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how does this idea of unity compare with old testament laws that separated people?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians, a group of early Christian communities in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), likely in the mid-1st century CE. He was addressing a crucial question: whether non-Jewish followers of Jesus needed to follow Jewish law, like circumcision, to truly belong. This verse is part of his argument that identity in Christ transcends former social and religious divisions.

What does it mean for deeply ingrained societal or identity markers to be considered 'one' in a shared purpose or community?

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Read alongside it

  • Deuteronomy 7:3-6

    This passage highlights Old Testament laws that commanded separation from other nations for the Israelites.

  • Ephesians 2:14-16

    Paul further expands on Christ breaking down the 'dividing wall' between groups.

  • Colossians 3:11

    Another similar statement from Paul emphasizing new identity over former distinctions.

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