Is there really any evidence that Cornelius the Centurion was born an Israelite?

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FranciscoN2001

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Israelite cults claim that Cornelius was born an Israelite fighting as a mercenary in the Italian company, but the Bible only said he was new to the Jewish faith and that many Jews liked him. These Israelite cults don’t want to admit Jesus died for sins of the world and not just Israel so they will make assumptions that are not in the scriptures. If Cornelius was an Israelite, wouldn’t he have a Hebrew name too?
 
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The entire point of this story in Acts was to demonstrate that God has justified the Gentiles along with the Jews. The entire context of the story seems to deny this claim of the Israelite cultists. In fact, Cornelius even sends Jewish messengers to vouch for him in verse 22, and when they do so they make a distinction between Cornelius and the Jews. Finally, starting in verse 44, the Holy Spirit falls upon the household of Cornelius and Peter explains that the Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
 
FranciscoN2001 said:
If Cornelius was an Israelite, wouldn’t he have a Hebrew name too?
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Not necessarily. Even two of the Apostles had Greek names, Andrew and Philip.

Clearly Cornelius was a Gentile, for the reasons @Hodos has explained. But we can’t tell that from his name alone.
 
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The only evidence we have is his Latin name and the fact that his unit was known as the “Italian Band”; i.e., likely from the boot. Someone who is more knowledgeable that I will have to deal with the question as to whether or not the Roman army had Jewish officers as centurions. I doubt it, but I don’t know.

D
 
BHIs also make claims of Irish/Celtic people being the descendants of “Israelite” Galatians. This is just because they heard the Galatians were a Celtic people. They think “Celtics” come from Anatolia… The Galatians were Hellenized descendants of Western Celtic peoples that migrated to Anatolia. They were Gentiles and there’s absolutely no proof that they’re “lost Israelites”
 
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Ah, these aren’t Israelite cults any more than Jehovah’s witnesses or Mormon’s are Christian. Don’t expect them to engage in careful examination of the text.
 
A jew could have purchased Roman citizenship if they were not born into citizenship. This is evidences late in Acts by the Roman Officer who arrested Paul and forced the Sanhedrin to Convene to investigate Paul.
 
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But the BHIs claim that the gentles that the spirit had been poured onto were really Israelites that had been shunned because they weren’t circumsised
 
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Yes, but the text clearly indicates otherwise. I wouldn’t be concerned about it. I would just ask them to demonstrate this claim from the text. What you will find is that their understanding is being assumed, not proven. It is incumbent upon them to show something from the text that clearly indicates this if they wish to provide an alternate interpretation that the text refutes.
 
IN Genesis, it is stated that those not circumcised but of Jewish heritage would be cut off from Israel.

However, it does not say that the “cut off” would be eternal.
 
That’s why I don’t answer their questions about Old Testament prophecies because they obviously have nothing to do with the modern age… Why would Jesus be born if none of these propechies had been fulfilled? They always reference Deutoronomy 28:64
“And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.”
The problem with this is that it has nothing to do with slavery. And even if it did, it had nothing to do with the Arab Slave Trade or the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The world at the time meant the Middle East, North Africa, and Greece. The Egyptians enslaved the Israelites and traded them all over the Mediterranean did they not?
 
Yep. It is easy to demonstrate scripturally. But you can’t force someone who has no faith to have faith. Demonstrate the foolishness of their interpretation and move on.
 
Just focus on proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Whomever the Spirit calls will be saved.
 
I feel I am learning more and more about the faith everyday, maybe in times where I felt my faith was challenged, the Holy Spirit gave me more knowledge
 
Definitely, it has often been the case throughout history that doctrinal challenges force us to study the scripture, so that we can make a truthful stand based on God’s Word. I just wouldn’t get wrapped around the axle if they don’t respond. Just be satisfied if you can use it as an opportunity for you to grow, and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and let God do the rest.
 
I gave the guy so many long summarizations on why his doctrine is a false occult and he just keeps trying to justify himself with misinterpreted scriptures. I gave him one last summary and closed it with “The truth of our debate is in God’s hands.” I’m sick of having to answer his misinterpreted Old Testament scriptures meant for the day’s before Christ, so I decided to end the debate
 
Bon_Croix said:
A jew could have purchased Roman citizenship if they were not born into citizenship. This is evidences late in Acts by the Roman Officer who arrested Paul and forced the Sanhedrin to Convene to investigate Paul.
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He stated that he had purchased his citizenship, but there is no evidence that he was a Jew.

D
 
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