Times of the Gentiles in Early Christian Thought
Early Christians usually understood the times of the Gentiles as the period when Jerusalem would be trampled by the nations while God gathered believers from the Gentiles. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Hippolytus, and Cyprian all link this to the gospel reaching the nations and to Israel’s partial hardening. Luke 21:24 and Romans 11:25 are the main Bible passages behind this reading. The topic is broad and well attested, though some cards are only indirect support or background.
111 early-church witnesses · 216 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Times of the Gentiles?
Early Christians commonly read the "times of the Gentiles" in Luke 21:24 as a real period when Jerusalem would be under Gentile rule while the gospel went out to the nations. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Hippolytus, and Cyprian all connect that period with Gentile inclusion, Israel’s partial hardening or fall, and the spread of Christ’s grace among the nations.
The evidence is broad across the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and Luke 21:24 is often paired with Romans 11:25 and related passages about Gentiles coming to faith. Some later or indirect cards echo the same theme, but a few are only background, typology, or loose lexical matches rather than direct teaching. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Luke 21:24 was commonly read as a real season of Gentile rule over Jerusalem.
- Many early writers linked that season with the Gentile mission and Romans 11:25.
- The main witness range is broad in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
- Some related cards are only typology or background, not direct teaching.
Questions Answered by the Sources
What did early Christians think the ‘times of the Gentiles’ meant?
Early Christian writers treated Luke 21:24 as a period when Jerusalem is under Gentile rule, while God is gathering believers from the Gentiles. Tertullian explicitly glosses the verse this way, and later writers connect it with the Gentiles’ calling and Israel’s future fullness.
-
Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh Direct teaching
For after He had declared that Jerusalem was to be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled, Luke 21:24 — meaning, of course, those which were to be chosen of God, and gathered in with the remnant of Israel— He then goes on to proclaim, against this world and dispensation (even as Joel had done, and Daniel, and all the prophets with one consent ), that there should be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.
-
Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Background
...ix monads are the root of the name Patroclus. But if the number is 43, he says that six taken seven times are 42, because seven times six are 42, and one is left over. Therefore, according to the rule of the number seven, one monad is the root of the number 43. But one should notice whether the number taken, when divided, leaves no remainder. For example, if from some name, after adding the roots together, I find, for instance, 36 monads. But 36 divided by nine makes exactly four enneads, because nine times four are 36, and nothing is left over. It is clear, then, that the actual root is 9. Again, if we divide the number 45, we find five nines and nothing left over, because nine times five are 45, and nothing remains. Therefore, in such cases they say that the root itself is nine. The same is true for the number seven. If, for example, we divide 28 by 7, we have nothing left over, because seven times four are 28, and nothing remains. Therefore they say that seven is the root. But when someone calculates names and finds the same letter appearing twice, he counts it once. For example, the name Patroclus has the pa twice and the o twice. So they count the a once and the o once. Acc
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
-
Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
...njamin, and by forsaking Jerusalem had withdrawn to Samaria, were counted among profane persons and Gentiles. For when He first sent His disciples in the ministry of salvation, He commanded them, saying, “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans.” By sending them first to the Jews, He commands that the Gentiles should for the time being be passed over. But by adding that even the city of the Samaritans was to be left out, where there were schismatics, He shows that schismatics were to be placed on the same level as Gentiles.
Did the early Christians teach that Jerusalem would be trodden down by the Gentiles?
Yes. The Bible card in Luke 21:24 is the central Bible passage, and several early writers cite or paraphrase it directly. The sources read Jerusalem’s desolation and trampling as a real historical and prophetic condition.
-
Luke 21:24 Direct teaching
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
-
Revelation 11:2 Direct teaching
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
-
2 Corinthians 1:10 Background
The oppressor has stretched out his hand On all her desirable things: For she has seen the Gentiles Entering into her sanctuary, Concerning whom thou didst command That they should not enter into thy congregation.
