blhowes
Puritan Board Professor
Somebody recently sent me the following to think about. I thought it was interesting and wanted to see what others thought.
[quote:c251f4ae59]Consider the proselytes of OT Israel. When a stranger joined himself to the people of God, professing the God of Abraham to be his God, was circumcised (with his household), kept the feasts and was likewise 'grafted into' the olive tree/Israel, that is, was "as one that was born in the land" (Ex 12:48); what became of his children, and his children's children? I.e., were the children of such a one in the olive tree by birth? If so, how does that relate to the Gentiles, who being once strangers have now been brought near (Eph 2:11-19) and have been ingrafted into the olive tree? Are their children, born into the olive tree/Israel as were the Hebrew children, and the children of proselytes in the OT, or must they be grafted individually?[/quote:c251f4ae59]
In the OT, strangers joined (were grafted into?) the people of Israel through circumcision. They were allowed to partake of the passover and were expected to follow the law. They became a part of God's covenant people.
A couple of questions to consider:
[list:c251f4ae59]Do you think Paul had the Exodus 12 passage in mind when he penned Ephesians 2:11-19?
What aspects of the OT practice should carry over...and which ones shouldn't...and why/why not?[/list:u:c251f4ae59]
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Exo 12:48,49 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Eph 2:11-19 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
[quote:c251f4ae59]Consider the proselytes of OT Israel. When a stranger joined himself to the people of God, professing the God of Abraham to be his God, was circumcised (with his household), kept the feasts and was likewise 'grafted into' the olive tree/Israel, that is, was "as one that was born in the land" (Ex 12:48); what became of his children, and his children's children? I.e., were the children of such a one in the olive tree by birth? If so, how does that relate to the Gentiles, who being once strangers have now been brought near (Eph 2:11-19) and have been ingrafted into the olive tree? Are their children, born into the olive tree/Israel as were the Hebrew children, and the children of proselytes in the OT, or must they be grafted individually?[/quote:c251f4ae59]
In the OT, strangers joined (were grafted into?) the people of Israel through circumcision. They were allowed to partake of the passover and were expected to follow the law. They became a part of God's covenant people.
A couple of questions to consider:
[list:c251f4ae59]Do you think Paul had the Exodus 12 passage in mind when he penned Ephesians 2:11-19?
What aspects of the OT practice should carry over...and which ones shouldn't...and why/why not?[/list:u:c251f4ae59]
********************
Exo 12:48,49 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Eph 2:11-19 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;