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What is Replacement Theology?
Replacement Theology, which is also called Supersessionism, has been common throughout most of Church history and still exists today. It is the false supposition that the Church has replaced or superseded Israel and the Jews in God’s purposes. According to this theology, when the Church began, God forsook the Jews, because they did not accept Jesus as their Messiah and because they had a part in His death.
Under this doctrine, all of God’s promises, prophecies and blessings in the Old Testament now apply exclusively to the Church and no longer apply literally to Israel or the Jews. Where the word “Israel” occurs in the Bible, it really means the Church, which is the true, spiritual Israel. Consequently, all the verses referring to Israel returning to their land and dwelling there are seen as spiritual allegories for the blessings of the Church, and not as something to be literally fulfilled by the Jews and the nation of Israel. However, the curses and distresses in the Bible (e.g. Deuteronomy 28:15-68) still do apply literally to the Jews, due to their role in the death of Christ.
Thus, according to this theology, the Jews are no longer the elect of God. On the contrary, they have been given over to God’s judgement and wrath. Many even claim that the Jews cannot be saved, due to their rejection and killing of Christ. God punished the Jews by having the Romans destroy the temple and expel them from their country, and they are cursed to wander forever, with no right to return to their national homeland.
Replacement Theology began to pervade the Church only two or three hundred years after Christ. The Gentile Church was influenced by the secular thinking of the time (Greek and Roman) and became anti-Jewish. The Church calendar was deliberately changed so that the dates for Christian celebrations (such as Jesus’ death and resurrection and Pentecost) were no longer directly linked to the Jewish feasts (such as Passover and the Feast of Weeks). This is still the case today.
At the same time, Church members were forbidden from having anything to do with Jewish practices, which the Church leaders said were ungodly. Jews themselves were labelled “God-killers” and were considered to be abandoned by God and wholly outside of His purposes. The Gentile Church had now replaced the Jews as God’s special, chosen people.
Scriptural justification for Replacement Theology
Replacement Theology has little basis in Scripture and is mainly supported by interpreting promises and prophecies about Israel and the Jews in an allegorical or metaphorical way, rather than literal. However, there are some verses which have been used to justify this doctrine.
For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.
1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 NKJV
This passage appears to imply that God’s wrath has fallen upon all Jews due to them killing Jesus. However, to interpret this passage as meaning that all Jews are responsible for Jesus’ death is to take it out of context. It refers to the churches of God in Judea who were suffering persecution from the Jews. These churches were themselves Jewish! – even as the Gentile church Paul was addressing was suffering persecution from their own countrymen, so the Judean churches were suffering from their own countrymen, the Jews. If the Jews are replaced by the Gentiles and cannot be saved, how can there be Jewish churches? The Jews referred to here (and Paul is probably meaning the leaders of the Jews rather than the general populace) are not pleasing to God because they have not repented of their part in Jesus’ death and are trying to stop the spread of the Gospel, and so God’s wrath has come upon them; but that does not mean that all Jews have been forsaken by God forever.
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. … Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” … When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
Matthew 27:20, 22, 24-25 NKJV
Here, egged on by the leaders of the Jews, the multitude take Jesus’ blood on themselves and their children, with the implication of this being for all future generations. This has been used to justify the claim that all Jews, even to the present day, are responsible for the death of Jesus. In practice, the Jews have suffered as though this is true. However, there is nothing here which implies God no longer has a plan for the Jews.
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Acts 2:36 NKJV
Here Peter addresses the Jewish crowd on the day of Pentecost and says that they crucified Jesus. The implication is that all those present had a part to play in this, even though that is unlikely. This is again used as a justification for blaming all Jews for Jesus’ death. However, we need to read on and see this verse in context.
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2:37-39 NKJV
Given the Jews were cut to the heart by Peter’s words, there is a clear implication that at least some of those present who had been part of the multitude calling for Jesus’ crucifixion now recognised what they had done, repented and were saved! Thus even those who had a direct part in Jesus’ death could be forgiven for it. So there are no grounds to eternally blame all Jews for Christ’s death. Also, Peter makes a point of saying the promise is to their children, which likewise brings redemption to the children on whom they had previously put the blood of Jesus.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10 NKJV
Peter is here addressing the Church and using terms which the Old Testament uses for Israel – chosen, priesthood, holy nation. This has been used to claim that the Church is now chosen and it is now God’s special nation, instead of Israel. However, Peter (who is himself a Jew) does not say anything about the Jews no longer being chosen, just that the Church is chosen. The context makes it clear that the Church is all these things through Jesus, without the slightest implication that it has replaced the Jews.
In other words, through Christ, Gentiles who “once were not a people” have now come into God’s blessings and promises which had previously been reserved only for Israel; but there is nothing here stating that the Jews as a people have consequently been abandoned by God. The important thing is to differentiate between the blessings for both Gentiles and Jews through knowing Christ, and God’s purposes for the Jews who are outside of Christ, who, despite rejecting Christ, are still a special people to Him. Both the Church and the Jews are God’s special people, though for different reasons!
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28 NKJV
This verse has been used to claim that the Jews no longer have a special purpose in God or a national destiny which is different from other people, since everyone is the same in Christ. The claim is that there is no difference between what God has planned for the Jews versus what He has planned for the Gentiles. However, this verse likewise says that there is neither male nor female. This is true when it comes to our standing in Christ, but it is certainly not true in other respects. Likewise, salvation for Jew and Gentile is the same, but that does not mean there are not different roles for each, or that God no longer has a particular purpose for the Jewish people who are currently outside of Christ.
