Replacement theology what is it

Torah is kept in 'the new way', which God 'had always envisaged'. Wright points out that this is the kind of supersessionism that is found in the Qumran literature cf. Levenson x. Many of the smaller sects would see themselves in this sense as 'the true Israel' Wright , which amounts to 'a characteristically Jewish note of fulfilment ' Wright , [ emphasis original ]. Wright argues that 'Paul's revision of the Jewish view of election was more or less of the same type as what we find in Qumran' Wright This is also the kind of supersessionsism that Wright himself seems to advocate.

Soulen ; argues for three different forms of replacement theology, which are not necessarily mutually exclusive. He distinguishes between 'punitive', 'economic' and 'structural' supersessionism: Firstly, in so-called 'punitive' supersession, 'God abrogates God's covenant with Israel which is already in principle outmoded on account of Israel's rejection of Christ and the gospel' Soulen Secondly, in 'economic' supersessionism, Soulen argues that:.

The written law of Moses is replaced by the spiritual law of Christ, circumcision by baptism, natural descent by faith as criterion of membership in the people of God, and so forth. In the third place, the so-called 'structural' supersessionism 'unifies the Christian canon in a manner that renders the Hebrew Scriptures largely indecisive for shaping conclusions about how God's purposes engage creation in universal and enduring ways'.

In respect of Wright's third version of supersessionism see above , the idea of a unified canon seems to be present, but not the idea that the Old Testament is indecisive about God's ultimate purposes. Yet, for Soulen , 'structural supersessionism designates a problem that pervades the standard model as a whole', which would refer to the way in which salvation history is understood traditionally, involving a culmination and completion of salvation and identity in Christ.

As can be derived from Wright's exposition of the different versions of supersessionism and Soulen's different forms of supersessionism, two interrelated, preliminary conclusions about supersessionism can be drawn: First, although Wright's exposition of 'Jewish' supersessionism accentuates aspects of continuity with the faith of biblical Israel, all supersessionst approaches accentuate some form of discontinuity with Israel of the Old Testament; and second, supersessionist approaches advocate various degrees of discontinuity with biblical Israel Wright or they accentuate certain hermeneutical aspects of discontinuity with historical Israel Soulen.

Is replacement inherently part of the hermeneutic of the New Testament writers, especially Paul? Apart from scholars such as Soulen , who argues that supersessionism is part of the way in which Christians traditionally understood the 'theological and narrative unity of the Christian canon as a whole', scholars such as Rosemary R.

Ruether went even further, insisting that anti-Judaism is the left hand of Christology. In the foreword of Ruether's book, Gregory Baum argued that this 'left hand of Christology' resulted in a 'radical distinction' between church and synagogue to the point that even 'the dichotomies of salvation between spirit and flesh, light and darkness … were projected on the opposition between Church and Synagogue'.

The question remains, however, if the notion of supersession can be identified as inherent to the way in which the New Testament writers, especially Paul, portrays the gospel message. This question will mainly be pursued on the basis of the concepts of fulfilment, messianism, eschatology and newness. The notion that Christ has fulfilled the history of salvation can be identified with several New Testament writers.

This means that the first Christ advent was the point of reference of these prophecies and that the prophecies were fulfilled and completed in Christ. In such a reading, the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets in Matthew can be understood as 'filling up' the law to the point of impossibility, which is especially embodied by Jesus' command to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect Mt This forms the thesis of Jesus' discourse around the law in the gospel, which, in turn, necessitates the salvation-historical fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets by and in Christ.

Part of the antithesis to the requirement to be perfect is Jesus' invitation to receive him Mt , to enter into his rest, to take on his light and easy yoke and even to have childlike dependence and faith in order to enter the kingdom ; , which all stand in contrast with the demands of the law. The fulfilment and completion of the Law and the Prophets find expression in Jesus' teaching Mt ; and especially in his death and resurrection, wherein he serves as ransom for all sin and transgressions against the law This salvation-historical completion of the Law and the Prophets involves the inauguration of a new covenant Mt in which the double love command fulfils and incorporates the essential values of the law, but ultimately relieves people from adherence to its strict stipulations , constituting the new synthesis.

A similar idea around the concept of fulfilment is found in the undisputed Pauline letters. The right eous requirement of the law probably points to the demand that the law should be done perfectly in order to fulfil its requirements cf. Rm - something that only Jesus could do and indeed accomplished on Christ-believers' behalf.

Yet, this fulfilment is not separated from believers' lifestyle, which is empowered by God's Spirit as eschatological gift Middendorf ; Moo ; cf. Hultgren This fulfilment points to the law's culmination and eschatological fulfilment in Christ Moo , , which causes Christ-believers who love others to have 'satisfied the demands of the law en toto ' Moo ; cf. Longenecker DeSilva as a result of the 'eschatological completion' of the law in 'the cross as ultimate embodiment and pattern of sacrificial love' Moo , ; cf.

