The word translated as the English word ‘Israel’ in the Bible leads to misinterpretation of the verse in Romans 11:26. This article attempts to explain the meaning of the word Israel in this verse.
The English word translated as Israel appears over 2,000 times in the Bible. The Greek word for Israel is Ίσραήλ (Israēl), and the same word is used for both in the New Testament, which leads to much of the confusion. It has at least two meanings in the Bible. First, it refers to the ethnic people of Israel, the Israelites (E.g., Matt. 2:6). The second refers to the Christian church (Rom. 11:26).
When Israel is used to refer to the ethnic people descended from Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob), it is normally quite clear. But there are a couple of times the word is used to describe the new Israel, the Christian church.
First, Paul states that just because you are biologically a descendant of Abraham does not make you one of his offspring (Rom. 9:6, 7). He writes further that circumcision in the end counts for nothing, but that the only thing that counts is a new creation within oneself (Gal. 6:15, 16). The Bible teaches that one must be inwardly circumcised in one’s heart to have everlasting life (Rom. 2:28, 29).
In Romans 11:26, he writes, “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written.” Some believe that this refers to the nation of Israel today, and others believe it refers to all the descendants of Abraham, the Jews. However, what Paul is writing here in chapter eleven is that the Jews will be offered the gospel first and then the Gentiles, but that not everyone of either will come to Christ. What he is saying is that a remnant of the Jews will come, like Abraham, and will be believers and have eternal life. The believing Jews and Gentiles make up the new Israel, the Christian church. Of course, the Israel he is referring to in the above verse is the Christians.
The Christian church is written about by Paul when he says:
So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree (Rom. 11:11-24, emphasis added).
Paul wrote that the ethnic Jews will trespass against God, and therefore the gospel will be presented to the Gentiles. Then a remnant of the Jews themselves will come to Christ, some of them, not all of them. In verse 11, the word ‘Israel’ means the ethnic Jews.
Christians must know how certain words are translated to understand the meanings of the passages. In the Bible, the word ‘world’ is translated in up to seven different ways. The word translated as “world” in verse 12 above refers to the Gentiles.
In the above passage, the Apostle Paul tells of a cultured olive tree, meaning the Israelites, has some of its branches broken off, and shoots from a wild olive tree, the Gentiles, are grafted in. In the end, you will have a cultured Olive tree with both natural branches, the remnant of the Jews, and grafted in wild olive branches, the Gentiles, and the whole tree by faith represents the Church of Jesus, the Christ.
The Apostle Paul writes in another book of the Bible the following.
Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
The writer of the book of Romans teaches that the Law does NOT give eternal life. Only faith in Jesus Christ does that. The law was for a time our ‘guardian,’ but since faith has come through Jesus Christ, though most of the law is still valid, this is no longer necessary.
Paul symbolizes the New Testament Church as an olive tree. It is clear from these two passages that, under God’s direction, Paul writes that the church of the New Testament IS the Israel of the Old Testament, God’s chosen people. Therefore, there is no distinction between the people who are members of the body of Christ, the church.
All Jews, Gentiles, and any other group of human beings will not receive salvation from Jesus Christ on Judgment Day. Only the people who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved.
