Avoiding Evil

This is my review of an article written in The Journal Of The Evangelical Theological Society. December 2000. 709-721

In Romans 11 Paul clearly describes the final destiny of Israel. Many people who read Romans 11 come to the conclusion that there is a future mass conversion of ethnic Israel, specifically from verse 26 which states, “and in this way all Israel will be saved as it is written…” However, the author of this article seeks to demonstrate that Romans 11:26 does not teach a future mass conversion.

There are three different interpretations of verse 26, “all Israel will be saved:”

1. All the elect, both Jew and Gentile: This interpretation claims that the word ‘Israel” is extended to all the people of God, both Jews and Gentiles alike. These Jews and Gentiles that are God’s elect will complete the salvation of the whole of Israel. Calvin, Jeremias, Barth and Wright are a few of the scholars who held to this position.

2. The ethnic nation of Israel as a whole: This is the view most commonly held. This interpretation believes that “all Israel” refers to the mass of Jews living on earth at the end of time who will be a part of a large scale mass conversion. This will take place immediately before or at the moment of Christ’s return. Some believe this happens to Jews who are alive at the end times, yet others hold to the idea that it refers to Jews of all time.

3. The elect of ethnic Israel throughout history: The third view maintains that God will always save a remnant of Jews throughout history. Israel will experience a partial hardening until the fullness of the Gentiles. This is the viewpoint the author of this article will argue from.

The author gives a couple reasons why he holds to the viewpoint that “all Israel” refers to the elect Jews throughout history and not ethnic Israel:

1. The context of Romans 9-11. Because Romans 9-10 form a unit in Paul’s thought, any interpretation of Romans 11 must also be consistent with that thought.

9:6 “not all Israel are of Israel.” God’s promise to Abraham never included the promise that all his decedents would be saved by their ethnicity. Israel consists of those who are of the promise, not the flesh, meaning those who God has unconditionally elected.

This is further emphasized in 9:7 as it is pointed out that God favors Jacob over Esau, just like He chose Isaac over Ishmael. It is the chosen spiritual offspring who are a part of the elect Israelites.

10:12 “no distinction between Jew and Gentile.” There is no distinction between Jews and Greeks, which would directly contradict the idea that God has a special plan for saving Israel in the future that does not include the Gentiles. Just as the Gentiles are presently being saved, so are the elect Jews.

2. The emphasis on the present situation. If you read Romans chapter 11 you will soon figure out that Paul’s thoughts are focused on the present time and not the future. Paul mentions a remnant of Israel as being part of the present age, and he ensures them that God has not forsaken his people right now. Paul’s hope was to save some Jews through Jealousy of the Gentiles, which would be a false hope if Jews will not be saved until a mass conversion at the end of time.

“At first all of the promises and the Messiah were given to Israel. Then, somehow in God’s mysterious plan, Israel rejected its Messiah and was cut off from its position of distinctive privilege. As a result, the coming of Israel’s Messiah was announced to the Gentiles. Frustrated over seeing the blessings of their messianic kingdom heaped on the Gentiles, Israel is moved to jealousy. They too repent, believer, and share in the promises originally made to them.” – Robertson, “Future”

“All Israel” refers to the elect of the ethnic Israel throughout history. Paul does not have in mind a special future for Israel, and it is not likely that he is referring to the salvation of the nation of Israel in the future. Instead, when Paul says that “all Israel” shall be saved he means to refer to the full number of elect Jews who it pleases Him to save, which will continually happen until the full number of elect Gentiles are brought to the Kingdom. For each era there has been a remnant of the elect taken in, and these remnants throughout all of the ages added together make up “all Israel.”

Answers to possible objections:

1. Verses 12 and 15 suggest a future mass conversion of Israel.

In verse 12 Paul declares, “Now if there [Israel’s] trespass is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” Verse 15 parallels verse 12, “For if there [Israel’s] being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”

Those who believe Romans 11:26 refers to a future mass conversion, they see Israel’s trespass as being in this present age and they see Israel’s fullness and acceptance coming in the future. Currently, Israel is rejecting Christ, but there will come a time when they accept Him.

Fullness, however, does not have to be something that happens in the future. In fact, almost all scholars interpret verse 25 “fullness of Gentiles” to mean the full number of elect Gentiles throughout history. This verse runs parallel to “the fullness of the Jews,” which should naturally lead to the conclusion that “fullness” here means the same thing as it does in verse 25. Fullness should refer to the fullness of the elect Jews through history and not some future conversion.

If the failure of the Jews means gospel blessings for the gentiles, then their acceptance will mean nothing less than their resurrection (“life from the dead.”) The “fullness” refers to the full number of elect Jews through history, not just the salvation of the remnant at any one time.

2. 23 and 24 imply that Israel as a nation will again be grafted in.

“And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grated in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, who are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?”a.

Some believe this means Jews will be grafted into the tree of salvation at some point in the future.

It should be pointed out that Paul’s purpose for this metaphor was to warn the Gentiles of pride, not to tell the Jews that future Israel would be grafted into salvation.

It does not imply that God is going to graft all unbelieving Jews back into the three either.

3. The reference to Israel in verse 25 cannot be different than that of verse 26.
Verse 25 states that a hardening has happened to Israel, meaning the entire nation. In verse 26, however, it says that “all Israel will be saved” referring to only the elect. Some would say that this cannot be.

It is clear that verse 25 must refer to ethnic Israel, meaning the whole nation.
However, there is no reason why Paul could not have switched the meaning of Israel to mean the Spiritual elect in the very next verse. In fact, he does this exact thing in 9:6, “they are not all Israel [the nation] who are of Israel [the elect].” It is certainly common for Paul to change how he uses identical words.

Conclusion:
Based on the authors consideration of Romans 11 I would also conclude that chapter 11 does not teach a future mass conversion of ethnic Israel, but that there will always be a remnant of believing Jews until the end of time. Even though Israel is suffering a hardening of their hearts because of their rejection of the messiah, still the number of Israel that God is pleased to elect will be saved and brought unto Himself, as the number of Gentiles whom God is pleased to elect come to Him as well. God is faithful in His promises and to His people. This interpretation also fuels evangelistic efforts, since we have the promise that God will always have a remnant of both Jewish and Gentile people who will be saved by grace through faith.

Pressed