Throughout Scripture, a profound theological tension exists between ethnic identity and covenant faithfulness. When Jesus speaks of the “synagogue of Satan” and those who “say they are Jews and are not” in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, He addresses a foundational question that threads through biblical history: Who truly constitutes the people of God? This question transcends mere academic interest—it shapes our understanding of salvation history, covenant theology, and the relationship between Israel and the Church.
This paper examines the biblical distinction between ethnic Israel and “true Israel,” demonstrating that this distinction is not an innovation of the New Testament but a consistent biblical principle. Scripture has always differentiated between those who are merely physical descendants of Abraham and those who share Abraham’s faith. This distinction culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who embodies and fulfills Israel’s identity, history, and covenant calling.
The central thesis of this study is that Jesus Christ Himself is the Israel of God par excellence, and only those united to Him by faith constitute the “true Israel.” This understanding illuminates Jesus’ controversial statements regarding the “synagogue of Satan” and helps us navigate the complex relationship between ethnic Israel and the Church without falling into either replacement theology or a bifurcation of God’s redemptive plan.
The Old Testament consistently establishes a principle that mere physical descent from Abraham does not guarantee covenant inclusion. This foundation is crucial for understanding the New Testament’s development of “true Israel.”
The story of Abraham demonstrates that covenant relationship is established by faith, not merely by bloodline. Genesis 15:6 states, “And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” This faith-based righteousness becomes the pattern for all who would be considered Abraham’s true children.
Even within Abraham’s immediate family, God makes distinctions that transcend biological primacy:
“But God said to Abraham, ‘Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’” (Genesis 21:12, ESV)
Here, God explicitly places Isaac (the child of promise) over Ishmael (the child of the flesh), despite Ishmael’s biological primogeniture. This establishes a fundamental principle: covenant inheritance flows through divine election and promise, not merely through natural descent.
This principle is reinforced in the narrative of Jacob and Esau. Despite being twins, God declares:
“The older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23, ESV)
This divine choice, made before either child had done anything good or bad, established that God’s covenant purposes operate according to His sovereign election, not human criteria like birthright or merit. As Malachi 1:2-3 later summarizes, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated”—a statement Paul uses in Romans 9 to illustrate God’s sovereign prerogative in defining His covenant people.
Throughout Israel’s history, the prophets consistently distinguished between ethnic Israel as a whole and a faithful remnant within it. This “remnant principle” is particularly evident in times of apostasy:
“In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.” (Isaiah 10:20-21, ESV)
Similarly, when Elijah believed he was the only faithful Israelite left, God corrected him:
“Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal.” (1 Kings 19:18, ESV)
This remnant theology establishes that not all ethnic Israelites are faithful covenant members. True Israel has always been defined by faithfulness to God within the broader ethnic community.
The Old Testament culminates this distinction with the promise of a new covenant that would transform the basis of covenant membership:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33, ESV)
This new covenant would be characterized by internal transformation rather than external ethnicity or ritual observance. The prophet Ezekiel elaborates:
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)
These promises point to a fundamental redefinition of covenant membership based on spiritual transformation rather than ethnic identity.
The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the embodiment and fulfillment of Israel’s identity, history, and vocation. This Christological recapitulation is essential for understanding the concept of “true Israel” in the New Testament.
The Gospel narratives deliberately portray Jesus as reenacting and fulfilling Israel’s historical experiences:
The Exodus Pattern: Matthew explicitly connects Jesus’ return from Egypt with Israel’s exodus:
“And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’” (Matthew 2:14-15, ESV)
This quotation from Hosea 11:1, originally referring to Israel as God’s “son,” is now applied to Jesus, identifying Him as the true Son of God where Israel had failed.
The Wilderness Testing: Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness parallel Israel’s forty years. While Israel failed its wilderness tests, Jesus succeeds, quoting Deuteronomy (Israel’s wilderness law) to overcome temptation (Matthew 4:1-11).
