The Bible divides the world into two primary groups: the Jews, who are the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, and the Gentiles, which refers to all other nations. The distinction between Jews and Gentiles is not just a matter of ethnicity but also of spiritual identity, law, and covenant. Throughout the Bible, this division is evident, yet God’s plan for both groups unfolds from the very beginning.
The term “Jew” comes from Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, but it later became a general term for all the people of Israel. Jews were chosen by God for a special purpose, given the Law, and entrusted with His commandments. The Gentiles, on the other hand, were often seen as outsiders, separated from God’s covenant, and viewed as people who followed foreign gods. This separation, however, was never meant to be permanent. The Bible shows how God’s plan for salvation was always intended to reach both Jews and Gentiles, revealing His mercy and justice through history.
Understanding the historical background of this distinction is key to grasping why Jews and Gentiles played different roles in biblical history and how their relationship evolved over time. From the calling of Abraham to the establishment of Israel, and through the giving of the Law, the position of the Jews as God’s chosen people was firmly established. At the same time, the role of the Gentiles in God’s plan is evident even in the earliest Scriptures, showing that God never intended to exclude them forever.
To understand the place of Jews and Gentiles in the Bible, we must begin with Abraham, the man whom God called to be the father of a great nation. In Genesis Chapter 12 Verse 1-3, the Lord spoke to Abraham, then called Abram, and said:
“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
This passage marks a defining moment in biblical history. God chose Abraham and his descendants to become a distinct people, set apart from all other nations. However, it is crucial to notice that God’s promise did not stop with Abraham’s family alone. The Lord declared that “all families of the earth” would be blessed through him. This statement foreshadows God’s ultimate plan to bring salvation to both Jews and Gentiles.
Abraham obeyed God’s call, leaving his homeland and journeying to Canaan. In time, God confirmed His covenant with Abraham again in Genesis Chapter 15, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars. This covenant was later sealed through circumcision, a physical sign of God’s promise, in Genesis Chapter 17 Verse 10-11, where God said:
“This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.”
This marked the beginning of a nation set apart for God’s purposes. From Abraham came Isaac, and from Isaac came Jacob, who was later renamed Israel. His twelve sons became the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel, forming the Jewish people. The nation of Israel grew in Egypt, and after years of slavery, God delivered them through Moses, leading them to Mount Sinai, where they received the Law.
After their deliverance from Egypt, God established a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai. This covenant, given through Moses, became the foundation of Jewish identity. In Exodus Chapter 19 Verse 5-6, God told the people of Israel:
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”
This passage explains why Israel was set apart from the other nations. God chose Israel to be a holy nation, meant to reflect His righteousness to the world. The Law, which included commandments, sacrifices, and rituals, reinforced this separation. The Dietary Laws, Sabbath observance, and purity laws created a visible difference between Jews and Gentiles.
One of the key verses showing this separation is found in Leviticus Chapter 20 Verse 26, where God said:
“And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.”
The Jewish people were commanded to live differently from the Gentile nations. This was not because God hated the Gentiles, but because Israel was meant to be an example of holiness. The surrounding nations worshiped false gods, practiced idolatry, and engaged in immoral customs, and God wanted Israel to remain pure.
At the same time, the Law also provided a way for Gentiles to join Israel if they followed God’s commandments. One of the most famous Gentile converts in the Old Testament was Ruth, a Moabite woman who chose to follow the God of Israel. In Ruth Chapter 1 Verse 16, she declared:
“And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David, proving that even in the Old Testament, Gentiles had a place in God’s plan. Another example is Rahab, the Canaanite woman from Jericho, who helped Israel’s spies and was later saved from destruction.
Although the Law separated Jews and Gentiles, there were moments in the Old Testament when Gentiles turned to God. One of the greatest examples is found in the Book of Jonah, where God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh, a powerful Gentile city. When Jonah finally obeyed and preached to them, the people repented. In Jonah Chapter 3 Verse 5, it says:
“So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”
This moment reveals that God’s mercy extended beyond Israel. Even though Israel was His chosen people, He still cared for the Gentiles and called them to repentance.
