What happened when Paul told the Jewish crowd that Jesus was sending him to the Gentiles?
When Paul told the Jerusalem crowd that Jesus was sending him to the Gentiles, the Jewish crowd went into an uproar. They would have torn Paul apart had Roman authorities not intervened. The mere word "Gentile" triggered their violent reaction, reflecting their belief that only Jews had access to God.
Les explains that the Jews believed they were the only ones with access to God, and putting Gentiles in the same category was anathema to them. Paul addressed the huge Jewish crowd in Jerusalem after they had nearly killed him, but Roman authorities rescued him. He spoke in Hebrew to get their attention and rehearsed Jewish history, including Christ's death, then quoted Jesus: "Depart from Jerusalem, they will not hear you concerning me." He also repeated Jesus' words, "Depart, for I will send you far hence to the Gentiles." At that one word, "Gentile," the Jewish crowd went into an uproar, and if not for the Roman authorities, they would have torn Paul in pieces. Les notes this was the thinking of the Jew, and Paul's claim of no difference between Jew and Gentile would have shocked Israel.