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Today, I’m sharing Paul’s Vision of Israel’s Salvation in Romans 11:25–29—an exegetical and theological reflection on one of the most important, and often misunderstood, passages in the New Testament. If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like “Has the Church replaced Israel?” or “Who is ‘all Israel’ that will be saved?”, this article invites you to explore Paul’s heart for his people and the unshakable faithfulness of God’s covenant promises.
As a Messianic Jew, this article is deeply personal to me. Romans 11:25–29 isn’t just a theological passage—it speaks directly to my identity and calling. I wrote this to help unpack Paul’s vision for Israel’s salvation and to confront the widespread theological misunderstanding that has fueled centuries of antisemitism and the error of replacement theology within the Church. My prayer is that this study will bring much-needed clarity to the Scriptures and remind believers—both Jewish and Gentile—that God’s covenantal promises to Israel are still alive and irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
This passage forms a powerful bridge between the Jewish roots of our faith (Romans 11:17–18) and the global Body of Messiah. When we see Paul as a New Covenant Jew and recognize the ongoing role of ethnic Israel in God’s redemptive plan (Romans 11:1–2; Romans 9:4–5), we begin to heal division, defeat antisemitism at its theological root, and restore unity as “one new man” in Messiah (Ephesians 2:14–16). May this article equip and inspire you to stand firm in truth and love, with a deeper understanding of God’s faithfulness to all His people (Romans 11:33–36).
After reading, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below or message me directly—let me know how this article has spoken to you, challenged you, or encouraged you in your understanding of God’s Word and His faithfulness to Israel.
Introduction: Why Romans 11 Matters?
“And in this way all Israel will be saved…”[1]
The Salvation of Israel, as presented in the Book of Romans, is an important theological theme that intrigues scholars and believers alike. Romans 11:25-29 is a passage that offers insight into Paul’s understanding of God’s redemptive plan for God’s Chosen People and continues to spark deep theological discussions among scholars today. This Scripture is a key element in Paul’s letter to the Romans, exploring the relationship between Israel and Gentile believers in Christ. Here, Paul explores the mystery of Israel’s salvation, intertwining divine promise and eschatological expectation. This passage extends throughout Christian theology, addressing questions of covenant faithfulness, divine sovereignty, and the nature of redemption. But its interpretation depends on answering important questions: What kind of Jew was Paul? Has the Church replaced Israel? Is God done with ethnic Israel? Who is “all Israel”? How one answers these questions sets the lens on how one sees and interprets all Scriptures.
This article is an exegetical examination of Romans 11:25-29, aiming to understand its theological implications within Paul’s broader framework. It seeks to uncover the depth of Paul’s theology concerning Israel and Israel’s salvation through carefully analyzing text, scholarly discussion, and relevant passages in Paul’s letters. This research aims to clarify Paul’s message’s enduring relevance for contemporary believers and consider implications for present-day Church practice.
Background of the Letter to the Romans
According to Mark Allan Powell, author of Introducing the New Testament, the Book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul, probably in 57 or 58 AD, probably from Corinth during his third missionary journey.[2] The letter was addressed to the Christian community in Rome, which consisted of both Jewish and Gentile believers. Powell points out that no one knows precisely how Christianity arrived in Rome, yet by the year 49, Rome had many believers. That year, Emperor Claudius expelled several Jews, possibly Messianic Jews, because of what Suetonius, a historian, called “a disturbance over Chrestus,” which some believe to refer to Christ.[3] After the death of Claudius in 54, many of those previously expelled returned to Rome.
