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.
Two kinds of proselyte in Judaism
There are two kinds of proselyte:
- Ger tzedek (righteous
proselytes, proselytes of righteousness,
religious proselyte, devout proselyte)
- Ger toshav (resident
proselyte, proselytes of the gate, limited
proselyte, half-proselyte)
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 so-called 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. Besides these laws, however,
they were also required to abstain from work on the
Sabbath, and to refrain from the use of
leavened bread during the time of the
Passover.
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 Jerusalem, see also
Circumcision in the Bible.
History of the proselyte in Israel
Proselytes have had a place in Judaism from early times. The
Law of Moses made specific regulations
regarding the admission into Israel's
kehilla of such as were not born Israelites.
The
Kenites, the Gibeonites
, the Cherethites, and the
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 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),
Annas and
Caiaphas 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 [161024]
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
Torah 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.
- partake in Yom Kippur ( )
- not possess Chametz 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 (Idolatry) ( )
- not worship Molech ( ) nor practice any
of the abominations of the Egyptians
& Canaanites (depravity) ( , see also
Leviticus 18)
- 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 refuge
( )
- 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
Offering 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 Aaron 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 kehillat of Israel with regards to them. ( )
- have the right to a just hearing of cases before the Shoftim ( ; ; )
- 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 Sabbath ( ; ; )
- 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
Din) feast of Israel's tithe in the end of every third year ( ;
)
- have the right to replace the unfaithful ( )
References
- ; ;
- Strong's G4339
- Strong's H1616
- , , , , , ,
- , ; , , , , ; ; ,
- , , , , , ; Josephus Ant. 14.7.2
- ; ; )
- ; ; ; ; ; , etc.
- ;
- ; ; ; ;
- ; ; ; ;
- ; ; ;
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