If gentiles are now coming to faith in Jesus, and many Jews are not, has the word of God and his promise to Israel failed? That is the critical question Paul starts to address in Roman 9.1–5, the epistle for Trinity 9 in Year A.
This passage cannot be read in isolation, as Paul uses language from Romans 8, and earlier in the letter, to explain what ‘all Israel is not Israel’, a puzzling phrase but one that is key to Paul’s understanding.
We mention David deSilva’s excellent Grove booklet on Galatians, and you can buy it here.
The gospel reading for Trinity 9 is Matthew 14.13–21, the feeding of the 5,000, and you can find commentary on that here.
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It is important to see the climax of Romans as Paul so clearly intended – the doxology at the end of Romans 11, following the three chapters about Israel, and not the passage about the Holy Spirit in Romans 8 that charismatics tend to stop after. One of Paul’s greatest passions, in letter after letter, is to hold Jewish and gentile converts together in the church.
Is the Church of England currently succeeding in that enterprise?
I think not…
Btw, I think that is a false dichotomy!
In Acts 2 from Joel 2, the eschatological moment is that the Spirit of God is ‘poured out on all flesh’, which then transpires to mean both Jew and Gentile.
So I don’t think the climax of the work of the Spirit and the uniting of Jew and Gentile in Christ can actually be separated…
I fully agree with your last statement. But it is after Romans 11 that Paul is so deeply moved as to write a doxology, not after Romans 8.
This comment is familiar. 🙂
I said on the YouTube video comments, much as AW does here, that the doxology concluding Romans 11 is the climax of the letter.
This is not to say that the ‘Eschatological moment’ of the Spirit’s outpouring is of lesser importance, or separable from this point, but much more simply that the ultimate unity of Jew and Gentile believers into one body/tree/family is the purpose of the letter. The newly-dawned age of the Spirit (complete with freedom from sin and new life in Christ [Para Romans 5-8]) is, for Paul, the means by which this is effected in the life of those who believe.
I am not sure, fundamentally, that we disagree. I’d concede that perhaps Romans has two climaxes, or an extended climax encompassing all of chapters 8-11, but that feels like an attempt to have it both ways: I think the summative argument Paul wants to make to the believers in Rome is this wonderful unity in God’s redemptive plan, and the meaty soteriology of what comes before is the necessary foundation of that point.
The best commentary to understand Romans is Galatians. 🙂
I think this is evident right from Paul’s introduction.
Yes, he plainly writes to make known to them the gifts and power of the spirit (Romans 1: 11-12), but the great summative statement of verses 16-17 reveals that his primary intention is unity in the Gospel between Jew and Gentile, and while we cannot collapse the former into the latter entirely we certainly should see the trajectory.
Mat
But to what extent is the doxology the climax of Romans 9–11, and to what extent the climax of Romans 1–11?
Splendid. Thank you both.
The Triunity is a key point.
Remnant is also a key Old Testament theme it seems to me along with God’s promises/covenants. Jesus is the singular righteous remnant, true believer.
ROM 9 v 3″For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. . . .” In other words, he’s stating the extent of his sorrow.
Moses expressed a very similar self-sacrificial wish to Exodus 32:32 when he pleaded with God to forgive the Israelites after they made the golden calf.
In Exodus 32:32, Moses asked God to forgive Israel’s sin, and added, “but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written”
.Paul’s wish In Romans 9:3 he stated, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh”
Both leaders displayed an intense, selfless love for the nation of Israel, willing to forfeit their own spiritual standing or life with God to save their people
Both figures expressed pastoral hyperbole or deep emotional grief rather than a theological possibility, and God did not grant either man’s request to be cut off.
Exodus records ten statements that Pharaoh hardened his heart and ten that God hardened it. The same sun melts wax and hardens clay. God’s action revealed His power (Exodus 9:16) and brought the plagues that freed Israel, pointing forward to the cross where Christ’s triumph over evil is even greater (Colossians 2:15).
Pottery and Paul’s image later on in the chapter should cause us to pause in our speculation as to what will be his judgement on Political Zion or His blessings on Spiritual Zion
Isaiah 45:9 and Jeremiah 18:6 also use the potter image. The potter has absolute rights over the clay; yet he fashions some pieces into masterpieces.