Paul’s letter to the Romans has several purposes. First, he aimed to introduce himself and his gospel to the Roman believers, whom he hoped to visit on his way to Spain (Romans 1:10-15). Powell states, “Romans may be the only letter of Paul written to people he doesn’t know. Usually he writes to Churches he started, addressing his own converts. This time, he writes to introduce himself to a Church that he has never visited.” Douglas J. Moo points out that for this reason, “Paul spends six verses identifying himself before he mentions the recipients (v. 7a) and extends them a greeting (v. 7b).”[4] Secondly, Paul sought to address specific theological and practical issues facing the Roman Church, including tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers, the role of the Law in salvation, and questions about God’s righteousness and faithfulness. Moo states that “Paul writes to explain how God acted in Christ to provide a way for Gentiles to be integrated into the people of God without disenfranchising God’s “original” people, the Jews.”[5] Thirdly, Romans is one of the New Testament’s most influential and comprehensive theological treatises, outlining Paul’s understanding of the gospel and its implications for both, Jews and Gentiles. Moo explains that Romans is “a letter about the gospel, especially as it related to the salvation-historical questions of Jew and gentile and the continuity of the plan of salvation.”[6]
The book of Romans addresses a wide range of theological themes, including justification by faith, the righteousness of God, the universal scope of sin and salvation, the role of the Torah in God’s redemptive plan, the inclusion of Gentiles in the covenant community, the relationship between Israel and the Church, and the sovereignty of God in history and salvation. Romans is structured as a formal letter, following the practices of the ancient Grego-Roman correspondence style. It begins with a greeting and thanksgiving (Romans 1:1-17), followed by a doctrinal section (Romans 1:18-11:36), and concludes with practical exhortations and personal greetings (Romans 12-16).
What kind of Jew was Paul?
This question is explored in depth in Paul: A New Covenant Jew, Rethinking Pauline Theology by Catholic theologians Brant Pitre, Michael P. Barber, and John A. Kneaid. The book offers a fresh perspective on Paul’s theology within the context of first-century Judaism and the New Testament. It analyses four major views of Paul: as a former Jew, an eschatological Jew, a Torah-observant Jew, and a New Covenant Jew.
Paul, as a former Jew, is the most common view of Paul, and it “emphasizes the discontinuity between the practices and beliefs of Paul the Christian apostle and the practices and beliefs of Saul the Jewish Pharisee.” Scholars associated with this view are Rudolf Bultmann, Ernst Kasemann, Stephen Westerhom, and Love Sechrest.”[7] In this view, Paul is seen as someone who “converted” from Judaism to Christianity, and his “doctrine of justification is directed against Jewish legalism.”[8]
The view of Paul as an eschatological Jew is the second major approach. Paul is “one whose worldview was rooted in and transformed by Jewish expectations about the “end” (Gk. eschaton) of the world.” Some scholars associated with this view are Albert Schweitzer, W.D. Davies, E.P. Sanders, and James D. G. Dunn. Prite writes that “these scholars make the case that Paul’s teaching was heavily influenced by an emerging Jewish tradition that distinguished between “two ages” or “two worlds.”[9] This approach also affirms the discontinuity between Paul and Judaism but doesn’t set Paul against Judaism as it did in the first view. Instead of seeing Paul as a convert from Judaism to Christianity, this approach sees Paul as a new creation who had a radical change of life and has entered a new realm of reality, being now in Christ.[10]
The third view of Paul is as a Torah-observant Jew, which “builds on the eschatological portrait of Paul but goes beyond.” This approach is also known as “Paul within Judaism” or “Radical New Perspective.” It looks at Paul as someone who did not convert, as Christianity did not exist as a religion yet. It claims that “even after coming to faith in Christ Paul kept the torah and followed the practices and beliefs of Judaism, all the while committing himself to bring Jewish monotheism to the Gentiles.” Christian scholars associated with this view are Krister Stendahl, Lloyd Gaston, and John Gager, and Jewish scholars are Mark Nanos, Pamela Eisenbaum, and Paula Fredriksen.[11] It is crucial to note that those who see Paul as a Torah-observant Jew understand that “Gentiles are not obligated to keep the Jewish Torah.” Torah observance is only for Jews, not Gentiles.[12] Mark D. Nanos, in his book The Mystery of Romans: The Jewish Context of Paul’s Letter, writing about Righteous Gentiles also known as God-fearers explains that:
