Why do some Christian denominations try to separate the Jewish believers from the Gentile believers today when the Jews themselves didn't do it when it came down to Proselytes (converts into Judaism)? Wouldn't this be the reason why Paul, a Pharisee, stated Galatian 3:26-29 the way he did?
This is what is says in the appendix of Gerim in the Babylonian Talmud about people baptized into Judaism.
How they were baptized: He who wants to be a proselyte is not received right away. They say to him: "Why do you want to be a proselyte? Have you not seen that this people is poorer and more oppressed and humiliated than all peoples? Troubles and trials come upon them, and they bury their sons and their sons' sons. They are killed on account of circumcision and immersion and all the rest of the commandments. And they do not behave in public like all the rest of the nations. If he says, "I am not up to this!," they dismiss him and he goes his own way. If he takes this on himself, they lead him down to the place of immersion. They cover him with water around the place of his nakedness, and they tell him some of the details of the commandments...
And they say good and comforting words to him: "Happy are you! Who have you joined? Him who spoke and the world was! The world was created only for the sake of Israel. Only Israel is called "sons of God" (Deut 14:1), and there is none beloved before God except Israel. All the words that we spoke to you we told you only to increase your reward!" Gerim 1.1-5
What the Jews said of them:
"Proselytes (gerim) are beloved, for in every place the texts compare them with Israel...
(1) "Love" is mentioned in connection with Israel, as it is said:"I have loved you, says the Lord" (Mal.1:2) and "love" is mentioned in connection with proselytes, as it is said: "And he who loves the stranger, giving him food and clothes" (Deut. 10:18).
(2) Israel is called "servants," as it is said: "For the children of Israel are servants to me" (Lev. 25:55) and proselytes are too, as it is said "(And the strangers who join themselves to the Lord), to be his servants" (Isa. 56:6)
(3) Our father Abraham called himself a "stranger," as it is said: "I am a stranger and sojourner with you" (Gen 22:4)
(4) Likewise, David, the king of Israel, called himself a "stranger," as it is said: "I am a stranger with you" (Ps 39:13).
(5) And similar to this, it says (of Israel): "For we are strangers before you" (1 Chron 29:15)" Gerim 4:3
Does anyone see that Paul's epistle to the Galatians emulates the same thing?
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Could it be that an Israelite in the eyes of God is not a particular nation, culture, color, or gender, but a particular heart? What are your thoughts on this?
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, �Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.� 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
All Israel Will Be Saved
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way[e] all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
�The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is[f] my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.�[g]
28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God�s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[h] receive mercy as a result of God�s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Rom 2:28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.
Rom 2:29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
I"m not sure is he contradicts himself by saying that a Jew is one who is circumcised in the heart and not one outwardly.
I understand a true believer is grafted in to Israel and inherits the promises of Abraham. I always have believed that G-d would protect the physical land of Israel because of the promises He spoke years ago, even if the Jewish people reject him as Messiah. G-d is faithful to His promises even when we are not. I don't understand why so many Jews reject Him as Messiah, but the Bible says to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The word also states, "I will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel"
I don't follow Judiasm, however, I believe they show much respect to YHWH and His word by their lifestyle.
I agree, sister. The Word does say to pray for the peace of Israel and that Israel is to be blessed. But we also know that the land which we are receiving is of one that is spiritual and thereby a physical land and people is not being spoken of in the Scriptures if an Israelite is one of the heart and not one of the fleshly birth. Do you agree?
I mean since when does God have two wives and commit polygamy? Aren't we Gentiles and Jews His bride?
I"m not sure is he contradicts himself by saying that a Jew is one who is circumcised in the heart and not one outwardly.
I understand a true believer is grafted in to Israel and inherits the promises of Abraham. I always have believed that G-d would protect the physical land of Israel because of the promises He spoke years ago,
ME: Sorry sister. I missed this in your last statement and just saw it now. So this post will address that part of your statement, as I believe the Scriptures lay it out.
The land promises have been fulfilled in the time of Joshua according to the Word.
Here is proof of it.
"So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass. " Joshua 21:43-45
"Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed. "It shall come about that just as all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you. " Joshua 23:14-15
Josh 24:28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance.
2 Sam 8:3 David defeated Hadadezer...as he went to restore his rule at the River [Euphrates].
1 Kings 4:21 Now Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the [Euphrates] River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon
2 Chr 9:26 And he was the ruler over all the kings from the Euphrates River even to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt.
Neh 9:8 And Thou didst find Abraham's heart faithful before Thee, and didst make a covenant with him to give him the land of the Canaanite, of the Hittite and the Amorite, of the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite-- to give it to his descendants. And Thou hast fulfilled Thy promise, for Thou art righteous.
Jer 11:5 "in order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day." Then I answered and said, "Amen, O LORD."
It was fulfilled then and continues to be fulfilled to this day.
