Who is the “Israel of God”?
Refuting Antisemitic Interpretations of Scripture
Throughout Christian history, certain supersessionist interpretations of New Testament passages have been used to justify antisemitism. This theology claims that the church has replaced ethnic Israel as God’s chosen people. Although many Christians who hold this theological approach to the Bible are not antisemitic, it has often led to antisemitism throughout history.1
Two verses in particular—Galatians 6:16 and Romans 9:6—have been used to argue that Gentile Christians have become the “true Israel” while the Jewish people have been rejected by God. This interpretation, however, fails under the careful scrutiny of these Scriptures.
The Disputed Texts
Galatians 6:16 states: “And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.”
Romans 9:6 reads: “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel.”
Supersessionists claim these verses show that Gentile believers have replaced ethnic Israel as God’s chosen people. In this article, we will focus on Galatians 6:16, which is more commonly used to make this argument, and show why this interpretation fails, while also addressing Romans 9:6.
Grammar and Language Interpretation
The supersessionist reading of Galatians 6:16 hinges on interpreting the Greek conjunction kai (commonly translated “and”) as “even.” This reading would render the passage as “peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16, BSB), suggesting that Paul was identifying the church as Israel.2
However, throughout the New Testament, the meaning of kai as “and” is far more common than understanding it as “even.”3 Therefore, the natural reading maintains the distinction between “those who will walk by this rule” and “the Israel of God” as two related but distinct groups.4 When Paul used “and,” he was adding a specific blessing for Jewish believers in Jesus, distinguishing them from Gentile believers while affirming both groups as recipients of God’s mercy. This reading respects the grammatical structure of the text without forcing a supersessionist interpretation through the less common usage.
Immediate Context of Galatians
Understanding the context of Galatians is crucial. Paul was defending salvation by grace through faith against the Judaizers, a group of Jewish believers in Jesus who insisted that Gentile converts needed to be circumcised and follow the Law of Moses in order to be saved. Within this context, Paul singled out the Jewish believers in Jesus, calling them the “Israel of God,” as they correctly embraced the gospel of grace for Gentiles.5
Furthermore, it would be strange for Paul to introduce this kind of monumental theological concept—that Gentile believers constitute Israel—at the conclusion of his letter rather than in its main body where he discussed at length his argument for justification by faith.
The New Testament’s Consistent Use of “Israel”
The term “Israel” appears seventy-three times in the New Testament, and seventy references clearly denote ethnically Jewish people. Only three references—Romans 9:6, Romans 11:25–26, and Galatians 6:16—have sometimes been interpreted to include Gentile believers.6 As theologian Michael Vlach writes, “Paul’s use of ‘Israel’ is similar to that used by the other biblical authors. It always refers to ethnic Jews. In the case of Rom 9:6 and Gal 6:16 it is used even more narrowly to describe ethnic Jews who have believed. Never, though, does Paul use ‘Israel’ to describe Gentile believers.”7
In Romans 9:6, Paul was not claiming that Gentiles are now Israel but rather distinguishing between the faithfulness of Messiah-following Israelites and non-Messiah-following Israelites, as he did in Galatians 6:16, when he called Jewish people who followed Jesus the “Israel of God.” In other words, there is an Israel within Israel. This parallels his statement in Romans 2:28–29 that a person “is not a Jew who is one outwardly . . . but he is a Jew who is one inwardly,” which does not deny the ethnic identity of not-yet-believing Jewish people but emphasizes that faith in Messiah completes true Jewish identity.
This distinction is like saying, “A real man provides for his family,” which does not imply that those who fail to provide cease to be biologically male. Likewise, Paul was not denying the ethnic identity of not-yet-believing Jews but emphasizing that faith in Messiah completes true Jewish identity.
The Wider Context of Scripture’s Promises to Israel
The broader biblical narrative consistently affirms God’s enduring commitment to ethnic Israel. God promised that the Jewish people would remain a nation before Him forever when He compared the permanence of Israel to the fixed order of the sun, moon, and stars (Jeremiah 31:35–37). God also promised the land to Israel as an everlasting, unconditional covenant (Psalm 105:8–11). Ezekiel prophesied that God would regather the people of Israel back to their land based on His faithfulness, not theirs (Ezekiel 36:22–24).
In the New Testament, Paul affirmed that God’s gifts and callings to Israel are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:28–29) and that all of ethnic Israel will be saved in God’s future plan (Romans 11:25–26). Jesus’ disciples likewise believed in God’s future restoration of Israel, as evidenced in their question to Him (about restoring the kingdom) before His ascension (Acts 1:6). Jesus affirmed the kingdom—which centered on the people and location of Israel—was coming but that He couldn’t reveal the timing; instead, He told His disciples to focus on preaching the good news in the meantime (Acts 1:7–8). Likewise, the apostle Peter, in his evangelistic sermon to his fellow Jewish audience, affirmed the Jewish people’s hope in Israel’s full restoration and salvation (Acts 3:18–21).
This hope is consistent with what Scripture teaches about God’s coming kingdom—where Israel and the nations maintain their distinct identities yet serve and worship the Lord together as God’s people (Isaiah 2:2–4, 19:23–24; Revelation 7:9). If, as replacement theology affirms, the church is now Israel, then who are the believing nations that will stream in and out of Israel in God’s future kingdom to worship the Lord? As Bible scholar Darrell L. Bock explains regarding Isaiah 19:23–25, “Nothing in this language foresees the absorption and disappearance of Israel as a people and nation. . . . The picture is of a reconciliation between peoples whose identity remain even in the midst of their gathering together as one.”8
In conclusion, the claim that Gentile Christians have replaced ethnic Israel as “the Israel of God” lacks biblical foundation. When properly understood, Galatians 6:16 and Romans 9:6 affirm—rather than negate—God’s continuing relationship with the Jewish people. This understanding does not diminish the significance of Gentile inclusion in God’s family, but it recognizes that God’s redemptive plan maintains distinct roles for Israel and the nations. Faithful interpretation demands that we reject supersessionist theology—which can lead to antisemitism—that dismisses God’s enduring covenant with the Jewish people and embrace the biblical vision of one diverse family of faith—Jewish people and Gentiles together—under Messiah Jesus.
by Jennifer Miles
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1 For examples of church-sponsored antisemitism throughout history, read our article series “Are the Jewish People Responsible for Killing Jesus?” here.
2 Michael J. Vlach, Has the Church Replaced Israel (Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2010), 143.
3 Timothy George, Galatians, vol. 30, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1994), 439–41.
4 Timothy George, Galatians. 439–41.
5 Timothy George, Galatians, 439–41.
6 Michael J. Vlach, “What Does Christ as ‘true Israel’ Mean for the Nation of Israel? A Critique of the Non-Dispensational Understanding,” TMSJ 23/1 (Spring 2012), 51.
7 Michael J. Vlach “What Does Christ as ‘true Israel’ Mean for the Nation of Israel,” 52.
8 Darrell L. Bock, “Biblical Reconciliation between Jews and Arabs,” in Israel, the Church, and the Middle East: A Biblical Response to the Current Conflict, ed. Darrell L. Bock and Mitch Glaser (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2018), 178.