“While these gentiles did not keep Jewish Law per se (the 613 commandments of Torah), they kept what was later referred to in rabbinic Judaism as the “Noahide” or “Noachian Commandments. These Noahide Commandments trace their roots to biblical antecedents, particularly to the Mosaic model for the laws governing the “resident alien” living in Palestine, the “stranger within your gates” (Lev. 16-26; Ex. 12:18-19; 20:10-11). In other words, the Levitical laws provided the historic halakhah for governing the minimal requirements of purity and righteousness for foreigners dwelling in the Land of Israel. These rules of behavior evolved during the Diaspora Judaism into the seven central religious and ethical principles for the “Sons of Noah,” that is, for describing the behavior of Gentiles who were righteous without becoming Jews… The particulars of both the Mosaic model and Noahide model for defining the behavior incumbent upon “righteous gentiles” are similar to those outlined by Luke in describing the Jerusalem council’s apostolic decree in Acts 15:19-32; 16:1-5; 21:25. In general, these commandments were concerned with monotheistic issues asserted in the rejection of idolatry with its concomitant sexual and dietary characteristics.”[13]
The downfall of this view is the belief that Paul preached two ways of salvation; one for Gentiles through Christ and one for the Jews through the Torah. Prite shares a quote from Pamela Eisenbaum in her book Paul Was Not a Christian: “The death and resurrection of Jesus has achieved reconciliation between Gentiles and God that was envisioned by Israel’s prophets. To put boldly, Jesus saves, but he only saves Gentiles.”[14] In other words, these scholars recognize that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Tanach and affirm that He rose from the dead but don’t see the need to be saved by Him.
The fourth and last view of Paul is as a New Covenant Jew, which builds on the insights of “valid points” contained in the three previous views. Pitre explains that the term New Covenant Jew comes from Paul’s reference to himself as a “minister of the New Covenant” (2 Cor. 3:6). This view is “inspired by aspects of the works done by Protestant scholars such as Michael Gorman, Richard Hays, N.T. Wright, and Michael Bird, as well as by Catholic scholars such as Joseph Fitzmyer, Frank Matera, and Scott Hahn.”[15] Paul, as a New Covenant Jew, does not keep the Torah as he and other Jewish believers are “not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). In Prite’s words, “the life of the new covenant is neither antinomian nor legalistic. For Paul, the new covenant involves a mode of faithful obedience that transcends that which was possible under the torah.”[16]
Understanding what kind of Jew Paul was will determine how one interprets the Scriptures, especially in the Book of Romans, regarding the salvation of Israel and the Jews.
Paul: A Torah-Keeping Jew in the New Covenant
(This section was added to express my own conclusion.)
There are many points I agree with and others that I disagree with in the four views of Paul presented above. My conclusion is that Paul was a Torah-keeping Jew who never converted from Judaism. The idea that Paul “converted” implies a change of religion, but Christianity as a formal religion did not yet exist in Paul’s lifetime. He never abandoned his Jewish identity; rather, he embraced its fullness by recognizing Yeshua as the promised Messiah of Israel. To call him a “former Jew” is both theologically and historically incorrect. A Jew who believes in Yeshua is not a convert but a completed Jew. Faith in the Jewish Messiah does not erase Jewish identity, it fulfills it.
Paul’s writings show deep reverence for the Torah, mirroring Yeshua’s own love for God’s commandments. After all, Yeshua declared, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Likewise, Paul’s understanding of the New Covenant, grounded in Jeremiah 31:31–34, upholds the Torah—not as a legalistic system for salvation—but as God’s instruction written on the hearts of His people. Far from abolishing the Torah, Yeshua came to fulfill and uphold it (Matthew 5:17–19), and Paul’s ministry reflects that same posture: obedience rooted in love and grace.
Yet, it is important to understand that no Gentile is required to keep the Mosaic Law for justification as if what Yeshua did on the cross were not enough to save us. This is exactly what Paul argues in Galatians 2:16, where he states that “a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.” Gentiles are not saved by keeping the Law, just as Jews are not. Salvation is by grace through faith, “not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). However, once saved, both Jew and Gentile are invited to walk in obedience, not as a requirement for salvation but as a response of love, gratitude, and sanctification. As the Psalmist wrote, “Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 119:1).
