Date

5-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Bible Exposition (PhD)

Chair

Andreas J. Köstenberger

Keywords

Socio-Historical Context, Ethnic, Acts, missio Dei, God's mission, Ethnicity, multicultural, evangelism, cultural factors, nations, ethnos, Judaism, Samaritans, Hellenism, Greco-Romans, synagogues, gospel, Gentiles

Disciplines

Christianity | History of Christianity

Abstract

This dissertation examines the pivotal role of ethnic and socio-cultural backgrounds in proclaiming and expanding the gospel to the nations during the early church's formative period. Building upon the theological foundation of God's overarching mission plan throughout Scripture, the research examines how these factors influenced the development of early Christian evangelism, particularly concerning the context of Jewish, Samaritan, and Gentile cultures. The study argues that the early church’s approach to spreading the gospel was profoundly influenced by the ethnic and cultural contexts of the people it encountered. Thus, the dissertation proposes that understanding these cultural dynamics is essential for a more accurate interpretation of the New Testament’s missiological implications. Therefore, the following thesis is proposed: This dissertation comprehensively analyzes how ethnic and socio-cultural backgrounds were critical in disseminating the 'good news' to the nations during the early church's formative period.

The introductory chapter provides a theological overview of God’s overall mission plan and strategy in restoring the relationship with humanity. It focuses on the first part of Genesis, starting from God’s relational creation (Gen. 1-2), followed by the need for the mission in the aftermath of the human fall (Gen. 3-9), the effort of humanity to challenge God’s mission, the formation of the nations as God’s strategy to reach humanity in its context (Gen.10), and God’s promise and commitment to Abraham to bless all the nations of the world. The final section highlights the good news for the nations within the Old Testament, providing a theological foundation for discussing how the good news spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth in the New Testament, and defines what a nation is from a sociocultural perspective.

The second chapter focuses on God’s mission in the New Testament, where the church, formed by Jews and Gentiles, proclaims the good news to the nations. It defines the scope of the Great Commission and searches for “ethnos” to understand its significance in the outreach to sociocultural people groups. Then, the chapter examines Jesus’ ministry, which extends to the Gentiles, setting the tone for the church's future mission.

The third chapter examines the sociocultural and religious context within the geographical area that the early church penetrated. Particular attention is given to the four significant cultures highlighted in the Book of Acts: Jewish, Hellenistic, Samaritan, and Roman.

The fourth chapter examines how evangelism was conducted among the Jewish people, exploring the influence of Judaism, the role of the synagogue, and the laws as central elements in Jewish culture. It considers the openness toward the good news of the proselytes, or Gentile converts to Jewish teachings, and how this cultural framework opens the doors to spreading the gospel in Jewish communities.

In Chapter Five, the research focuses on the Samaritan context. A new generation of evangelists was necessary to raise and train to evangelize the Samaritans. The transcultural new team faced a different spiritual and cultural environment and encountered antagonism toward Jews. Despite those challenges, opportunities arose for the evangelization of this culturally distinct group.

Chapter Six describes the crucial moment when the gospel expanded beyond Christian Jews in Jerusalem to the Gentiles. Peter’s transcultural experience opened the window toward the nations with the supernatural conversion of the Roman Centurion, Cornelius. This pivotal event, in which they experienced the Holy Spirit’s spontaneous, transcultural outpouring, is explored in depth to highlight the significance of the early church's understanding of mission in alliance with the Holy Spirit.

Chapter Seven studies the nature of the gospel and compares the Jewish gospel with the Gentile gospel. It highlights Jesus' approach to the evangelization of Gentiles, exploring insights from respected missiologists to understand the missional implications of Jesus' model for transcultural evangelism.

Chapter Eight argues that the early church adopted a new approach to world evangelism, focusing on the formation and participation of transcultural teams for the evangelization of the nations. It discusses the development from Jewish temple-based worship and meetings to Gentile, natural house-based gatherings in early Christian communities. This chapter concludes by analyzing the success of two churches: the Thessalonian church within a Hellenistic context and the Roman church in the capital of the Roman Empire.

The conclusion in Chapter Nine reiterates the need for the Bible student to understand the influence of ethnic sociocultural elements that shaped the early church’s mission to the nations. Examining the ethnic sociocultural aspects of early evangelization in the New Testament would provide valuable insights for contemporary missiology and cross-cultural ministry. This dissertation ultimately emphasizes that God’s mission has always been transcultural. As the Holy Spirit equipped the early church to engage in transcultural ministry, the church will be able to fulfill the Great Commission in the contemporary world.

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