ISB ~ Romans 11 v2

The New Covenant view, held by the vast majority of interpreters through the ages, holds that Israel will be saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. This second view is far more probable than the first, as it alone is consistent with the immediate context of Rom 9-11 and the wider context of Paul’s theology and writings. In point of fact, the bi-covenantal view collides with the whole message of Romans, namely, that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings “salvation” to Jews and Gentiles alike (Rom 1:16), that one must confess faith in Jesus to be “saved” (Rom 10:9), and that Paul thinks of his missionary efforts among the Gentiles as a means to “save” his Israelite kinsmen (Rom 11:14). There is every reason to suppose, moreover, that Paul is thinking of Christ and the New Covenant when he quotes the words of Isaiah in Rom 11:26-27. For Paul, the risen Jesus is our Deliverer (1 Thess 1:10) and the one who takes away sin through the sacraments of the New Covenant (Rom 6:1-11). By contrast, the Mosaic covenant is something that condemns rather than saves (Acts 13:38-39; Rom 3:20; 2 Cor 3:4-11). In Paul’s mind, then, there is no “alternative way” of salvation for Israel apart from the grace of Jesus Christ that comes through the preaching and acceptance of the gospel (Rom 10:14-17; CCC 765; 839-40).

THE CLIMAX of Paul’s discussion is the revelation that Israelites from all twelve tribes will be saved by the Messiah through the mercy and forgiveness of the New Covenant (Rom 11:26-27). Seen in this way, the teaching of Paul simply echoes the teaching of Jesus, who not only selected twelve apostles to signify the messianic restoration of Israel (Mt 10:2-5), but sent them out to recover the “lost sheep” of Israel (Mt 10:6) and promised to seat them on twelve thrones over “the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt 19:28). None of this is surprising when we consider that the Church, which is the messianic kingdom of Jesus (Mt 16:17-19; Lk 22:28-30), is modeled on the ancient kingdom of David, which unified all twelve tribes under the anointed king (2 Sam 5:1-5; 1 Kings 11:42), even as it stretched beyond the borders of Israel to encompass the Gentiles (1 Kings 4:21; Ps 2:8; 72:8-11). For further details on this theme in the New Testament, see note on Lk 1:33, essay:Kingdom Restoration at Acts 15, and related passages in Acts 26:7, Jas 1:1, and Rev 7:18; 21:10-14. « Back to Romans 12:1.