Hoop voor Israël, gegronde verwachting. Perspectief vanuit Romeinen 9-11

Samenvatting

Who does the apostle Paul have in mind when expressing his hope for Israel in Romans 11? He
does not refer to only a spiritual Israel. Rather, as found in the whole of his letter to the Romans, he qualifies the people of Israel as his ‘kinsmen by race’ (Rom. 9:3). The reason for this hope for his people Paul finds in the unfailing word of God. Because this word of God – i.e. the speaking God Himself - can be trusted, there is hope for Israel, even when a great part of Israel refuses to accept the promise of God in Christ. In this respect, we note the main exegetical lines throughout Romans 9-11. We focus on the ‘mystery’ of the salvation of ‘all Israel’ in Romans 11:25,26. There we read how this ‘mystery’is related to the content of the whole of Paul’s argument in Romans 11. On the other hand, it reveals an extra dimension to Paul’s hope for the future for Israel. The main thrust of Paul’s argument is directed towards the present meaning of the reliability of God’s word, which continues to be first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. This interpretation has direct implications for the relationship between the church and Israel. The church is not only allied to Israel in the past or in the future. It is closely connected to the present-day people of Israel. The church shares in the hope for Israel that is based on the word of God’s unbroken covenant.