Dictionary of Bible Themes: 7505 Jews, the

7505 Jews, the

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 7000 God's people » 7500 Jews and Gentiles » 7505 Jews, the

A post-exilic designation for descendants of the people from the kingdom of Judah and also for adherents to their religion from other nations. The term is used extensively in the NT where it has a variety of nuances.

Early use of the term “Jews”

Pre-exilic and exilic use

Jeremiah 40:11-12 See also Jeremiah 32:12; Jeremiah 34:8-9; Jeremiah 38:19; Jeremiah 40:15; Jeremiah 41:3; Jeremiah 43:8-9; Jeremiah 44:1,26-27; Jeremiah 52:28-30; Daniel 3:8-12

Used of the citizens of the province of Judah

Ezra 5:1 See also Ezra 4:23; Ezra 5:5; Ezra 6:7-8,14; Nehemiah 2:16; Nehemiah 4:1-2,12; Nehemiah 5:6-8,17; Nehemiah 6:5-7; Zechariah 8:23

Used of the descendants of the exiles from the southern kingdom

Esther 2:5 See also Ezra 4:11-12; Ezra 7:12-20; Esther 3:1-6,13; Esther 4:3,12-14; Esther 6:12-13; Esther 8:5-13; Esther 9:1-3,30-31; Esther 10:3

NT use of the term “Jews”

Jewish people in general

Mark 7:3 See also Matthew 28:15; Luke 7:3; John 2:6; John 4:9,19-22; John 8:31-32; John 11:18-19,31-33,45; John 12:9-11; John 18:20

Those Jewish leaders who were hostile to Jesus Christ

John 19:31 See also John 2:18-20; John 5:1-18; John 6:35-42; John 7:1,11-15; John 8:48-59; John 9:1-34; John 10:22-33; John 18:12-14,28-31; John 19:38; John 20:19

Jesus Christ as “king of the Jews”

Matthew 27:37 pp Mark 15:26 pp Luke 23:38 pp John 19:19-21 See also Matthew 2:1-2; Matthew 27:11 pp Mark 15:2 pp John 18:33; Matthew 27:27-31 pp Mark 15:16-20; John 19:1-6; Mark 15:6-14 pp John 18:38-40

The gospel first preached to the Jews

Acts 11:19; Romans 10:16-21 See also Acts 2:1-41; Acts 10:23-48; Acts 13:14-43; Romans 1:16; Romans 15:8-9; Galatians 2:7-9

Opposition of certain Jews to the gospel

Acts 20:19 See also Acts 6:8-14; Acts 9:23-25,28-30; Acts 12:1-3; Acts 13:44-45,49-50; Acts 14:1-6,19; Acts 17:4-9,13; Acts 18:1-6,12-17; Acts 20:3; 2 Corinthians 11:23-25; Acts 21:27-36; Acts 23:12-15; Acts 24:1-9; Acts 25:1-7; Acts 26:19-21

Believers described as Jews and Gentiles

Acts 6:1 See also Acts 21:20-21,39; Acts 22:1-3; Romans 9:23-24; 1 Corinthians 1:22-24; Corinthians 12:13

Jews and Gentiles equal in Christ

Romans 11:25-32; Galatians 3:26-29 See also Romans 3:27-30; Romans 10:12-13; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 3:11

Jews and Gentiles equally in need of salvation

Romans 3:1-20