Consequences of Replacement Theology
Replacement Theology, and particularly the belief that God has cursed the Jews due to their role in crucifying Christ, has led to incredible acts of anti-Semitism throughout history. The majority of the persecution of the Jews over the centuries has been by people who call themselves Christians, doing it in the name of Christ, under the perception that the Jews are evil Christ-killers. Jews have been accused of causing plagues (including COVID-19!), poisoning wells and other horrible acts. Persecution against Jews in the name of Christ include the Inquisitions, the Crusades and even the Holocaust, which was largely founded on historical Christian anti-Semitism, including the teachings of Martin Luther.
Replacement Theology is also a major source of opposition from Christians to the nation of Israel. If you don’t believe God has a purpose for the Jewish people in our time, then there is no basis (from a Christian perspective) for supporting the existence of the country of Israel or for understanding why the Jews need to be in their land. This is why some Christians support the BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanction) movement and other anti-Israel measures, and also support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian situation, despite God’s Word clearly giving all the Land to the Jews.
Christians and churches which hold to Replacement Theology often support the Palestinians against Israel, believe that the Israelis are oppressing the Palestinians and even support labelling Israel as an “apartheid state” (which is quite false). Some even think the Land should belong wholly to the Palestinians and the Jews have no right to be there at all.
As a consequence of so much persecution towards Jews coming from a Christian source over the centuries, many Jews today are wary towards Christians. However, thanks to many Christian organisations which have reached out to Israel and the Jews over the last few decades, both the attitude of Christians towards Jews and the perception of Christians by Jews have been slowly changing, such that now there is greater support for Israel among Christians than ever before in the history of the Church.
Reasons why Replacement Theology is wrong
- The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that Jews can be saved. All people can be saved through Christ, whether Jew or Gentile – in fact, according to Romans 1:16, the Jews should be first in salvation.
- The New Testament, and especially Paul’s teaching in Romans 9-11, also makes it clear that God has not abandoned the Jews (e.g. Romans 11:1-2a) and that there will be a national salvation for “all Israel” (Romans 11:25-27). They are still His elect and “beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:28-29 NKJV).
- Old Testament prophecies regarding Israel have been coming literally true in a miraculous way over the last hundred years, such as the rebirth of the nation of Israel and the return of the Jews to the Land. This would not have happened if these prophecies now only apply to the Church. The very existence of the country of Israel today demonstrates that God still has a purpose for the Jews.
- The very survival of the Jewish people through all the attempts to destroy them over the last two thousand years is a testament that God’s hand is still on them and that He still has a plan for them.
- As discussed earlier, the scriptures that Replacement Theology uses have been taken out of context or otherwise misinterpreted. There are also a number of Old Testament verses which are difficult to interpret in any “spiritual” way or any way other than as literally applying to Israel.
Keeping a balanced view
In rejecting Replacement Theology, some Christians who love Israel and the Jews have gravitated to other extremes and fallen into different doctrinal errors. These include reacting to the accusation of “God-killers” and the horrors brought on the Jews over the centuries by claiming the Jews did not kill Christ at all. Some also say that many Old Testament verses should only be read as literally applying to Israel and not to the Church, that Christians are one with all Jews regardless of whether the Jews know Jesus, that Christians should live like Jews, and so forth. Some even claim that the Jews can be saved outside of Christ, which is certainly not what the New Testament teaches.
Ephesians 2:11-20 speaks of the Gentiles once “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel” but now, through Jesus, being “fellow citizens with the saints”, i.e. with those Jews who have accepted Christ. The Church is indeed a spiritual Israel. But this does not alter the purpose God has for the Jews. The fact is that the Jews and the country of Israel are not truly following God. They are outside of Christ, many of the tenets of their religion are quite unscriptural, and large numbers of them today are actually very secular. However, at the same time, they are still God’s chosen people. He still loves them and still intends to fulfil all the scriptures concerning them in both the Old and New Testaments.
Did the Jews kill Jesus? Yes! – the Jewish leaders were instrumental in causing Jesus to be arrested and crucified, and the multitude joined in with them. Are all Jews therefore responsible for Jesus’ death? No! – of course not! And, as discussed above, even some of the Jews who played a direct part in Jesus’ death got saved on the day of Pentecost! Both the extremes of denying that the Jews had a part in the crucifixion of Christ and accusing all Jews of being Christ-killers contradict the Bible, and both also fail to understand that God could forgive the sin of killing Jesus, as all sins are forgiven through Christ, even as Jesus Himself prayed while on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34 NKJV).
Can the promises in the Old Testament which refer to Israel be spiritually claimed by and applied to the Church? Yes! Can they also be literally applied to Israel? Yes! That is the wonder of God’s Word! We have been saved by a Jewish Messiah and the promises and blessings given to Israel can be appropriated by the Church and by us as individual Christians – and at the same time still apply to literal Israel and the Jews as well!
Was the Jews’ expulsion from their land by the Romans a result of God’s judgement on them? Yes! – the Old Testament prophesied this (e.g. Deuteronomy 28:63-64). The majority of Jews did in fact reject Jesus, failing to recognise Him as their Messiah, and just as God had them taken into captivity several centuries earlier, it seems reasonable to believe that He removed them from the Land once again, in fulfilment of Scripture. Does this mean God has no plan for them to return to Israel? Of course not! – the scriptures make it very clear that God does want them to return to the Land, and this is happening right now!
Has the Gentile Church replaced Israel in God’s plan? No! But are we part of a spiritual Israel? Yes! – along with all who are saved, both Jew and Gentile. Are we one with Jews who don’t know Christ? No! – Ephesians 2:14-16 makes it clear that we are “one new man” only through Jesus. But does this mean God no longer has a plan for the Jews as a people? Of course not! – God still has a plan for the Jews and for Israel as a nation, and ultimately that plan is for them to be saved.
