Neither Jew nor Gentile? Who does the Bible call a Dog? (Galatians)
- Elaine R Kelly
- Nov 4
- 10 min read
What does it mean that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, Jew nor Gentile?
Does it mean no difference between Jews and Greeks? That Jews and Gentiles are the same? That God gives the same love and redemption to Jews and non-Jews?
Greek, Foreigners and Dogs
First-century Jews called Gentiles dogs. Jesus and the disciples referred to a Canaanite woman as a dog:
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” Matthew 15:26 NIV
The woman was not offended or surprised that the Jewish rabbi and his disciples called her a dog. It appears to be common for ancient Jews to use the term "dog" to refer to anyone who is wicked or does not know God or who is not a Jew:
"Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh." Philippians 3:2 NIV
The Psalmist predicts dogs (non-Jews, Gentiles, Romans, non-believers) will kill Jesus:
Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Psalm 22:16-20 NIV
Why do the biblical writers represent Gentiles, Greeks, and foreigners as dogs? Why does Jesus make a statement that seems racist?
Why Are Gentiles Dogs?
In his article "Are Gentiles Really Dogs?", Darren Huckey, an Assistant Rabbi, explains the origin of the use of the word dog to describe non-Jews.[1] It comes from connecting verses in Exodus and Deuteronomy where Jews are told to give unclean (not religiously pure) food to dogs or foreigners. It seems to indicate that it is acceptable for Gentiles to eat the meat of an animal torn by beasts in the field, since they do not observe Jewish food laws.
“You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs. Exodus 22:31 NIV
Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to the foreigner residing in any of your towns, and they may eat it, or you may sell it to any other foreigner. But you are a people holy to the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 14:21 NIV
By combining these two passages, we see how ancient Jews conflated non-Jews with being dogs. The passages say that the children of Israel are to be God's holy people, consecrated to the Lord.
When Paul says there is neither Jew nor Greek in Christ, he is saying that the differences between Jews and foreigners, men and women, slaves and citizens, disappear. No one is a dog.
Neither Jew nor Gentile vs. Neither Jew nor Greek?
In various Bible translations, the words Greek and Gentile are used interchangeably, capitalizing Gentile as a proper noun in contrast with Jew. The word Gentile was not used until the 14th century, and where the Bible says Gentile, a word-for-word translation says Greek. Prior to the word Gentile, Jewish writers of the New Testament referred to Non-Jews as Greeks and dogs.
When you see the descriptive "Greek", it looks like it was a slur against all non-Jews, foreigners and oppressors. They associate all non-Jews with the detested Greek Seleucids had oppressed the Jews and forbidden Jewish religious traditions (until the Maccabean revolt). The Jewish victory over the Greek Seleucid and the consequent rededication of the Temple is remembered and celebrated every year at Hanukkah.
Knowing that first-century Jews hated Greeks brings new meaning to saying there is no difference between Jews and Greeks. Greeks included anyone classed as "others." It is a phrase about loving your enemy and not treating diverse races as "others" or as dogs. Our job is to love as Jesus loved, even if the other is a Muslim, Hindu, agnostic or atheist. Even if they are Mexican or Venezuelan, Ukrainian or Russian, Palestinian or Israeli.
Unifying Jews and Gentiles means uplifting the "Other"
While Paul may have written to uplift Gentiles to the level of Jews in God's family, today's Christian church might need to uplift Jews to the level of Gentiles, grant women the same freedoms and responsibilities as men, and honour immigrants and foreigners as equal to citizens, give as much respect to other religions as to our own. In other words, treat others as we would like to be treated.
