God-fearing Gentiles

There is a very important reason why Paul preached to the Jew first and also to the Greek. There were some people out there, in all those Jewish synagogues Paul went in to, whom God foreknew. Paul calls them a remnant:

Romans 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Now when he says “this present time,” he is referring to the “present time” of the writing of the book of Romans. Paul was in Corinth at the time of Acts chapter 20 (Acts 20:3) when he wrote the Roman letter. And at that time, he said, there was a remnant according to the election of grace. Although the nation of Israel had rejected their promised Messiah and their promised Kingdom of Heaven on earth, there were still some people out there who God knew would hear Paul’s message and believe.

In all those Jewish synagogues Paul went in to, he found Jews and he also found Gentiles who had associated themselves with Israel. They had “blessed the seed of Abraham,” and according to God’s promise to Abraham (beginning in Genesis 12:3) God blessed them. They were blessed with hearing Paul’s gospel. Many heared, believed, and were saved.

The Gentiles Paul preached to at that time are identified in your bible as Greeks. Here is a simple rule to remember as you study your bible: All Greeks are Gentiles, but not all Gentiles are Greeks. During a period of time, Paul preached to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Here are some examples of Paul in the synagogues of the Jews:

Acts 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Acts 13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

Acts 13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

Acts 14:1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

Acts 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

So all the way through the book of Acts, Paul goes in to the synagogues of the Jews and in there he finds Jews and God-fearing Gentiles who are called Greeks. He preaches to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The next time you read about Paul doing Jewish things during this time, things like keeping vows, keeping Jewish feasts, circumcizing Timothy, water baptizing a few people, and other Jewish things, just keep in mind that at that time the gospel was preached to the Jew first and also to the Greek. It was because of the remnant whom God foreknew.

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