The Jordan Crossing: Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River symbolically reenacts Israel’s crossing into the Promised Land, inaugurating a new conquest not of land but of hearts.
The Twelve Disciples: Jesus’ selection of twelve disciples deliberately evokes the twelve tribes of Israel, suggesting the reconstitution of God’s people around Himself.
Isaiah’s Servant Songs (Isaiah 42-53) depict a figure who embodies Israel’s vocation while being distinguished from the nation itself. This figure is explicitly named “Israel”:
“And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’” (Isaiah 49:3, ESV)
Yet paradoxically, this Servant is also given a mission to Israel:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6, ESV)
This apparent contradiction is resolved in the person of Jesus Christ, who embodies Israel’s identity while also serving as its redeemer. The New Testament explicitly identifies Jesus as this Servant (Matthew 12:18-21; Acts 3:13), showing that He is the true Israel who fulfills Israel’s calling.
Jesus explicitly identifies Himself as the true fulfillment of Israel’s symbolic identity:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1, ESV)
This statement directly contrasts with Old Testament imagery where Israel is depicted as God’s vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:8-16). Jesus claims to be the authentic vine where Israel had failed to bear fruit.
Similarly, Jesus identifies Himself as the true temple:
“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’… But he was speaking about the temple of his body.” (John 2:19, 21, ESV)
As the true temple, Jesus becomes the ultimate meeting place between God and humanity, fulfilling and transcending the temple’s purpose.
Paul’s argument in Galatians 3:16 is particularly significant:
“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ.” (ESV)
Here, Paul identifies Christ as the singular heir of the Abrahamic covenant, suggesting that the promises were ultimately directed not to multiple physical descendants but to the one true offspring, Jesus Christ.
If Jesus is the true Israel, then those united to Him by faith become the true people of God, regardless of their ethnicity. This revolutionary concept defines covenant membership around faith in Christ rather than ethnic identity.
Paul explicitly addresses the question of true Israel in Romans 9:6-8:
“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” (ESV)
This passage makes several crucial distinctions:
Paul continues this theme in Romans 2:28-29:
“For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” (ESV)
This redefines Jewish identity in spiritual rather than ethnic terms, making covenant membership contingent on heart transformation rather than physical descent or ritual observance.
The New Testament consistently applies Israel’s covenant titles to the Church:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)
This verse deliberately echoes Exodus 19:5-6, where God declares Israel to be His “treasured possession,” a “kingdom of priests,” and a “holy nation.” Peter applies these titles to the Church, suggesting that the Church inherits Israel’s covenant identity.
Similarly, Paul refers to the Church as “the Israel of God” in Galatians 6:16:
“And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” (ESV)
This suggests that the Church, comprising both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ, constitutes the true Israel.
Paul’s theology of Gentile inclusion is built on the foundation of union with Christ. In Ephesians 2:11-13, he reminds Gentile believers:
“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (ESV)
Through union with Christ, Gentiles are “brought near” and incorporated into the “commonwealth of Israel.” This does not erase the distinction between Jew and Gentile at the ethnic level, but it establishes a new covenant community that transcends ethnicity.
In Galatians 3:26-29, Paul makes this point explicit:
“For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith… There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (ESV)
This passage demonstrates that faith in Christ, not ethnic identity, determines covenant membership and inheritance.
With this biblical framework in place, we can now examine Jesus’ controversial statements about the “synagogue of Satan” and those who “say they are Jews and are not” in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9.
These statements appear in Jesus’ letters to the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia:
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” (Revelation 2:9, ESV)
“Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.” (Revelation 3:9, ESV)
These churches faced persecution from local Jewish communities who rejected Jesus as Messiah. These communities were not merely expressing theological disagreement; they were actively collaborating with Roman authorities to kill, impoverish, and expel Christians from society.
