Wednesday, April 21, 2021

No Difference Between Jew and Greek

 

No Difference Between Jew and Greek


When scripture speaks of "no difference between Gentile and Jew", it gives specific references as to what differences are in mind.

Romans 3:22-23

In Rom_3:22-23, the specific difference being addressed would be whether "righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ" and whether "all of sinned and fall short of the Glory of God". Specifically, with regards to righteousness through Christ and the sin nature of both Gentiles and Jews, there is no difference. This passage is not claiming that Gentiles become Israel and so there is no difference between them with regards to their ethnic identity.

Rom_3:22-23 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 10:12

The same is true in Rom_10:12. Specifically, "the same Lord is Lord of All and richly blesses all who call on Him" is in view here. There is no difference in the Lord of the Gentiles versus the Lord of Israel, it is the same Lord, and in that respect, there is no difference between Gentiles and Jews. Again, this is not a passage speaking about ethnic identity.

Rom_10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

Colossians 3:11

In Col_3:11, the commonality is with respect to our relationship to Christ. To both Gentiles and Jews, "Christ is all, and in all", and there is no difference in His relationship to with them. Again, this is not a passage with respect to the ethnic identity of Jews and Gentiles.

Col_3:11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

1Corinthians 12:13

In 1Co_12:13, the commonality in view here is the one Spirit. Whether Jews or Gentiles, "we are all baptized by the one Spirit".

1Co_12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body--whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Galatians 3:28

In Gal_3:28, the commonality in view is whether we are "one in Christ". Gentiles and Jews together are one in Christ.

Gal_3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

These passages speaking about the difference between Jew and Gentile are not speaking about commonality of identity, but of experience. There is no difference in the experience that Jew and Gentile have with Jesus, the experience is the same, however, we experience Jesus as Jews and as Gentiles.



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