Diaspora

Biblical Text

The Greek word diaspora occurs three times in the New Testament. The New Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Gaejeong) translates the word rather than transliterating it, rendering it "scattered."

• John 7:35: On hearing Jesus' words, the Jews ask among themselves whether he intends to go "unto the dispersed among the Gentiles" and teach them.
• James 1:1: The letter is addressed "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad."
• 1 Peter 1:1: The letter is addressed "to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia."

Acts 8:1, 8:4, and 11:19 use a verb from the same root. These verses refer to believers who were scattered as they fled persecution after the martyrdom of Stephen.

Background

The word derives from a verb meaning "to scatter" or "to sow seed." It was already used in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, to refer to the scattering of Israel (Deuteronomy 28:25, among others).

The dispersion of the Jews began with the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in the eighth century BC and the Babylonian exile in the sixth century BC. Even after Cyrus of Persia permitted the exiles to return, many Jews remained in Mesopotamia. Jewish communities later arose in Egypt, Asia Minor, Rome, and elsewhere. These communities kept the Law with the synagogue as their center and made pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the feasts. The Septuagint is traditionally said to have been translated in Alexandria, Egypt, for Greek-speaking Jews.

Among the places of origin of those gathered in Jerusalem at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was Cyrene in Libya (Acts 2:10). Jerusalem also had a synagogue attended by Cyrenians (Acts 6:9). Simon of Cyrene, who carried the cross of Jesus (Mark 15:21), also came from this region.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

In the Old Testament, scattering is threatened as a punishment for breaking the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:64). Alongside this warning stands the promise that God will gather his scattered people again (Deuteronomy 30:3–4). In his letter to the exiles, Jeremiah urges them to seek the peace of the cities in which they live and conveys God's promise to bring them back (Jeremiah 29:4–14).

The New Testament applies this concept to the church. Believers are portrayed as strangers scattered throughout the world who look toward their heavenly homeland (1 Peter 1:1–2; Hebrews 11:13–16). In Acts, the scattering caused by persecution becomes the occasion for the gospel to spread to Antioch and into the Gentile world. Diaspora communities, with their synagogues and Greek Scriptures, also served as initial footholds on Paul's missionary journeys.

Interpretation and Points of Debate

• The recipients of the letters: Opinions differ on the "twelve tribes" of James and the "strangers scattered" of 1 Peter. Some hold that these phrases refer to actual Jewish Christians; others regard them as figurative expressions that describe the whole church, including Gentiles, in terms drawn from Israel.
• The promise of regathering: Dispensationalism often reads the prophecies of the regathering of scattered Israel in connection with a future restoration of ethnic Israel. On this view, the modern return of Jews to Israel is sometimes regarded as part of the fulfillment of prophecy. The Reformed tradition, following covenant theology, tends to see these promises as fulfilled chiefly in the church, in which Jews and Gentiles are gathered into one in Christ. Even within each camp, however, views differ on the details.
• Inferences beyond the text: Identifying Simon of Cyrene as a Diaspora Jew is an inference drawn from his place of origin; the text does not state his background. The view that his son Rufus is the same person as the Rufus of Romans 16:13 is likewise unconfirmed speculation.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, diaspora is widely used to refer to Koreans living abroad and their communities. Korean churches around the world are sometimes called "diaspora churches." In the field of missions, the expression "diaspora missions" is also used, reflecting the idea that Koreans living abroad can become channels for mission in the regions where they live. In preaching on the identity of Christians in the world, Jeremiah's letter and the "strangers" passage of 1 Peter are sometimes cited together.