Theological Term of the Week
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 8:02PM diaspora
The scattering of the Jews from Israel into foreign countries; the Jews forced to live outside of Israel in other parts of the Roman Empire; also called the dispersion. Later in the New Testament, diaspora is used to refer to Christians, both Jew and Gentile, who were scattered throughout the world.
- In scripture:
Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?” (John 7:33-36 ESV)
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia … . (1 Peter 1:1 ESV)
- From the Holman Bible Dictionary:
The result of the diaspora was that by New Testament times as many Jews lived outside of Palestine as lived within the land. In almost every city which Paul visited on his missionary journeys, he found a Jewish synagogue (Acts 14:1; Acts 17:1, Acts 17:10; Acts 18:4). The diaspora thus helped pave the way for the spread of the gospel.
Learn more:
- Theopedia: Historical theology
- GotQuestions.org: What does the Bible mean when it refers to the Diaspora?
- Holman Bible Dictionary: Diaspora
Related terms:
- persecution
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