Reflections on Paul

Number 14

Paul says of the value of Jewishness, "Much, in every respect. [For] in the first place, they were entrusted with the utterances of God."

Paul is not referring to the gift of the Law through Moses. He is referring to the fact that God's path for the revelation of his word and the fulfillment of the scriptural prophecy of the coming of the savior in the person of Jesus. The utterances refer to our faith history as lived out through Jewish history. The utterances were the words of the prophets who called out to the people of the time to maintain faith only in God and live in awe of his dominion over this world and his gifts of justice of mercy. The old testament, in Paul's view, serves only to remind us of God's call to us and that every pointed to the coming of Jesus which brought an end to the Messianic prophecy. To be the carriers of the seeds of faith, however, was not enough. The Jews were called to recognize how Jesus gave their history an end purpose. Jesus restored humanity to the original covenant with Abraham. As is said often in the Old Testament, "He is our God, and we are his people, the flock he shepherds." His people are were not just Jews, much to the surprise of the Jewish leaders, but all humanity, all people, Jews and gentiles alike.

Peace