Abraham's Seed
The Gospel of Matthew begins by declaring that Jesus is the “son of Abraham.” This is more than a genealogical notation - it sets the stage for the theme of fulfillment in this gospel account. The lowly man from Nazareth is the Messiah and King of Israel, the promised “seed” of the Patriarch. In him, all the covenant promises find their fulfillment.
In the Book of Genesis, God promises
to bless Abraham and his “seed,” and “all the families of the earth”
will be blessed in him. But the terms of the covenant raise questions.
Just who is the “seed” of Abraham? Is
membership in the covenant determined by physical descent from him? How will the
covenant result in “blessings” to the Gentile nations? - (Genesis
17:4-8).
In Matthew’s gospel, John the Baptist warns the
religious leaders of Israel not to appeal to their physical descent from
Abraham for confirmation of their covenant membership:
- “Broods of vipers! Who suggested for you to be fleeing from the coming wrath? Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance; and think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. I say to you, God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham” – (Matthew 3:9).
Repentance and submission to the Messiah are
mandatory for entrance into God’s kingdom, not biological descent from the
Patriarch. And John’s reference to “stones” is metaphorical - it points
to God’s plan to bring Gentiles into the covenant community.
For that matter, bringing “blessings to
the nations” has been part of His redemptive plan since the beginning - (Matthew
8:8-12, Genesis 12:3, 13:14-16).
Jesus is also the “son of David,” the messianic
heir who is destined to rule the nations, the “Son of the Most-High” who
has reigned on the “throne of David” since his resurrection and
exaltation - (Psalm 2:8-9, Matthew 28:18-20).
KING OF THE NATIONS
In Luke’s account, the angel Gabriel announces
that God is about to fulfill His covenant promises. The son born to Mary is in fulfillment
of the promise “to Abraham and to his
seed.” Ever mindful of his “holy covenant, the oath
which he swore to Abraham our father,” God sent Jesus to reign over all the
nations of the earth - (Isaiah 9:6, Luke 1:31-73).
Although he limited his ministry to the
children of Israel, Jesus did not exclude Gentiles from his efforts. His
occasional interactions with non-Jews anticipated the opening of the gospel to
the nations after the outpouring of the Spirit. And while many Jews did reject him,
he responded positively to Gentiles who approached him in faith - (Matthew
15:22-28, Acts 10:44-48).
In John’s gospel, Jesus declares to a group
of Jews, “What things I have seen with the Father I speak; you also, then,
what things you have heard from your father are doing.” They responded by
pointing to their descent from Abraham. And to this claim, the Nazarene countered:
- “If you are children of Abraham, then you would do the works of Abraham, but you seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you… this Abraham did not do” - (John 8:38-44).
Indeed, members of this group did “the
works of their father,” the Devil! Biological descent is no guarantee
of anyone’s participation in the inheritance promised to Abraham - and to his “seed.”
FAITH ALONE
In his letter to the Romans, Paul points
to Abraham’s faith to advance his larger argument. Jews and Gentiles alike are
under sin, and therefore all men are set right before God on the same basis; namely,
FROM FAITH.
From the Hebrew scriptures, Paul demonstrates
that Abraham was justified when his “faith was reckoned for righteousness,”
even though he was yet uncircumcised. Circumcision is the “sign” of the
covenant given after the fact.
Therefore, it cannot be the basis for entrance into the covenant community - (Romans
4:9-16).
The promise to Abraham is not received by performing the required rituals of the Law, but instead, through faith. Otherwise, faith and promise are rendered void.
And because the promise is from faith, it is “firm
to all the seed, not to that from the Law only, but to that also which is
such by the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.” All men
who are of the same faith as Abraham are included in his “seed,” circumcised
or not. Ethnicity has no bearing on one’s inclusion in God’s one people.
In Jesus Christ, both Gentile and Jewish
believers become the “children” of Abraham. And the Hebrew scriptures always
anticipated the inclusion of the Gentiles in the promises - (Romans 4:17-25 - “Even
as it is written, ‘Father of many nations have I appointed you).
Physical descent does not qualify anyone for
inclusion. Ishmael was Abraham’s biological son, but he did not receive the
promise. Likewise, Jacob was accepted, and Esau was rejected.
Moreover, God always intended to shower “The
riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy which he prepared beforehand for
glory, whom he also called, even us, not only from among Jews but also from
among the Gentiles” - (Romans 9:23-36, Hosea 1:9-10, 2:23).
THE ONE PEOPLE OF GOD
In his letter to the Romans, Paul does
not refer to two peoples of God, but only one, and it includes believing Jews
AND Gentiles. And inclusion is accomplished in the same way for both:
- “If you will confess that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved… For there is no distinction of Jew or Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all…for whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” - (Romans 10:9-13, Isaiah 28:16).
Believing Gentiles are not formed into a separate people distinct from Jewish
believers, but instead, they are “grafted”
into the one holy “root.” In contrast, unbelieving Jews are
broken off from that same root and removed from the covenant, though they can
be grafted back in if they exercise faith in Jesus - (Romans 11:16-20).
Paul is more explicit in his letter to the Galatians. Some Jewish believers claim that Gentiles must be circumcised, and otherwise “live like Jews.” But the “Apostle to the Gentiles” labels that teaching a “different gospel, which is not good news.
Moreover, he uses the Abrahamic promises to
argue for Gentile inclusion in the covenant community AS GENTILES, all without
submitting to circumcision and thereby becoming Jewish proselytes. And he presents
Abraham as the exemplar of faith - “He believed God and it was reckoned to
him for righteousness,” therefore, “they who are of faith are the sons
of Abraham” - (Galatians 1:6-7, 3:6).
The Hebrew Bible foresaw that “God would declare
the Gentiles righteous,” and therefore it announced beforehand the good
news to Abraham. Those who are from faith “are blessed with believing
Abraham.” Jesus redeemed us so that the “blessing of Abraham might come
to the Gentiles in him.”
The promises are for “Abraham and his seed,” singular, and that
“seed” is none other than Jesus.
And by familial relationship, so are all men who are now “in him”. The “inheritance”
is by promise, and NOT by the requirements of the Torah or
one’s ethnicity.
Next, Paul raises the question: “Why,
then, the law.” It was given because of “trespasses.” It was the “custodian
until the seed should come.” Note well the temporal aspect, “until.”
But now that the “seed” has come, namely,
Jesus, the custodianship of the Law with its social distinctions no
longer has jurisdiction over God’s covenant community - “All are sons of God
through the faith of Christ Jesus; for as many as have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. Therefore, there cannot be Jew or Greek… now, if you
are of Christ, you are Abraham’s seed, according to promise, heirs” - (Galatians
3:19-29).
Thus, in Jesus, all ethnic, cultural, economic,
and social boundaries are eliminated. Inclusion in the covenant is based on the
“faith of Jesus,” not biological descent.
