Church and Israel – Part 4

Last updated on: July 10, 2011 at 11:15 pm by Michael F. Bird

Church and Israel – Part 4 2011-07-10T23:15:46-04:00 Michael F. Bird

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It is in Paul that the real hub of the debate on whether the church is the “new Israel” takes place. To begin with, it has to be acknowledged that most of Paul’s reference to “Israel” refer to his religious and ethnic compatriots who do not (yet) believe in Jesus the Messiah (e.g., 1 Cor 10:18; Eph 2:12; 3:6; Phil 3:5). Moreover, while several scholars try to take Rom 11:26, “And in this way, all Israel will be saved,” as referring to the consummated salvation of the church of Jews and Gentiles,[1] it seems fairly clear from the wider context of Romans 9–11 (Rom 9:4, 6, 27, 31; 10:19, 21; 11:2, 7, 11, 25), that Paul is looking ahead to the eschatological salvation of national Israel in the future.[2]

The central text in the debate is Paul’s benediction at the end of Galatians: “And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God (Gal 6:16 ESV). The issues are: (1) Who are the “all” and “Israel of God”? (2) Is there one blessing of peace for those who walk by this rule and another blessing of mercy for the Israel of God? (3) Is the “and” (kai) conjunctive, in the sense of a further addition, or explicative, in the sense of further description? A number of scholars argue that Paul’s blessing here is for Jewish Christians who follow the rule that he lays down in the epistle and he offers a separate blessing for Israel because they are Israel![3] I want to submit three arguments as to why Paul here must mean that the “Israel of God” is the church. First, it is incredibly difficult to imagine Paul arguing so passionately for the unity of Jews and Gentiles in one church, united in Christ, with everyone as equal sons of Abraham, and then at the very end of that letter pronouncing a benediction that would serve to separate groups within his churches according ethnic categories.[4] Second, Paul takes language ordinarily used to describe Israel, like “circumcision” (Phil 3:3), “Jew” (Rom 2:28-29), “God’s chosen people” (Col 3:12), to designate Christians. These are prestige terms that demonstrate the incorporation of the church into a heritage that was once thought to be the exclusive property of ethnic Judeans. Further, in Romans Paul says that “a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart” (Rom 2:29) which essentially redefines the identity of people of God around a new set of symbolic markers defined by Spirit, new creation, and obedience. Paul can also use Israel/Israelite in a fluid religious sense designating a priviledged religious identity that is no longer defined ethnically (Eph 2:13; 3:6) and even speak of an Israel within Israel (Rom 9:6). Paul knows of two covenantal people who are in effect “Israel of the flesh” and “Israel of the Spirit” (Gal 4:29). The “Israel of God” (Gal 6:16) as an honorific title for God’s people irrespective of ethnicity naturally contrasts with “Israel according to the flesh” (Rom 9:3) as a general designation for non-believing Jews. Third, we might compare the benediction of Gal 6:16 with the benediction in 1 Cor 16:22, “If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord!” (1 Cor 16:22). For Paul, there is no blessing for people irrespective of their relationship to Christ. The grace, peace, and mercy of God are from Christ for the elect in Christ.[5] For this reason, I concur with Calvin: “In a word, he gives the appellation the Israel of God to those whom he formerly denominated the children of Abraham by faith, (Gal. iii. 29,) and thus includes all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, who were united into one church.”[6]

[1] Cf. e.g., Wright, “Romans,” 10:688-91.

[2] Cf. e.g., Moo, Romans, 722-23; Schreiner, Romans, 614-15.

[3] Cf. Susan Eastman, “Israel and Divine Mercy in Galatians and Romans,” in Between Gospel and Election: Explorations in the Interpretation of Romans 9–11, eds. F. Wilk and J.R. Wagner (Tübingen: Mohr/Siebeck, 2010), 147-170.

[4] Richard N. Longenecker, Galatians (WBC; Dallas, TX: Word, 1990), 298.

[5] Bird, Bird’s-Eye View of Paul, 50.

[6] John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries: Romans – Galatians (Wilmington: APA, n.d.), 1932.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

July 10, 2011

Jesus and the Eucharist 7 – Last Post

Next Post

July 11, 2011 To Change the World 1

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Bible Lands Blogosphere Book Review Calvinism Colleges & Universities Ecclesiology Emerging Adulthood Evangelicalism Foreign Affairs Gospel of John Greco-Roman World Humor Just War N. T. Wright Old Testament Resurrection Terrorism Theological Education Travel Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What happened to the golden calf?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Taken to Canaan Burned, ground to powder Set up for worship Hidden

Books by This Author Books by Mike Bird

See All Titles »