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made,.... The promises design the promises of the covenant of grace mentioned in the next verse, which are exceeding great and precious, better than those of any other covenant; and which are all yea and amen in Christ, and are chiefly of a spiritual nature; though all the temporal blessings of God's people come to them in a covenant way, and by virtue of the promise; for godliness has the promise of this life, that God will verily feed them, withhold no good thing from them proper for them, sanctify all their afflictions, support under them, and never leave nor forsake them: but the promises here intended principally are such as these, that God will be their God, and they shall be his people, the promise of Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer of them; of the Spirit as their sanctifier, and the applier of all grace unto them; of justification by Christ's righteousness, and pardon by his blood; of adoption through free rich grace; of perseverance in grace, and of the eternal inheritance: now these promises were made, "were said unto", or spoken of, to Abraham and his seed; that is, they were discovered, made manifest, and applied to Abraham, the father of many nations; and were declared to belong to him and his spiritual seed, even all that believe, whether Jews or Gentiles; for the apostle is not speaking of the original make and constitution of the covenant of grace and its promises, which were made from all eternity; the grand promise of life was made before the world began, and Christ was set up as Mediator from everlasting, before ever the earth was, which suppose a covenant in which this promise was granted, and of which Christ was the Mediator as early; it was made long before Abraham, or any of his spiritual seed, were in being; nor was it made with any single person, any mere creature, Abraham, or any other, but with Christ, as the head and representative of the whole election of grace: but what is here treated of is, the declaration and manifestation of the covenant, and its promises to Abraham; which was frequently done, as upon the call of him out of the land of Chaldea, upon his parting with Lot, when he was grown old, and when Eliezer his servant was like to be his heir, and just before the giving of him the covenant of circumcision, and again upon the offering up of his son Isaac:
he saith not unto seeds, as of many; in the plural number, as if Jews and Gentiles were in a different manner his spiritual seed:
but as of one; using the singular number:
and to thy seed, which is Christ; meaning not Christ personal, though he was of the seed of Abraham, a son of his, as was promised; but the covenant and the promises were not now made with, and to Christ, as personally considered, this was done in eternity; but Christ mystical, the church, which is the body of Christ, of which he is the head, and is called by his name, 1 Corinthians 12:12 and designs all Abraham's spiritual seed, both Jews and Gentiles; who are all one in Christ, and so Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise; hence there is no room for the objection of the Jew to the apostle's application of this passage to Christ (c), that the Scripture speaks not of any particular person, but of seed in a general and collective sense, of a large and numerous offspring; since the apostle designs such a seed by Christ, as numerous as the stars of the sky, and the sand on the sea shore, even all believers in all nations, Abraham is the father of; though did the apostle mean Christ particularly, and personally considered, there are instances to be given, where the word "seed" is used, not in a collective sense, but of a single person, as in Genesis 4:25. Nor has the Jew (d) any reason to charge him with a mistake, in observing that the word is not in the plural, but in the singular number, when it is the manner of the Hebrew language to speak of seed only in the singular number; but this is false, the word is used in the plural number, and so might have been here, had it been necessary, as in 1 Samuel 8:15 concerning seed sown in the earth, from whence the metaphor is here taken. The first tract in the Jews' Misna, or oral law, is called, "seeds"; and the word, even as spoken of the posterity of men, is used in the plural number in their Talmud (e); where they say,
"pecuniary judgments are not as capital ones; in pecuniary judgments, a man gives his money, and it atones for him; in capital judgments, his blood, and the blood "of his seeds", or posterity, hang on him to the end of the world; for we so find in Cain, who slew his brother; as it is said, "the bloods of thy brother crieth"; it is not said, the blood of thy brother, but the bloods of thy brother, his blood, and the blood "of his seeds".''
(c) Chizzuk Emuna, par. 1. c. 13. p. 134. (d) Ib. par. 2. c. 90. p. 468. (e) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 37. 1.
Vincent's Word Studies
The course of thought is as follows. The main point is that the promises to Abraham continue to hold for Christian believers (Galatians 3:17). It might be objected that the law made these promises void. After stating that a human covenant is not invalidated or added to by any one, he would argue from this analogy that a covenant of God is not annulled by the law which came afterwards. But before reaching this point, he must call attention to the fact that the promises were given, not to Abraham only, but to his descendants. Hence it follows that the covenant was not a mere temporary contract, made to last only up to the time of the law. Even a man's covenant remains uncancelled and without additions. Similarly, God's covenant-promises to Abraham remain valid; and this is made certain by the fact that the promises were given not only to Abraham but to his seed; and since the singular, seed, is used, and not seeds, it is evident that Christ is meant.
The promises (αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι)
Comp. Romans 9:4. The promise was given on several occasions.
Were made (ἐρρέθησαν)
Rend. were spoken.
