How were the Jews in Paul's day opposing all mankind?

Not only were the Jews displeasing to God, but, Paul asserts, they were hostile to all men. In Paul’s day, many writers accused the Jews of hatred toward mankind. This arose largely from their strict practices of separation (including their refusal to eat with Gentiles), and their refusal to participate in pagan worship. The ancient writer Philostratus claimed that the Jews have long been in revolt not only against the Romans, but against humanity, and that they were a race that has made its own a life apart and irreconcilable, that cannot share with the rest of mankind in the pleasure of the table nor join in their libations or prayer or sacrifices.^1,2

Paul’s condemnation of the Jews, however, differs from that of other ancient writers. Whereas their condemnation was because of the Jews’ social separation from their neighbours, Paul’s condemnation is theological. These Jews displease God, and their opposition to other people is understood in relation to the gospel and salvation.³ The sense in which the Jews were hostile to all men was not only in their attitude, but especially in their behaviour. They actively opposed the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles and sought to prevent such preaching from occurring at all.⁴