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Join a thoughtful exploration into whether the Jewish people are still considered God’s chosen in the context of Christian theology. This article navigates through biblical narratives and theological interpretations, shedding light on the relationship between Jewish heritage and Christian faith in defining God’s chosen people.

The New Testament passages indicate a shift from the Jewish people as the chosen ones to followers of Christ, including Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s discussion in Romans 9-11 emphasizes that true belonging to Israel is through faith in Christ, not ethnicity. Evangelical theology underscores that salvation is accessible to all, including those of Jewish heritage, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Refuting the interpretation that Paul in Romans affirms the Jews as God’s chosen people, based on the literal interpretation of the New Testament passages you’ve cited, can be approached by focusing on the specific scriptural texts and their implications:

Matthew 21:43: This verse is often interpreted as Jesus’ declaration that the kingdom of God would be taken from the Jewish people and given to a new group that produces its fruits. This is seen as a clear indication that the Jewish people, due to their rejection of Jesus, are no longer the exclusive bearers of God’s kingdom.

Matthew 23:37-39: Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem is interpreted as a rebuke of the Jewish people for not accepting him. The statement that their house is left desolate is understood as a sign of God’s judgment on them for not recognizing Jesus as the Messiah.

Luke 5:37-39: The parable of the wineskins is seen as a metaphor for the transition from the old covenant (Judaism) to the new covenant (Christianity). It implies that the new message of Jesus cannot be contained within the old framework of Jewish belief.

1 John 4:3 and Concept of Antichrist: The definition of antichrist as anyone who denies Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah leads to the interpretation that the Jewish rejection of Jesus aligns with the spirit of the antichrist. Thus, by not acknowledging Jesus as Messiah, the Jews are positioned in opposition to Christ.

Galatians 6:16 – ‘Israel of God’: This passage is often interpreted to mean that the true people of God are those who follow Christ, regardless of their ethnic background. Therefore, a Jewish person can only be part of the ‘Israel of God’ by accepting Jesus Christ and his teachings, rejecting the traditional Jewish faith.

Based on these passages and their literal interpretation, the New Testament suggests a transition from the Jewish people as the chosen people to the followers of Christ (both Jews and Gentiles) as the new recipients of God’s promise and kingdom. This perspective implies that the Jewish people, due to their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah, are no longer regarded as the exclusive chosen people in the Christian theological context.

Are there many antichrists or just one? Yes, there are many antichrists.
All who deny that Jesus is the divine Son of God are the antichrist, yes? According to 1 John 2:22, yes.
Have the Jewish people, not just the Jewish leaders, rejected Jesus since the first century right up until today? Yes, generally speaking, the Jewish religion as a whole has not accepted Jesus as the Messiah.

Highlighting that there is a distinction in perspective. The responses to my specific questions are based on a literal interpretation of the biblical texts. Some who read their interpretation into the Scriptures aim to provide a broader theological context, reflecting the complexity and diversity of interpretations within Christian theology.

However, in direct response to my questions:

The New Testament, specifically in the letters of John, does refer to the existence of many antichrists.
According to 1 John 2:22, anyone who denies that Jesus is the divine Son of God is referred to as antichrist.
Historically and religiously, mainstream Judaism has not recognized Jesus as the Messiah.

These responses are aligned with a literal interpretation of the biblical texts and acknowledge the clear distinctions made in these specific passages.

In Romans chapters 9-11, Paul addresses complex issues concerning the relationship between Israel (the Jewish people) and the emerging Christian community. To reconcile this with the literal interpretation of the previously mentioned scriptures, it’s crucial to understand Paul’s argument in its broader theological context.

Romans 9 – Sovereignty of God in Salvation: In this chapter, Paul reflects on the sorrow he feels for his fellow Israelites, acknowledging their historical role in God’s plan. He discusses the sovereignty of God in choosing people for His purposes. Paul uses the example of Isaac and Ishmael, and Jacob and Esau, to illustrate that being a descendant of Abraham doesn’t guarantee one’s participation in God’s promises. This aligns with the concept that true “children of God” are not based solely on ethnic lineage but on God’s sovereign choice and mercy.

Romans 10 – Righteousness by Faith: Here, Paul emphasizes that righteousness comes from faith in Christ, not by the law. He asserts that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13), applying this to both Jews and Gentiles. This reflects Jesus’ teaching of the new covenant, which is accessible to all through faith, not just to the Jews by birth.

Romans 11 – Partial Hardening and Future Hope: Paul argues that Israel’s rejection of Christ is neither total nor final. He speaks of a “partial hardening” until the full number of Gentiles has come in, and then “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26). This suggests a future where Jews turn to Christ, aligning with Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 23:39, “you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'”

Remnant by Grace: Paul points out that even in his time, there is a remnant chosen by grace (Romans 11:5). This concept mirrors the idea that not all ethnic Israelites are part of the true Israel, which is a spiritual entity united by faith in Christ.

The Olive Tree Metaphor: Paul uses the metaphor of an olive tree to describe the inclusion of Gentiles (wild olive shoots) grafted into the same tree (representing God’s covenant people) from which some Jewish branches were broken off (due to unbelief). This indicates that Gentiles join the same spiritual heritage as the Jews, and there remains hope for the Jewish branches to be grafted back in through faith.

Paul’s discussion in Romans 9-11 can be interpreted as acknowledging the historical role of the Jewish people in God’s plan while also emphasizing that true belonging to Israel is a matter of faith in Christ, not ethnicity. This aligns with the literal interpretation of the New Testament passages indicating a shift from an exclusively ethnic understanding of God’s chosen people to a spiritual one encompassing all who believe in Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles.

It is a foundational belief in conservative Evangelical theology that individuals of Jewish heritage, like people of all ethnicities, can come to faith in Jesus Christ. This belief is based on the understanding that salvation and becoming part of God’s chosen people is accessible through faith in Jesus Christ, as described in the New Testament.

Universal Offer of Salvation: Evangelical theology emphasizes that the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ is extended to all people, regardless of their ethnic background. This is founded on passages such as John 3:16 and Romans 10:12-13, which declare that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life and that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in terms of access to salvation.

Jews and Salvation: In the context of Evangelical belief, Jewish individuals, like anyone else, can accept Jesus as the Messiah and, by doing so, become part of the spiritual Israel, or God’s chosen people, as outlined in the New Testament. This transformation is seen as a matter of personal faith rather than ethnic or cultural identity.

End Times Belief: In the eschatological (end times) context, many Evangelicals hold that a significant turning of Jewish people to Christ will occur before the events of the end times, including Armageddon. This belief is often derived from interpretations of Romans 11, which speaks of a future acceptance of Jesus by the Jewish people.

No Partiality in Christ: Evangelical doctrine strongly upholds the principle that in Christ, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek (Galatians 3:28). Therefore, Jewish people, like all others, are invited to share in the salvation offered through faith in Jesus Christ.

From an Evangelical perspective, salvation is a matter of individual faith in Jesus Christ, transcending ethnic and religious backgrounds. Therefore, it is conceivable and consistent with this belief that many individuals of Jewish heritage could come to faith in Christ, thus becoming part of what is considered God’s chosen people, particularly in the context of eschatological expectations.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).