Home Religion, Bible and Theology 5. DEAD MAN WALKING: ON GENTILE IMPURITY AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 10–11
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5. DEAD MAN WALKING: ON GENTILE IMPURITY AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 10–11

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Circumcision and Jewish Identity
This chapter is in the book Circumcision and Jewish Identity
1275. DEAD MAN WALKING:ON GENTILE IMPURITY AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 10–11ASHA K.MOORTHYThe Book of Acts sees a grappling with the question of how Gen-tiles could be incorporated into a predominantly Jewish move-ment. Some scholars suggest that circumcision surfaces in the nar-rative as a chief issue hindering relations between the two groups. Others maintain that the rite does not play such a prominent role.1 The present work will focus on Peter’s visit to Cornelius and subsequent encounter with ‘those of circumcision’ as detailed in Acts 10–11. Examining these episodes through the lens of ritual purity, a case will be offered both here and in the chapter thatfollows, that these particular scenes and, indeed, the wider frame of Acts, are shot through with conflict over the rite.1.ON THE AVOIDANCE OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GENTILES AND “GENTILES” AS THE UNCIRCUMCISEDIn Acts 10, Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea, sees an angel of God in a vision. The angel instructs the centurionto send men to fetch the Apostle Peter, who was staying in the 1 This is partly based on differing understandings ofοἱἐκπεριτομ ῆς (‘those of circumcision’) and similar phrases. See n. 23 below.
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1275. DEAD MAN WALKING:ON GENTILE IMPURITY AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 10–11ASHA K.MOORTHYThe Book of Acts sees a grappling with the question of how Gen-tiles could be incorporated into a predominantly Jewish move-ment. Some scholars suggest that circumcision surfaces in the nar-rative as a chief issue hindering relations between the two groups. Others maintain that the rite does not play such a prominent role.1 The present work will focus on Peter’s visit to Cornelius and subsequent encounter with ‘those of circumcision’ as detailed in Acts 10–11. Examining these episodes through the lens of ritual purity, a case will be offered both here and in the chapter thatfollows, that these particular scenes and, indeed, the wider frame of Acts, are shot through with conflict over the rite.1.ON THE AVOIDANCE OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GENTILES AND “GENTILES” AS THE UNCIRCUMCISEDIn Acts 10, Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea, sees an angel of God in a vision. The angel instructs the centurionto send men to fetch the Apostle Peter, who was staying in the 1 This is partly based on differing understandings ofοἱἐκπεριτομ ῆς (‘those of circumcision’) and similar phrases. See n. 23 below.
© 2023 Gorgias Press LLC

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. TABLE OF CONTENTS v
  3. INTRODUCTION. LIEVE TEUGELS AND KARIN NEUTEL 1
  4. 1. A CULTURAL HERITAGE AS BOUNDARY MARKER: CIRCUMCISION IN THE HEBREW BIBLE 7
  5. 2. FROM EGYPT TO ISRAEL: EVOLVING PERCEPTIONS OF MALE CIRCUMCISION IN THE GRAECOROMAN ERA 31
  6. 3. MISSING FORESKIN IN THE SEPTUAGINT: CIRCUMCISION RELATED METAPHORS LOST IN TRANSLATION 63
  7. 4. CIRCUMCISING THE MALE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST: A RITUAL ALL THE MORE SIGNIFICANT DUE TO ITS FAILURE IN PAUL OF TARSUS’ LETTER TO THE GALATIANS 93
  8. 5. DEAD MAN WALKING: ON GENTILE IMPURITY AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 10–11 127
  9. 6. PIGS IN A BLANKET?: ON PETER’S VISION, PURITY, AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 161
  10. 7. CIRCUMCISION AND SEXUALITY IN THE JEWISH TRADITION: THE BIBLE, ITS READERS, AND ITS READERS’ READERS 197
  11. 8. THE MYSTERY OF ABRAHAM’S CIRCUMCISION: THE CIRCUMCISED GOD ACCORDING TO MIDRASH TANCHUMA AND RELATED TEXTS 227
  12. INDEX OF REFERENCES 265
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https://doi.org/10.31826/9781463245801-006

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. TABLE OF CONTENTS v
  3. INTRODUCTION. LIEVE TEUGELS AND KARIN NEUTEL 1
  4. 1. A CULTURAL HERITAGE AS BOUNDARY MARKER: CIRCUMCISION IN THE HEBREW BIBLE 7
  5. 2. FROM EGYPT TO ISRAEL: EVOLVING PERCEPTIONS OF MALE CIRCUMCISION IN THE GRAECOROMAN ERA 31
  6. 3. MISSING FORESKIN IN THE SEPTUAGINT: CIRCUMCISION RELATED METAPHORS LOST IN TRANSLATION 63
  7. 4. CIRCUMCISING THE MALE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST: A RITUAL ALL THE MORE SIGNIFICANT DUE TO ITS FAILURE IN PAUL OF TARSUS’ LETTER TO THE GALATIANS 93
  8. 5. DEAD MAN WALKING: ON GENTILE IMPURITY AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 10–11 127
  9. 6. PIGS IN A BLANKET?: ON PETER’S VISION, PURITY, AND FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED IN ACTS 161
  10. 7. CIRCUMCISION AND SEXUALITY IN THE JEWISH TRADITION: THE BIBLE, ITS READERS, AND ITS READERS’ READERS 197
  11. 8. THE MYSTERY OF ABRAHAM’S CIRCUMCISION: THE CIRCUMCISED GOD ACCORDING TO MIDRASH TANCHUMA AND RELATED TEXTS 227
  12. INDEX OF REFERENCES 265
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