Paul W. Manuel: To whom does the Law apply?

Legal Limits: Recognizing the Recipients of Biblical Regulations

(April 27, 2007 Addendum added March 2, 2010)

This document, including the Hebrew, can be found as a pdf here.

When God gave the law at Sinai, He was not issuing a universal mean but establishing a code for His people Israel,¹ His chosen representatives among the nations.² Consequently, many of the specific regulations include wording that reflects a limited scope, focusing their application on relationships within the covenantal community.³

Lev 19:11c Do not deceive one another .... 13a Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him.... 15c ...judge your neighbor fairly. 16a-b Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life.... 17 Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt. 18a-b Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people but love your neighbor as yourself.

Lev 25:14 If you sell land to one of your countrymen or buy any from him, do not take advantage of each other. 15a You are to buy from your countryman on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee... .17a Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God.... 25 If one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells some of his property, his nearest relative is to come and redeem what his countryman has sold.... 36 Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you.... 39 If one of your countrymen becomes poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him work as a slave.... 46b .. .you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

That commands specified in this manner do not apply broadly, outside God's people,⁴ is clear in the way other people are mentioned separately.⁵

Lev 25:35 If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident so he can continue to live among you.... 47 If an alien or a temporary resident among You becomes rich and one of your countrymen becomes poor and sells himself to the alien living among you or to a member of the alien's clan,

Deut 1:16b Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien.

Deut 14:21a-c Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to an alien living in any of your towns, and he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner But you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

Deut 15:2b-c Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother....3 You may require payment from a foreigner but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you.

Deut 17:15b [The king] must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite .... 20 [He must] not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

Deut 23:19a Do not charge your brother interest.... 20a You may charge a foreigner interest, but not a brother Israelite....

Deut 24:14 Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns.

In this way, God indicates that His people have a responsibility toward each other greater than their responsibility toward those who are not His people.⁶

In the NT, Jesus indicates that the circle of those whom Israel should regard as brothers (neighbors) includes Samaritans,⁷ descendants of the Northern Kingdom who had become estranged from their southern relatives.⁸

When a scribe asks Jesus to define the semantic range of "neighbor" in Lev 19:18, Jesus answers with a parable in which the protagonist is a Samaritan who regarded the term as including him.⁹ Jesus then instructs the scribe to use the same definition.¹⁰
When visiting Samaria, Jesus discloses his messianic identity to a Samaritan woman, something he avoided revealing at other times,¹¹ and he encourages the disciples to recognize the opportunities for ministry there, because "the fields... .are ripe for harvest" (John 4:35).¹²
When Jesus heals ten lepers, nine Jews and one Samaritan, and only the Samaritan returns, praising God and expressing his gratitude, Jesus plays on popular bigotry ("this foreigner" Luke 17:18) to chasten this common attitude.¹³

Jesus advises no such brotherly regard for (pagan) gentiles.¹⁴

The apostle Paul directs his admonitions for the churches similarly, discriminating believers from nonbelievers. Making frequent use of reciprocal commands, he instructs his readers about how they should behave toward "one another," those in the "body," whom he distinguishes from "everyone else."¹⁵

Eph 4:2b . . . bear... with one another in love.... 25 . . . each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.... 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

1 Thess 5:11a . . .encourage one another and build each other up.... 13b Live in peace with each other.... 15b ... be kind to each other and to everyone else.

This instruction, although more broadly applicable than the Sinaitic code because it pertains to Jews and gentiles (whether inside or outside the land), is still not a universal mean but governs relationships within the ecclesiastical community.¹⁶

While the Lord is concerned for all people,¹⁷ He exhibits a particular care for His people (Jews and gentiles), for those who recognize Him as their God, and His instructions to them are similar. Whereas they should not be indifferent to the needs of those outside the believing community, they must demonstrate their chief concern and care for those inside the community.

Addendum

Just as God gave some commands that He intended only for Israel and not for all nations, so Jesus gave some commands that he intended only for the apostles and not for all disciples. As with the former, context is the primary determinant for identifying the latter.

Some think Jesus prohibited the use of titles for all believers, according to...

Matt 23:8 "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.

Jesus has just finished criticizing religious leaders for their pride, exemplified, in part, by their fondness for titles.

Matt 23:5 "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'"

It is likely, however, that Jesus intends this instruction just for the twelve, anticipating that pride might tempt them as his original disciples. Paul does not regard this instruction more broadly, as he identifies himself and others as teachers.¹⁸

1 Cor 12:28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles.... 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

2 Tim 1:11 . . .1 was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.

Paul also recognizes his rabbi-student/father-son role.¹⁹

1 Cor 4:15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.... 17a For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love....