Greek is the more frequent translation, used in word-for-word translations. To a modern reader, it seems like a non-controversial statement to say that there is no difference in God's treatment of Jews and Greeks. However, it is controversial to say that in Christ there is no difference between you, God's chosen people, and those who oppressed your nation. Paul's statement is a strong affirmation of justification by faith, not by who you are, your citizenship, ethnicity, or gender.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. Romans 10:12 NRSVUE
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-29 KJV
... put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Colossians 3:10-11 ESV
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NRSVUE
Gentiles Against Jews
The word Gentile is a more modern description of anyone who is not a Jew. Using the word Gentile may diffuse the emotion and hide the ancient Jewish resentment against Greeks. Most of today's New Testament translations are done by Gentiles, who may want to show that Gentiles are not a second-best or detested people. Some Gentiles may even want to show that Gentiles are superior to Jews. When the Christian church was dominated by Jews, Gentiles needed to be uplifted to bring equality. Today, with the Christian church dominated by Gentiles, we need to consider how to uplift Jews, or at least stop anti-semitism.
The early Christians were Jews, and they did not see how a Gentile could receive the bread intended for the children of Israel unless they became a Jew. It seemed obvious that to benefit from the Jewish Messiah, you must first be adopted into the Jewish family.
At the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, Christian Jews decided not to burden Christian Gentiles with more than a few essential Jewish laws. At that time, Christians were a sect of Judaism, and Christian Jews outnumbered Gentile Jews. Celsus, a Greek philosopher, showed his disdain for Christian Jews in saying, “[Christians] show that they want and are able to convince only the foolish, dishonourable and stupid, only slaves, women and little children.”[2].
Paul likely intended to uplift Christian Gentiles to the same level as Christian Jews, to have the same inheritance in God's family. However, instead of bringing all ethnicities to the same level, Gentiles put themselves at the top of a hierarchy. Rather than making Gentiles equal with Jews, Christians authorized Gentiles over Jews and condoned antisemitism.
Since Claudius expelled Jews from Rome, Christian Gentiles led the church in Rome until Claudius died in AD 54. As a result, Christian Gentiles began to outnumber Christian Jews, and by the second century, Christians separated from Judaism and formed Christianity as a religion distinct from Judaism.
When Constantine was emperor in the fourth century, he protected Christians but declared Jews dangerous and abominable and permitted violence against Jews.[3] The Christian church began to persecute Jews and to prioritize Gentiles over Jews. Early Christian councils moved Easter away from the Jewish Shavuot, banned the celebration of the Jewish Passover meal, outlawed rest on the Jewish Sabbath, prohibited Jews from entering Jerusalem, and blamed Jews for killing Jesus. Christian antisemitism has been taught by Christians, for example, in the Nazi school curriculum. One of the passages that has been weaponized against Jews is:
"All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” (Matthew 27:25 NIV)
During the Roman Empire, this passage could exonerate the Roman government for the conviction of Jesus and shift the blame to the Jews.[4] It may have served to protect the young Jesus movement from being accused of treason against Rome. Mark Allen Powell states that the Christian movement seemed to increasingly blame the Jews rather than the Romans when Rome warred with the Jews in the late AD 60s. He says, "Christian theology has always maintained that the human agents responsible for Jesus’ death are irrelevant: he gave his life willingly as a sacrifice for sin (Mark 10:45; John 18:11). Christians regularly confess that it was their sins (not the misdeeds of either Romans or Jews) that brought Jesus to the cross (Rom 5:8-9; 1Tim 1:15).[5]
What about Today?
Christians today need to be aware of how the Bible has been weaponized and used to stoke up violence against Jews. Rather than pointing fingers at others (Jews or Romans) as the cause of Christ's death, Christians might realize that all humans have selfish or sinful tendencies towards power, and Jesus died because his way of loving and serving challenged the hierarchical rulers of the day.
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him. Romans 10:12 NIV
So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 GNT
In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Colossians 3:11 NLT
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NIV
The Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) uses neither word, instead saying:
... there is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is the Lord of all people. And he richly blesses everyone who looks to him for help. Romans 10:12 ERV
Dogs No Longer
Ancient Jews believed it would make Jesus impure if he entered the home of a Gentile, or if he touched a dead body, or if he ate without having washed in a specific way. Yet, Jesus did all these things and taught that we are not made impure by what we touch, or what goes into our mouths, but by what comes out of our mouths and hearts (Matthew 15:11).