Hays Here, the concept of fulfilment is used in connection with the eschatological turning of ages or dispensations DeSilva ; Hays ; cf.

Keener ; Mk This fulfilment has been inaugurated at the first Christ advent, although future completion is awaited Arnold ; Baugh Rm In respect of messianism , as argued in more depth elsewhere Du Toit , Paul perceived Jesus as the Messiah of the historical nation Israel Rm ; Moo ; Schreiner ; Wright ; Rm ; Moo ; Schreiner ; Wright , Paul connects Jesus' Davidic messiahship Rm with the 'root of Jesse' Rm , which can be considered as 'full-fledged messianic exegesis' of Isaiah Novenson In fact, even the way in which messianism developed in later Rabbinic Judaism could be considered as partly a reaction on the belief that Jesus is the Messiah Charlesworth , 30; Dahl Although messianic expectation at the time of the second temple was not uniform, the fundamental hope for Israel's liberation from oppression for the restoration of the land and the rebuilding of the temple was prominent.

A central way in which this hope was expressed was the division of history into two eras: the present age and the age to come in which Israel would be restored Wright ; cf. Weinfeld Paul's rhetoric in this regard can be understood such as that the exile was undone, God's people's sins were forgiven and the covenant has been renewed in Christ and the Spirit Wright ; In this reading, historical Israel's end has come and their eschatological hope has been fulfilled in Christ, although having been redrawn and renewed see esp.

Rm ; 1 Cor ; , 11; ; Gl ; It is noteworthy that when Paul discusses the promise to Abraham in Romans 4 and Galatians 3, there is neither mention of the inheritance of the land e. Gn ; Is nor of Israel's national reign over the nations e. Is by way of a worldwide dominion e. Is Believers rather inherit the whole cosmos Rm The Messiah's reign is thus now of a different kind Wright , According to Paul's understanding of messiahship, the hope of Israel has been fulfilled in another way than anticipated: God's rule in Christ is not a political or territorial rule, but spiritual Fitzmyer ; Witherington and cosmic Rm ; ; Phlp in which God's people enjoy heavenly citizenship Phlp and cosmic inheritance Rm God's people are now the new temple 1 Cor ; ; 2 Cor and the Messiah's body in this world Rm ; 1 Cor God's kingdom is a fulfilled reality in believers' lives, although it contains a component of future completion Rm ; 1 Cor ; 1 Th ; cf.

Wright In the Pauline corpus, the eschatological implication of the new age or dispensation is conveyed on several levels. Gardner Although the new epoch stands in continuity with the old, there exists a 'contrast between the age of Israel and the age of the church' Thiselton Ridderbos , , , In respect of the law, Paul portrays the existence in the previous age as an existence 'under [ the ] law' Rm ; ; , 15; 1 Cor ; Gl ; , 5, 21; ; Phlp There has thus been a fundamental change of position or alignment to the law, sin and death in Paul's existence in the new era in Christ.

In the new identity in Christ, there has thus been a change of masters: Christ-believers are not under the lordship of law, sin and death, but under the lordship of Christ, under grace and under the guidance of the Spirit cf. Pointedly, in Romans , after portraying the law as something that believers in Christ have died to, just as a woman whose husband died and who is not subjected to the law of marriage any more Rm 7 , Paul argues that:. Two eras, two ways of existence or two identities are contrasted here see esp.

Fee ; Moo ; Ridderbos ; Thielman In the first epoch, people were under the power of law, sin and death, and people's identity was marked off by the works of the law. In the new epoch in Christ, people are 'now' subjected to the reign of the Spirit and not to the old way of the written code.

Paul can also picture faith as something that has come Gl , signifying a new dispensation wherein a believer stands in a new relationship to God. Heb In sum, the idea that an eschatologically new era or epoch by the promised Messiah fulfils and completes the previous era or epoch under law, sin and death, inevitably involves a replacement of sorts.

That does not mean that the replacement of the pervious epoch by the new one constitutes a kind of 'sweeping' replacement, where everything else prior to the eschatological inauguration has been swept aside by the new revelation see the second point in Wright's exposition above , but it does indicate that the new dispensation, which stands in continuity with the old epoch, ultimately transcends and replaces the old see esp.

Fee A logical result of eschatological fulfilment is that the eschatological epoch that replaces the previous one is indeed new. The idea of newness is probably the strongest indicator of replacement with the writers of the New Testament.

Again, the newness is not an invasion from nowhere, but constitutes the ultimate result of prophetic and eschatological fulfilment. In 2 Corinthians , Paul writes about the 'new creation' that came into being for someone that is 'in Christ'. Both an individual and corporate, eschatological dimension are present here. In other words, the believer acquires a new identity in Christ, which is part of a 'new created order' Guthrie or a 'new eschatological situation that has emerged from Christ's advent' Martin ; cf.

