How did the Jewish people respond as more Gentiles accepted the Gospel?
As Gentiles increasingly accepted the Gospel, the Jewish people largely fought it and detested it, except for a few. Many reacted with hostility, demanding Paul be removed because he spoke of Gentiles. Moses had foretold this hatred, and the same resistance continues today.
Les explains that when Paul recounted that Jesus had sent him far hence to the Gentiles, the crowd listened with rapt silence until he said the word Gentile. At that word they lifted up their voices and said, 'Away with such a fellow from the earth,' declaring it was not fit that he should live. Les points out that the nation of Israel detested Paul, and Moses had foretold that another nation would come into fellowship with their God and they would hate them for it. The more the Gentiles succumbed to the Gospel, the more the Jewish people fought it, except for the few, but for the most part. Les says it is no different today: Israel's Law of Return tries to keep out Christians or even Jewish people who are professed believers in Christ, because religiously they are still hidebound that there is no room for a Gentile in their so-called religion.