According to Jewish law, it would make Jesus impure to enter the home of a Gentile centurion. For this reason, the centurion tells Jesus just to say the word to heal his dear companion (Matthew 8:8). Jesus commends him for his faith, saying in all Israel, he had not seen anyone with such great faith (Mathew 8:10).
It was against Jewish law for Peter to enter a Gentile home. When he entered the home of Cornelius (Acts 10:25), he knew it would make him ritually impure and he would have to purify before going to the Temple. The Spirit came on all who heard Peter's message (Acts 10:44). The believing Jews were astonished that the Spirit poured out even on the believing Gentiles (Acts 10:45).
Then Peter began to speak:
“I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. Acts 10:34-35 NIV
No, God does not hate dogs. And no, Gentiles are not called dogs as a form of insult or slander. Dogs are a stand-in to illustrate a person living by their animal instincts or pagan ways, so perhaps ancient Jews saw pagans living according to their animalistic nature.[6]
Jesus did not authorize racism or name-calling when he called a Canaanite woman a dog. No, Jesus overturned racism by reaching out to people of all ethnicities. Through Christ, we can rise above our base nature and be led by spiritual nature; we can transform from being dog-like, aiming to dominate, and instead follow Christ's ways, deny ourselves, and love one another.
No Favouritism
God loves all people, without favouritism, regardless of race or ethnicity, gender, or orientation. And God calls us each to love as God loves. This kind of love is one of the ways that Jesus overturned past thinking about God.
Paul is not only saying that we are justified by faith, regardless of our citizenship, ethnicity, or gender. Paul is telling us that in Christ, imitating Christ, living like Christ, we must give equal respect regardless of our citizenship, ethnicity, or gender. Even if it means showing respect to an enemy or oppressive government. Even if it means showing honour for slaves or women instead of treating them as below yourself. It means loving all people as much as you love yourself, giving them the love, respect, and honour that you would like to receive.
I believe these passages show that God values all people, regardless of gender: Jew or Palestinian, citizen or immigrant, male or female, straight or gay. Just as a person may not realize they are naturally left-handed until they are old enough, a person may not realize they are same-sex-oriented until they mature. God forms all people, and regardless of how you are made, you have equal status as an heir in God's kingdom.
Elaine Ricker Kelly Author is empowering women with historical fiction about women in the Bible and early church and Christian blogs about women in leadership, church history and doctrine. Her books include:
Forgotten Followers from Broken to Bold, Book 1, A Novel (2022)
The Sword: A Fun Way to Engage in Healthy Debate on What the Bible Says About a Woman's Role (2023)
Because She Was Called from Broken to Bold, Book 2, A Novel of the Early Church (2024)
Walk with Mara on Her Healing Journey: 21 Steps to Emotional Resilience (2024)
Finding Her Voice from Broken to Bold, Book 3, Acts of Early Female Apostles: A Novel
[1] Darren Huckey, "Are Gentiles Really Dogs?" Emet HaTorah, February 21, 2025 https://www.emethatorah.com/blog/are-gentiles-really-dogs
[2] Michael J. Kruger, “How Early Christianity was Mocked for Welcoming Women”, Canon Fodder, July 13, 2020, https://michaeljkruger.com/how-early-christianity-was-mocked-for-welcoming-women/.
[3] “Constantine and the Foundations of Anti-Semitism”, Messianic Bible, July 10, 2023, https://www.messianicbible.com/feature/constantine-foundations-of-anti-semitism/.
[4] Ann Conway-Jones, "On us and on our children'" Repenting of the harm caused by Matthew 27:25", Centre for the Study of Bible & Violence, March 20, 2023, https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/2023/03/20/repenting-of-the-harm/
[5] Mark Allan Powell, ‘The Crucifixion of Jesus and the Jews’, Bible Odyssey, January 20, 2017, https://www.bibleodyssey.org/passages/related-articles/the-crucifixion-of-jesus-and-the-jews/.
[6] Darren Huckey, "Are Gentiles Really Dogs?", Shalom Macon, February 21, 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W46kT45R2x0
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