If sin is the breaking of God’s commandments (1 John 3:4), would a Bible-believing Gentile not want to walk in obedience? 1 John 5:3 reminds us: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” This stands in stark contrast to what many in the Church have been taught—that God’s law is a heavy burden. On the contrary, under the New Covenant, we obey empowered by His Spirit, as children of light and not of darkness (Ephesians 5:8–10). We walk in His ways not for justification, but from a place of deep devotion and covenantal love.
Therefore, I hold that Paul remained a faithful, Torah-loving Jew all his life, one who proclaimed the Messiah not in opposition to Torah but in fulfillment of it. And he called both Jews and Gentiles into the same New Covenant: one written on the heart, guided by the Spirit, and established on the finished work of Yeshua. The Torah remains God’s instruction, not a means of earning salvation, but a beautiful path of sanctification for all who love Him.
Deuteronomy 6:24 –
“And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.”
Psalm 19:7-8 –
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”
Romans 7:12 –
“So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.”
Psalm 119:1-2 –
“Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
who seek Him with their whole heart.”
Titus 3:5 –
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
Romans 3:31 –
“Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead, we uphold the law.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (prophecy of the New Covenant) –
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you… and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”
Overview of Paul’s Key Points in Romans 9-11
Romans chapters 9-11 constitute a pivotal section within the letter, addressing crucial theological themes related to Israel’s past, present, and future in God’s redemptive plan.
In Romans 9, Paul grapples with the apparent tension between God’s promises to Israel and the reality of Israel’s rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. He begins by expressing his deep anguish and sorrow over the unbelief of his fellow Jews, acknowledging their privileged status as God’s chosen people (Romans 9:1-5). Paul then explores the concept of God’s sovereign election, illustrating it through examples from Israel’s history, such as the choice of Jacob over Esau (Romans 9:6-13). He emphasizes that God’s choice is not based on human merit but on His own purposes and mercy (Romans 9:14-24). Paul concludes the chapter by asserting that Gentiles, who were not God’s people, have now become recipients of His mercy, while Israel, despite its heritage, has stumbled over the stumbling stone, which is Christ (Romans 9:30-33).
Romans 10 continues Paul’s reflection on Israel’s rejection of the gospel. He laments Israel’s failure to pursue righteousness by faith but instead seeking through the works of the law (Romans 10:1-4). Paul contrasts the righteousness that comes by faith with the righteousness based on the law, affirming that salvation is available to all who believe, without distinction between Jew and Gentile (Romans 10:5-13). He highlights the importance of preaching the gospel to all nations and emphasizes that faith comes by hearing the message of Christ (Romans 10:14-17). Paul concludes by acknowledging that Israel’s rejection of the gospel is not absolute, as there remains a remnant chosen by grace (Romans 10:18-21).
Romans 11 is the culmination of Paul’s reflection on Israel’s salvation. He begins by asking whether God has rejected His people, to which he emphatically responds, “By no means!” (Romans 11:1-6 ESV). Paul then explains that Israel’s hardening is partial and temporary until the fulness of the Gentiles has come (Romans 11:7-25). He declares that all Israel will ultimately be saved, quoting Isaiah 59:20 to support his assertion (Romans 11:26-32). Paul concludes with a doxology, marveling at the depth of God’s wisdom and knowledge and the incomprehensible nature of His ways (Romans 11:33-36). This paper will look closer at Romans 11:25-29, specifically at verse 26 – all Israel will be saved, the culmination of God’s plan.
