Lesson 10: Replacement Theology
LESSON 10: REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY
Darryl Nunnelley & David R. Reagan
FACT: Many Christians believe the Church has replaced Israel, and God has washed His hands of the Jews.
Key Scripture: "Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar..."
(Romans 3:1-4).
Early History
Very early in the history of the Church a pernicious doctrine began to develop that demonized the Jewish people and argued that they should be persecuted for rejecting Jesus as their Messiah. This is ironic when you consider the fact that the Church began as a Jewish institution. It was founded in Judea by Jews who were followers of a Jewish Messiah, and all its founding documents were written by Jews.
But the distinctive Jewish flavor of early Christianity was not to last long. As the Church began to spread beyond Judea, its message was embraced by more and more Gentiles who had no interest in maintaining contact with the Church's Jewish roots. Even worse, the new Gentile leaders began to turn against the Jews by characterizing them as "Christ killers."
Consider the following examples:
Ignatius of Antioch (ca. 50-117 A. D.) - Taught that those who partake of the Passover are partakers with those who killed Jesus.
Justin Martyr (100-106 A. D.) - Claimed God's covenant with Israel was no longer valid and that the Gentiles had replaced the Jews.
Irenaeus (ca 130-202 A. D.) - Declared the Jews were disinherited from the grace of God.
Tertullian (ca 155-230 A. D.) - Blamed the Jews for the death of Jesus and argued they had been rejected by God.
Eusebius (ca 275-339) A. D.) - Taught that the promises of Scripture were meant for the Gentiles and the curses were meant for the Jews and he asserted that the Church was the "true Israel."
John Chrysostom (349-407 A. D.) - Preached a series of sermons against the Jews in which he stated, "The synagogue is not only a brothel and a theater, it is also a den of robbers and lodging place for wild beasts...Jews are inveterate murderers possessed by the Devil. Their debauchery and drunkenness gives the manners of a pig." He denied that Jews could ever receive forgiveness. He claimed it was a Christian duty to hate Jews. He claimed that Jews worshiped Satan. And this man was canonized a saint!
Jerome (ca 347-420 A. D.) - Described the Jews as "...serpents wearing the image of Judas. Their psalms and prayers are the braying of donkeys...They are incapable of understanding Scripture..."
St. Augustine (354-430 A. D.) - Asserted that the Jews deserved death but were destined to wander the earth to witness the victory of the Church over the synagogue."
The Middle Ages (5th to 15th Centuries)
By the Middle Ages, two erroneous concepts had become established Church doctrine:
1) The Jews should be considered "Christ killers" and should be mistreated accordingly.
2) The Church has replaced Israel, and God has no future purpose for the Jews.
These concepts were reinforced throughout the Middle Ages through the Crusades, the Inquisition, passion plays and blood libels. The Jews were even blamed for the Black Plague epidemic.
The Reformation (1517-1648)
Unfortunately, the Reformation produced no changes in attitude. In fact, the hatred of the Jews was reinforced and intensified by the writings of Martin Luther, the very man who launched the Reformation.
Initially, Luther was sympathetic toward the Jews because he believed their rejection of the Gospel was due to their recognition of the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church. But when they continued to reject the Gospel, Luther turned on them with a vengeance. In 1543 he wrote a pamphlet entitled "Concerning The Jews and Their Lies." The document was an anti-Semitic diatribe. In it, he referred to the Jews as: "A miserable and accursed people," "stupid fools," "miserable, blind and senseless," "thieves and robbers" and "the great vermin of humanity."
Having dehumanized and demonized them, Luther then proceeded to make some startling proposals for dealing with them. He advocated that their synagogues and schools be burned, their houses be destroyed, and their sacred writings be confiscated. He further called for their money to be taken from them and they be compelled into forced labor.
Needless to say, the Nazis gleefully quoted Luther as they rose to power and launched the Holocaust. In his book Mein Kampf, published in 1925, Adolf Hitler referred to Martin Luther as "a great warrior, a true statesmen, and a great reformer."
The Attitude Today
The horror of the Holocaust tended to mute the most radical forms of anti-Semitism among Christian leaders. But in reality, anti-Semitism continues today in a new sophisticated form called anti-Zionism. Whereas anti-Semitism sought to drive out the Jews from the lands where they lived, anti-Zionism refuses to accept their right to live in their own land.
The anti-Zionists continue to argue that the Church has replaced Israel and God has abrogated all his promises to the Jewish people, including their claim to the land of Israel.
The Biblical View
The idea that the Church ever replaced Israel is not rooted in the Bible. Rather, it is an expression of irrational anti-Semitism. That does not mean that all who believe in Replacement Theology are anti-Semitic. Most believe it because it is what they have been taught, and they have no idea where the concept came from and the damage it has done to the Jewish people.
Go back and read the verses from Romans 3 that are quoted at the beginning of this chapter. Paul asks if God has rejected the Jewish people because of their unbelief. For almost 2,000 years the Church has shouted, "Yes!" But what does Paul say in response to his question? "May it never be!" He makes the same point again in Romans 11. He begins that chapter by asking again whether or not God has rejected His people. And once more he responds, "May it never be!"
In Romans 9:1-4 Paul specifically states that the promises that God made to the Jewish people are still valid. Also in Romans 9:27 he reminds his readers that God has determined to save a remnant of the Jews. And he repeats this in Romans 11:26 where he declares that "all Israel will be saved," referring to the remnant that the Bible says will accept Jesus as Messiah at the end of the Tribulation (Zechariah 12:10).
The Source of anti-Semitism
Satan is the source of all anti-Semitism. He hates the Jews with a passion for several reasons:
- He hates them because God provided both the Bible and the Messiah through them.
- He hates them because God called them to be His Chosen People.
- He hates them because God has promised to save a great remnant of them.
- He hates them because God loves them.
The result is that he works overtime to plant seeds of hatred in people's hearts toward the Jews. He is determined to destroy every Jew on planet earth so that God cannot keep His promise to save a great remnant. He tried to annihilate them in the Holocaust. He failed. He will try to destroy them once again during the last half of the Tribulation. He will fail again.
Psalm 129:5-8
May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward; let them be like grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up; with which the reaper does not fill his hand, or the binder of sheaves his bosom; nor do those who pass by say, "The blessing of the LORD be upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD."
Lamb & Lion Ministries www.lamblion.com