Nations

Terminology
    The most common designation for ‘nation’ in the OT is gôy (pl. go®yˆîm). The expression often occurs in conjunction with ‘am (pl. }ammˆîm), ‘people’; gôy has political and ‘am kinship connotations. The LXX and the NT mostly use laos for the old or new people of God, while other (pagan) peoples are generally called ethneœ (pl.). Gôy/gôyîm is normally translated ethnosaœethneœ. Where mention is made of more than one (non-Israelite) people, the plural ammˆîm is also translated ethneœ. There is also a contrast between Israel as the chosen people (*}am or laos) and the Gentiles (*go®yˆîm or ethneœ). Ethneœ occurs only rarely in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Joshua and Chronicles, but much more frequently in Genesis, Deuteronomy, Psalms and the prophets.

Israel and the Nations in the Context of Ancient Perceptions of Nationhood

The nation of Israel
    Ancient perceptions of nationhood were largely a function of the following factors (D. I. Block, in NIDOTTE, pp. 967–970): ethnicity and language; territory; religion; kingship; and history. Israel’s history can be understood in this context. The ancient Hebrews exhibited a strong sense of ethnic cohesion. This cohesion was reinforced by Israel’s call to be distinct from the surrounding nations (e.g. Lev. 20:24, 26). God’s promise of territory to Abraham followed from that of his descendants becoming a great nation (Gen. 12:1–3). In the Promised Land, the Israelites would experience fullness of life, prosperity and security.
    Through the covenant at Sinai, God assumed the role of patron deity, pledging continued concern for Israel’s welfare and safety. The people, in turn, were to abide by his moral code and worship no other gods, even though the neighbouring nations would entice Israel into idolatry. Not only was Yahweh the only god the Israelites were to worship (Deut. 6:4), there was in fact no other god (Exod. 20:1–6; Deut. 4:35, 39): Yahweh alone was the true, living and eternal God (Jer. 10:10). Yet although Israel was his chosen people, non-Israelites also were welcome to worship Yahweh; for the scope of his rule is universal (Is. 54:5; Jer. 32:27).
    Another element in ancient perceptions of nationhood was the royal office. The lack of a king in Israel’s early history made the people feel inferior to the surrounding nations (Deut. 17:14; 1 Sam. 8:5, 19–20). Once Israel had become a monarchy, kings were to provide leadership in warfare, the administration of justice and the worship of Yahweh, embodying the nation’s collective aspirations and exemplifying godly conduct. Their failure to live up to these high ideals in later years led to the disintegration of the Davidic kingdom and renewed bondage to foreign powers.
    Every nation also looks back at defining moments in its history. In the case of Israel, such events include God’s call of Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt and the making of the covenant at Sinai, the conquest of the Promised Land under Joshua, God’s choice of David as Israel’s king, the division of the kingdom in 931 BC, and the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles in 722 and 586 BC. The latter traumatic events brought into sharp focus the question of God’s faithfulness to his covenant with Israel. In this context, prophets foretold the restoration of a believing remnant and the establishment of a new covenant (esp. Jer. 31:31–34).

Israel and the nations
    Yet while God’s electing purposes focused on Israel, the OT vision transcends this people to include the other nations as well. Thus, contrary to Israel’s perceptions of Abraham as their ancestor exclusively, the table of nations in Genesis 10 places his call within the context of world history. Abraham will be a ‘father of many nations’ (Gen. 17:4–6), and God intends him to be a blessing to ‘all nations on earth’, not merely Israel (Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14). Likewise Israel was to fulfil a mediatorial role between God and the nations (Exod. 19:4–6). And while Yahweh sustains a special relationship with Israel, his rule extends to the entire universe. This rule even involves using pagan nations and their rulers as his instruments to chastise rebellious Israel, such as the Assyrian Shalmaneser (2 Kgs. 17:1–23) or Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Jer. 25:9; 27:6; 43:10).
    In fact, God’s treatment of Israel serves as a public display of his own character (Deut. 29:24): the laws demonstrate his wisdom (Deut. 4:6); the Exodus and other mighty acts his power (Lev. 26:45; Deut. 7:19; Jos. 4:24; Ps. 77:14); Israel’s election his gracious, faithful love (Deut. 7:7–9; 10:15); his discipline of Israel his impartiality and holiness (Deut. 8:20; Jer. 46:12; Ezek. 38:23); and the universal offer of salvation his righteousness (Ps. 98:2; Is. 62:2). The ultimate purpose of Israel’s existence is to reveal the greatness of God’s name (2 Sam. 7:23; 1 Kgs. 8:43, 60; 1 Chr. 22:5; 2 Chr. 6:33; Is. 12:4).
    Israel is repeatedly warned not to be like the nations in their idolatry (Deut. 12:30; 18:9; 2 Kgs. 17:15), and numerous prophetic oracles are directed against the nations, proclaiming divine judgment of the utmost severity (Is. 13–23; Jer. 46–51; Ezek. 25–32). Yet despite all the nations’ detestable practices, God is concerned also for their salvation (e.g. Ps. 67:2; 98:2; Is. 52:10, 15: ‘sprinkle many nations’). This is already implicit in the protevangelion of Genesis 3:15 (which predates the call of Abraham) and is made explicit in the blessing associated with Abraham (12:3) and his seed (22:18).
    Certain messianic texts are distinctly universal, such as the prediction that the ‘obedience of the nations’ will belong to the ruler from Judah (Gen. 49:10). Moreover, many prophetic texts envisage universal recognition of Yahweh (e.g. Is. 2:2–4; 66:18–20; Joel 2:28–32): ‘Then they will know that I am the LORD’ (esp. in Ezek.). A key role is assigned to the Servant of the LORD who will be a light for the Gentiles and bring justice and salvation to the nations (Is. 42:1, 6; 49:6; 51:4–5; 52:10; 61:1–2). Prophets also envisage the pilgrimage of the nations to Mt Zion, ‘the mountain of the LORD’ (Is. 2:2–4; 25:6–8; 66:20; Jer. 3:17; Mic. 4:1–3; Zech. 8:3, 20–23; 14:16–19).

