A Brief Review: Paul and the Resurrection of Israel

Please read a proper review or the book itself. These are more like impressions than a real review. But time prevents me from doing more.

I recently read Jason Staples’s new book, Paul and the Resurrection of Israel. His keen distinction between biblical Jews (Judahites) and Israel (the twelve tribes) stands out as an important contribution to understanding Paul within Judaism. While his reading of Romans is somewhat peculiar, it clarified several long-standing questions of mine.

Staples’s thesis centers on Paul’s understanding of the restoration of Israel. He argues that when Israel (the tribes) went into exile, they mixed with Gentiles to the point of becoming (morally) indistinguishable from them. In this state, they became “no people” (Deut 32:21), like the Nations, as Hosea 2:23 suggests. According to Staples, Paul’s citations of these verses and ideas in Romans 9–11 lead him to conclude that Israel’s salvation hinges on the inclusion of Gentiles in the eschatological salvation of Israel (e.g., p. 331). Consequently, the term Israel becomes inclusive of Gentiles who embody the works of Torah written on their hearts and follow Messiah Jesus.

I found the thesis both illuminating and overstated, clarifying yet imbalanced. It was illuminating because Paul indeed argues that the fullness of the Gentiles coming in results in all Israel being saved (Rom 11:25–26). Staples’s close reading of Paul’s use of Israel and Jew, and their interrelation, sheds light on these terms. However, Staples claims that his interpretation of Romans provides the hermeneutical keys to grasping the letter (p. 331), which I find overstated. Paul’s writings encompass more than Staples’s focus, particularly concerning the revelation of Jesus as the divine Messiah (Rom 5, and even Rom 9:5). This critical aspect of Paul’s argument is largely ignored in the book.

The book also clarified my understanding of Paul by meticulously tracking the biblical and Second Temple use of Israel and Jew (those dwelling in Judah) without imposing modern definitions. However, the imbalance arises from Staples’s neglect of several crucial aspects of Paul’s theology:

· Paul frequently cites Scripture as fulfilled by or in Jesus.

· Paul emphasizes the divine identity of Jesus alongside his messianic role.

· Paul’s “mystery” includes more than enabling the fulfillment of Torah; it also involves the transformative union in which Christ lives in believers through his Spirit, fulfilling the works of Torah in their hearts.

As this is a brief review, I will conclude by expressing my appreciation for Staples’s work, even if I seem overly critical. I anticipate returning to this volume in the future as I continue exploring Paul’s first-century approach to Scripture. I hope to integrate Staples’s insights into a thoroughly Protestant understanding of Paul—one that accounts for both his grounding within Judaism and his apocalyptic encounter with the risen Lord (Acts 9). This encounter, I believe, led Paul to proclaim truths that go beyond the expectations of restorationist Judaism and offer a fuller picture of God’s redemptive work.