Throughout the Old Testament, God gave hints that His plan was not just for Israel, but for all nations. The prophets spoke of a future where both Jews and Gentiles would worship together. Though at this stage, the distinction between them remained strong, these early glimpses set the stage for what would later be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Jesus and the Gentiles: The Beginning of a New Era
Jesus Christ entered a world where the distinction between Jews and Gentiles had been deeply ingrained for centuries. The Jewish people, shaped by the Law of Moses, saw themselves as God’s chosen nation, and many believed that salvation and the promises of God belonged to them alone. The Gentiles, on the other hand, were often seen as outsiders, unclean, and outside of God’s covenant. Yet, from the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus Christ demonstrated that His mission was not only for the Jews but would extend to the Gentiles as well.
Before Jesus began His public ministry, John the Baptist, His forerunner, prepared the way. John’s message emphasized repentance for both Jews and Gentiles, declaring in Matthew Chapter 3 Verse 9:
“And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
This was a radical statement, warning the Jews that being a descendant of Abraham was not enough—what mattered was a repentant heart before God. This statement opened the door to the idea that Gentiles could also become part of God’s family.
When Jesus began preaching, He first focused on the Jews. In Matthew Chapter 10 Verse 5-6, when He sent out His twelve disciples, He gave them specific instructions:
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
This command might seem to confirm that Jesus’ mission was only for the Jews. However, this was not the full picture. His ministry began with the Jews because they were the people through whom God’s promises had been given, but Jesus never rejected the Gentiles. Instead, He engaged with them in ways that shocked many of His followers.
Although Jesus was born into a Jewish family and primarily ministered among Jews, several key moments in His ministry revealed God’s plan for the Gentiles. These encounters showed that faith in Jesus was not limited to the Jews, but was open to all who would believe.
One of the most striking examples is found in Matthew Chapter 8 Verse 5-13, when a Roman centurion came to Jesus seeking healing for his servant. The centurion, a Gentile officer of the Roman army, humbly approached Jesus and said:
“Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.”
Jesus immediately offered to go and heal the servant, but the centurion demonstrated great faith, saying:
“Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”
Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith and responded in Matthew Chapter 8 Verse 10:
“Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
Then He declared something revolutionary in Matthew Chapter 8 Verse 11:
“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.”
With these words, Jesus revealed that Gentiles would be welcomed into God’s kingdom, sitting alongside the great Jewish patriarchs. This was a direct challenge to the belief that only Jews were God’s people.
Another significant encounter happened in John Chapter 4 Verse 7-26, when Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well. The Samaritans were considered half-Gentiles, despised by the Jews for their mixed heritage and differing religious beliefs. Yet, Jesus broke cultural and religious barriers by speaking to her and offering her living water, saying in John Chapter 4 Verse 14:
“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
This moment was shocking, as Jewish men did not usually speak with Samaritan women, let alone discuss spiritual matters. Through this conversation, Jesus revealed that true worship was not about being a Jew or a Gentile, but about worshiping God in spirit and truth.
Another powerful example is found in Matthew Chapter 15 Verse 22-28, when a Canaanite woman sought Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. At first, Jesus tested her faith by saying:
“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
However, the woman persisted, saying:
“Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Seeing her great faith, Jesus responded:
“O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.”
Her daughter was healed instantly. This encounter again proved that faith in Jesus was not limited to Jews, but could be found among Gentiles as well.
As Jesus’ ministry came to an end, He made a final and powerful declaration that forever changed the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. After His resurrection, He appeared to His disciples and gave them what is now known as The Great Commission. In Matthew Chapter 28 Verse 19-20, He commanded them:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
This was the turning point. No longer was the message of salvation only for the Jews—Jesus commanded His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.
The fulfillment of this command began on the Day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts Chapter 2 Verse 1-11. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus’ followers, and they began to speak in different languages. The people who heard them included Jews and Gentiles from many nations, and this event symbolized that God’s message was for all people, not just Israel.
Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, later realized this truth in a dramatic way. In Acts Chapter 10, he received a vision from God, where he saw a sheet filled with animals considered unclean by Jewish law. A voice told him:
“What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”
This vision prepared Peter to bring the gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion and the first recorded Gentile convert. When Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit, Peter declared in Acts Chapter 10 Verse 34-35:
“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
With this, the door was fully opened for Gentiles to enter into God’s covenant through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Early Church and Gentile Inclusion: A New Covenant for All
After Jesus ascended into heaven, the early church, led by the apostles, began to grow rapidly. However, a major question arose among Jewish believers: Were Gentiles allowed to receive salvation without following the Law of Moses? This question became the center of one of the most important debates in church history. The Jewish people had lived under the covenant of the Law for centuries, and many believed that in order for Gentiles to be accepted by God, they had to first become Jews by following Jewish laws and customs.
However, something remarkable happened that completely changed this understanding—an event that involved one of Jesus’ closest disciples, Peter, and a Roman centurion named Cornelius. This event, along with the work of Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, shaped the future of Christianity and opened the way for all nations to enter into God’s family.
One of the greatest turning points in biblical history took place in Acts Chapter 10, when God gave a divine revelation to the apostle Peter. At this time, Peter was still operating under the belief that salvation was for Jews only, and he would have avoided any close interaction with Gentiles.
Meanwhile, in the city of Caesarea, there was a Roman centurion named Cornelius. He was a Gentile, but he was also a devout man who feared God. In Acts Chapter 10 Verse 2, the Bible describes him as:
“A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.”
Cornelius had a vision where an angel of God appeared to him and said:
“Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” (Acts Chapter 10 Verse 4)
The angel told Cornelius to send men to Joppa to bring Peter to him. Meanwhile, as Cornelius’ men were on their way, Peter also received a vision. In Acts Chapter 10 Verse 11-13, Peter saw a sheet descending from heaven, filled with all kinds of animals that the Jewish law considered unclean. A voice told him:
“Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.”
Peter, being a faithful Jew, refused, saying:
“Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” (Acts Chapter 10 Verse 14)
Then the voice from heaven responded:
“What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” (Acts Chapter 10 Verse 15)
This happened three times, and Peter was left wondering what the vision meant. Immediately after the vision ended, the men from Cornelius arrived at his house. The Holy Spirit told Peter to go with them without hesitation.
When Peter arrived at Cornelius’ house, he made a shocking statement in Acts Chapter 10 Verse 28:
“Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”
Peter now fully understood his vision—it was not just about food, but about God accepting the Gentiles. As Peter preached about Jesus, something miraculous happened. In Acts Chapter 10 Verse 44, it says:
“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”
The Jewish believers who came with Peter were astonished that the Holy Spirit had been given to Gentiles just as He had been given to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost. Peter then declared:
“Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” (Acts Chapter 10 Verse 47)
Cornelius and his household were then baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, marking the first recorded instance of Gentiles being fully accepted into the church without following Jewish customs.
This event was so important that Peter later defended it before the Jewish believers in Jerusalem, saying in Acts Chapter 11 Verse 17:
“Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?”
With this, it became clear that salvation was for both Jews and Gentiles through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Despite Peter’s experience with Cornelius, the issue of Gentile inclusion continued to be a major debate in the early church. Many Jewish believers, especially those who were Pharisees, insisted that Gentiles needed to be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses in order to be saved. This issue led to a historic meeting in Jerusalem, known as the Jerusalem Council, recorded in Acts Chapter 15.
Paul and Barnabas, who had been preaching to the Gentiles, came to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles and elders. Some believers argued in Acts Chapter 15 Verse 5:
“That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
However, Peter stood up and testified about his experience with Cornelius, saying in Acts Chapter 15 Verse 9:
“And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
Then Peter made a powerful declaration in Acts Chapter 15 Verse 11:
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”
After much discussion, James, the brother of Jesus, gave the final decision, saying in Acts Chapter 15 Verse 19-20:
“Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”
The apostles then sent letters to the Gentile believers, confirming that they did not need to follow the Law of Moses to be saved. Instead, salvation came by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
As the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul was the strongest advocate for the unity of Jews and Gentiles in Christ. In his letters, he explained that in Jesus, there was no longer a division between the two groups.
