The Jews and the New Covenant

"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.         Matthew 24:32-35

In the verses preceding the above, Jesus defines the signs of the times in relation to His Second Coming and the initiation of the Kingdom Age. The fig tree in the Bible is often a picture of Israel (Hosea 9:10; Luke 13:6-10), and the other trees would picture the nations of the world. The budding of the trees indicates that summer is near; it speaks of the fruitfulness of the tree prior to His Second Coming. The beginning of these signs indicates that the Lord's coming is near. These signs indicate that many Jewish people will come to know their Messiah. This phenomenon is occurring today as we see more and more Messianic Jewish congregations.

When addressing Nathanael for the first time in John 1:48-51, Jesus said, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." "Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." When Nathanael was at rest in his old covenant understanding of God, the Son of Man, the Messiah would change everything. Nathanael would see the anointing of Jesus as the Messiah in becoming one of His disciples.

No Fruit on the Tree

Upon His entry into Jerusalem, the week of His crucifixion, Jesus spoke to His disciples about a fig tree: Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately, the fig tree withered away (Matthew 21:18-19). The failure of the fig trees was a national calamity. Their productivity was a token of peace and divine favor. The fig tree differs from most other fruit trees in that its fruit is green and inconspicuous, concealed among leaves until near the time of ripening. Jesus was speaking in so many words about the state of religious Judaism at the time of His first coming, even until today, known as Rabbinic Judaism. Jesus used the fig tree in this instance to speak of Pharisaic Judaism as having no fruit. But the tree was still alive.

The political and religious environment in Israel in the 200 or so years preceding Christ’s appearance is sometimes referred to as the years of silence between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Judaism was divided into sects: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes (sons of Zadok). The Sadducees were the Jews who followed the high priest even when he contradicted the Torah. They avoided confrontation with their foreign overseers. Those committed to following the Torah refused to follow the Sadducees and became known as the Pharisees (dissenters). They instituted a new method of Torah interpretation called "derush," meaning that the oral tradition would be enforced and binding on all, just as the Written Torah had been. The people were governed by oral tradition, the tradition of the elders, and the Pharisees imposed it on the people in response to the Babylonian captivity. Rabbinic Judaism has been the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century, after the codification of the Babylonian Talmud. Rabbinic Judaism has its roots in the Pharisaic school of Second Temple Judaism.

Knowledge Will Increase

“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”                      Daniel 12:3-4

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, beginning in 1947, coincides with Israel's recognition as a nation on May 14, 1948. Daniel prophesied that many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase or be completed at the end of time. He was speaking about the times we currently occupy. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain not only Scripture but also many other ancient Jewish writings, providing valuable historical documents that leaders studied throughout their history. According to church father Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 26:

If anyone, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find in them an account of Christ and a foreshadowing of the new calling (vocations). For Christ is the treasure, which was hid in the field, that is, in this world (for "the field is the world"); but the treasure hid in the Scriptures is Christ, since He was pointed out by means of types and parables. Hence, His human nature could not be understood prior to the consummation of those things which had been predicted, that is, the advent of Christ. And therefore, it was said to Daniel the prophet: "Shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of consummation, until many learn, and knowledge be completed. For at that time, when the dispersion shall be accomplished, they shall know all these things.”

When the Dispersion Shall Be Accomplished

Irenaeus provides further commentary on this Daniel 12 passage, defining the timeframe as when the dispersion shall be accomplished; they shall know all these things. It appears that Daniel foresaw the return of the Jews to their homeland as fulfilled in 1948, when Israel was recognized as a nation again (see also Daniel 4:14-17 and Ezekiel 4:4-6, both of which prophesy that date). Did Irenaeus foresee this incredible discovery in the second century? Isaiah 29 may hold the answer. 

 

Woe, O Ariel [Jerusalem], Ariel, the city where David once camped! Add year to year and observe your feasts on schedule. I will bring distress to Ariel, and she will be a city of lamenting and mourning, and she will be like an Ariel to me. I will camp against you encircling you, and I will set siegeworks against you, And I will raise up battle towers against you. Then you will be brought low; from the earth, you will speak, and from the dust where you are prostrate, Your words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a spirit from the ground, and your speech will whisper from the dust.             Isaiah 29:1-4

Many prophecies have multiple fulfillments, and this is one of them. This passage not only addresses the looming Babylonian invasion in Jeremiah's day, but it can also refer to the scattering of the Jews by the Romans from their promised land beginning in 66-67 AD. They remained separated until May 14, 1948. In 6 AD, the region was organized as the Roman province of Judea. The Judean population revolted against the Roman Empire in 66 AD during the First Jewish-Roman War, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. During the siege, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple and most of Jerusalem. This watershed moment, the elimination of the symbolic center of Judaism and Jewish identity, motivated many Jews to redefine their religious activity apart from the Temple and adjust their existence to the prospect of an indefinite period of displacement.

