Who Are The Gentiles

We believe and teach that our people, the Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Germanic, Scandinavian and kindred peoples of the world are the literal, physical descendants of Israel, and that we are therefore God’s chosen people, His servant nation, the sheep of His pasture. The biblical record, as well as the record of world history, archeology, philology, national customs, etcetera, all bear witness to this fact. All of the promises that God made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David have been fulfilled in our people. It is a wonderful truth, and marvellous to consider.

Inevitably, this teaching will lead some to ask the question “If we are the Israelites, who, then, are the Gentiles?” It is a good question, and I think you will be surprised at the answer.

The modern use of the word Gentile has come to mean non-Jew or non-Israelite, but as you will see, this is not always the case. The English word Gentile is derived from the Latin word gentilis, and generally means a non-something. It is defined in modern dictionaries as non-Jew, pagan, heathen, non-Christian, or even non-Mormon. The first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1771) gives the following definition of Gentile: “In matters of religion, a pagan, or worshipper of false gods.” It goes on to give an alternate meaning:

“In the Roman law and history, a name which sometimes expresses what the Romans otherwise called barbarians, whether they were allies of Rome or not: but this word was used in a more particular sense for all strangers and foreigners not subject to the Roman empire.”

According to the World Book Encyclopedia (1959 edition), Mormons and Muslims refer to all those outside their faiths as Gentiles, including Jews. So you see, who the Gentiles are depends on who you ask. It generally means someone who is not like you; a stranger. But what does the Bible say?

Biblically speaking, there are three words in the original Hebrew and Greek scriptures that are translated Gentiles in the English Bible. Those three words are the Hebrew word goi, and the Greek words ethnos and Hellen. However, none of these words are translated Gentile exclusively.

GOI

The Hebrew word goi is a collective noun meaning nation, or sometimes a collective body of people; but it has been translated into English many different ways. The word occurs 557 times in the Old Testament. The Authorized Version of the Bible translates it nation 374 times; heathen 143 times; people 11 times; and it is only translated Gentile 30 times. The American Standard Version cuts the occurrence of Gentile from 30 to 9 times, and then shows in the footnotes of 5 of those 9 times that the word nations should have been used.

ETHNOS

The Greek word ethnos occurs 164 times in the New Testament. In the Authorized Version it is translated nation or nations 64 times; Gentiles 93 times; heathen 5 times; and people twice. In the American Standard Version it is translated Gentiles 96 times in the text and 7 times in the footnotes, making 103 occurrences altogether. But in the footnotes, it is corrected 15 times to read nations, making the final count 88.

HELLEN

The Greek word Hellen occurs 27 times in the New Testament. It is translated Greeks 20 times, and Gentiles 7 times. It is generally understood by all Bible scholars that the true meaning of the word Hellen is Greeks.

These three words which I have just mentioned ( goi, ethnos and Hellen ) are used three ways in the Bible…

ISRAEL ANDJUDAH

The first way in which these words are used is in reference to Israel or Judah or both. For example, in Genesis 12:2, God says to Abraham: “I will make of thee a great nation.” In this passage, goi is translated nation rather than Gentile. (Imagine substituting nation here with Gentile! ) See also Genesis 17:4,5; 35:11; 48:19; Isaiah 1:4; 10:6; Jeremiah 31:36; Luke 7:5; John 11:48,50; Acts 24:2, 17; etc. These passages all refer to God’s Israel people, but the original words used are the same words which the translators translate as Gentiles in other places.

NON-ISRAEL

The second way in which these words are used is in reference to non-Israelite people. For example, in Genesis 21:13,18, God says of Ishmael: “And also the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation… I will make him a great nation.” The Ishmaelites are definitely not Israelites, nor are they Judahites. See also Genesis 14:9; Exodus 9:24; 34:24; Isaiah 37:12; Matthew 10:5; 24:7; Luke 21:24; Acts 7:7. These passages all refer to people who are not Israelites. In these passages, sometimes the above words are translated Gentiles, but mostly they are translated nation or nations.

ALL

The third way in which these words are used is in reference to people in general, including Israel and Judah. For example, in Genesis 22:18, God says to Abraham: “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” See also I Chronicles 16:23,24; Psalm 9:19,20; Matthew 24:9,14; 28:19. These passages all refer to the entire world, the nations.

In the New Testament, you will sometimes see the words Jew and Gentile used in the same sentence. These verses contrast those who lived in Judea with those who lived in Galilee, Samaria, and beyond. See John 7:35; Romans 2:9-10, 3:29; 1 Corinthians 12:13 as a few examples. In these sentences, both the Jews and the Gentiles referred to are Israelites — those who were local (Jews / Judeans), and those who were in other regions (Greeks / Gentiles). There were a great many Israelites at the time of Christ who no longer lived in the Holy Land but were scattered all across Europe. These Gentiles would have been Israelites, but not Judeans.

So, you see, while the words Jew and Gentile have come to have a religious connotation today, scripturally speaking, these words actually had more to do with where people lived — even to which House of Israel they belonged (northern or southern) — rather than with their religion. In that sense, both Jew (Judean) and Gentile are more similar in usage to Texan than to Christian.

I hope this little study has been a help. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15