Paul argues God has the same right, yet He endures “vessels of wrath” with patience to display the riches of His glory on “vessels of mercy” (vv. 22-23).
The Remnant Promises from Hosea and Isaiah are comforting;
Hosea 1:10; 2:23: God calls wayward Israel “Lo-Ammi” (Not My People) but later “Ammi” (My People).
Isaiah 10:22-23; 1:9: Though the nation would be judged, a remnant would survive. Paul sees Gentile believers and a believing minority of Jews as that remnant.
In the prophets there were a believing remnant brought back to the land through whom all Israel was subsequently blessed, prospered and flourished again as a Nation.
The voice of the prophets was full of “Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people!
The pattern—judgement followed by gracious rescue—runs throughout Scripture: Noah’s family in the flood (Genesis 6-8), and Elijah’s 7,000 (1 Kings 19:18). Shalom.
We cannot gauge the measure of the length and breadth or hight and depth of the love of God who chose them to be a special people to show forth His Glory which is yet to be made manifest in and through them. Shalom,
It is worth noting that Israel is a chosen vessel
And the holy remnant [Holy Seed- IS.6:13] are those
raised up amongst them to do the hard yards, face the hardships, endure the mockery and oppositions, guard the deposit, be accounted as sheep for the slaughter, filling up for the church the sufferings of Christ to build the city and the temple church. As a kind of first fruits.
They pioneered the restoration of the waste-places that all Israel might through them become a restored holy nation showing [sounding] forth the praises of God.
It is not that Messianic Jews are just the only redeemed in Israel but they are a spearhead for the blessing for all Israel.
So is the holy seed of the Church.
They follow The Pioneer of the faith.Shalom
‘Not all Israel are Israel’. ‘A true Jew is not one who is a Jew outwardly, but a Jew inwardly, through circumcision of the heart’.
Israel was never merely an ethnic group, according to all the scriptures.
Certainly BC God intended those who had heard of Him and believed in Him to be welcome in ancient Israel provided their males got circumcised and they obeyed the written laws of Moses.
But the Abrahamic covenant is widened in Christ, not transferred.
It appears to be missed in some quaters, Anthony,that the use of “flesh” in Romans 9: 8 is linked to the Abrahamic Covenant. Or,on the other hand, are we assume that there is no connection with the employment of the term in chapter 8? The meaning here is abundantly clear. Moreover the phrase “a true Jew” [2:20 is directed towards those whose circumcision observation is at best superficial; a phenomenon hardly new in Paul’s time (cf. Deuteronomy chapters 10 and 30). There is a significant contextual difference between ” a true Jew” and “the children of the flesh” [9:8]
Very true Ian, but what other nation has been redefined ecclesiastically?
However
Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV.
The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
In this chapter is a plain intimation of the mercy God has in store for Israel in the latter days. This passage refers to the prophetic warnings of the last two chapters, which have been mainly fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and in their dispersion to the present day; and there can be no doubt that the prophetic promise contained in these verses yet remain to come to pass. The Jewish nation shall in some future period, perhaps not very distant, be converted to the faith of Christ; and, many think, again settled in the land of Canaan. The language here used is in a great measure absolute promises; not merely a conditional engagement, but declaring an event assuredly to take place. For the Lord himself here engages to circumcise their hearts; and when regenerating grace has removed corrupt nature, and Divine love has supplanted the love of sin, they certainly will reflect, repent, return to God, and obey him; and he will rejoice in doing them good. Matthew Henry
ROM. 11:25 ESV. Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in
Colossians 2:11: Mentions being “circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ”.
We do not know yet the extent or measure of God’s Grace or Mercy.
With GOD all things are possible, Shalom.
” Then (Moses) sa to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says, Israel is my first born son, and I told you, ‘let my son go’ so that he may worship me,’But you refused to let him go, so I will kill your first born son.” [Exodus 4: 22-23].
” I will lead them besides streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father and Ephraim is my first born son. For the Lord will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand stronger than they.”{ Jeremiah 31 : 9&11].
