Romans 11 and the future of ethnic Israel

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Dec 2000 by Merkle, Ben L

V. CONCLUSION

Based on the above considerations, I submit that Romans 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. Does this interpretation minimize the work of God among the Jewish people? On the contrary, it demonstrates the faithfulness of God to his promises and to his people. Furthermore, this interpretation fuels evangelistic efforts, since we have the promise that God will always have a remnant of Jewish people who will be saved by grace through faith in the Messiah.

' Douglas Moo, The Epistle to the Romans (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996) 719.

2 This is also the view of Philip E. Hughes, "The Olive Tree of Romans XI,' EvQ 20 (1948) 4445; Ralph P. Martin, Reconciliation: A Study of Paul's Theology (Atlanta: John Knox, 1981) 134; and Herv6 Ponsot, "Et Ainsi Tout Israel Sera Sauve: Rom., XI, 26a," RB 89 (1982) 406-417.

3John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, vol, 19 (trans. John King; reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993) 437.

4 N. T. Wright, The Climax of the Covenant (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991) 250.

5 For example, see Richard Bell, Provoked to Jealousy: The Origin and Purpose of the Jealousy Motif in Romans 9-11 (Tubingen: Mohr, 1994) 139.

6 For the view that Israel will not be converted through the ministry of the church but through Christ himself at his parousia, see Otfried Hofius, "`All Israel Will Be Saved': Divine Salvation and Israel's Deliverance in Romans 9-11," The Princeton Seminary Bulletin, Suppl 1 (1990) 19-39. Hofius states that verse 26b presupposes the general resurrection and argues that the salvation of all Israel will take place at the return of Christ, and through Christ himself. He writes, "`All Israel' is not saved by the preaching of the gospel. By no means, however, does that imply a `Sonderweg,' a way of salvation which bypasses the gospel and faith in Christ! Rather, Israel will hear the gospel from the mouth of Christ himself at his return-the saving word of his selfrevelation which effects the faith that takes hold of divine salvation. . . . `All Israel' is thus saved in a different way than the Gentile Christians and the `remnant,' which already believes in Christ, namely, not through the evangelistic preaching of the church. Instead, 'all Israel' is saved directly by the Kyrios himself" (36-37). Also see Jennifer Glancy, "Israel vs. Israel in Romans 11:25-32," USQR 45 (1991) 191-203, who takes a similar position. She comments that allusion to the redeemer from Zion in v. 26 "suggests that Israel's salvation is an event attending to the return of Christ at the parousia. ... The redemption of Israel does not follow their willing conversion to Christianity, but rather occurs through God's invasion of the human sphere. The catalyst to Israel's salvation does not seem to be the preaching of the church but an encounter with the eschatological Lord" (197-198). Cf. the interpretations proposed by Krister Stendahl, Meanings: The Bible as Document and as Guide (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984) 215 n. 1, 243 and Franz Mussner, "Ganz Israel wird gerettet werden (Rm 11:26)," Kairos 18 (1976) 241-255, who maintain that Israel will be saved without acceptance of the Messiah (Stendahl) or without conversion to the gospel (Mussner). Also see Mary Ann Getty, "Paul and the Salvation of Israel: A Perspective on Romans 9-11," CBQ 50 (1988) 464, who seems to endorse Stendahl's view. For a refutation of this view, see Reidar Hvalvik, "A 'Sonderweg' for Israel: A Critical Examination of a Current Interpretation of Romans 11.25-27," JSNT 38 (1990) 87-107.