Dictionary of Bible Themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes » 7000 God's people » 7500 Jews and Gentiles » 7525 exclusiveness
The keeping of a distinctive group identity by drawing clear boundary lines, to separate those within the group from outsiders with whom they are unwilling to associate.
The practice of exclusiveness by God's people, grounded in God's claim to exclusive worship
Exodus 20:3 ppDeuteronomy 5:7See alsoExodus 34:14;Deuteronomy 6:14-15;2 Kings 17:35-39;Isaiah 42:8
Exclusiveness in Israel, a practical expression of being a people set apart
An expression of being set apart for God
Leviticus 20:26See alsoLeviticus 15:31;Leviticus 20:23-24;Deuteronomy 7:1-6
An expression of being set apart from others
Numbers 23:9See alsoJoshua 23:7;Ezra 6:21;Nehemiah 13:1-3;Ezekiel 44:9
The practice of exclusiveness
Expressed in the avoidance of marrying outsiders
Nehemiah 10:30See alsoDeuteronomy 7:3-4;Ezra 9:1-4;Ezra 10:9-17;Nehemiah 13:23-27
Expressed in a refusal to eat with outsiders
Matthew 9:10-11 ppMark 2:15-16 ppLuke 5:29-30See alsoLuke 15:1-2;Galatians 2:12
The marks of Jewish exclusiveness
Circumcision
Genesis 17:9-14See alsoExodus 12:48;Leviticus 12:3;Acts 7:8
Festival observance
Exodus 12:14-16See alsoExodus 12:17-20;Leviticus 23:26-29;Numbers 9:13
Observance of food laws
Leviticus 3:17See alsoLeviticus 7:22-27;Leviticus 11:1-47;Leviticus 17:10-14;Acts 15:29While food restrictions were not a requirement of the gospel, Gentile believers are here asked to respect the scruples of Jewish Christians in those areas that were traditionally important to them.
Sexual relations restricted
Leviticus 18:6See alsoLeviticus 18:7-30;Leviticus 20:10-21;Deuteronomy 27:20-23
Effects of Jewish exclusiveness
Division between Jews and Samaritans
John 4:9See alsoEzra 4:1-3;Matthew 10:5-6Jesus Christ was here dealing with his priority for that time;Luke 9:51-53
Division between Jews and Gentiles
Acts 10:28See alsoMatthew 10:5;Matthew 15:21-28 ppMark 7:24-30Jesus Christ restricted his earthly ministry in general to the people of Israel, but instigated a mission to the Gentiles after his resurrection;John 18:28
The problem of Jewish exclusiveness among the first Christians
The negative evaluation of Gentiles
Acts 11:1-18See alsoGalatians 2:11-13,15
The requirement that Gentile believers be circumcised
Acts 15:1See alsoActs 15:5;Galatians 5:2-6;Galatians 6:12;Titus 1:10
Jewish exclusiveness overturned
By God giving his Spirit to the uncircumcised Gentiles
Acts 15:8See alsoActs 10:44-11:18;1 Corinthians 12:13;Galatians 3:2-5
By the argument of justification by faith
Galatians 2:15-16See alsoActs 15:9-11;Romans 3:28-30;Romans 4:9-12
See also
1185 God, zeal of
1235 God, the LORD
1345 covenant
5424 nationalism
5711 marriage, restrictions
7334 circumcision
7510 Gentiles
7530 foreigners
7545 outsiders
7560 Samaritans, the
8269 holiness, separation from worldly
8341 separation