Exegetical Analysis of Romans 11:25–29
For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer shall come out of Zion. He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” Concerning the Good News, they are hostile for your sake; but concerning chosenness, they are loved on account of the fathers—for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
In this passage, Paul introduces a mystery regarding Israel’s hardening in verse 25. This mystery involves a partial hardening that has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. The term “mystery” (Gk. μυστήριον, Mysterion) in Paul’s writings often refers to a divine revelation or truth that was previously hidden but has now been revealed by God.[17] In this context, the mystery pertains to the specific timing and purpose of Israel’s hardening. This indicates that Israel’s hardening is temporary and has a specific purpose in God’s plan. John MacArthur, a Reformer pastor and theologian, writes in his commentary of Romans:
Although many Jews have been saved through the Church’s witness, the vast majority of converts have been, and will continue to be, Gentiles—until their number is complete. That will signal the beginning of events that lead to Israel’s redemption, when all Israel will be saved—a truth that must have filled Paul’s heart with great joy (cf. Rom. 9:1–3; 10:1).[18]
In verse 26, he asserts that “all Israel will be saved.” The phrase “all Israel” has been interpreted in various ways. Powell writes that:
“Some interpreters think Paul is speaking prophetically of a literal conversion of Jews to come about in the end times. Others think that he is entertaining the notion that God’s mercy will extend to the Jews whether they accept Christ or not since “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (11:29). Still others question whether Paul is using the term “Israel” to refer to an ethnic group (see 9:6; cf. 2:29); the point could be that God’s covenant promises will be fulfilled for those who accept Israel’s Messiah (be they Jews or Gentiles), and in that sense “all Israel” will be saved.”[19]
Howard Marshall, in New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel, writes that:
Paul believes on the basis of a divine revelation backed up by Scripture that when the mass of Gentiles have come to faith, the hardening of the Jews will come to an end, and there will be mercy for them. So all Israel will be saved, by which Paul means the Jews in general. He is not only saying that all people will be saved, but that all who believe will be saved.[20]
John MacArthur, in his New Testament Commentary of Romans, writes:
All Israel must be taken to mean just that—the entire nation that survives God’s judgment during the Great Tribulation. The common amillennial view that all Israel refers only to a remnant redeemed during the Church age does injustice to the text. Paul’s declaration about all Israel is set in clear contrast to what he has already said about the believing Jewish remnant which the Lord has always preserved for Himself. The fact, for instance, that only some of the branches (unbelieving Jews) were broken off (v. 17), plainly indicates that a remnant of believing Jews— those not broken off—will continually exist while the fulness of the Gentiles is being completed. These are Jews being redeemed who are not part of the spiritual hardening that has come upon Israel because of her rejection of her Messiah (v. 25).[21]
In verses 26b-27, Paul supports this assertion by quoting Isaiah 59:20-21 and Isaiah 27:9, emphasizing the role of the Redeemer (Christ) in turning ungodliness from Jacob and making a covenant with them. He explains that from the standpoint of the gospel, Israel is currently enemies for the sake of the Gentiles, but from the standpoint of the election, they are beloved for the sake of the patriarchs. This highlights the tension between Israel’s rejection of the gospel and God’s enduring love for His chosen people. Concerning how this will happen, MacArthur writes: “After Israel is temporarily set aside, God will gather Gentile believers for Himself, then (“after these things”) He will restore and reclaim His ancient people Israel (figuratively, “the tabernacle of David”), and finally He will establish His glorious kingdom on earth.[22]
Paul concludes by affirming that the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, emphasizing God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises despite Israel’s disobedience. In these verses, Paul offers a vision of hope and restoration for Israel based on Old Testament prophecies and theological reflection.
Has God Rejected Israel? Has the Church replaced Israel?
I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.[23]
Paul addresses the relationship between God and Israel and the intricate dynamics of God’s relationship with Israel and the Gentile believers throughout the Book of Romans. He grapples with theological questions surrounding Israel’s rejection of the Gospel and the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s redemptive plan. In doing so, Paul provides substantial evidence to refute replacement theology – the belief that the Church has superseded Israel in God’s plan – and combat antisemitism, affirming God’s ongoing faithfulness to ethnic Israel.
In Romans 11:1-2, Paul confirms that by no means has God cast away His people whom He foreknows. With these words, Paul reaffirms God’s enduring covenant with ethnic Israel, rooted in His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is not done with the Jews!