1 Tim 1:2a To Timothy my true son in the faith.... 18a Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction...

Some think Jesus commanded foot-washing (as part of the communion observance) for all believers, according to...

John 13:14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

While Luke²⁰ and Paul attest the importance of the elements (bread and wine), they make no mention of foot-washing, a conspicuous omission if Jesus intended the practice for all believers.

Luke 22:19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

1 Cor 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Some think Jesus commanded the Great Commission for all believers, according to...

Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Acts 1:8b ...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The context of Jesus' remarks is his final instructions to the apostles, those he commissioned with the task of spreading the gospel.

Matt 28:16a Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee.... 18a Then Jesus came to them and said....

Acts 1:2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men.... He appeared to them.. .and spoke about the kingdom of God.

Despite the fact that Jesus tells the apostles to teach new converts "to obey everything I have commanded" (Matt 28:20), nowhere in Paul's letters to the churches does he advocate overt proselytizing.²¹ Rather, he affirms the integrity and selectivity of the apostolic and evangelistic gifts.

1 Cor 12:28a And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles.... 29a Are all apostles?

Eph 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles... some to be evangelists...

The only kind of evangelism NT writers recommend to all believers is local not global and relational not confrontational.

Col 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

1 Thess 4:11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

1 Pet 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that... they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1 Pet 3:15b Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Failing to distinguish what Jesus intended for some disciples places an unrealistic expectation on all disciples.

Jesus did not intend every aspect his instructions for everyone, and sometimes had a very narrow audience in view. For example, he commanded one discipleship candidate to sell all his possessions but did not make the same demand of another.²²

Luke 18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Luke 19:8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." 9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

Occasionally, Jesus even changed the instruction he gave to the same group. Initially, he tells his disciples to take few supplies on their ministry travels.

Luke 9:3 He told them: "Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic.

Subsequently, he tells them to take more supplies, because the conditions of their ministry have changed (from short term to long term).²³

Luke 22:36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.

Like God's commands in the OT, Jesus' commands in the NT are not unilateral. He may direct them to all disciples, to the twelve, or only to one. Identifying the proper recipients requires the reader to be sensitive to the context, lest he apply Jesus' instruction more broadly or narrowly than the rabbi intended.

Bibliography

Nolland, John, 2005, The Gospel of Matthew. NIGTC. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Plummer, Alfred, 1981, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke. ICC. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.

Endnotes

(1) Several passages make reference to this limited purview. (All biblical references are from the NIV.)

Deut 4:8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

Deut 33:4 the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob.

Ps 147:19 He has revealed ... his laws and decrees to Israel. 20a-b He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws.

Rom 3:1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.

Rom 9:4b Theirs is ... the receiving of the law....

(2) God repeatedly refers to Israel's preeminence in His plan, often predicating the nation's continued prominence on obedience to His law.

Exod 19:5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6a you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

Deut 7:6b The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Deut 10: 15b . . . he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today.

Deut 14:2b Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.

Deut 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.

(3) While the term "neighbor" is often a geographical designation, the proximity may vary from near to far, albeit within the realm of the covenant community.

Exod 20:16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. . . or anything that belongs to your neighbor. [= Deut 5:20-21]

Exod 22:7a If a man gives his neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping.... 9c The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to his neighbor. lOa If a man gives [an] animal to his neighbor for safekeeping.... 1 lb . . .the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person's property.... 14a If a man borrows an animal from his neighbor....

Exod 22:26 If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge...

Exod 32:27c-d Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.

Lev 6:2 If anyone sins.., by deceiving his neighbor about something entrusted to him.. .or if he cheats him,

Lev 18:20 Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife....

Lev 20:10 If a man commits adultery with another man's wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

Lev 23:42 Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths

Lev 24:19 If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him:

Deut 4:42a . . . if he had unintentionally killed his neighbor without malice aforethought.

Deut 15:7 If there is a poor man among your brothers.. .do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.... 9b . . . do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing.... lib .. .be openhanded toward your brothers.... 12 If a fellow Hebrew [lit. brother], a man or a woman, sells himself....

Deut 19:4 This is the rule concerning the man... who kills his neighbor unintentionally.... 5a For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him... .6b . . .he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 11a But if a man hates his neighbor... and kills him...

Deut 19:14a Do not move your neighbor's boundary stone....

Deut 19:18b ... if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against his brother, 19a then do to him as he intended to do to his brother.

Deut 22:1 If you see your brother's ox or sheep straying.... 2a If the brother does not live near you.... 3a ... if you find your brother's donkey.... 4a If you see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen on the road....

