Gentile convert in Acts

Christian Alexander

Is the Ethiopian eunuch the first Gentile convert in Acts? The New Revised Standard Version translation says that gentile Christians must "abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood." That sounds like a rather odd law. 

DMB

Christian Alexander said:

Is the Ethiopian eunuch the first Gentile convert in Acts?

What does the text say?  

Hint: it doesn't.

But you can guess; no charge.  Word Commentary does, even ascribing intent (pretty smart): "Luke purposely leaves the religious status of the eunuch vague. Apparently he did not venture to describe him as a proselyte because of what he found in his sources; he could not let him appear as a Gentile, because the Gentile mission really begins in chapter 10."

John

Christian Alexander said:

Is the Ethiopian eunuch the first Gentile convert in Acts? The New Revised Standard Version translation says that gentile Christians must "abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood." That sounds like a rather odd law. 

It says ... "He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Acts 8:27-28

So he clearly was either a Proselyte or a "God fearer" such as was Cornelius in Acts 10.

He may have preceded Cornelius in hearing and believing. But the text does not detail that he received the Spirit in the way the Gentiles did in Acts 10.

Even so, he was not the first. Jesus himself had preached to those who were considered gentiles in Samaria, and the Gadarene demoniac, to name just two.

MJ. Smith

Christian Alexander said:

That sounds like a rather odd law. 

There is nothing unusual about the NRSV translation here ... check the comparison of many of my logos translations below. To see the sense of it, things of the mitzvoth that it is requiring Gentile to observe in comparison to requiring them to observe them all.

xnman

Christian Alexander said:

Is the Ethiopian eunuch the first Gentile convert in Acts? The New Revised Standard Version translation says that gentile Christians must "abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood." That sounds like a rather odd law. 

Some thoughts about what you posted.

1. The eunuch (Acts 8:26ff) could have been born a Jew in Ethiopia thus the bible calling him a "man from Ethiopia" - Acts 8:26, Or he could have been a proselyte (gathered from the fact that he had went to Jerusalem). To be sure, we are not told what the man was, but there is a caveat in this with Philip. Notice that Philip, being a Jew, had no problems going to see the eunuch. I find that interesting. Normally a Jew would not approach a Gentile. It was taboo. But the point is, God did not tell us what the eunuch was. Men may speculate, but bottom line, God didn't tell us.

2. In Acts 10, we have the conversion of Cornelius, a Gentile, no doubt. The reason many people point to Cornelius as being the first Gentile convert is because the background of the eunuch (Acts 8) is not known (as shown in no. 1).  But no doubt Cornelius was a Gentile. The whole deal with Cornelius was to prove to Peter that God had kept His promise to Abraham and that all Nations would be accepted into the kingdom.

3. The quote you mentioned ("abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood.") comes from Acts 15:29.  Notice Acts 15:23-29. The apostles and elders of Jerusalem wrote a letter and denied they were keeping the old law of circumcision but instead told the Gentile Christians, in fact all Christians to ""abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood."

Having said all that... I suggest you give time to studying Acts 8, Acts 10 and Acts 15 in particular. Also in your studies of this, compare the chapters in various versions.  Sometimes the Amplified version adds some things that help in understanding.

Also, check out the Preacher's Outline & Study Bible.