It's great that you ask about this point, because the role of Israel within Xianity gets completely missed out- wrongly! I think Tom Wright's analysis from chapter 7 of his latest “Paul and the Faithfulness of God” hits several nails on the head on this topic:
Something's gone wrong with God's good creation. A promise was made to 'Abraham', that through him this would all get sorted out. Israel was appointed the means of rescuing humanity and so restoring creation. However, as a nation Israel kept getting it wrong, was unable to perform this task ('You had one job!'), and ended up in need of rescue itself.
Step forward Jesus. As Israel's Messiah, he rescues Israel from its own plight. As the representative of Israel he completes Israel's vocation to rescue the human race. As the true human, he re-establishes God's rule over creation.
So the covenant promises were fulfilled- God was faithful to the covenant even though His partners were not. God had a purpose for Israel, expressed in the Old Covenant, and it was carried through and completed. Israel would indeed be the means through which humanity and creation would be rescued.
Now I understand this raises as many questions as it solves. But we can now move forward to firing questions at better seen targets.
Cato's graphic- much truth!
Something's gone wrong with God's good creation. A promise was made to 'Abraham', that through him this would all get sorted out. Israel was appointed the means of rescuing humanity and so restoring creation. However, as a nation Israel kept getting it wrong, was unable to perform this task ('You had one job!'), and ended up in need of rescue itself.
Step forward Jesus. As Israel's Messiah, he rescues Israel from its own plight. As the representative of Israel he completes Israel's vocation to rescue the human race. As the true human, he re-establishes God's rule over creation.
So the covenant promises were fulfilled- God was faithful to the covenant even though His partners were not. God had a purpose for Israel, expressed in the Old Covenant, and it was carried through and completed. Israel would indeed be the means through which humanity and creation would be rescued.
Now I understand this raises as many questions as it solves. But we can now move forward to firing questions at better seen targets.
Cato's graphic- much truth!