Deut 22:26b This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders his neighbor,

Deut 24:7a If a man is caught kidnapping one of his brother Israelites...the kidnapper must die.

Deut 23:24 If you enter your neighbor's vineyard.... 25 If you enter your neighbor's grainfield....

Deut 24: 10a When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor....

Deut 27:17a Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor's boundary stone.... 24a Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly.

(4) God seems to have included Edomites, descendants of Esau (Isaac's other son), in the broader Israelite family but did not expand that designation further to include other people (e.g., Egyptians).

Deut 2:4a ... You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir.... 8a So we went on past our brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir.

Deut 23:7 Do not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as an alien in his country.

The Edomites perished, though, because they did not behave with brotherly love toward Jacob's descendants.

Obad 10 Because of the violence against your brother Jacob.. .you will he destroyed forever.

(5) God indicates where that is not the case, but those instances only include the resident alien.

Passover

Exod 12:19b And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born.... 49 The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you.

Num 9:14b You must have the same regulations for the alien and the native-born.

Sabbath

Exod 20:1Ob On it you shall not do any work, neither you... nor the alien within your gates.

Exod 23:12 ...on the seventh day [you] do not work, so that. . .the alien as well, may be refreshed.

Deut 5:14b On it you shall not do any work. . . nor the alien within your gates....

Day of Atonement

Lev 16:29b On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you.

Offering

Lev 17:8 . . . Any Israelite or any alien living among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9 and does not bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD - that man must be cut off from his people.

Lev 22:18b If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering,

Num 15:14 . . . whenever an alien or anyone else living among you presents an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, he must do exactly as you do. 15a The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you.... 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the alien living among you.

Blood

Lev 17:10 Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood—I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from his people.... 12 . . . None of you may eat blood, nor may an alien living among you eat blood. 13 Any Israelite or any alien living among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,

Diet

Lev 17:15 Anyone, whether native-born or alien, who eats anything found dead or torn by wild animals must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be ceremonially unclean till evening; then he will be clean.

Immorality

Lev 18:26b The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things,

Child sacrifice

Lev 20:2a . . . Any Israelite or any alien living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death.

Blasphemy

Lev 24:16c Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.

Murder

Lev 24:22 You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born. I am the LORD your God.

Unintentional sin

Num 15:29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether he is a native-born Israelite or an alien.

Intentional sin

Num 15:30 But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the LORD....

(6) There is a similar responsibility (and preference) for Jesus' disciples (also n. 16).

John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

(7) Because Samaritans worship the true God, they belong to the greater believing community and, therefore, are akin to Jews. The parable was a necessary correction of a prevalent attitude.

John 8:48 The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

His initial instruction to the disciples, "Do not...enter any town of the Samaritans" (Matt 10:5b), was probably to limit the difficulties they would face, given the tension between Jews and Samaritans.

Luke 9:51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went to another village.

Their later contact with Samaritans marked this admonition as a temporary measure, especially after Pentecost.

Acts 8:25 When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

In contrast, there are only two recorded instances when Jesus ministered to gentiles. In both cases, it was in response to exceptional faith.

Luke 7:1 . . .Jesus. . .entered Capernaum.... 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed." ...9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Matt 15:21 . . .Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out,7 "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." ...24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.... 28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

NB: Mark also records her pagan lineage. Mark 7:26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia.

(8) Syncretism after the Assyrian invasion caused their original separation.

2 Kgs 17:24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people.... 27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: "Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires." 28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the LORD. 29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places.... 41 Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.

Ant 9 (288) But now the Cutheans, who removed into Samaria (for that is the name they have been called by to this time, because they were brought out of the country called Cuthah, which is a country of Persia, and there is a river of the same name in it), each of them, according to their nations, which were in number five, brought their own gods into Samaria, and by worshiping them, as was the custom of their own countries, they provoked Almighty God to be angry and displeased at them, (289) for a plague seized upon them, by which they were destroyed; and when they found no cure for their miseries, they learned by the oracle that they ought to worship Almighty God, as the method for their deliverance. So they sent ambassadors to the king of Assyria, and desired him to send them some of those priests of the Israelites whom he had taken captive. (290) And when he thereupon sent them, and the people were by them taught the laws and the holy worship of God, they worshiped him in a respectful manner, and the plague ceased immediately; and indeed they continue to make use of the very same customs to this very time, and are called in the Hebrew tongue Cutheans; but in the Greek Samaritans.

Following the return from Babylon, Samaritans joined the enemies of Judah to oppose the exiles' reconstruction.

