Has anyone else come to the conclusion that the term Gentile, translated into the text, is a false and bias, almost racial term?
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I had a work on this subject, which I removed from the site sometime ago, I just wanted to rework it. Below are some of the Strong’s definitions from the Old and New Testament that I noted in that work.
I’d like to mention, “gentile” predominately means,
“foreign (opposite of Israelite), heathen, nation, people.”
I’d agree if you’re saying, the word should just be translated into the proper context instead of “gentiles,” which becomes ambiguous when we’re talking about the Old or the New Testament, and then we have this…
Gen 10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
“Gentiles” here simple means “nations.” It’s referring to the Adamites, not any other people. Moreover, if you look at the Strong’s word here for “gentiles” and “nations,” you’ll find it’s the same Hebrew word H1471, “gôy”.
All we’re talking about is the nations of the Israelites in that verse.
Gentiles: G1484 – found in 87 verses
- Probably from G1486; a race (as of the same habit), that is, a tribe; specifically a foreign (non-Jewish) one ( usually by implication pagan ): – Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
Gentiles: H1471 – found in 28 verses
- Apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts: – Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
Gentiles: G1672 found in 6 verses
- From G1671; a Hellen (Grecian) or inhabitant of Hellas; by extension a Greek speaking person, especially a non-Jew: – Gentile, Greek.
Gentiles: H2800 found in 3 verses
- The same as H2799; Charosheth, a place in Palestine: – Harosheth.
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I agree. The word Gentiles in the original text is peoples and nations is indeed nations. Same word. Goy H1471.
The word H1471 is used for all the offspring from the 3 sons of Noah.
I would agree that they are Adamites but not Israelites since Abraham came from the other son of Noah, Shem.
God’s promise to Abram was He would make of thee a great nation. Goy 1471.
If God was talking about all the nations from Abraham, they were all called Goy. If He was referring to the Israelites, they were called Goy, 1471.
Chapter 17 he would be a father of many nations, Goy 1471.
Chapter 18:8 referrers to all the nations of the earth being Goy 1471.
To me, there is no distinction between the future Israelites and the other nations as far as a term used by God. 1471 is used throughout the Old Testament by the Prophets.
The same is done in the New Testament, Nation is Ethnos, and Gentile is substituted.
Ethnos and Goy mean the same thing.
I believe Gentile is always used in the plural except where it was mistranslated which should have been Greek 1672, non-Jew. (Romans 2:9-10) To call someone a Gentile is calling them a nation.
The word ethnos is substituted with pagan, heathen, and the word nation is used sometimes for foreigner.
It appears the word Gentile is misused just as the word Jew, to show a distinction between the so-called chosen people of God.
Gentile is used with the flavor of inferiority which is the same attitude that we see in the Pharisees and out of Israel today.
When Peter said it was unlawful to unite or come near a foreigner, by who’s law? The Pharisees. That seemed to be the big problem.
My understanding is in the Greek language there is no word “gentile”.
By looking at the Old Testament, it appears to me that the Lord did not label His creation with derogatory terms such as this when things got started. It seems that this attitude got started and is still in existence today. If anything, the Israelites were worse than the “gentiles”.
The Jews today call the non-Jews Goy, which is ironic.
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I agree Brandon but the statement you made that the Israelites were worst than the gentiles is unfounded. The mixing with other nations and following there gods was the major problem. King David’s son, Salemo, is one of the best examples. Conclusion is that they learned all the wrong things from the gentiles/nations.
I say this because the Israelites were privileged to have the law and the direct guidance of the Lord while the other nations did not. Chosen to take His word and be an example to the other nations, which they did not.
They knew better but they still rejected the Lord.
2 Chronicles 33:9
1 Corinthians 5:1
The parable of the 2 sons.