New Testament
Israel
by Walter F. Specht
The New Testament writings express the conviction of the followers of
Jesus that the Christian community supplanted the Jews as the special people of
God. The apostle Paul speaks of Christians as "the Israel of God"
(Gal 6:15), "Abraham's offspring" (Gal 3:29), and "the true circumcision"
(Phil 3:3). James, the brother of our Lord, designates them as "the twelve
tribes in the Dispersion" (James 1:1). Peter's first letter is addressed
"to the exiles of the Dispersion" in Asia Minor, "chosen and
destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus
Christ and for sprinkling with his blood" (1 Pet 1:1, 2).
"Dispersion" is a term usually applied to Jews scattered throughout
the Mediterranean world. James and Peter, however, are obviously using it for
Christians disbursed in various lands. In response to Peter's question regarding
the reward the disciples who had left all to follow Jesus were to receive, our
Lord promised, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man
shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt 19:28). It is
evident that the apostles are not destined to rule over literal Israel since our
Lord plainly told the Jews, "the kingdom of God will be taken away from
you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it" (Matt 21:43).
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