The Root Supports You

I say then, they did not stumble to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow, I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.                       Romans 11:11-21

Paul’s testimony in Romans 10 and 11 was his intense desire to see the Jews come to a saving knowledge of Jesus as Messiah. In the above passage, he singled out a part of the Christian community at Rome, saying, I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. He affirmed his special position as the apostle to the Gentiles and declared, I magnify my ministry. Part of Paul's purpose for magnifying his service to the Gentiles was to provoke his fellow Jews to jealousy, resulting in the salvation of some of them. Paul then reminded his Gentile readers that Israel's rejection meant the reconciliation of the world in accordance with God's purpose. Because Israel rejected Christ, the gospel was taken to these Gentiles. Reconciliation is a work of God in the death of Christ, which does not actually restore an individual to fellowship with God, but provides its foundation (1 Corinthians 3:10-11); fellowship with Him is a daily choice. This explains the meaning of the phrases: riches for the world and riches for the Gentiles. When a person comes to Christ by faith, God's work of reconciliation is appropriated to him; he then has the opportunity for fellowship with God, and spiritual enmity is removed.

Because Paul was convinced that Israel's stumbling is temporary (see Romans 11:26), he asked, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (The fig tree would bear fruit). This explains the clause, how much more will their fulfillment be! Israel's acceptance of Jesus as Messiah fulfills God's ultimate plan for His people. It opens the door for the Kingdom Age, with Jesus as Messiah on His throne. 

First Fruits

Paul then uses the principles of firstfruits, the branch, the wild olive, and the olive tree to make a profound point about the future of the Jews. Understanding what each principle represents is necessary to fully appreciate his point. First fruits speak of the Jewish patriarchs and ancestors. In Verse 16, Paul appears to reference Numbers 15:17-21, which speaks of the Lord's command through Moses to offer the first of your dough, you shall lift up a cake as an offering, as they entered the promised land. The principle of offering first fruits is a measure of one’s devotion to the Lord. If the tree's root is a by-product of that devotion, then the branch will also represent that devotion. Paul is referring to the remnant, defined by their dedication. 

In Verse 17, Paul discusses branches broken off, those Jews who were not of the faith, still stuck in the old covenant, religious or nationalistic Jews, as many are today. They are not connected to the root of the olive tree. He addresses the Gentiles (But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles, Verse 13) as being a wild olive tree. This tree is uncultivated in the truths of the heritage of Judaism, either unfruitful or producing useless fruit. Jeremiah warned of idolatry that the house of Israel (Northern Kingdom) and the house of Judah (Southern Kingdom) would commit in Jeremiah 11:16-17:

The Lord called your name, Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit. With the noise of a great tumult, He has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken. "For the Lord of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced doom against you for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal."     

The Engrafting

The engrafting of the wild olive tree is the fulfillment of Galatians 3:6-9, which ties the Gentiles to the promises given to Abraham, the rich root of the olive tree: Even as Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." So, then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer. These Gentile believers are not to be arrogant toward the branches, namely those Jews who have yet to exercise their faith. According to Romans 11:25-27: For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in [the Church Age]; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."

Do not fear, beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness have turned green, for the tree has borne its fruit, the fig tree and the vine have yielded in full. So, rejoice, O sons of Zion, and be glad in the Lord your God; for He has given you the early rain [Christ’s First Coming] for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain [Christ’s Second Coming] as before. The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.          Joel 2:22-24

Conclusion

The Apostle Paul never denied his Jewish heritage. In fact, he considered his Christian faith to be the culmination, the fulfillment of his Jewish faith. He wrote to the Philippians from a Roman jail: for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3). The true Jew is the one who worships the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit and does not trust in his own abilities. He is emphasizing the life inside and not the outward actions, a circumcision of the heart, by the Holy Spirit and not by the letter of the law (Romans 2:29). The Judaism of Jesus’s day and even today is all about what the believer does, but it is the inward life of the Holy Spirit that produces the life of God (John 3:6). In a sense, the believer is first a Jew, trying to be spiritual by his own efforts until he realizes it will never work. 

Today's world is rampant with antisemitism, seeing the Jew as someone to blame for everything wrong. It comes from the devil, who energizes the world to attack the Jew since he cannot defeat God directly. Replacement theology is one way he perverts Christianity and other religious systems (i.e., Islam) to devalue what God values highly, His people. The Jews are still the people of God, and He is going out of His way, even today, to save Israel and the Jewish people. This is evident in the rise of Messianic Jewish congregations worldwide.