And So All Israel Will Be Saved
Some Interpretive Options
Romans 11:26
June 24, 2012
Option 1: Ecclesiastical Israel: “All Israel” = the Church (believing Jews/Gentiles)
A.Support
1.The term “Israel” is applied to the Church in Galatians 6:16
2.The promises of Israel are applied to the Gentiles in Romans 9:24
3.Contextually, Gentiles are grafted into the Jewish Olive tree (Rom 11:17)
B.Objections: In Rom 9-11, the term “Israel” always refers to ethnic Israel (9:4, 6, 27, 31; 10:19, 21; 11:1, 7, 25, 27)
Option 2: Elect Israel: “All Israel” = the remnant (all elect Jewish believers)
A.Support
1.The promise of salvation is fulfilled only in the elect remnant (9:6, 27;11:5-7)
2.There is one Olive tree suggesting only one people and one way of salvation
3.The fullness of the Gentiles (11:25) occurs over the history of redemption, not just the end. Why should the fullness of Israel (11:12) be different?
4.Hardening references eternal reprobation, which is neither temporal nor can be lifted (9:18; 11:7, 25)
5.“And so” of 11:26 is not a temporal expression meaning—“and then,” but a modal expression meaning—“And in this way”
6.OT quotes in 11:26 describe the work of Christ in His 1st Coming.
7.Overall context of 11:11-32 concerns God's saving purposes in the present, not end of time salvation (11:13-14, 17, 22-23; 30-31).
B.Objections
1.The context is concerned with Israel as a group and not individual believers (10:21; 11:1, 7, 12, 15).
2.“All Israel” seems to be contrasted, not identified, with the remnant (11:1, 7)
3.Israel can be grafted back in (11:23), but how can this apply to the believing remnant which was never broken off?
4.Text a |
