beth din, bet din, beit din or beis din is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel...
) feast of Israel's tithe in the end of every third year - have the right to replace the unfaithful
External links
- BeJewish.org
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Proselyte
- Jewish Encyclopedia: Proselyte
- AskNoah.org - United Noahide Academies
- Jewish Encyclopedia: Noachian Laws
- 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'
- The Proselyte (Psychedelic Metal from Boston, MA)
- Gentiles and Circumcision
- Proselyte in the 1911 Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia BritannicaThe Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
- Godfearers in the City of Love Biblical Archaeology Review