The connotations of the Old Testament Idea of The Rest of Israel in reference to the Church from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew

Authors

  • Dariusz Adamczyk Kielce

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21906/rbl.415

Abstract

The idea of The Rest of Israel contained in Old Testament unites with the idea of the judgment and punishment. However thanks to God’s mercy there takes place the conversion, which should lead to the constitution of The Holy Rest. This idea speaks about the Righteous, who will survive Jehovah’s punishment, that means who will accept the religious attitude towards Messiah. This new population will not be connected with the society of one nation only. It will be the New Israel, in the qualitative regard to the eschatological society, living in friendship with God. Jesus witnesses by his live and activity about the possibility of the realization of the Messianic forecasts from the Old Testament. Instead of the unfaithful Israel appears new God’s nation, the Jesus’ Church. The rejection of Jesus will mean the loss of the exclusive right of Israel to be the God’s nation. The new nation, which will be plentiful of the fruits of The Heavenly Kingdom will be endowed with this privilege.

The Church in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew was presented in comparison to the Israeli nation; it illustrates the contrast in relation to the former, unfaithful nation. However there exists the connection between Israel in The Old Testament, and The Jesus’ Church. The new God’s nation appears on the base of the former Jewish national and religious community. Therefore this church is rather the continuation of the former Israel. The true Israel observed the Jesus’ teachings. The new God’s nation deserves to be called the real Israel with regard to the unification of its members with God by the baptism and obedience before God. The Church is both the actualization and the realization of the Heavenly Kingdom on earth. Saint Peter is the foundation of the new Messianic nation. His task is to lead man to the God’s Kingdom, which is also the main idea of the activity of the Church. It is the dynamic reality, which will be fully manifested in the final times. The Christians are The New Rest. It is the people, whose task consists in the creation of the new perfect God’s nation.

Published

2006-12-31

How to Cite

Adamczyk, D. (2006). The connotations of the Old Testament Idea of The Rest of Israel in reference to the Church from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew. The Biblical and Liturgical Movement, 59(4), 279–306. https://doi.org/10.21906/rbl.415

Issue

Vol. 59 No. 4 (2006)

Section

Reflections, comments

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