The People of God According to Rom 9-11

An Eastern Christian Approach to the Identity of God's Beloved Olive Tree

Abstract

Being a Christian in the Middle East today is an arduous task. The dramatic political changes during the last century have torn Christianity into parties that confuse religious and political causes. Some Christians They chose to deny the Old Testament; others found it suitable to fight for an Arab cause or nation; a few less found the State of Israel an improvement for the Middle East. This exacerbated The Christian condition in the Middle East was the massive emigration of entire families to the (Christian) West, turning their backs on their roots and their homeland beyond a genuine desire to live in peace and well-being.
One of the greatest challenges for those Arab-speaking Christians still living at home today is to find a way to understand modern Judaism and to take a sincere stand against the State of Israel without having to condition or betray their own principles. Eastern Christians are easily put in the dock by Western specialists, who declare them "anti-Semitic", as are Muslim specialists, who accuse them of being "pro-Zionist". Are Eastern Christians really anti-Semites? Do they really sympathize with the Zionist movements? One thing is clear: today more than ever, Eastern Christians face a critical test. Not only must they avoid offending Muslims with any attempt at dialogue with Jews, but they must be careful not to be misunderstood by Western Christians, given our coexistence with Islam. We are challenged to bear witness not only to our brothers and sisters in Islam and Judaism, but also to all of Christianity.
My contribution will investigate one of the most sensitive issues that and the status of the Jewish people in Christian theology. This serious question appeared in the early days of Christianity and belongs to the very core of the New Testament message. The most important texts about the continuity and discontinuity of the election of the Jews by God are undoubtedly found in Romans 9-11. Since the infamous Holocaust and the proclamation of the modern state of Israel, there has been a lively discussion among Bible specialists in the West about Romans 9-11 on how to define the role of "Israel" in Christianity.
In the context of Rom 9-11 there is a very special paragraph about the choice of God's people that has vividly marked Christianity: the image of the olive tree (Rom 11:16b-24). Here, the Apostle illustrates his vision of God's people referring to this one as an olive tree. Paul makes use of the daily customs of grafting and pruning an olive tree to clarify and make his ideas understandable to the readers, who certainly, at least some you have taken care of this generous and fruitful tree. This article will try to interpret this explanation of Paul, because it is the clearest and most didactic one touching the coexistence of religions in the Middle East: the idea of choice.