Ezra 4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here." 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us." 4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.... 8 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows: 9 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over the men from Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, 10 and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.

Ant 11 (84) But when the Samaritans, who were still enemies to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, heard... the Jews who had been carried captive to Babylon, and were rebuilding their temple, they came to Zorobabel and to Jeshua, and to the heads of the families, and desired that they would give them leave to build the temple with them, and to be partners with them in building it; for they said, (85) "We worship their God, and especially pray to him, and are desirous of their religious settlement, and this ever since Shalmanezer, the king of Assyria, transplanted us out of Cuthah and Media, to this place." (86) When they said thus, Zorobabel, and Jeshua the high priest, and the heads of the families of the Israelites, replied to them, that it was impossible for them to permit them to be their partners, whilst they [only] had been appointed to build that temple at first by Cyrus, and now by Darius, (87) although it was indeed lawful for them to come and worship there if they pleased, and that they could allow them nothing, but that in common with them, which was common to them with all other men, to come to their temple and worship God there. (88) When the Cetheans heard this, for the Samaritans have that appellation, they had indignation at it, and persuaded the nations of Syria. . . to put a stop to the building of the temple, and to endeavor to delay and protract the Jews in their zeal about it.

Thereafter, tension between the two communities occasionally flared.

Ant 18 (29) As Coponius ...was exercising his office of procurator, and governing Judea, the following accidents happened. As the Jews were celebrating the feast of unleavened bread, which we call the Passover, it was customary for the priests to open the temple gates just after midnight. (30) When, therefore, those gates were first opened, some of the Samaritans came privately into Jerusalem, and threw about dead men's bodies in the cloisters; on which account the Jews afterward excluded them out of the temple, which they had not used to do at such festivals....

Ant 20 (118) Now there arose a quarrel between the Samaritans and the Jews on the occasion following:—It was the custom of the Galileans, when they came to the holy city at the festivals, to take their journeys through the country of the Samaritans; and at this time there lay, in the road they took, a village that was called Ginea, which was situated in the limits of Samaria and the great plain, where certain persons thereto belonging fought with the Galileans, and killed a great many of them;

While Samaritans eventually divested themselves of idolatry, they retained a religious center in Shechem that rivaled the one in Jerusalem.

John 4:20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.

Ant 13 (74) Now it came to pass that the Alexandrian Jews, and those Samaritans who paid their worship to the temple that was built in the days of Alexander at Mount Gerizzim, did now make a sedition one against another, and disputed about their temples before Ptolemy himself, the Jews saying that, according to the law of Moses, the temple was to be built at Jerusalem; and the Samaritans saying that it was to be built at Gerizzim. Josephus, however, describes them as opportunistic and denies them any legitimate lineage with Jews.

Ant 11 (340) ... the Samaritans, who had then Shechem for their metropolis (a city situate at Mount Gerizzim, and inhabited by apostates of the Jewish nation), seeing that Alexander had so greatly honored the Jews, determined to profess themselves Jews; (341) for such is the disposition of the Samaritans, as we have already elsewhere declared, that when the Jews are in adversity they deny that they are of kin to them, and then they confess the truth; but when they perceive that some good fortune hath befallen them, they immediately pretend to have communion with them, saying, that they belong to them, and derive their genealogy from the posterity of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh.

Ant 12 (257) When the Samaritans saw the Jews under these sufferings, they no longer confessed that they were of their kindred; nor that the temple on Mount Gerizzim belonged to Almighty God. This was according to their nature, as we have already shown. And they now said that they were a colony of Medes and Persians: and indeed they were a colony of theirs. (258) So they sent ambassadors to Antiochus, and an epistle, whose contents are these:—"To king Antiochus the god, Epiphanes, a memorial from the Sidonians, who live at Shechem.... (260) Now, upon the just treatment of these wicked Jews those that manage their affairs, supposing that we were of kin to them, and practiced as they do, make us liable to the same accusations, although we are originally Sidonians, as is evident from the public records. (261) We therefore beseech thee, our benefactor and savior.. .to give us no disturbance, nor to lay to our charge what the Jews are accused for, since we are aliens from their nation and from their customs...."

(9) The parallel in the first half of the verse identifies "neighbor" as a member of the covenant community.

Lev 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.

(10) Jesus expands his audience's limited definition.

Luke 10:29 . . . he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.... 36 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Jesus does not, however, make "neighbor" an all-inclusive designation. Were his intention to make his listeners consider all men their brothers, Jesus could have made that clear by citing the ministrations of a gentile.

(11) On most occasions, Jesus forbade others from exposing his messianic identity.

Demons

Luke 4:41 [= Mark 1:34b] Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.

