"The Gifts and the Calling of God are Irrevocable" (Romans 11:29): If So, How Can Paul Declare that "Not All Israelites Truly Belong to Israel" (9:6)? 1

• Published in: Studies in Christian-Jewish relations Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 1 - 17
• Main Author: Nanos, Mark D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chestnut Hill Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Christianity; Christians; God; Jewish people; Israel
• ISSN: 1930-3777

Since Vatican II introduced Nostra Aetate 4 in 1965, it has become widely recognized "in our time" that Paul insisted God's choice of and promises to Israel were eternal, and that absolute affirmation of this continuity should shape Christian discourses about and relationships with Jews and Judaism. Paul has worked with the idea that Israel's chosen role was being entrusted with God's words or oracles since he introduced the concept in 3:2, and he will discuss whether or not Israel has been faithful to that trust at the end of chapter 9, and, it seems, throughout chapter 10 and into chapter 11, where he introduces the language we are discussing. [...]in chapter 11 (esp. verses 20-22) he warns the Christ-following non-Jew addressees to remain faithful to their calling, to that which they believe to be true for themselves, rather than to consider it their task to judge these fellow Jews (so too in chapter 2, leading up to the declaration of 3:2). When translated in either of the alternative ways proposed, Romans 9:6 supports rather than sabotages the promises Paul affirmed in the preceding argument of verses 1-5, and again in his subsequent arguments in chapter 11. [...]these alternatives corroborate rather than encumber appeals to these texts to substantiate calls for a new era of respectfulness in Christian concepts and discourses about as well as relations with Jews. 1 This essay is a revision of a study originally written for translation into German for a Protestant liturgical pastoral guidebook for the reading of 9:1-8, 14-16: "'Gottes Gaben und Berufungen können Ihn nicht gereuen. ' - Wie, also, sollten wir Römer 9,1-16 (insbesondere V. 6) übersetzen und verstehen?" in "Die Gotteskindschaft des jüdischen Volkes (Röm 9,1-16)": Arbeitshilfe zum Israelsonntag 2016: 10. Continuing on p. 266, after other comments: "... one does not become a son of God and an heir of the promise by descent but by the gracious election of God. [...]only thus, the Spirit and the grace of God can arise as the pride of the flesh is put down.