In Ephesians Chapter 2 Verse 14, Paul wrote:
“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.”
He explained that Jews and Gentiles were now part of the same family, saying in Ephesians Chapter 2 Verse 19:
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”
One of Paul’s most famous illustrations is the olive tree analogy in Romans Chapter 11. He described Israel as an olive tree, and the Gentiles as wild branches grafted in. In Romans Chapter 11 Verse 17, he wrote:
“And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree.”
This means that Gentiles were now part of God’s covenant, but they were not to boast over the Jews, because God had brought them in by grace.
Through Paul’s teachings, it became clear that God’s plan was always to unite Jews and Gentiles as one people through Jesus Christ. The church was no longer just for Israel, but for all who believed, regardless of their background.
The Future of Jews and Gentiles in God’s Plan
As the early church spread across the Roman Empire and both Jews and Gentiles embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ, the apostles continued to teach not only about the present reality of salvation but also about the future role of Jews and Gentiles in God’s eternal plan. The Bible reveals that God has not forgotten His promises to Israel, and that both Jews and Gentiles are part of His final purpose, which will unfold in the last days and into eternity.
One of the most in-depth teachings about this is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans, specifically Romans Chapter 11. Paul, a Jew himself and an apostle to the Gentiles, expressed great sorrow that many of his fellow Jews had rejected the gospel. In Romans Chapter 11 Verse 1, he asked a powerful question:
“I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.”
Here, Paul made it clear that God had not abandoned the Jewish people. He reminded the church that he himself was Jewish, and that a faithful remnant of Israel had always existed, even in times of great rebellion. Just as in the days of Elijah, when God preserved seven thousand men who had not bowed to Baal, God still had a remnant among the Jews who believed in Jesus.
Paul then turned to explain something mysterious and profound—the hardening of Israel was part of God’s plan to bring salvation to the Gentiles. In Romans Chapter 11 Verse 11, Paul wrote:
“I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”
This means that the Jewish rejection of the gospel opened the door for Gentiles to be saved. But this was not the end of the story. Paul declared that Israel’s future acceptance of the gospel would lead to even greater blessings. In Romans Chapter 11 Verse 12, he said:
“Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?”
Paul continued this thought by explaining that the Gentiles were like wild olive branches grafted into the natural tree of Israel. In Romans Chapter 11 Verse 24, he wrote:
“For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?”
Then, in a key passage, Paul revealed a mystery—that the partial hardening of Israel would not last forever. In Romans Chapter 11 Verse 25, he wrote:
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”
This phrase, “the fulness of the Gentiles,” refers to a time when the gospel has reached the nations and a great harvest of Gentiles has come into the kingdom of God. Once that happens, Paul said in Romans Chapter 11 Verse 26:
“And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”
This points to a future moment when a great number of Jewish people will turn to Jesus Christ and recognize Him as their Messiah. It does not mean that every individual Jew will be saved, but that the nation as a whole will experience a spiritual revival and return to God through Christ.
The prophetic vision of both Jews and Gentiles united in worship is not only found in the writings of Paul, but also in the final book of the Bible—the Book of Revelation. In Revelation Chapter 7 Verse 9-10, the apostle John was shown a heavenly vision:
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”
This scene in heaven includes people from every nation, which means both Jews and Gentiles—all redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, standing together in worship. This is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis Chapter 12 Verse 3, that “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
John’s vision shows that in the new heaven and new earth, there is no separation between Jew and Gentile. They are one people under one Savior, glorifying God for His mercy and justice. The divisions that existed in the past are no longer present in eternity. In Revelation Chapter 21, when John describes the New Jerusalem, he mentions the names of the twelve tribes of Israel on the gates and the names of the twelve apostles on the foundation stones. This symbolizes the complete unity of God’s people, built upon both the Old and New Covenants.