-
Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching
Luke 21:20 But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Luke 21:21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are inside the city leave it, and let those who are in the villages not enter it. Luke 21:22 For these are the days of vengeance, so that all that is written may be fulfilled. Matthew 24:15 And when you see the unclean sign of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the pure place, let the reader understand. Matthew 24:16 Then let the one who is in Judea flee to the mountains. Mark 13:15 Let the one who is on the roof not go down or enter in to take anything out of his house. Mark 13:16 And let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his garment. Luke 21:23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath against this nation. Luke 21:24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into every land. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the nations until the times of the nations are ended.
-
Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews Direct teaching
Accordingly the times must be inquired into of the predicted and future nativity of the Christ, and of His passion, and of the extermination of the city of Jerusalem, that is, its devastation.
-
Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching
Luke 21:24 And they shall fall on the edge of the sword, and shall be taken captive to every land: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the nations, until the times of the nations be ended.
-
Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist Background
59. But we who hope for the Son of God are persecuted and trodden down by those unbelievers.
Did early Christians connect the times of the Gentiles with Gentile conversion?
Several early Christian authors tie the topic to the Gentiles believing the gospel and entering God’s people. Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement, Hippolytus, and others describe the Gentiles as receiving the inheritance, faith, or calling in Christ.
-
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching
...l persecute Christ, if they do not repent, shall not inherit anything on the holy mountain. But the Gentiles, who have believed in Him, and have repented of the sins they have committed, shall receive the inheritance along with the patriarchs, the prophets, and the just men descended from Jacob, even though they neither keep the Sabbath, nor are circumcised, nor observe the feasts. Surely, they shall receive the holy inheritance of God. For God speaks through Isaiah like this: ‘I, the Lord God, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will strengthen You; and I have given You as a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out those who are bound from the chains, and those who sit in darkness from the prison-house.’ And again: ‘Lift up a standard for the people; for, see, the Lord has made it heard to the end of the earth. Say to the daughters of Zion, Behold, your Savior has come; having His reward, and His work before His face: and He shall call it a holy nation, redeemed by the Lord. And you shall be called a city sought out, and not forsaken. Who is this that comes from Edom? in red garments from Bosor?
-
Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching
...e Greeks but to those Gentiles who believed in Christ, affirming their faith. When certain men came down from Judea to Antioch—where the Lord’s disciples were first called Christians because of their faith in Christ—and tried to convince those who believed in the Lord to be circumcised and follow other aspects of the law, Paul and Barnabas traveled to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles, and the whole Church gathered together. Peter addressed them: “Men, brothers, you know that from long ago God chose me so that the Gentiles would hear the Gospel from me and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us; and made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. So why are you testing God by placing a burden on the disciples that neither our ancestors nor we could bear? We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will be saved just like they are.” After him, James spoke: “Men, brothers, Simon has explained how God planned to take from the Gentiles a people for His name. The prophets' words agree with this, as it is written, ‘After this, I will return and rebuild Da
-
Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness
...in which they were deceived? Yes, seeing ourselves and realizing that the Christians from among the Gentiles are both more numerous and more genuine than those from among the Jews and Samaritans? For all other human races are called Gentiles by the Spirit of prophecy, but the Jewish and Samaritan races are called the tribe of Israel and the house of Jacob. The prophecy predicted that there would be more believers from the Gentiles than from the Jews and Samaritans, and it goes like this: “Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear; break forth and shout, you who do not travail, because many more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband.” For all the Gentiles were “desolate” of the true God, serving the works of their hands; but the Jews and Samaritans, having the word of God delivered by the prophets and always expecting the Christ, did not recognize Him when He came, except for a few, whom the Spirit of prophecy by Isaiah predicted would be saved. He spoke from their perspective: “Except the Lord had left us a seed, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.” Sodom and Gomorrah are related by Moses to have been cities of ungodly men, which God burned with fir
-
Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness
...he will cleanse the flesh, which is meant by the garment. And “in the blood of the grape,” which is trodden and pours out blood, means the flesh of the Lord. In this, he cleanses the whole calling of the Gentiles.
