The Jewish Advantage

Do you know how to recognize privilege in your life? Which of your circumstances lead you to gratitude? The parents who raised you? The food on your table? The opportunities before you? The prosperity of your nation? The political freedoms and peace you enjoy? Those certainly are all huge advantages, and yet perhaps not as big as we might imagine compared with the advantages of the Jews. In Romans 3:1-2 Paul declares that Jews have advantage “much in every way” and then goes on to name one of those advantages—namely, possessing God's very word. Then here, in Romans 9:4-5, we read more about Jewish privilege. To the Jews belong the privilege of being adopted as a nation to be God's son, a fact that served as a basis for their freedom from slavery and connection with God. The Lord also made his glory manifest to them in a host of ways and established with Israel special covenants that he made with no other nation. God spoke to them and gave them the law to know how to live as his holy people. It was the Jewish nation alone that was given means of worship and wondering over the Lord, and it was this same people who received the gospel promises of God. These are the privileges that count! But it actually gets better for the Jews. Not only do they possess the advantages enumerated above, but also the most important people of history belong to them. I'm not referring to Einstein or Freud or Ben-Gurion. To the Jews belong Abraham (God's friend), Isaac (chosen by God) and Jacob (who wrestled with God himself). But still, even they are as nothing. For to the Jews belongs Jesus the Messiah—through the Jews came the God-man! In a world created by God and for his glory, with his plan central to all that transpires, the advantages of the Jews far surpass all other privileges, at least according to the flesh. And yet all of it is for not and lost if “the flesh” is the only connection point. The advantages of the Jews are meant to lead Jews to the prize found in serving the eternal Jewish King through the Spirit. It is in this way alone that their privilege will grow and last forever. That is the lesson for Jews, but what about Gentiles? Gentiles too are offered this eternal advantage (one that is unnatural to them) through faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah—only let Gentiles learn from this what true advantage is. Let all of us, Jew and Gentile alike, find ourselves awestruck with trembling and gratitude over the privileges that count in God's world.

notes

Phrase

Romans 9:4-5

esv

They are Israelites,

to them

Advantage

and ... belong the adoption,

Inference

the glory,

the covenants,

the giving

of the law,

Objective

the worship,

and the promises.

To them

belong the patriarchs,

from their race,

Source

according to the flesh,

Context

and ... is the Christ,

who is God

over all,

Reference

blessed forever.

phrasing

Comments

Jeannie Koh

Breathtaking.

About Biblearc · Online courses · Report abuse

Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.

Biblearc app Path Courses Courses Learning Resources Login / Free Account Subscription
Glories Authors Groups Donate Gift certificates Ownership, thanks, copyrights and terms