Topical Bible: Greece: Gentiles Called "Greeks"

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Topical Encyclopedia

Greece, known in biblical times as a region of significant cultural and intellectual influence, plays a notable role in the New Testament narrative. The term "Greeks" is often used in the Scriptures to refer to Gentiles, particularly those who were part of the Hellenistic world. This entry explores the biblical context and significance of Greece and the Greeks, especially in relation to the spread of the Gospel and the inclusion of Gentiles in the early Christian Church.

Historical and Cultural Context

Greece, during the time of the New Testament, was a land renowned for its philosophy, art, and learning. The influence of Greek culture, known as Hellenism, extended throughout the Mediterranean world following the conquests of Alexander the Great. This cultural backdrop is essential for understanding the New Testament references to Greeks and their interactions with the early Christian message.

Biblical References

The New Testament frequently mentions Greeks in the context of the expanding reach of the Gospel. In the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul, a key figure in the early Church, is depicted as engaging with Greek audiences during his missionary journeys. Acts 17:16-34 describes Paul's visit to Athens, where he addresses the Areopagus, engaging with Greek philosophers and introducing them to the "unknown God" they worshiped in ignorance.

The term "Greeks" is often used interchangeably with "Gentiles" in the New Testament, highlighting the universality of the Gospel message. In Romans 1:16, Paul declares, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek." This statement underscores the inclusive nature of the Christian message, extending beyond the Jewish community to embrace all nations.

Theological Significance

The calling of the Greeks, or Gentiles, into the fold of the early Church is a pivotal theme in the New Testament. It signifies the breaking down of ethnic and cultural barriers, fulfilling the prophetic vision of a diverse and unified people of God. Ephesians 2:14-16 speaks to this reconciliation: "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility."

The inclusion of Greeks in the early Christian community also reflects the fulfillment of the Great Commission, as recorded in Matthew 28:19, where Jesus commands His disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations." The spread of the Gospel to the Greek-speaking world was instrumental in the rapid growth of Christianity and its establishment as a global faith.

Conclusion

Greece and the Greeks hold a significant place in the biblical narrative, symbolizing the expansion of the Gospel to the Gentile world. The New Testament portrayal of Greeks as recipients of the Christian message highlights the transformative power of the Gospel to transcend cultural and ethnic boundaries. This inclusion of the Gentiles into the early Church serves as a testament to the universal scope of God's redemptive plan, inviting all people to partake in the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

Romans 10:12
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call on him.
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Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
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Colossians 3:11
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
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Library

The Apostle of the Gentiles.
... Paul should go especially to the Gentiles, and St ... that he was forced to go southward
into Greece. ... visiting the Greek Churches, a Divine summons called him back ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xxii the apostle of.htm

Alexander.
... known to the Jews as the Isles of the Gentiles. ... and sometimes these philosophers,
as they were called, came very ... on conquering the old enemy of Greece; and as ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xv alexander.htm

Jews and Gentiles in "The Land"
... 21); where the disciples were first called Christians (Acts ... way to the more refined
rites of Greece. ... in great part inhabited by Gentiles"Phoenicians, Syrians ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 2 jews and gentiles.htm

The Mediaeval Church in Great Britain and Ireland
... of, 86 Arianism, 68, 81 """ in Greece, 79 """ in ... 124 General Councils, 69-71 Gentiles
called into the ... Empire, End of, 139 Greeks, their liability ...
/.../a key to the knowledge of church history/chapter xii the mediaeval church.htm

Chel. The Court of the Women.
... were thirteen breaches, which the kings of Greece had made ... more sacred than the Court
of the Gentiles: for hither ... the east it had only one gate, called in the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 29 chel the court.htm

The Work Awaiting the Worker
... himself into the work of evangelizing the Gentiles with the ... The Greeks were the first
to take possession of the ... of arms extended the dominion of Greece to the ...
/.../stalker/the life of st paul/chapter v the work awaiting.htm

That the Jews Ceased to have Prophets after the Rebuilding of the ...
... temple itself with the sacrilegious superstitions of the Gentiles. ... each other for
the kingdom, called in the ... had already subdued Africa and Greece, and ruled ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 45 that the jews ceased.htm

Christianity and Society.
... The poor Gentile Christians of Paul's churches in Greece sent their ... pride and "odium
generis humani" abhorred all Gentiles; while the Greeks despised all ...
/.../section 49 christianity and society.htm

Acts XVII
... and starts out for another province of ancient Greece. ... none among the Jews or devout
Gentiles there to ... the open air, where the judges, called Areopagites, held ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xvii.htm

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
... The Romans called the whole of Greece the province ... vigorously the glorious memories
of bygone Greece, the government ... Jews, he turned to the Gentiles, and held ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter x the first epistle.htm