Review of: Israelism and the Place of Christ - by Dr. Alexander E. Stewart

 Biblical Theology Bulletin, volume 50 -2020, p.101, 102

Review by Dr. Alexander E. Stewart

Israelism and the Place of Christ: Christocentric Interpretation of Biblical Prophecy. Edited by Steven Paas. Beitr?ge zum Verstehen der Bible 34. Zurich: LIT Verlag, 2018. Pp. 273. Paper, €34.90.

Steven Paas has drawn together an international team of contributors to address Israelism and the interpretation of biblical prophecy. In the preface, Paas defines Israelism as a collective noun for movements among Christians, who share the idea that the people of Israel is still the specifically elected people of God and that for this people an extraordinarily great but not yet discernable measure of salvation should be expected . . . movements like Christian Zionism, Postmillenialism (e.g. Brakelianism), Premillenialism (e.g. Darbism, Dispensationalism), Philosemitism, Philojudaism, and Messianism [p. 10].

The 2018 LIT Verlag English edition is a translation from the original 2017 Dutch volume Het Isra?lisme en de plaats van Christus: Christocentrische interpretatie van Bijbelse profetie. Each of the thirteen chapters discusses some theological, exegetical, or missiological aspect of this issue. The contributors reject antisemitism and replacement theology and are united in a Christocentric interpretation of biblical prophecies related to Israel. They share the concern that Israelism diminishes the unique position of Christ in Christian theology and the universal scope of biblical prophecy (p. 10).

In chapter one, Steven Paas discusses the theological foundation for a Christocentric reading of the Old Testament, the relationship of the church to Israel, and antisemitism. He argues against replacement and in favor of continuation, and he discusses how this hermeneutical and theological approach does not result in antisemitism; the Gospel calls everyone to “surrender our national identity” to Jesus (p. 35).

 In chapter two, Erik van Alten capably presents John Calvin’s views on this issue. For Calvin, the Church began with Adam and Eve and faithful worshippers of God throughout the Old Testament constituted the Church. There is only one Church from the beginning of time which was always set apart by faith. In chapter three, Gregory Beale republishes older material which discusses the expected universalization of the land promises in the Old Testament, Judaism, and the New Testament.

In chapter four, Colin Chapman explores Christian interpretation of Ezekiel’s prophecies based on the premise that the writers of the New Testament “must surely be the crucial lens through which Christians try to interpret Ezekiel’s visions today” (p. 94). Colin argues that Ezekiel’s visions of restoration relate to Jesus’ first coming and to the eschatological consummation. In chapter five, Bram Maljaars argues that Acts 3:19–21 should be translated “repent and be converted . . . now that the times of revival have come . . . and that he has sent Jesus Christ . . . whom the heaven had to contain. . . .” This translates hopōs an as a temporal conjunction instead of a final or consecutive conjunction and interprets the verse as referring to Christ’s pre-existence instead of the Ascension.

In chapter six, Joost van Meggelen investigates the disciples’ question in Acts 1:6 by examining the kingdom of God in Acts. He argues that the kingdom in Acts relates to “the kingship of Christ, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the conversion of Israel . . ., and the calling of the Gentiles” (pp. 157–58). For Luke, God’s kingdom is realized “by means of the proclamation of the Gospel all over the world” (p. 158). In chapter seven, Duane Alexander Miller discusses various Scripture passages to argue that “Christian Zionism fundamentally misunderstands Israel, and by consequence Christ, His Church, and her mission” (p. 172).

In chapter eight, Theo Pleizier explores the impact of Israelism on Christian spirituality in regard to sacred ceremonies, space, and time and argues that too much focus on Israel detracts from the centrality of Christ. In chapter nine, Raymond Potgieter suggests that eschatological frameworks which rely on proof-texting in order to develop particular chronological processes “risk Modern Gnostic tendencies, which lead to various kinds of Pseudo-Messianism” (p. 210). In chapter ten, Owen Palmer Robertson republishes an influential study on the Israel of God in Romans 11 which argues that “all Israel” in Romans 11:26 refers to “all the elect of God, whether of Jewish or Gentile origin” (p. 228).