In Romans 9:1-5, Paul expresses his heartfelt longing for the salvation of his fellow Jews, emphasizing their unique privileges as God’s chosen people. He wrestles with the tension between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, highlighting the mystery of Israel’s hardening and God’s ultimate purposes in salvation history. John MacArthur, in his New Testament Commentary of Romans, writes:
“God is not finished with His ancient chosen people, and even during this time when Jews as a nation are severed from God’s special blessing because of unbelief, anti-Semitism in any form is anathema to the Lord. Whoever harms God’s chosen people “touches the apple [pupil] of His eye” (Zech. 2:8).”[24]
MacArthur highlights the divine imperative to cherish and support God’s chosen people, recognizing their enduring significance in God’s redemptive plan.
Refuting Replacement Theology
Paul warned the Gentiles not to boast against the Jews, reminding them that because of Israel’s unbelief and partial hardening, they had now been grafted in. [25] J.C. Beker, in his article The Faithfulness of God and the Priority of Israel in Paul’s Letter to the Romans, writes:
Gentiles must hear that the Gentile Church has no authenticity or identity unless it realizes that it “is grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree,” that is, into Israel, “beloved for the sake of their forefathers” (Rom 11:24-28). Therefore Paul is careful in Romans to argue the unity of two distinct peoples in the gospel. Contrary to Galatians 3, Romans 4 maintains the distinctiveness of Jew and Gentile as Abraham’s seed (4:12-16). Moreover, Paul corrects in Romans 9-11 the argument of Galatians 3 (and even Romans 4?), where Israel seems simply absorbed into the Church. Thus Paul argues in Romans against any conception of the Church as the “true Israel.” By so doing he protects not only the priority and separate identity of Israel in the gospel, but also the full range of his conception of the faithfulness of God.[26]
The rebirth of Israel in 1948 caused theologians to rethink much of their theology regarding the identity of the Church and its place in relation to physical Israel in God’s redemptive plan.Jacob Fronczak, author of Israel Matters, writes:
“For two thousand years we have answered the question, “who are we?” without stopping to remember that we are not the only people who have a relationship with God. To borrow an analogy from N.T. Wright, we put the “Church” puzzle together without taking all the pieces out of the box, and as a result, the picture we are working from is incomplete.[27]
The Church was not born to replace Israel but to complete it.
Implications for Today’s Church
While the interpretation of how “all Israel will be saved” remains a mystery and a topic of much debate, the apostle Paul is confident that his fellow kinsman will be saved when the fullness of the Gentiles arrives. He is “not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who trusts—to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom 1:16).” Paul’s letter to the Romans asserts that God has a plan to save Jews and Gentiles. He invites believers to participate in this plan by sharing the gospel with all. It is only through faith in Christ that one obtains salvation. The apostle Peter, standing before the Sanhedrim, declared:
“Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiach ha-Natzrati—whom you had crucified, whom God raised from the dead—this one stands before you whole. This Yeshua is ‘the stone—rejected by you, the builders—that has become the chief cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved!”[28]
In Romans 10:9-13, Paul clarifies how one receives salvation:
For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all—richly generous to all who call on Him. For “everyone who calls upon the name of Adonai shall be saved.”
This passage clearly means that Jews and Gentiles obtain salvation only through Jesus. The Church must focus on its call to share the Gospel. [29] Knowing that the fulness of the Gentiles will precede Israel’s salvation should motivate the Church to engage in evangelism and missions.
Final Thoughts: The Faithfulness of God
Churches should challenge any notion of replacement theology or antisemitism by reinforcing that God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew and emphasize the enduring nature of God’s covenant with Israel. God is faithful! He does not cast away His children. The partial hardening of Israel meant the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan. The Church is now part of the commonwealth of Israel, and the blood of the Messiah has brought Jews and Gentiles together.[30] Churches should intentionally promote fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers. As witnesses of Messiah’s love and God’s faithfulness to His people, churches should commit to fasting, praying, and supporting Israel, especially at this time of war. Israel’s salvation is near. Yeshua is the “Hope of Israel, Savior in time of trouble” (Jer. 14:8). One day, all Israel will be saved. He who promised it is faithful.
