Galatians 1:13-24

Tags

27th Week, Green, Tuesday

27th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Green

First Reading

For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it, ¹⁴ and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. ¹⁵ But when [God], who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus. ¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Kephas and remained with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I did not see any other of the apostles, only James the brother of the Lord. ²⁰ (As to what I am writing to you, behold, before God, I am not lying.) ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea that in Christ; ²³ they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us us now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ So they glorified God because of me.

Gospel Luke 10:38-42

Psalm 139:1-3, 13-15

Who were the Gentiles?

In the Bible, the term “Gentiles” generally refers to people who were not Jewish or who were not part of the Jewish community. In a religious context, the term is often used in contrast to Jews or to refer to non-Christians.

In the Bible, Gentiles are mentioned in various contexts, and some of them lived in Israel while others lived outside of Israel.

In the Old Testament, Gentiles are sometimes referred to as “the nations,” and they are depicted as living in different regions and kingdoms around Israel. For example, the book of Genesis describes various Gentile nations, including the Egyptians, Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, who lived in the lands surrounding Israel.

In the New Testament, Gentiles are also mentioned in various contexts. Jesus and his disciples mainly ministered to Jewish people, but they did encounter Gentiles from time to time, such as the Syrophoenician woman in Mark 7:24-30. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the early Christian church began to expand its mission to include Gentiles, and many Gentiles became followers of Jesus. This led to debates within the church about how to integrate Gentile believers into the predominantly Jewish community of followers.

In summary, both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible describe Gentiles living both inside and outside of Israel, depending on the specific context and historical period.

Today, the term “Gentiles” is less commonly used and may be considered outdated or even offensive in some contexts. Instead, people are often referred to by their specific ethnicity or religious affiliation.

The term “Gentile” is derived from the Latin word “gentilis,” which means “of or belonging to a nation.”