Sure they had missions but the scriptures do not speak of a mission to save the Gentiles.
The places the early disciples went were in gentile cities like Antioch. Many gentiles heard the gospel and were saved. But also other peoples from various cultures that were not Jewish.
Of course there can be exceptions but it is a big change when Paul's ministry goes for the Gentiles....It is an obvious change.
These were not exceptions as many were saved. The churh at Antioch was big and growing fast before Paul. Yes Paul was able to set many straight about what Christ represented to the gentiles.
Especially relating to the pagan gods. many were already open to belief in God but they misplaced this. Paul could relate this well and he represented the gospel to all nations like Peter and Matthew did for the Jews.
About the Ethiopian Eunuch, there is no real agreement as to what he was.
The Ethiopian was a Jewish proselyte?
Given the definitions below and assuming those are accurate, how can we ascertain whether the Ethiopian eunuch was a proselyte or just a devout, God-fearing man (Gentile sympathizer)?
- If a Proselyte, how do we reconcile this with the fact that this would require the Ethiopian to get circumcised to convert to Judaism, which he could not, considering his physical condition?
- If a Gentile sympathizer, how do we reconcile this with Acts 10 account where Cornelius is assumed to be the first Gentile converted to Christianity? Peter's initial reluctance to visit him (Acts 10:28) demonstrates that Cornelius was considered to be a Gentile sympathizer.
There is an obvious struggle in the story line about converting Gentiles to Christianity.
That is what the meeting in Acts Chapter 15 is about.
Yes because gentiles were recieving the holy spirit which was a sign that they were also able to be saved. This was a pivotal point which officially opened the gospel up to the world.
But this was brought about because from the beginning others besides jews were being saved. I just remembered there was the Roman centurion who bowed before Jesus as lord. Christ said he had seen no greater faith. he was a gentile Roman. That shocked the disciples but was a clear sign that the gospel was already open to gentiles.
And most people that understand the Bible know that the ministry to the Gentiles was Paul's
If we found a scripture that said the twelve Apostle spread the world among the Gentiles, it would pretty much disrupt the storyline.
We have certain truths we can derive from the bible and history and tradition. It is a fact Christ told the 12 and another 70 to go out into the world and preach the gospel. It is a fact that most went beyond Judea. It is a fact that many Christians fled Jerusalem to escape persecution into surrounding areas incldung gentile cities like Antioch.
Putting these together we can safely assume that these disiciples and early Christians spread the gospel and did not keep quiet. at least some spoke of Christ death and resurrection. The 12 plus 70 were specifically equipped to preach the gospel.
Paul is unique in that he was a pharisee but also a Roman citicizen. He encountered the risen Christ who specifically appointed him to preach the gospel to the gentiles. Just as the 12 were appointed initially to preach to the Jews within Jerusalem.
The gospel was already spreading to the gentiles before Paul but God knew that they were going to be the greatest part of Christ church. Paul was the perfect person as though a Jew he thought like a gentile. He understood better than the disiciples who really followed the Abrahamic covenant. But a new covenant was being established.
