Taken From: Judaism when Christianity Began A Survey of Belief and Practice by Jacob Neusner
(Mr. Neusner does not specifically mention Romans 2:28-29, but incredibly echoes the thoughts therein contained. Rom 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God. )
What is an "Israel" in a Judaic Religious System?
To whom is the story told, and who finds the story self-evident as an explanation of the social world? It is the group that calls itself "Israel", whatever it means by that word. In the religion Judaism, "Israel" stands for the social entity formed by the faithful. In the Rabbinic system of the early centuries C.E., "Israel" refers to the holy people, whom G-D has called into being through Abraham and Sarah and their descendants, to whom the prophetic promises were made, and with whom the covenants were entered. In every Judaic religious system, "Israel" defines a theological category, shaped within the larger systematic logic of that system. "Israel" in that context does not represent a fact of sociology or ethnic culture or secular politics but a principal part of Judaism. The "Israel" of Judaism- of every Judaism of ancient times- within its setting forms a supernatural social entity, "chosen”,” holy", subject to G-D's special love and concern. "Israel" should not, then, be confused with the ethnic group "the Jews", nor should references to "Israel" in the supernatural framework of humanity's salvation be understood as ethnocentric. As we shall see, "Israel" refers to those who know G-D, and "not-Israel" ("gentiles") refers to idolaters, pure and simple. In Rabbinic Judaism there are no other categories of the social order formed by all humanity.
In the context of the study of Judaism the religion, that category, "Israel", is therefore not to be confused with "the Jewish people", which may refer to an ethnic group, to the community of fate formed by the people, Israel, in a this-worldly framework, or to the state of Israel, a modern nation-state, and "Israelites"- meaning the faithful of Judaism- are not to be confused with "Israelis", citizens of the state of Israel. "Israel" in Judaism compares to "the Torah" in that as the latter is not just another book, so the former is not just another social entity. Just as the story of the Torah speaks of transcendent matters, so the tale of Israel, in Judaism, tells of G-D's relationship with humanity through the instrument G-D has chosen for self-manifestation: "You alone have I singled out of all the families of the earth- that is why I will call you to account for all your iniquities,"(Amos 3:2)
All Judaisms deem their "Israel" to form continuity with the Israel of whom the Hebrew Scriptures speak. In Modern times some deem the connection to be genealogical and fundamentally ethnic, putting forth a secular definition. But Rabbinic Judaism defines its Israel in supernatural terms, deeming the social entity to form a transcendental community, by faith. In the documents of Judaism from the Mishnah through the Talmud of Babylonia, Rabbinic Judaism's "Israel" does not speak of a merely ethnic, this-worldly people. It is, rather, a social entity defined by supernatural genealogy, on the other side, or religious conversion, on the other. The child of a Jewish mother automatically belongs to the Israel of Rabbinic Judaism; circumcision on the eighth day admits the male child to the covenant of G-D with Israel into which he was born.
But "Israel" is no more a narrow ethnic category than is "church" or "abode of Islam". That is shown by the simple fact that a gentile of any origin or status, slave or free, Greek or barbarian, may enter its "Israel" on equal terms with those born into the community, becoming children of Abraham and Sarah.
(Mr. Neusner does not specifically mention Romans 2:28-29, but incredibly echoes the thoughts therein contained. Rom 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God. )
What is an "Israel" in a Judaic Religious System?
To whom is the story told, and who finds the story self-evident as an explanation of the social world? It is the group that calls itself "Israel", whatever it means by that word. In the religion Judaism, "Israel" stands for the social entity formed by the faithful. In the Rabbinic system of the early centuries C.E., "Israel" refers to the holy people, whom G-D has called into being through Abraham and Sarah and their descendants, to whom the prophetic promises were made, and with whom the covenants were entered. In every Judaic religious system, "Israel" defines a theological category, shaped within the larger systematic logic of that system. "Israel" in that context does not represent a fact of sociology or ethnic culture or secular politics but a principal part of Judaism. The "Israel" of Judaism- of every Judaism of ancient times- within its setting forms a supernatural social entity, "chosen”,” holy", subject to G-D's special love and concern. "Israel" should not, then, be confused with the ethnic group "the Jews", nor should references to "Israel" in the supernatural framework of humanity's salvation be understood as ethnocentric. As we shall see, "Israel" refers to those who know G-D, and "not-Israel" ("gentiles") refers to idolaters, pure and simple. In Rabbinic Judaism there are no other categories of the social order formed by all humanity.
In the context of the study of Judaism the religion, that category, "Israel", is therefore not to be confused with "the Jewish people", which may refer to an ethnic group, to the community of fate formed by the people, Israel, in a this-worldly framework, or to the state of Israel, a modern nation-state, and "Israelites"- meaning the faithful of Judaism- are not to be confused with "Israelis", citizens of the state of Israel. "Israel" in Judaism compares to "the Torah" in that as the latter is not just another book, so the former is not just another social entity. Just as the story of the Torah speaks of transcendent matters, so the tale of Israel, in Judaism, tells of G-D's relationship with humanity through the instrument G-D has chosen for self-manifestation: "You alone have I singled out of all the families of the earth- that is why I will call you to account for all your iniquities,"(Amos 3:2)
All Judaisms deem their "Israel" to form continuity with the Israel of whom the Hebrew Scriptures speak. In Modern times some deem the connection to be genealogical and fundamentally ethnic, putting forth a secular definition. But Rabbinic Judaism defines its Israel in supernatural terms, deeming the social entity to form a transcendental community, by faith. In the documents of Judaism from the Mishnah through the Talmud of Babylonia, Rabbinic Judaism's "Israel" does not speak of a merely ethnic, this-worldly people. It is, rather, a social entity defined by supernatural genealogy, on the other side, or religious conversion, on the other. The child of a Jewish mother automatically belongs to the Israel of Rabbinic Judaism; circumcision on the eighth day admits the male child to the covenant of G-D with Israel into which he was born.
But "Israel" is no more a narrow ethnic category than is "church" or "abode of Islam". That is shown by the simple fact that a gentile of any origin or status, slave or free, Greek or barbarian, may enter its "Israel" on equal terms with those born into the community, becoming children of Abraham and Sarah.
