CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................... iv
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.................................................................................................. xii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS................................................................................................. xiii
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................... xv
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 1
Purpose............................................................................................... 1
Importance of Supersessionism to Theology......................................... 5
Doctrine of God...................................................................... 6
Christology.............................................................................. 6
Soteriology.............................................................................. 7
Ecclesiology............................................................................ 8
Eschatology............................................................................. 9
Recent Events.......................................................................... 9
Defining Supersessionism..................................................................... 11
Variations Within Supersessionism....................................................... 14
Punitive Supersessionism.......................................................... 14
Economic Supersessionism...................................................... 15
Structural Supersessionism....................................................... 18
Variations on the Future of Israel.......................................................... 20
Distinction Between Supersessionism
and Nonsupersessionism...................................................................... 26
Conclusion.......................................................................................... 27
2. SUPERSESSIONISM IN CHURCH HISTORY............................................ 29
Introduction......................................................................................... 29
The Origin and Acceptance
of Supersessionism.............................................................................. 31
Increasing Gentile Composition
of the Early Church.................................................................. 32
The Church’s Perspective on the
Two Destructions of Jerusalem................................................. 34
Hermeneutical Issues............................................................... 37
Supersessionism in the Patristic Era...................................................... 39
Justin Martyr........................................................................... 42
Origen..................................................................................... 43
Augustine................................................................................ 46
Supersessionism in the Medieval Era.................................................... 49
Medieval Art........................................................................... 50
Thomas Aquinas...................................................................... 52
Supersessionism in the Reformation Era................................................ 53
Martin Luther.......................................................................... 53
John Calvin.............................................................................. 56
Other Reformers...................................................................... 59
Supersessionism in the Modern Era...................................................... 63
Immanuel Kant........................................................................ 63
Friedrich Schleiermacher.......................................................... 65
Karl Barth............................................................................... 67
The Holocaust and the
Modern State of Israel............................................................. 70
Churches and Denominations
Since the Holocaust................................................................. 72
Dispensationalism.................................................................... 76
Historical Jesus Research......................................................... 78
Conclusion.......................................................................................... 80
3. THE THEOLOGICAL CASE
FOR SUPERSESSIONISM........................................................................... 82
Introduction......................................................................................... 82
The Hermeneutics of Supersessionism.................................................. 83
Interpretive Priority of the
New Testament....................................................................... 85
Typological Interpretation........................................................ 89
Nonliteral Fulfillment of
Old Testament Prophecies....................................................... 95
Acts 2:16– 21............................................................. 97
Acts 15:15–18............................................................ 97
Rom 9:24–26.............................................................. 99
Theological Arguments of Supersessionism........................................... 100
Permanent Rejection of National Israel..................................... 100
Matt 21:43................................................................... 101
Rom 11:26................................................................... 103
New Testament Silence................................................ 108
Application of “Israel” Language
to the Church........................................................................... 109
Gal 6:16....................................................................... 110
Rom 9:6....................................................................... 115
Rom 2:28–29............................................................... 116
1 Pet 2:9–10................................................................ 117
Gal 3:7, 29................................................................... 120
Unity Between Jews
and Gentiles............................................................................. 121
Eph 2:11–22................................................................ 121
Rom 11:17–24............................................................. 124
Church’s Relationship to the
New Covenant (Heb 8:8–13).................................................. 125
Conclusion.......................................................................................... 127
4. THE THEOLOGICAL CASE
FOR NONSUPERSESSIONISM.................................................................. 130
Introduction......................................................................................... 130
The Hermeneutics of Nonsupersessionism............................................ 132
Old Testament Not Reinterpreted
by New Testament.................................................................. 133
Unconditional Promises Not
Canceled by Progressive Revelation......................................... 137
Israel Not a Type.................................................................... 140
Multiple Fulfillment/Application
of Old Testament Promises...................................................... 142
Theological Arguments of Nonsupersessionism..................................... 144
New Testament Keeps Israel
and the Church Distinct............................................................ 145
New Testament Affirms a
Future for National Israel......................................................... 147
Matt 19:28/Luke 22:30................................................. 147
Matt 23:37–39/Luke 13:34–35..................................... 151
Luke 21:24................................................................... 155
Acts 1:6–7................................................................... 159
Romans 11................................................................... 162
Salvific Unity and
Functional Distinctions............................................................. 164
Fulfillment of New Covenant
With Church and Israel............................................................ 168
Conclusion.......................................................................................... 172
5. EVALUATION OF SUPERSESSIONISM
AND NONSUPERSESSIONISM................................................................. 174
Introduction......................................................................................... 174
Challenges in Evaluating Supersessionism
and Nonsupersessionism...................................................................... 174
Evaluating the Case for Supersessionism............................................... 176
Hermeneutics of Supersessionism............................................. 176
Theological Arguments
of Supersessionism.................................................................. 181
National Israel’s
Permanent Rejection..................................................... 182
Matt 21:43...................................................... 182
Rom 11:26...................................................... 185
New Testament Silence................................... 188
Application of “Israel”
Language to the Church................................................ 190
Gal 6:16.......................................................... 190
Rom 9:6.......................................................... 194
Rom 2:28–29.................................................. 195
1 Pet 2:9–10................................................... 197
Gal 3:7, 29...................................................... 200
Unity Between Jews
and Gentiles.................................................................. 202
Eph 2:11–22 .................................................. 203
Rom 11:17–24................................................ 204
New Covenant Fulfilled
With the Church........................................................... 206
Summary................................................................................ 207
Evaluating the Case for Nonsupersessionism......................................... 210
Hermeneutics of Nonsupersessionism....................................... 210
Theological Arguments
for Nonsupersessionism........................................................... 214
Distinction Between
Israel and the Church.................................................... 214
New Testament Affirms a
Future for National Israel.............................................. 214
Matt 19:28/Luke 22:30.................................... 215
Matt 23:39/Luke 13:35.................................... 217
Luke 21:24...................................................... 219
Acts 1:6.......................................................... 220
Romans 11...................................................... 222
Salvific Unity and
Functional Distinctions.................................................. 225
New Covenant for both
Israel and the Church.................................................... 226
Summary................................................................................. 228
Conclusion.............................................................................. 230
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................... 235
