What Do the Gentiles Have to Do with "All Israel"? A Fresh Look at Romans 11:25-27

Abstract

(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.) In Rom 11:25-27, Paul triumphantly concludes his discussion of Israel's fate: I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery (lest you become highminded yourselves)1 that a hardening has come upon a part of Israel2 until of nations [...] has come in-and thus [...]3 will be just as it is written: deliverer will come from Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins. Most commentators have found Paul's confident assertion that will be impenetrable; ironically, Paul's explanation has been found to be as cryptic as mystery, his cure worse than disease. Four major interpretations have been put forward: (1) ecclesiastical interpretation, (2) total national view, (3) two-covenant perspective, and (4) eschatological miracle position.4 The ecclesiastical interpretation was majority position in patristic period.5 This view equates and church, arguing against defining on grounds-based largely on Paul's apparent redefinition of in 9:6. This view has largely fallen out of favor, with most modern interpreters resisting such a radical redefinition of Israel.6 A strong consensus now insists that must mean ethnic or empirical (i.e., Jews), instead focusing debate on what Paul means by all and on timing and modality of Jews' salvation.7 The total national interpretation argues that the complete number of from historical/empirical nation (i.e., elect Jews) will be saved in same manner as (i.e., through Christ).8 Though it retains coherence with Paul's statements about salvation elsewhere, this view seems to make what appears to be a climax of Paul's argument into a mere truism.9 A small contingent of scholars holding to a two-covenant perspective has argued that both all and should be taken at face value. In this view, every individual Jew will be saved by membership in Jewish covenant-regardless of their reception of Gospel.10 Thus, when Paul says, will be saved, he means Jews will be saved throughout history, regardless of their response to gospel proclamation and Gentile mission.11 Though appealing, this interpretation does not seem to cohere with Paul's statements elsewhere (e.g., Rom 9:1-5; 11:17-24) and remains in minority.12 The eschatological miracle interpretation, in which Paul envisions a future salvation of Jews at or immediately prior to eschaton, presently holds majority.13 After fullness of Gentiles (11:25) has come in, Jews will finally be saved at once,14 probably through a mass conversion of Jews to Christ, perhaps brought on by jealousy sparked by Gentile mission,15 though there is some debate as to whether Israel means every individual Jew will be saved or idiomatically represents as a collective. The majority of scholars hold latter view.16 A minority advocate a larger, diachronic view of Israel in which Jews throughout history will be miraculously redeemed at eschaton.17 It is therefore clear that to solve this passage one must satisfactorily answer three primary interpretive questions: (1) how Paul defines Israel, (2) what Paul means by the of nations, and (3) how salvation of Israel is related to (...) ingathering of the of nations. In short, essential question can be framed as follows: What does ingathering of the of Gentiles have to do with salvation of Israel? This article seeks to answer this question in a way that not only coheres with and illuminates Paul's statements elsewhere but also confirms this passage as climax of central argument of Romans itself, concluding with a wholly new interpretive option. …