For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Romans 1:16
I hope we can agree that all of the Old Testament and the New Testament Gospels primarily revolve around the Jewish people. I believe we can also agree that Jesus was raised a Jew, and His earthly ministry was almost exclusively to the Jews.
By the time Jesus had ascended into heaven, however, a transition had taken place. Jesus had already proclaimed His love for the world (John 3:16). He announced that disciples should then be made from all nations (Matthew 28:19) and should be witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). It was even prophesied centuries before by Isaiah that Jesus would be “a light for the Gentiles” (42:6).
The primary messenger of the Gospel after Jesus was the Apostle Paul. He was a former Pharisee who had an incredibly strong Jewish upbringing and education (Philippians 3:5–6). However, he was primarily a missionary to the Gentiles. His letters to Gentile churches make up a good number of the books in the New Testament, including Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Colossians, and Philippians.
Paul understood the historical perspective of the Old Testament. He mentioned in Romans 1:16 that salvation was offered first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles. After all, the Messiah was a Jew, so salvation came from the Jews (John 4:22).
I covered the issue of “replacement theology” on Day 17 of Terminus, but it is worth repeating and rephrasing in the context of this study. This is the belief that the Jewish people in general, and now the modern-day nation of Israel in particular, have permanently fallen out of God’s favor and have been replaced by the Gentile Church. Since the Jewish people failed, any reference to Israel from Acts forward is interpreted to mean the Church by those who believe in replacement theology.
Those opposed to this theology believe the Jewish people should not be condemned or forsaken for their role in Jesus’ death because this was prophesied to happen (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). Further, opponents of replacement theology believe that the Jewish people still have a special role to play, and that modern-day Israel is a miracle prophesied in many places, including Ezekiel 37:1–14 and Matthew 24:32–35.
I encourage you to study all of these scriptural references on your own, and let the Holy Spirit impress upon your hearts the truth of the matter.