Then I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, when they will look toward Me whom they pierced. (Zac 12:10a)
Bibliography
Beker, J. C. “The Faithfulness of God and the Priority of Israel in Paul’s Letter to the Romans.” The Harvard Theological Review 79, no. 1/3 (1986): 10–16. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1509395.
Fronczak, Jacob. Israel Matters: Putting the Jewish People Back at the Center of God’s Plan. First Fruits of Zion, 2015.
MacArthur, John. Romans 9-16 MacArthur New Testament Commentary. New edition. Moody Publishers, 1994.
Marshall, I. Howard. New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel. Nottingham, Engl: IVP Academic, 2014.
Moo, Douglas J. A Theology of Paul and His Letters: The Gift of the New Realm in Christ. Edited by Andreas J. Kostenberger. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Academic, 2021.
———. Romans: The NIV Application Commentary: From Biblical Text to Contemporary Life. 1st edition. Zondervan Academic, 2000.
Nanos, Mark D. The Mystery of Romans: The Jewish Context of Paul’s Letters. First Edition. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996.
Pitre, Brant, Michael P. Barber, John A. Kincaid, and Michael J. Gorman. Paul, a New Covenant Jew: Rethinking Pauline Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2019.
Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. 2nd edition. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018.
Society, TLV Bible. TLV Holy Scriptures: Thinline Edition. Tree of Life Bible Society, 2021.
[1] Romans 11:26 TLV. TLV Bible Society, TLV Holy Scriptures (Tree of Life Bible Society, 2021). Unless specified otherwise, all Scriptures cited in this paper are from the Tree of Life Version.
[2] Mark Allan Powell, Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey, 2nd edition (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018). 274.
[3] Powell.
[4] Douglas J. Moo, Romans: The NIV Application Commentary: From Biblical Text to Contemporary Life, 1st edition (Zondervan Academic, 2000), 55.
[5] Douglas J. Moo, A Theology of Paul and His Letters: The Gift of the New Realm in Christ, ed. Andreas J. Kostenberger (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Academic, 2021), 196.
[6] Moo, A Theology of Paul and His Letters, 196.
[7] Brant Pitre et al., Paul, a New Covenant Jew: Rethinking Pauline Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2019), 13.
[8] Ibid, 14-16.
[9] Pitre et al., Paul, a New Covenant Jew, 20.
[10] Ibid, 21.
[11] Ibid, 30-31.
[12] Ibid, 33.
[13] Mark D. Nanos, The Mystery of Romans: The Jewish Context of Paul’s Letters, First Edition (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996), 52-53.
[14] Pitre et al., Paul, a New Covenant Jew, 38.
[15] Ibid, 38-39.
[16] Ibid, 62-63.
[17] “TR Inflectional distribution for μυστήριον.” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 22 Apr, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/inflections.cfm?Strongs=G3466&t=KJV.
[18] John MacArthur, Romans 9-16 MacArthur New Testament Commentary, New edition (Moody Publishers, 1994), 210.
[19] Powell, Introducing the New Testament, 283.
[20] I. Howard Marshall, New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel (Nottingham, Engl: IVP Academic, 2014), 326.
[21] MacArthur, Romans 9-16 MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 211.
[22] MacArthur, 214.
[23] Romans 11:1-2 NKJV.
[24] MacArthur, 209.
[25] Romans 11:16-21.
[26] J. C. Beker, “The Faithfulness of God and the Priority of Israel in Paul’s Letter to the Romans,” The Harvard Theological Review 79, no. 1/3 (1986): 10–16, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1509395.
[27] Jacob Fronczak, Israel Matters: Putting the Jewish People Back at the Center of God’s Plan (First Fruits of Zion, 2015)., 88.
[28] Acts 4:10-12.
[29] Romans 10:14.
[30] Ephesians 2:11-13.
This theological article was first presented to Esa Auteros, Ph.D, Dean of Theological Studies at South Florida Theological Seminary in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the course NTS5566: Theology of Paul under the title of Paul’s Vision of Israel’s Salvation in Romans 11:25-29: An Exegetical Analysis and Theological Reflection.