To his seed (τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ)
Emphatic, as making for his conclusion in Galatians 3:17. There can be no disannulling by the law of a promise made not only to Abraham, but to his seed.
Not - to seeds (οὐ - τοῖς σπέρμασιν)
He means that there is significance in the singular form of expression, as pointing to the fact that one descendant (seed) is intended - Christ. With regard to this line of argument it is to be said, 1. The original promise referred to the posterity of Abraham generally, and therefore applies to Christ individually only as representing these: as gathering up into one all who should be incorporated with him. 2. The original word for seed in the O.T., wherever it means progeny, is used in the singular, whether the progeny consists of one or many. In the plural it means grains of seed, as 1 Samuel 8:15. It is evident that Paul's argument at this point betrays traces of his rabbinical education (see Schoettgen, Horae Hebraicae, Vol. I., page 736), and can have no logical force for nineteenth century readers. Even Luther says: "Zum stiche zu schwach."
Of many (ἐπὶ πολλῶν)
Apparently a unique instance of the use of ἐπὶ with the genitive after a verb of speaking. The sense appears in the familiar phrase "to speak upon a subject," many being conceived as the basis on which the speaking rests. Similarly ἐφ' ἑνός of one.
Geneva Study Bible
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, {18} which is {l} Christ.
(18) He puts forth the sum of the seventh argument, that is, that both the Jews and the Gentiles grow together in one body of the seed of Abraham, in Christ alone, so that all are one in Christ, as it is afterward declared in Ga 3:28.
(l) Paul does not speak of Christ's person, but of two peoples, who grew together in one, in Christ.
People's New Testament
3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promise made. The covenant with its promises was made with Abraham and his seed. There were promises spoken on several occasion. See Ge 12:3,7 13:16 15:05 17:07 The promises of the covenant were to the seed, as well as to Abraham, and hence did not terminate with his death.
He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but... to thy seed. This passage has excited much criticism. Many have thought that Paul made a grammatical mistake. Even Luther says:
My dear brother Paul, this argument won't stick.''
The criticism is that sperma, the Greek word rendered seed, is a collective noun and may include all Abraham's descendants. Paul elsewhere (Ro 4:18 9:7) shows that he knew just the meaning of sperma, but the question here is not one of grammar, but of spiritual meaning. Paul does not mean that sperma ( seed ) excludes plurality, but that it implies unity. Not the word children or descendants is used. This would embrace the children of Ishmael, of Esau, and of Keturah. But there is a seed to whom the promise is given; a seed that embraces many, but is one. That seed is Christ the head, and all in Christ. See 1Co 12:12 The whole spiritual seed of Abraham concentrates in Christ. The promise is to Christ and all in Christ. Paul understood Greek as well as his critics, and also knew what he meant.
Wesley's Notes
3:16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and his seed - Several promises were made to Abraham; but the chief of all, and which was several times repeated, was that of the blessing through Christ. He - That is, God. Saith not, And to seeds, as of many - As if the promise were made to several kinds of seed. But as of one - That is, one kind of seed, one posterity, one kind of sons. And to all these the blessing belonged by promise. Which is Christ - including all that believe in him. Gen 22:18.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
16. This verse is parenthetical. The covenant of promise was not "spoken" (so Greek for "made") to Abraham alone, but "to Abraham and his seed"; to the latter especially; and this means Christ (and that which is inseparable from Him, the literal Israel, and the spiritual, His body, the Church). Christ not having come when the law was given, the covenant could not have been then fulfilled, but awaited the coming of Him, the Seed, to whom it was spoken.
promises-plural, because the same promise was often repeated (Ge 12:3, 7; 15:5, 18; 17:7; 22:18), and because it involved many things; earthly blessings to the literal children of Abraham in Canaan, and spiritual and heavenly blessings to his spiritual children; but both promised to Christ, "the Seed" and representative Head of the literal and spiritual Israel alike. In the spiritual seed there is no distinction of Jew or Greek; but to the literal seed, the promises still in part remain to be fulfilled (Ro 11:26). The covenant was not made with "many" seeds (which if there had been, a pretext might exist for supposing there was one seed before the law, another under the law; and that those sprung from one seed, say the Jewish, are admitted on different terms, and with a higher degree of acceptability, than those sprung from the Gentile seed), but with the one seed; therefore, the promise that in Him "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Ge 12:3), joins in this one Seed, Christ, Jew and Gentile, as fellow heirs on the same terms of acceptability, namely, by grace through faith (Ro 4:13); not to some by promise, to others by the law, but to all alike, circumcised and uncircumcised, constituting but one seed in Christ (Ro 4:16). The law, on the other hand, contemplates the Jews and Gentiles as distinct seeds. God makes a covenant, but it is one of promise; whereas the law is a covenant of works. Whereas the law brings in a mediator, a third party (Ga 3:19, 20), God makes His covenant of promise with the one seed, Christ (Ge 17:7), and embraces others only as they are identified with, and represented by, Christ.
one . Christ-not in the exclusive sense, the man Christ Jesus, but "Christ" (Jesus is not added, which would limit the meaning), including His people who are part of Himself, the Second Adam, and Head of redeemed humanity. Ga 3:28, 29 prove this, "Ye are all ONE in Christ Jesus" (Jesus is added here as the person is indicated). "And if ye be Christ's, ye are Abraham's SEED, heirs according to the promise."