Mark 3:11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." 12 B Lit he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.

Doctored

Matt 12:15b Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, 16 warning them not to tell who he was.

Disciples

Matt 16:20 [= Mark 8:30; Luke 9:21] Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

(12) Jesus does not let ethnic prejudice (v. 9) or theological difference (v. 20) deter him.

John 4:7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" ...9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.... 14 whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.... 25 . . .I know that Messiah... is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." 27a Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman.... 35 Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." ...39a Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.... 40b . . . he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.... 42c "...we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

(13) The term Jesus uses to describe this man appears only here in the NT.

Luke 17:11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

In the LXX version of the Sinaitic code, this word corresponds to [], which always refers to someone outside the Levitical line, including other Israelites.

Exod 29:33b But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred.

Exod 30:33 Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.

Lev 22:10a No one outside a priest's family may eat the sacred offering.... 12a If a priest's daughter marries anyone other than a priest.... 13b No unauthorized person, however, may eat any of it.

Num 1:5 lb Anyone else who goes near it shall be put to death.

Num 3:10b anyone else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death... .38b Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

Num 16:40b ... no one [else] except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD....

Num 18:4b ... no one else may come near.... 7b Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.

In one instance, it translates which designates a foreign national, a gentile who lives outside the land of Israel (although he may visit the land).

Lev 22:25a . . . you must not accept [defective] animals from the hand of a foreigner and offer them as the food of your God.

Post-exilic biblical usage adds the additional description "uncircumcised."

Ezek 44:7b . . . you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into my sanctuary... .9b No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites..

Post-exilic non-biblical usage has a similarly pejorative connotation.

1 Macc 3:35 Lysias was to send a force against them to wipe out... the remnant of Jerusalem... 36 [and to] settle aliens in all their territory.... 45b The sanctuary was trampled down, and the sons of aliens held the citadel....

1 Macc 10:12 Then the foreigners who were in the strongholds that Bacchides had built fled;

The Greek term does not well fit Samaritans who, while not Israelites, did reside in the land. Consequently, Jesus may have been employing the designation ironically (Plummer 1981:405) or sarcastically, as a rebuke to the lepers who were ungrateful and to others in his audience who held this opinion.

(14) Before his ascension, Jesus does expand the disciples' outreach to include gentiles.

Matt 28:19a ... go and make disciples of all nations....

Acts 1:8b ...you will be my witnesses ... to the ends of the earth.

Nevertheless, this expansion is to bring them into the fold of God's people and not simply to meet their needs outside that fold.

The so-called Golden Rule may be a generalized precept and not a paraphrase of the more specific Lev 19:18, especially as in both gospel occurrences Jesus seems to refer to gentiles in the context.

Matt 7:6 Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.... 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 6:27b-c Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.... 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Lev 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself....

(15) Other examples include:

Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another.... 16a Live in harmony with one another.

Rom 13:8b . . .love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments...are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Rom 14:13 . . . stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

Rom 15:7a Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you....

1 Cor 1:10 ...agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you....

1 Cor 11:33 ... when you come together to eat, wait for each other.

1 Cor 12:25b . . . have equal concern for each other.

Gal 5:13c ...serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Eph 5:19a Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.... 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Col 3:9a Do not lie to each other.... 13a Bear with each other.... 16b . ..teach and admonish one another....

1 Thess 4:6a .. .no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.

(16) Paul tells the Christians at Galatia to concentrate on meeting the needs of believers.

Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

The author of Hebrews commends his readers for similar consideration.

Heb 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

(17) This divine concern is both temporal and eternal.

Matt 5:45b He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

1 Tim 2:4 [God] wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is... not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

(18) Additional passages include:

Acts 13:1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen ... and Saul.

Eph 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

1 Tim 2:7 .. .1 was appointed a herald and an apostle.. .and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

Jms 3:1a Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers....

(19) Additional passages include:

Phil 2:22 . . . Timothy. . . as a son with his father. . . has served with me in the work of the gospel.

2 Tim 1:2a To Timothy, my dear son:

Titus 1:4a To Titus, my true son in our common faith:

Phlm 1:10 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.

Nolland suggests "Matthew is probably challenging a newly emerging titular use" (2005:928; see his discussion).

(20) The other synoptic writers record the elements, minus foot-washing, but not Jesus' command ("do this").

Matt 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 14:22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." 23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.

(21) There is also no evidence that the NT church, as an institution, engaged in evangelism.

(22) Elsewhere, Jesus seems to make this admonition more general, at least, to the disciples.

Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

(23) Another example of a change in mission pertained to focus:

From Jews

Matt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.