Jews and Gentiles in the NT

Jesus and the Gospels
    The NT depiction of Jews and Gentiles is largely built on two major OT themes: the Abrahamic promise (Gen. 12:1–3) and the Isaianic Servant of the LORD (42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–9; 52:13–53:12; cf. 61:1–3). Pervading the NT is the conviction that in Jesus, the promised seed of Abraham, all the nations have been blessed (e.g. Acts 3:25; Rom. 4:17–18; 15:8–12; Gal. 3:6–9, 13–14). The evangelists affirm at the very outset that Abrahamic descent is not confined to physical Israel (Matt. 3:9 par.). They also agree that Jesus operates consciously as the Servant of the LORD who, in keeping with OT prediction, came as a light to the Gentiles (Matt. 12:18–21; Luke 2:32; 4:18–19; cf. Acts 13:47; 26:17–18, 23). Though born in Bethlehem, Jesus begins his ministry, not in Jerusalem, but in ‘Galilee of the Gentiles’ (Matt. 4:15–16; cf. Is. 9:1–2).
    To be sure, Jesus focuses his earthly mission on Israel (Matt. 10:5–6; 15:24), ministering to Gentiles only at their initiative (e.g. Matt. 8:5–13 par.; 15:21–28 par.; see A. J. Köstenberger and P. T. O’Brien, Salvation to the Ends of the Earth). While clearly anticipating the preaching of the gospel to ‘all nations’ (Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10; Luke 24:47; Matt. 28:19), Jesus does not envisage such universal proclamation until after the Jews have ‘handed him over to the Gentiles’ (e.g. Matt. 20:19). Israel’s rejection of their Messiah will result in Jesus’ crucifixion and exaltation but will bring judgment upon Israel, typified by the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple in AD 70. Jesus is aware that he must bring ‘other sheep’ (that is, Gentiles) as well (John 10:16), even though this will happen only through the efforts of his followers. They are commissioned by the risen Lord to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (including, but not limited to, Israel; Matt. 28:18–20), and are charged to emulate the dependent, obedient relationship he himself has during his earthly mission with the Father who sent him (John 20:21).

Paul and the early church
    The apostle Paul was consumed by Jesus’ vision of gospel proclamation to all the nations (e.g. 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 4:17), being convinced that it was the purpose of Jesus’ death that ‘the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles’ (Gal. 3:14). As apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 22:21; Rom. 1:5, 13; 11:13; 15:16, 18; Gal. 1:16; 2:2, 7–8; Eph. 3:1, 8; 1 Tim. 2:7), although a Jew himself, he spearheaded the early church’s outreach to non-Jews (Acts 13–28). Perhaps his most significant theological contribution (of enormous practical significance) was his insistence that the Gentiles were to be accepted into the community of believers apart from Jewish legal observance (food laws, Sabbath observance, circumcision), solely on the basis of faith in Christ (Acts 15; Rom. 9:30; Gal. 3:26–29; cf. Gal. 2). All barriers between Jews and Gentiles had been broken down (Eph. 2:11–22). This conviction was grounded in Paul’s apprehension of the ‘mystery’, which until that time had been hidden in the wisdom of God, that ‘through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus’ (Eph. 3:6, NIV; cf. Rom. 16:25–26; Col. 1:27). On a practical level, Paul assigned great symbolic significance to an offering taken up among Gentile congregations for the Jerusalem church (Acts 24:17; Rom. 15:25–28; 1 Cor. 16:1–4; 2 Cor. 8–9).
    Yet Israel’s salvation-historical distinctiveness is not obliterated. In Paul’s (and the early church’s) missionary practice, the progression was still ‘first for the Jew, then for the Gentile’ (Acts 3:26; 13:46; 18:6; 28:25–28; Rom. 1:16; 2:9–10). In his epistle to the Romans, the apostle wrestled with the implications of large-scale Jewish rejection of Jesus and the major Gentile influx into the church (Rom. 9–11). He concluded that ‘salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious’ (Rom. 11:11); ‘Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in’ (11:25); the fullness of the Gentiles will bring riches also to Israel (11:12); ‘and so all Israel will be saved’ (11:26: a reference to the second coming?).

The end of the NT era
    The most striking and extensive application of OT terminology for Israel to the NT people of God (including both Jews and Gentiles) is found in Peter’s first epistle, especially in chapter 2. This indicates that a paradigm shift has taken place and that it is now the church that is ‘the Israel of God’ (Gal. 6:16). The interval between Jesus’ first and second coming is the ‘time of the Gentiles’ (Luke 21:24), marked by universal gospel preaching which issues in the worship of God among every people, tribe, language and nation (Rev. 5:9; 14:6; 15:4). After the evil world empire, seductress of the nations, and the devil (see Spiritual powers), ‘deceiver of the nations’, have been judged (Rev. 14:8; 16:19), Jesus the Son will rule all the nations (Rev. 12:5; 19:15), and believers with him (Rev. 2:26–27; cf. Ps. 2:9). In heaven, all distinctions of gender, ethnicity or social class will be swallowed up in believers’ adoring relationship with God in Jesus Christ and their joint praise of the glory of their Lord and Saviour.
    See also: ISRAEL; MISSION.

A. J. KÖSTENBERGER