There are Hebrew Roots teachers who claim the Gentiles in the New Testament were the lost tribes of Israel. Those who make these claims assert that the book of Galatians was written to the dispersed from among the 10 tribes and not to true Gentiles.

They use such arguments to support their view that the Law is still in force. This is wrong and can easily be refuted by the content within the book of Galatians.

I recently listened to a leading Hebrews Roots teacher (who btw, went to prison for fraud) teach this HR doctrine. He used a lot of scripture with sleight of hand. This tactic causes many who followed him to be mesmerized by his “knowledge” rather than responding to his claims as a Berean.

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto BEREA: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY, WHETHER THOSE THINGS BE SO. ~ Acts 17:10-11

The Hebrews Roots teacher I mentioned above used scriptures out of context to support his “theological scheme.” If those who listen to his teachings would read the full context of the scriptures he cites, they would find obvious discrepancies.

The theological scheme being advocated by this teacher was founded on the premise that the term “Jews” only refers to the southern tribes of Judah throughout the Bible.

If those who followed this man’s teachings continue reading the Bible through the theological lens he taught regarding the lost tribes of Israel, they will find themselves misreading many portions of scripture, and doctrinally in error. The aim of such teachings is to advance the Hebrews Roots ideology that the law is still in force.

Please know that term, Jews, does not refer to only the southern tribes in every place in scripture. There are many places where the term “Jew” or “Jews” is a reference to any and all Israelites.

Allow me to point out the following:

After the reign of King Solomon, the nation of Israel was splint into two Kingdoms. The 10 tribes of the north retained the name Israel, and the southern tribes (Judah and Benjamin) were known as Judah.

When God punished the northern tribes, they were over taken by the Assyrians and never recovered. When God judged Judah, they were taken captive by the Babylonians. After 70 years of captivity, they were brought back to their homeland.

The southern tribes of Judah (Judah and Benjamin) were just as sinful as the 10 northern tribes. The ONLY reason God did not permanently disinherit Judah from the land of promise as he did with the northern tribes was his oath to David. God’s promise to David was that one of his descendants would reign upon the throne forever.

In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul referred to this oath as “the sure mercies of David.” God fulfilled this oath to David in the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus.

Though Jews may have been a reference to Judah in the beginning, it became a reference to “all Israelites.” For example, many who were descendants of the dispersed from among the 10 tribes were scattered into the nations referenced in Acts 2. These Israelites, who were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost in Acts 2, were called “JEWS.”

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem JEWS, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. ~ Acts 2:5.

In his sermon in Acts 2, Peter refers to these Jews as “Ye men of Israel” and “the house of Israel.” ~ Acts 2:22,36

Verses 6-10 mentions the nations that these Isrealites (called Jews) were living in. Isaiah the prophet foretold of this in chapter 11.

10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover THE REMNANT OF HIS PEOPLE, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble THE OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. ~ Isaiah 11:10-12

Careful study shows that the places referred to by Isaiah in the scriptures above, corresponds with those mentioned in Acts 2.

All a person really has to do to know that the word Gentile(s) in the New Testament isn’t a reference to the 10 lost tribes of Israel, is study all the texts in the New Testament which mentions the Gentiles.

If you will do this, you will observe that the context often makes a contrast between the Gentiles and those who were given circumcision and the law.

You cannot fit the disperse tribes of Israel into the context of the Gentiles in the New Testament, not if you have any Biblical integrity at all.

Here are a couple of examples:

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves…~ Romans 2:14

NOTE: The 10 tribes were given the law so the Gentiles in this verse is not a reference to them.

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin… Romans 3:9

NOTE: In this text Jews refers to those who had the law (this include all the 12 tribes of Israel) and those who did not have the law are called the Gentiles. This is clearly understood by the context.

One of the ploys used by the teacher mentioned above was his misuse of out of context scriptures from Romans 9-11. He did this to claim that the Gentiles in Romans 9-11 were the 10 tribes of Israel.

This is error. Notice the following from Paul in chapter 11:

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation (jealously) them which are MY FLESH, and might save some of them. ~ Romans 11:13-14.

Paul wanted to win all his fellow Isrealites, not just those from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In chapter 9 Paul says the following:

1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for MY BRETHREN, MY KINSMEN according to the flesh:

4 Who are ISRAELITES; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. ~ Romans 9:1-5

Those who are called Israelites mentioned above (Paul’s kinsmen according to the flesh) were given the covenants, the law, the service of God, the promises, they were descendants of the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and Christ came through their nation.

Israelites in the New Testament refers to those from ALL the tribes of Israel. Paul refers to them as Israel and Israelites multiple times in Romans 9-11.

If you think Gentiles is a reference to the 10 tribes and Israel in Romans 9-11 you will absolutely make a mess of the context and only be confused.

In the New Testament: a Gentile is a Gentile. Don’t get confused by those who twist the Word of God.