In chapter eleven, Stephen Sizer vigorously critiques movements attempting to rebuild a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount with exegetical and theological arguments. In chapter twelve, Jos M. Strengholt argues that attempting to take everything in Zechariah 14 literally leads to difficult results and that the authors of the New Testament do not take everything literally. In chapter thirteen, Martin van Veelen considers the identity of the goyim in Psalm 2 and Acts 4 and argues that the Jews who rejected Jesus and the message of the apostles are connected in Acts 4:27 with the rebellious people of Psalm 2.

This is a wide-ranging collection of essays which presents biblical, exegetical, theological, and missiological arguments against Israelism in dialogue with the current political situation in Palestine and modern Christian movements in support of Israel. It is a necessary book because of the often weak but influential hermeneutical and rhetorical efforts by many to get Christians to support various forms of Zionism. Israelism and the Place of Christ will provide an important antidote to this hijacking of Christianity and is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students and pastors.

Alexander E. Stewart Tyndale Theological Seminary Badhoevedorp, The Netherlands

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Thank you very much for reading this review by Dr. Stewart. Here is some more information on the book:

Steven Paas (Ed.), Israelism and the Place of Christ: Christocentric Interpretation of Biblical Prophecy, LIT Verlag, Berlin, Munster,Vienna, Zurich, London, January 2018.

https://www.amazon.com/Israelism-Place-Christ- Christocentric Interpretation/dp/3643909810

https://www.lit-verlag.de/isbn/3-643-90981-7;

https://www.litwebshop.de/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&keyword=steven+paas;

https://www.litwebshop.de/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24&products_id=13479

In the USA LIT Verlag is represented by Independent Publishers Group: https://www.ipgbook.com/israelism-and-the-place-of-christ-products-9783643909817.php

On the backside of the cover the book is recommended by Prof. Dr. Wido van Peursen (Professor of Old Testament at the Vrije Universiteit/ Free University in Amsterdam):

‘From the perspective of Christian theology, speaking about Israel not only touches on issues of international politics or social convictions but also on the core questions of faith and theology, such as: How does God relate to the peoples in this world? Does the dictum that with God there is no partiality apply only to individuals, or also to peoples? In other words: Does He still favour a people? How do we read the Bible? To what extent should we use the New Testament as a lens for the Old Testament? What is the place of Christ in theology? How far does salvation through Christ reach? Does it apply to Jews and non-Jews in the same way? Should Christians keep the Jewish festivals? What will be the place of the people of Israel in the future? These are important questions about the concept of God, hermeneutics, christology, soteriology, practical theology, and eschatology. Therefore, from a theological vantage point the subject of the collection of essays before you is extremely important.’ The Editor of this collection of essays, Dr. Steven Paas (1942), published on European and African Church History, the phenomena of Christian Zionism and Israelism, and the Lexicography of Chichewa, a language widely spoken in Central Africa. For this book he wrote a Preface and an introductionary chapter.

NB 1: The publication has a version in Dutch: Steven Paas (red.), Het Isra?lisme en de plaats van Christus: Christocentrische interpretatie van Bijbelse profetie, 325 pagina’s, Utrecht/ Soest: Boekencentrum & Boekscout, november 2017 [ISBN 978-9402-24114-3] https://www.boekscout.nl/shop2/boek.php?bid=8349https://www.bol.com/nl/p/het-israelisme-en-de-plaats-van-christus/9200000086209845/?suggestionType=browse

NB 2: Here is a another review of the book, by Dr. Rob Dalrymple: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/israelism-place-christ-het-isra?lisme-en-de-plaats-van-steven-paas/

NB 3: Steven Paas, 'Looking for the Brothers and Sisters of Jesus'. In this article I am summarizing my view of Israel and the Church: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/looking-brothers-sisters-jesus-challenging-ideas-israelism-paas/

Your comments and enquiries are welcome, [email protected]