-
Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Direct teaching
...ritten, ‘After this I will return, and I will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will build again its ruins, and I will raise it up anew, so that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,’ says the Lord, who does these things.” Acts 15:13-17. Therefore also the rest of men, that is, some of the Jews and all the Gentiles upon whom the name of the Lord is called, may and indeed must seek the Lord, because that very invocation of the name gives them the opportunity, or even lays on them the necessity, of seeking the Lord. And with these they set forth the Holy Scriptures—whether all of them or only some of them—so that they may discuss the truth more boldly than with the Gentiles upon whom the name of the Lord Jesus, the Son of the living God, has not been invoked, just as it also has not been invoked upon the Jews who receive only the Old Testament Scriptures. And so men of both these kinds, that is, Jews and Gentiles, fully believing as they ought, are likewise baptized. But heretics who have already been baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ must only be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And in Jesus
-
Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
For the apostle says, But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy Romans 11:11 and to willingness to repent.
-
Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
and He that is to rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles trust.
-
Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
... spoke with new tongues, as that Spirit suggested to us, Acts 2:4. And we preached to both Jews and Gentiles that He is the Christ of God, determined by Him to be the Judge of the living and the dead, Acts 10:42. Moses bore witness to Him and said, "The Lord received fire from the Lord, and rained it down," Genesis 19:24. Jacob saw Him as a man and said, "I have seen God face to face, and my soul is preserved." Abraham received Him as a guest, and acknowledged Him to be the Judge and his Lord. Moses saw Him in the bush. Concerning Him he spoke in Deuteronomy: "The Lord your God will raise up to you a Prophet from your brothers, like me; you shall hear Him in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among his people," Deuteronomy 18:15. Joshua the son of Nun saw Him as the captain of the Lord's host, in armor, for their help against Jericho. He fell down before Him and worshiped, as a servant does to his master, Joshua 5:14. Samuel knew Him as the Anointed of God, 1 Samuel 12:3, and from that came the name "anointed" for the priests and the kings. David knew Him, and sang a hymn concerning Him, "A
-
Romans 15:9 Supporting witness
and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”
-
Acts 28:28 Supporting witness
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
-
Ephesians 3:6 Supporting witness
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
-
Isaiah 60:3 Supporting witness
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
More related quotations from this section 3 shown
-
Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness
But nations (Gentiles) also, like ourselves, had likewise their mention (by the prophet) as trusting in Christ.
-
Isaiah 11:10 Supporting witness
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.
-
Acts 13:48 Supporting witness
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Did early Christians expect something to happen to Israel after the Gentiles were fulfilled?
Some sources pair the Gentiles’ fullness with Israel’s later restoration or salvation. Origen and Tertullian explicitly use Romans 11 language, while other writers speak of a remnant, the patriarchs, or Jerusalem restored in the kingdom.
-
Romans 11:25 Direct teaching
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
-
1 Thessalonians 5:1 Supporting witness
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
-
Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching
and that it is by their fall that salvation has come to the Gentiles, and that their fall is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, until the fullness of the Gentiles come, that after that the whole of Israel, whom Celsus does not know, may be saved.
-
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Background
and he whom Daniel foretells would have dominion for a time, and times, and an half, is even already at the door, about to speak blasphemous and daring things against the Most High.
-
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Background
And it shall be delivered into his hands for a time, and times, and half a time.
-
Archelaus, Connection to 1 Thessalonians 5:1 Supporting witness
And as the knowledge of the date of the last day is no secure position for us, he has given us, to that effect, a declaration on the subject in the epistle which he wrote to the Thessalonians, thus: "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that i write unto you; for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."
Common Questions
What did early Christians think the times of the Gentiles meant?
They usually took it as the period when Jerusalem would be under Gentile control while God brought many Gentiles into the faith.
Which Bible verses did early Christians use for this topic?
Luke 21:24 was the main text, and many writers also connected it with Romans 11:25.
Did early Christians connect this with Gentile salvation?
Yes. Several writers tied the period to the gospel going to the Gentiles and to Gentiles believing in Christ.
Source Index for the Times of the Gentiles
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 216 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 111
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 105
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.