Du Toit a Such a notion is confirmed by the subsequent references to the work of Christ in reconciling 'us' to himself, giving 'us' the ministry of reconciliation, and the reference to the reconciliation of the 'world to himself' 2 Cor As a result, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, 'but a new creation'. Silva strongly argues for the eschatological basis of the new creation: Paul criticises his opponents for not recognising the 'eschatological significance' of the cross and for seeking to remain in the 'old world of circumcision'.

In contrast, those who belong to the new creation are 'no longer alive to the old age', but 'live according to a different pattern of existence', constituting 'the true, eschatological people of God'.

Likewise, Fung maintains that Galatians goes beyond a subjective experience and signifies 'two objectively existent worlds, from one of which he [ Paul ] has been transplanted to another'. The underlying thought is 'that the cross - standing for the Christ-event as a whole - marks the end of the old world and users in the new' cf.

Dunn ; Hays ; Keener ; Moo ; Vos The new creation thus eschatologically fulfils and replaces the previous order. Similarly, in Romans , the burial with Christ, signified by baptism, results in walking 'in newness of life', just as Christ was raised from the dead. Likewise, 1 Corinthians refers to the Lord's Supper as representing 'the new covenant' cf. Lk in Jesus' blood. There is thus an eschatological aspect to the Lord's Supper Gardner , which signifies the new relationship wherein believers stand with God on the basis of Christ's blood.

The idea of a new covenant in 1 Corinthians recalls Jeremiah LXX in which the new covenant stands in continuity with the old, but ultimately replaces the old reality Lundbom According to Seifrid , 'the very naming of this covenant as "new" means that it is defined in contrast with the "old"' and that '[ t ]he former commandment thus is displaced by the fulfilled promise' cf.

Guthrie ; Harris At heart, the new covenant in the Spirit both fulfils and replaces the previous, obsolete epoch and way of existence Fee ; cf. Although the new covenant is explained from an angle that is different from that in the Pauline corpus, it ultimately points to the same new reality for believers. As with Paul, the element of newness in Hebrews signifies more than eschatological fulfilment, but ultimately points to a new covenant that replaces the old Koester ; Michaels ; O'Brien ; Thompson , In respect of Ephesians , which states that 'one new person in place of the two' ESV is created in Christ, Arnold remarks that 'the work of Christ marked the end of the Mosaic covenant' and that 'the era of the law has come to an end'.

More precisely, 'the law in its entirety has been abolished insofar as it functions as the basis of the covenant relationship between God and his people'. Regarding the new identity, Arnold continues that 'Christ's purpose went beyond creating a climate where Jews and Gentiles could get along.

He exerted his divine creative power to form an entirely new class of humanity' cf. Hoehner The new wine signifies 'the new age' that Jesus inaugurates, which goes hand in hand with new practices in accordance with changed circumstances Blomberg ; cf. Edwards ; Schnabel In the Johannine writings, the notion of a 'new commandment' Jn ; 1 Jn 7, 8; 2 Jn could be seen as John's equivalent of the new covenant Lk ; 1 Cor ; Michaels ; cf.

Carson The command is not new in the sense that it has not been said before Lv , but it is new in that it is bound up with the new standard of Jesus' love for his disciples Jn and, in that, it both mandates and exemplifies 'the new order', which goes along with 'the newly gathering messianic community, brought into existence by the redemption long purposed by God himself' Carson Lastly, the idea in both the Old and the New Testaments of an awaited new heaven and earth Is ; ; 2 Pt ; Rv and the idea that a New Jerusalem would descend from heaven Rv ; , imply a replacement of the old created order by a new created order.

The notion of replacement is conveyed by the statement in Isaiah that 'the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind' ESV e.

Smith , the prediction in 2 Peter that 'the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn' ESV e. Bauckham , and especially the words in Revelation that 'the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more' ESV e. Osborne In view of the latter text, one is hard pressed to maintain a view that the new heaven and earth are merely a recreation of the former contra Moo In fact, if the 'new' is merely a refurbishment of the old, it is not really new.

The saying in Revelation , 'I am making all things new', thus has to be interpreted in view of as conveying a completely new creation. Although the new heaven and earth point to a future reality, it can be understood as the completion of the new creation, which has already been inaugurated at the Christ-event cf. Beale ; Osborne In sum, when the notions about fulfilment, the messiahship of Christ, realised eschatology and newness in the New Testament are considered, they paint a picture of a new order that was inaugurated in Christ, which fulfilled, transformed and ultimately replaced the old order.

The old existence under the bondage of the powers of law, sin and death has been replaced by a new existence under grace and under the lordship of Christ and the guidance of the Spirit. The new covenant has both fulfilled and replaced the old covenant. The dawn of the new eschatological epoch thus does not invade the world from nowhere, but constitutes the fulfilment and the ultimate end or goal of the old. What exactly is replaced according to Paul? If the notion of replacement is inherently and inevitably part of the gospel, the question still remains: What exactly is it in the eschatologically old existence under the law that is replaced in the new eschatological existence in the Spirit or in the new covenant?

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