Later in the same chapter:”The time is coming says the Lord when I will *make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. *It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers*. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. *I will be their God and they shall be my people*.[31-33]
All of this pertains to the *New Covenant* ! Yes we are informed : the Mosaic Covenant is obsolete (c.f. Hebrews 8:13), but what is conveniently ignored is what precedes – a virtually verbatim reiteration of Jeremian 31 and with a directive which hasn’t changed – to Israel and Judah !!
On what basis therefore do we downgrade ethnic Israel by means of a concoction of terminology having no scriptural merit. Rather it imposes on the *New Covenant community* ideas which by default (or intention?) have only served to minimise Israel’s historic/theological contribution to the Lord’s creative/redemptive purposes for the whole of humanity.
I think Paul probably knew these texts quite well.
Yet he says ‘Not all from Israel are Israel’ because they have not believed. It is those who are justified by faith, both Jew and Gentile, who are offspring of Abraham, not those merely with the outward sign of circumcision.
That is the whole argument of Romans…
So the issue is reduced to a one-liner. Yes Paul knew these( OT) texts very well . Yet, given their import regarding some of your recent comments Ian, I believe, they cannot be swept aside because they are OT.
CK Barrett’s comments on Romans 9: 6 give a different insight: “Israel is not a term like Ammon, Moab, Greece, or Rome.’Israel’ cannot be defined in terms of physical descent, or simply ‘on the human side’ (v5). * It is created not by blood and soil, *but by the promise of God* and therefore exists within the limits of God’s freedom.” Note (a) he refers to physical *descent* and(b) or(c) simply *on the the human side*. God created Israel, as a nation, and gave them a covenant based upon his redeeming love and executed through his covenantal law. Moreover it was a covenant based upon that of Abraham (Genesis 17).
Yes they failed, but do Exodus 4:22-25a and Jeremiah 3:9- 11 ( among other passages) have no longer any function other than acting as theological fodder for the NT? Yes, in the New Covenant, all is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, but does that meat that there is no longer any significant role for OT prophecy in particalar ( (I wait with interest for an NC reinterpretation of Hebrews 8, not to mention the Magnificant and the Song of Zechariah! And are we still to be regaled with ‘Israel redefined’ -spiritual but no longer created?
I am greatly impressed Ian with you major contribution towards Jewish people in general and Israel in particular at this particular time. I have spent some time studying Messianic scholarship particular in relation to biblical studies and many are supportive of the idea of the New Covenant. However, they can also provide insights into the Jewish backgrounds to both OT and NT! And they might argue that “that is not the whole argument of Romans—-“.
I think I am agreeing with Barrett.
Of course there *is* an ‘Israel’ which is like the other nations, and clearly does have a human descent. The names of the tribes tell us this!
But Barrett is agreeing with me that, for Paul, ‘Israel’ cannot be only this, or even primarily this. Descent from Abraham is spiritual, is about circumcision of the heart not the body, and about believing the promises and being justified by faith.
I don’t understand you comment ‘spiritual but not created’. Those who believe in Jesus are born again by the Father (John 1 and 3), and are the ‘new creation’ of God (2 Cor 5.17).
Of course we are the creation of God…
How about “spiritual Israel” true Israel”etc – redefining Israel to fit a theory not having any exegetical substance and merit. Re Barrett’s comment: where does he say “a nation like any other nation.” And certainly his definition of the Abrahamic Covenant is rather different from making a quantum leap from the actual covenant to “circumcision of the heart”! Genesis 17 speaks of the creation of the ordinance. ‘The involvement of ‘the heart’ surely begins in the Mosaic covenant. And Genesis 17 clearly alludes ,not only to the institution of the rite, but to ‘Canaan as an everlasting possession’ to you and your escendents. Whatever the long term denouement of Israel’s nationhood, the initial stages of the execution of this covenant could hardly be described as essentially “spiritual”!
Is not one factor in Paul’s thinking that the Abrahamic promise (in particular Gen 15:4-6) preceded the Abrahamic Covenant?
As for “a nation like other nations”, is that not precisely what the descendants of Jacob (aka “sons of Israel”) wanted to be? (1 Sam 8:4-5) This was actually a rejection of God (1 Sam 8:7-8).
Well put David!