Before we get back to Romans 11 verses 1 – 2, There’s Just a bit more on the therefore. If we look at the beginning of Romans 10 verses 1 – 4, we see a little more of what it is that brings Paul to the conclusions which he reaches. Israel is confused.
“Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.“
Paul, again reiterates his heart’s desire for the Israelites, . . . assumes that they are not all saved. His testimony is that they are zealous for God but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Paul has an expertise in this. In Romans 11 we have already read where He says, “ I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.”, but in Philippians 3 we read at verse 5, “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.“. Paul’s knowledge of God is extraordinary and his zeal second to none, to the extent that he was responsible for the death of many in the early Church. For Christians we would probably agree that his knowledge, although vast, was somewhat flawed. This became, “highlighted”, pun fully intended, on the road to Damascus, when Jesus, whom he had been persecuted appeared to him and he had to ask the question, “Who are you, Lord”. Paul didn’t know or recognize the one whose followers he was putting to death. Confused and unqualified because he neither knew nor recognized Jesus.
Israel, according to Paul’s knowledge of both, Judaism and Jesus, now understands that the completion (gk telos), the culmination of the law is Christ. Without Christ our knowledge is imperfect, (cf 1 Corinthians 13 verse 10, which we will need to look at further). Since Israel did not know the righteousness of God they did not submit to God, but rather sought to establish a righteousness of their own. Now we are in danger of going immediately all the way back to Romans chapter 3, where Paul makes clear that righteousness is by faith in Christ Jesus and is obtained nowhere else. So the culmination, the completion of the law is for everyone who believes.
Now, dare I say that here also we see confusion in the offerings of some, deny the Messiah, by assuming that, “All Israel”, simply means the nation, those who trace their ancestry. Paul says, “Not so”. This can then quickly lead to ways which demonstrate no faith, but rather assert a strand of political legalism which culminates in a wrong outcome. A righteousness by zeal which would steal, kill and destroy, whilst quoting a biblical text, predicating a culmination of legal political outcome. This is the same confusion. Jesus is, “Good News”, to Israel.
Now let’s go back to Romans 11