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
3:15-18 The covenant God made with Abraham, was not done away by the giving the law to Moses. The covenant was made with Abraham and his Seed. It is still in force; Christ abideth for ever in his person, and his spiritual seed, who are his by faith. By this we learn the difference between the promises of the law and those of the gospel. The promises of the law are made to the person of every man; the promises of the gospel are first made to Christ, then by him to those who are by faith ingrafted into Christ. Rightly to divide the word of truth, a great difference must be put between the promise and the law, as to the inward affections, and the whole practice of life. When the promise is mingled with the law, it is made nothing but the law. Let Christ be always before our eyes, as a sure argument for the defence of faith, against dependence on human righteousness.
It was fulfilled then and continues to be fulfilled to this day.
ME: I agree. The promise of the SEED is still being fulfilled of this day as far as believers are being added to the adoption as sons of Abraham. But the Land one has been fulfilled in the times of Joshua, sister.
So I ask, 'Has God rejected His people Israel?' That's unthinkable! Consider this. I'm an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He knew long ago..." (Romans 11:1-2 GW).
And:
"So I ask, 'Has Israel stumbled so badly that it can't get up again?' That's unthinkable! By Israel's failure, salvation has come to people who are not Jewish to make the Jewish people jealous. The fall of the Jewish people made the world spiritually rich. Their failure made people who are not Jewish spiritually rich. So the inclusion of Jewish people will make the world even richer" (Romans 11:11-12 GW).
The Messiah came by the Jews, from Israel, and He also came out of Egypt, as it is written:
Matthew 2:13-15 BBE
(13) And when they had gone, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream, saying, Get up and take the young Child and His mother, and go into Egypt, and do not go from there till I give you word; for Herod will be searching for the young Child to put Him to death.
(14) So he took the young Child and His mother by night, and went into Egypt;
(15) And was there till the death of Herod; so that the word of the Lord through the prophet might come true, Out of Egypt have I sent for My Son.
So we see that the tiny nation of Israel has not only been a physical but also a spiritual blessing to all the earth, for those who have blessed it.
Who can argue that the most predominant trouble spot in the world today is not the Middle East, as it has been at many and various times throughout history?
There are few who would deny their antagonism and frustration with Israel as the troubling spot of the Middle East. Almost every Arab, Persian and Muslim has sought Israel's destruction, unlike any other nation there.
Three world cultures and religions vie for a piece, if not entire control, of Jerusalem, unlike any other city on earth.
Of all of Jerusalem, the one piece of land the Jews covet most by far, and which the Muslims hold on to jealously, is the Temple Mount, where the Dome of the Rock stands and has stood now for a long time.
While the Middle East is the powder keg of the world, Israel is the powder, Jerusalem the fuse, and the Temple Mount the igniter. Watch what happens to the whole world when once it decides to come against "God's son." If indeed God's son, Israel and the Jew are immortal and thus invincible. There is no weapon that can prosper against physical or spiritual Israel, or against the physical or spiritual Jew, because it cannot prosper against God. These things are decreed in Heaven, the realm of ultimate rulership of the universe, where all things are determined and, if so, none withstood, or even altered.
So is the Jerusalem going to be on earth or is it going to be coming out of heaven, sister? Will the earthly Jerusalem be restored or replaced according to Revelation?
Just out of curiousity?
I know that you are using the Romans verse but it is speaking of divine election of Jewish people but not the nation as a wholebecause Paul said that a Jew is not one of natural birth. Do you agree, sister?
That's a difficult question, I think because of all the fighting over this coveted piece of real estate, that it will be destroyed. I am not sure, but when it speaks of the lawless one sitting in the holy temple, I'm not sure if that is the physical temple or spiritual one, as in us as believers. I have read/heard a couple theories on this, regarding dual prophecies, in the physical and in the spiritual as well. Revelation does say the "New Jerusalem" comes down from heaven, so therefore, must be the earthly one will be destroyed. I used to have some websites I could refer to, but a lot got erased when my computer went for repair.I think some of it has to do with Islam, and Mohammed as the false prophet. The abomination of desolation could be literal and spiritual as in a Islamic leader in temple and people believing in Islam and putting that g-d on the throne of their heart, since we are the temple, the Holy Spirit resides in us, so it could be both. Hope I answered one of the questions, will try to get some references.
