Romans 11:25-27 (Part 3): The Way All Israel is Saved
Copyright © Robert E. Cruickshank, Jr. (September 15, 2024)
All Rights Reserved
Eric Ogea (Editor)
In the previous article, we saw how Paul’s drive to reach Spain drove his narrative in Romans (Rom. 15:24, 28), as he was driven to reach every nation from the Table of Nations (Gen. 10). Israel would be partially hardened “until” this happened (Rom. 11:25). Next, Paul shifts gears from Israel’s hardening to Israel’s salvation. He says, “And in this way, all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26).
What did he mean by this? How is the salvation of the Gentiles related to the salvation of Israel? Who is “all Israel,” and how will they be saved? With Paul in the driver’s seat, we’re along for the ride as we continue to navigate through these verses.
All Israel
For starters, it’s important to note that “all Israel” doesn’t mean every single Israelite. As the term “all” is used in Scripture, it often carries the idea of all manner of, all sorts of, all kinds of, etc., rather than each and every one of. Consider the following examples:
“Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him” (Matt. 3:5).
“And you will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22).
“And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan confessing their sins” (Mk. 1:5).
“First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
Did every single person from Judea go out to see John the Baptist? Doubtful. Was every inhabitant of Jerusalem baptized by him? We can count the Pharisees and lawyers out (Lk. 7:30). Likewise, were the disciples literally hated by everybody? They certainly weren’t hated by their fellow believers. Did Paul expect his readers to pray for every individual alive on earth? Even praying without ceasing wouldn’t accomplish that task! Paul defines what he means by specifically mentioning a certain class of people, i.e., “kings and all who are in authority.” So, “all” doesn’t literally mean “everyone” in any of these passages – it means every kind or class of person.
In examples such as these, the force of the word “all” carries the idea of “all without distinction” rather than “all without exception.” In other words, it means every sort of person– young and old, rich and poor, male and female, etc. – and not every single person. Likewise, this would be the most natural understanding of “all Israel” in Romans 11:26, and even the prophecy pundits realize this.
For example, John McArthur writes, “These are Jews being redeemed who are not part of the spiritual hardening that has come upon Israel because of her rejection of her Messiah (v. 25).”[1]
Likewise, Jared Compton, writing for the Gospel Coalition, puts it this way: “Eventually all Israel–both Jewish remnant and hardened majority–will be saved (though see Paul’s clarifying remarks in Romans 9:6, when he basically says, ‘Yes, yes…. You’ve got the math right. Just remember, it won’t include every member of that hardened majority’)”[2]
Citing Futurist commentator Harold W. Hoehner, Gary DeMar writes, “What about Paul’s statement, ‘and so all Israel will be saved’? (Rom. 11:26). Israel means Israel, but ‘all Israel’ does not mean every single Jew throughout history, or ‘as it exists at a moment in history, particularly at the end of time as a part of the eschatological program.’”[3]
So, the phrase “all Israel” in Romans 11:26 is no more universal than “all Judea,” “all Jerusalem,” or “all men” in the other Bible passages cited above, and all seem to agree here. Paul’s phrase means it is all Israel without distinction, rather than all Israel without exception.
This then answers the question as to what Paul meant by “all Israel.” The next question is: how will they be saved, and how is this related to the Gentiles? Before returning to Romans 11, let’s return to the life and ministry of the author to help answer this question.
Israel Saved in the Same Way as the Gentiles
The key to understanding Paul in Romans 11 is once again found in the book of Acts. Once Paul and Barnabas hit the ground running in Acts 13, Gentiles began running to Christ in droves (Acts 13:48). This led to disputes among the Jews on how to deal with this new dynamic, and the Apostolic Council in Acts 15 convened. Amidst the proceedings, Peter said something that would stick with Paul for the rest of his life:
“But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the same way as they also are” (Acts 15:11).
The parallels to Romans 11:26 are impossible to miss. By “we,” Peter meant himself and his fellow Jews. By “they,” Peter meant the Gentiles. Peter’s point? He and his fellow Jews are saved in the same way as these new Gentile converts. In Romans 11, Paul is faithful to what Peter said on that day. Romans 11:26 echoes Acts 15:11.
Unfortunately, this echo is somewhat drowned out because of the way in which some translations render Paul’s words. It all hinges on the way in which the word outōs is handled. Consider the following examples:
“And so (outōs) all Israel will be saved” (KJV).
“And so (outōs) all Israel will be saved” (NLT).
“And thus (outōs) all Israel will be saved” (NASB).
“And then (outōs) all Israel shall have life” (ABPE).
In each of the above cases, the translations give the idea of Israel’s salvation being a result or consequence of the fullness of the Gentiles coming in. However, the word outōs does not typically carry the force of “therefore,” “consequently,” or “as a result.” Rather, it commonly means “in this manner, in the same way, likewise, similarly.”[4] For example:
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way (outōs) they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:12).
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way (outōs), let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16).
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way (outōs) you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12).
“In the same way (outōs) we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world” (Gal. 4:9).“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way (outōs), husbands should love their wives as their own bodies” (Eph. 5:25-28).
