Both Jesus and Paul were Jews. Jesus attended the synagogue on the Sabbath and join the pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem and the Temple for Passover. Paul was a zealous Jew, a Pharisee. Paul even persecuted his fellow Jews who proclaimed Jesus as Messiah and Lord. Paul himself admits after his conversion and call that at first, he could not accept a suffering or crucified Messiah.
“For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).
In today’s first reading from Romans Paul acknowledges that many of his fellow Jews have refused to believe that Jesus is the Messiah. In chapters 9-11 of Romans Paul tries to discern God’s plan and purpose. As we hear in today’s reading for Paul this is a very personal issue:
“I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.”
In chapters 9-11 of Romans as Paul puzzles over the mysteries and workings of God he makes two key questions and/or assertions:
“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Of course not!” (Romans 11:1)
“…a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in, and thus all Israel will be saved.” (Romans 11:25-26)
Paul asserts that God has not rejected the Jews and that all Israel will be saved. The Catholic Church reaffirms these assertions and teaches that the Jews were and remain the people of God. They have not been superseded or replaced. Through Jesus Christ membership in the People of God has expanded to included non-Jews but the Jews remain members of the People of God as both the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism teach:
“God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues-such is the witness of the Apostle.” (Nostra aetate #4)
“The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, for the Old Covenant has never been revoked.” (Catechism, 121)
Image: “Painting of the Boy Jesus at the Temple in the North Visitor’s Center, Temple Square” by Robert Cutts is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.