Jesus, Israel, and the Irrevocable Covenant: Reclaiming the Jewish Roots of Christian Faith

In a time of growing polarization, misunderstanding, and theological confusion, it's more important than ever for Christians to return to the foundations of our faith. One such foundation is the enduring relationship between Jesus, the Messiah, and the people of Israel. For many Christians, especially in the liberal Protestant denominations, this relationship has been clouded by centuries of supersessionist theology—the idea that the Church has “replaced” Israel in God’s plan. But when we listen carefully to Jesus’ own words, and to the Apostle Paul’s powerful reflections in Romans, a very different picture emerges: one of continuity, faithfulness, sorrowful longing, and irrevocable calling.

One of the clearest declarations of Jesus’ mission comes in Matthew 15:24, when he says,

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

This statement, often overlooked or softened, should be taken seriously. Jesus, as the Jewish Messiah, understands his earthly ministry first and foremost within the context of the Jewish people. His miracles, teachings, and acts of compassion are not abstract signs of divinity; they are rooted in the covenantal promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Kingdom of God that he proclaims is not a novel invention—it is the unfolding of Israel’s story, now coming to a climactic turning point.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes another profound statement:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).

For Jesus, the Torah and the prophetic writings are not obsolete. They are alive and active, pointing forward to the Kingdom he now embodies. His fulfillment of the Law is not an annulment but a deepening commitment. The Jewish law is not discarded—it is honored, internalized, and championed toward love and justice. This again shows his deep commitment to Israel, not as a static ethnic identity, but as the people through whom God’s salvation is being revealed.

In John 4:22, while speaking with the Samaritan woman, Jesus says something theologically explosive:

“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.”

Here, Jesus affirms that God’s plan of salvation has a specific historical trajectory. It is not abstract or universal in a generic sense—it is deeply particular, grounded in the story of Israel. Christians often claim Jesus as Savior but forget that he came as a Jew, lived under Jewish law, celebrated Jewish festivals, and taught within the tradition of Israel’s prophets. He was fully Torah observant. To separate Jesus from Judaism is to misunderstand him entirely.

Jesus’ love for Israel is not abstract or sentimental—it is deeply emotional and even painful. In Luke 13:34–35, Jesus cries out:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!  How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is depicted participating in and upholding Jewish rituals and customs. Jesus regularly attended synagogue services on the Sabbath, as seen in Luke 4:16:Although Jesus sometimes challenged legalistic interpretations of Sabbath laws, he never dismissed the importance of the Sabbath itself. His debates with religious leaders often aimed to emphasize the spirit of the law rather than its rigid application (Mark 2:27-28).

Jesus participated in Jewish festivals, including Passover. The Last Supper, described in all four Gospels, was a Passover meal (e.g., Luke 22:7-15). He also traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2-14) and Hanukkah (John 10:22-23). There is no evidence in the Gospels that Jesus violated the dietary laws prescribed in the Torah. While later Christian interpretations, such as Peter’s vision in Acts 10, addressed dietary restrictions, Jesus himself operated within the boundaries of Jewish dietary practices.

Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day, in accordance with Jewish law (Luke 2:21). His family also made offerings at the Temple after his birth, fulfilling the requirements of the Torah (Luke 2:22-24).Jesus’ teachings often revolved around the correct understanding and application of the Torah. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus expounds on various commandments, deepening their moral and spiritual implications. For instance:

• On murder: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder;’ and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…” (Matthew 5:21-22).
• On adultery: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28).

These interpretations align with the Jewish tradition of midrash, which seeks to explore the deeper meanings of the Torah. Jesus’ confrontations with the Pharisees and Sadducees are often misunderstood as a rejection of the Torah. However, these disputes were about differing interpretations of the law, not the law itself. For example:

• In Matthew 23:23, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for neglecting “justice, mercy, and faithfulness” while being meticulous about minor commandments: “These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

This criticism highlights Jesus’ emphasis on the ethical and spiritual heart of the Torah rather than superficial compliance.

These are not the words of a detached deity. They are the anguished cry of someone whose love has been rejected. And yet, that rejection does not lead to condemnation. It leads to lament. Jesus’ final words in this passage are not “You are cast off forever,” but “You will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’” His heart remains open to Israel. His mission is not one of abandonment but of longing for reconciliation.

Nowhere is the continuity of God’s love for Israel more clearly articulated than in Romans 11. Paul, writing to a mixed community of Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome, anticipates a question that continues to haunt Christian theology: Has God rejected Israel?

His answer is unequivocal:

“I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham… God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew” (Romans 11:1–2).

Later in the chapter, he drives the point home:

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).

Paul does not see the Church as replacing Israel. He uses the metaphor of a wild olive branch grafted into a cultivated tree—Gentiles are added in, not because Israel has failed, but to fulfill the broader promise that through Abraham “all the nations of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Israel’s story continues. The original covenant stands.

These texts are not merely theological curiosities; they speak urgently to our time. As antisemitism rises around the world—even within some corners of the Christian community—it is essential to recover this biblical truth: God’s covenant with Israel has not been revoked. Christians are not called to erase or replace the Jewish people but to stand in solidarity with them, recognizing that the very root of our faith is nourished by Israel’s scriptures, prophets, and promises.

It also challenges how we think about justice, theology, and mission. If Jesus came first to the lost sheep of Israel, if he wept over Jerusalem, if he upheld the Law and the Prophets, then we must resist any theology that treats Judaism as obsolete or inferior. We must resist the temptation to turn complex historical conflicts into spiritualized morality plays. Jesus never rejected Israel. Neither should we.

Jesus’ relationship with Israel is not a footnote—it is central. From his birth in Bethlehem to his final entry into Jerusalem, his life was bound to the destiny of the Jewish people. And his longing remains: that one day, Israel will recognize in him the fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers.

Until then, Christians are called not to boast over the branches, but to walk humbly, gratefully, and faithfully—knowing that the gifts and the covenant with God are irrevocable.