Considering these examples, the ESV and NIV both hit it closer to the mark than many other translations by rendering Romans 11:26 in the same way (there was a pun there). Paul’s meaning is simply all Israelites will be saved in the same way as all the Gentiles – just like Peter said back in Acts 15.
In What Way?
The remainder of verse 26 and the beginning of verse 27 bear this out and confirm it. Paul says, “just as it is written” – in other words, he’s explaining how Israelites are saved in the same way as Gentiles by appealing to Scripture. Specifically, he combines elements of Psalm 14:7, 53:6,[5] Isaiah 2:3; 27:9, 59:20-21 and Jeremiah 31:33:
“The Deliverer will come from Zion, and He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (Rom. 11:26-27).
The combination of Isaiah 2:3 and 59:20 in Paul’s amalgam is particularly interesting. In Isaiah 59:20, the redeemer comes to Zion. In Isaiah 2:3, the law goes forth from Zion. In Paul’s quotation, it’s the redeemer, and not the law, that is going forth from Zion. In essence, Paul has swapped out the law for Jesus. Scholars such as N.T. Wright and Christopher Bruno observe, “By mixing his citation, Paul has displaced Torah with Christ as that which goes forth from Zion to the nations.”[6] Simply put, Israelites are saved in the same way that Gentiles are – through the deliverer from Zion, who removes ungodliness by His infallible covenant and takes away our sins.
In other words, neither Jews nor Gentiles are saved by keeping the law. This dovetails perfectly with what Paul has been saying in Romans all along and ties everything together beautifully. The law is not the means of salvation. Not for Gentiles. Not for Jews. Not for anyone. To be clear, this doesn’t mean God’s Law is unimportant or to be discarded.[7] But it does mean that salvation is found in the finished work of Christ alone, for Jew and Gentile alike. “In this way all Israel will be saved,” said Paul (Rom. 11:26), as he reflected Peter (Acts 15:11).
Reflecting Back and Continuing On
Reflecting back on this and the previous two articles, Israel was partially hardened to the Gospel to force the Apostles to take it beyond her borders. Paul’s desire to reach Spain reflected that mission, the fullness of the Gentiles reflected the Table of Nations, and the Gospel’s light was reflected upon those nations. By the time Paul wrote Colossians, it was mission accomplished (Col. 1:6, 23). The Gospel seed had been planted among all 70 original people groups from which we all descend. Now, our job is to keep it growing – and keep it going.
The good news for modern Jews is that they don’t have to wait until the Church gets raptured and the Antichrist gets the best of them to get in on God’s plan. All Israelites can be saved, right here and right now, the same way as Gentiles – through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. This is the “eternal Gospel” to “those who live on the earth” and “to every nation and tongue and tribe and people” (Rev. 14:6). It was then. It is now. And it always will be.
And today, we must ensure that the “surpassing richness of His grace” continues to be shown “in the ages to come” (Eph. 2:7). Christ’s “glory in the Church” is for “all generations forever” (Eph. 3:21), and this current generation of Jews is welcome – with no “partial hardening” standing in the way! For all people, Jesus alone is the way (John 14:6). And “in this way,” all Israel is saved – and Gentiles too.
Thanks for staying along for the ride![8]
Credits: Article image, “Hebrew Woman with Baby in the Rain,” by Robert Edwin Studios. Image editing and enhancements by Crew Studios.
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[1]https://www.gty.org/library/bibleqnas-library/QA0103/will-all-israel-be-saved
[2] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/israel-saved-romans-11/
[3] Gary DeMar, The Rapture and the Fig Tree Generation (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision Press, 2020), p. 64
[4] Word search, Liddell-Scott-Jones Greek Lexicon – electronic version; see also: https://biblehub.com/greek/outo_s_3779.htm
[5] Special thanks to theologian, Kim Burgess, for making me aware of Paul’s connections to the passages in the Psalms.
[6] As summarized by J.R. Daniel Kirk, “Why Does the Deliverer Come έκ Σιών (Romans 11.26)?.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 33.1 (2010), p. 85.
[7] See: Greg L. Bahnsen, By This Standard: The Authority of God’s Law Today (Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics, 1895) https://www.garynorth.com/freebooks/docs/pdf/by_this_standard.pdf and James B. Jordan, The Law of the Covenant: An Exposition of Exodus 21-23 (Powder Springs, GA: The American Vision, 2022) https://store.americanvision.org/products/the-law-of-the-covenant; Gary DeMar, New Covenant Theology and God’s Law” https://americanvision.org/posts/new-covenant-theology-and-gods-law/ ; Gary DeMar, “Applicational Laws in the New Covenant” (September 5, 2024) https://americanvision.org/posts/applicational-laws-in-the-new-covenant/ .
[8] Again, thanks to Jan Logsdon, of Crew Studios, and Brett Prieto, of Warrior Chamber Studios, for their feedback and invaluable input on this three-part series as it was being written. And thanks to Pastor Zach Travis for the push to study the passage in more detail.
