The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

81 or to Gentile adherents to the synagogue. 78 The significant factor in Acts 13, however, is that Luke describes the same people with both terms, cpo~ouµEv0<; and crE~oµtvoc;. 79 In addition, crc~oµtvoc; is used adjectivally to describe the well-fixed term proselyte (npocrriAuToc;). 80 Since proselyte does refer to a class of individuals which are fully converted to Judaism, crc~oµtvoc;, must have the meaning of piety or zeal rather than a class of individuals which are not fully converted. Wilcox summarizes the data: In Acts, then, ot <po~ouµEvot Tov 8cov would seem to refer to "the pious" amongst the Jewish community, whether Jew or Gentile, proselyte or "adherent". This in turn fits with the fact that the phrase occurs only in that part of Acts in which the thought of the specifically Jewish mission is uppermost . . . . Cornelius would thus be one who has adopted the piety proper to the Jews. The term cpo~ouµcvoc; Tov 8Eov -if a technical term at all-denotes one who is especially devout. 81 What can be affirmed about Cornelius then is at least that he was righteous, pious, and worshipped the God of Israel. He gave alms to the nation of Israel , prayed 78 ""Av8pcc;'Icrpa17XtTat Kal o1 <po~ouµEvot Tov 8cov, aKoucraTE," (13:16)" "Av8pcc; a8EA<po(, u1ol ytvouc;, A~paaµ Kal ol EV uµ1v <po~ouµEVOl TOY 8EOV ... " (13 :26) . 79 Cf. 13: 16, 26 (<po~ouµcvoc;) and 13 :43 ( crE~oµtvoc;). LE~oµtvoc; is also used in 13:50 referring to religiously zealous, but, as far as the gospel is concerned , misguided , women. This only serves to expand the semantic range of the term and call into question it technical meaning as a particular class of individuals. As Kraabel says, "The fact that Luke can use two terms suggested that he did not believe he was using technical terminology" A. T . Kraabel , "Greeks , Jews , and Lutherans in the Middle Half of Acts," Harvard Theological Review 79 (1986) : 151. 80 f. the discussion on npocrri11uToc;, a a technical term in note 75 above. 81 Max Wilcox , " he ' God-Fearer ' in Act - A Recon ideration," Journal for the tudy of the New Testament 13 (1981): 118 . The ame ma be aid for Luk ' ord f r devout ( ucrc~~c;, Acts 3:12; 10:2, 7; 17:23). Paul u e the erb f rm ( ucr ~ 1T) t de cri e the or hip f religiou pagans in A t 17 :23, indicating that it pr b bl d d cri e a p rticular cla of people . or a di nting i wp int J hn g r, ntil , and ynag gu in the B k f t , " Har rd Theologi al Review 7 ( 1 l ) : 1- After r iewing hi t rical e 1d n e from ardi and phr di ia g r m intain th t 'it n w m It ely th t th 8 ocr ~ric; wa , in ome m anin ful nd ffi i 1 m mb r f the Jew1 h mmunit ," 9. n i ag i rr t, th uh, h i till un bl gt d · ni i n to tl qu ti n f h r 1 i el J i h the life t 1 f th