Jesus & Israel

"Here is a first-rate presentation of a Reformed, covenantal understanding of promise and fulfilment, with special reference to the relation of Israel to the church. The book focuses largely on the New Testament's use of the Old Testament themes of Israel (holy people), temple, land, and law. It relates all of these themes to fulfilment in Christ, in agreement with the idea of inaugurated eschatology. Through exegetical, reflection the book provides an attractive, persuasive overview of covenantal thinking and indicates the major points o contact and disagreement with dispensationalism and with current discussions of Jewishness among Jews and among Christian theologians of liberal and neoorthodox bent. "

VERN S. POYTHRESS

Westminster Theological Seminary

"Writing in the tradition of Reformed theology, Holwerda examines the place of Israel in Jesus' teaching. He maintains that the prophetic hope finds its realization in the present age and that the church shares in 'the blessings of Jerusalem'. His treatment of Romans 9-11 is persuasive. The author succeeds in giving a balanced answer to the question of the 'fullness of the Jews': it must be found in the present age and also in an eschatological reality." Willem A. Vangeremeren, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"David Holwerda has produced a rich, edifying, and theologically compelling study of promise and fulfilment, demonstrating the unity of the Bible by an exposition of the faithfulness of God to Israel in Jesus Christ, in whom the various strands of both covenants merge. Exhibiting great sensitivity to the evil of anti-Semitism, Holwerda nevertheless does not back away from faithful interpretation of the New Testament into the shelter of a two-covenant understanding of salvation. He holds to the correctness of understanding the church as the 'new Israel', and yet insists with Paul that Israel remains elect and in God's faithfulness still has a future." Donald A. Hagner, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Challenging to the scholar but easily accessible to the layperson. Holwerda does not engage in acrimonious polemics but forthrightly and lucidly presents the results of his years of study and reflection. Anyone seeking to deal responsibly with the issue of Jesus and Israel should not ignore this book." Bastiann Van Elderen, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam