In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he says that he is not “ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Rom 1:16). In what sense is the gospel “first for the Jew”? What does this mean for Christians today?
Paul himself has “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” in his heart (Rom 9:2), because his fellow Jews have not believed the gospel. However this is no poor reflection on the gospel—God’s word has not failed (Rom 9:6).
God’s word shows that being born Jewish does not guarantee salvation. Abraham’s son Isaac was chosen, but Ishmael rejected; Jacob was chosen, but Esau rejected (Rom 9:6-13). God can choose to reject some, and save others—it is his own divine choice: “God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden” (Rom 9:18). Salvation depends upon God’s free choice—not on being born Jewish.
Furthermore, salvation depends on faith. When the gospel is preached, it must be believed. However many Jews were so busy trying to get right with God by works, that, when they heard the gospel, they dismissed it: “they pursued it not by faith, but as if it were by works” (Rom 9:32). Thus, Paul’s fellow Jews heard the gospel, but refused to believe it.
Does that mean an end for the Jews in God’s plans?
Paul reminds the Romans, and us, that there has always been, and presently exists, a remnant of the Jews, who do believe the gospel: “there is a remnant chosen by grace” (Rom 11:5). There will always be many Jews who believe the gospel.
Furthermore, there is a process at work involving the Jews, from the time of Christ’s death and resurrection until his return. Before Christ, the Gentiles were without hope and without God (Eph 2:12). Now the Gentiles are being saved as a result of the disobedience of the Jews (Rom 11:30). But the process does not stop there. The salvation of the Gentiles is designed to provoke the Jews to jealousy so that they may be saved: “salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious” (Rom 11:11). In fact, the olive tree into which the Gentiles have been grafted (the church) has Jewish roots—Gentiles are grafted in “contrary to nature” from a “wild” olive tree (Rom 11:24).
Disobedient Jews however, when made envious (by Gentiles being saved by their own God, their own Messiah, and their own Bible), can be grafted back into their own olive tree: they are the “natural” branches (Rom 11:24). That is what is meant by the gospel being “first for the Jew”—they are the natural heirs and recipients still of the gospel—they are the “natural” branches. This process—Jews “out” and Gentiles “in”—is not an end in itself: it also has the purpose of provoking the Jews to envy that some may be saved (Rom 11:14). In fact, this is the process by which the Jews will be saved. And at the last day, when Christ returns, we will see that all Israel who are really Israel have been saved (Rom 11:26); that God’s word has not failed (Rom 9:6); and that he has kept his call and promises to Israel, which are irrevocable (Rom 11:29).
Thus Christians, Jew and Gentile, are to continue to take the gospel to the Jews (and also to the nations, or non-Jews; but never to the nations only). There is a remnant that will hear it, believe, and be saved. Our hope is that the natural branches will be grafted back into their own tree, along with the Gentiles now, as they see that Jesus, and Jesus alone, is their Messiah; and that Christians have the salvation and the fulfilment of their own promises and Scriptures from God.