Jesus’ critique is not based on ethnicity but on covenant faithfulness. When He says these people “say they are Jews and are not,” He is applying the principle established in the Old Testament and developed in Paul’s theology: true covenant membership is defined by faith and obedience, not ethnic identity.
These individuals claimed covenant membership based on their ethnic heritage while rejecting God’s Messiah. In Jesus’ view, this self-contradiction invalidated their claim to be covenant Jews in the spiritual sense. They were ethnically Jewish but not spiritually Jewish according to the New Testament’s redefinition of covenant identity.
This critique parallels Jesus’ statement in John 8:39-47, where He tells religious leaders who rejected Him:
“If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did… You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.” (ESV)
Note that Jesus does not deny their ethnic descent from Abraham but questions their spiritual kinship with him. Similarly, in Revelation, Jesus does not deny the ethnic Jewishness of His opponents but challenges their claim to covenant membership.
The phrase “synagogue of Satan” is deliberately provocative, contrasting the worship assembly of these opponents with the true worship of God. By rejecting Jesus and persecuting His followers, these individuals aligned themselves with Satan’s opposition to God’s purposes.
The term “synagogue of Satan” highlights the spiritual reality behind the persecution: in opposing Christ, these individuals served Satan’s purposes rather than God’s.
This critique is not anti-Semitic but theological. It parallels Old Testament prophetic rhetoric, where unfaithful Israel is called “Sodom” (Isaiah 1:10) or “children of the sorceress” (Isaiah 57:3). Such language did not deny Israel’s ethnic identity but highlighted its spiritual unfaithfulness.
This biblical framework allows us to understand the relationship between ethnic Israel and the Church without falling into either replacement theology or a bifurcation of God’s redemptive plan.
The New Testament does not teach that the Church replaces Israel but rather that it fulfills and expands Israel’s identity around Christ. Paul’s olive tree metaphor in Romans 11:17-24 illustrates this:
“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.” (ESV)
Here, Gentile believers are “grafted into” Israel’s covenant tree, not replacing it. The Church does not supersede Israel but joins faithful Israel in the covenant community centered on Christ who is the root.
Even as the New Testament explains covenant membership around faith in Christ, it affirms God’s enduring faithfulness to ethnic Israel:
“As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:28-29, ESV)
Paul insists that God has not rejected ethnic Israel (Romans 11:1-2) as “a partial hardening has come upon Israel,” that is, not all of ethnic Israel was hardened, “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved,” including Jews and Gentiles (Romans 11:25-26, ESV).
This balanced perspective avoids both replacement theology (the view that the Church simply replaces Israel) and dispensationalism (the view that God has two separate peoples with separate destinies). Instead, it presents a unified redemptive plan centered on Christ, in whom both Jewish and Gentile believers find their covenant identity.
It is crucial to distinguish between supersessionism (replacement theology) and fulfillment theology. Supersessionism claims that the Church replaces Israel as God’s covenant people, rendering ethnic Israel irrelevant to God’s ongoing purposes. This view contradicts Paul’s teaching in Romans 9-11, where he affirms God’s continuing relationship with ethnic Israel through those ethnic Jews who are in Christ.
In contrast, fulfillment theology recognizes that Jesus fulfills Israel’s covenant identity and calling without erasing ethnic Israel’s place in God’s plan. The Church does not replace Israel but extends and expands Israel’s covenant membership to include Gentiles who share Abraham’s faith. This is not a matter of replacement but fulfillment and inclusion.
This biblical understanding of “true Israel” has significant implications for theology, biblical interpretation, and Christian ethics.
Understanding Jesus’ critique of the “synagogue of Satan” within its proper theological context helps us avoid anti-Semitic interpretations while still affirming the exclusivity of Christ. Jesus’ criticism was not based on ethnicity but on covenant unfaithfulness. Modern Christians should likewise reject anti-Semitism while still affirming the unique status of Jesus as Messiah.
Paul models this balance in Romans 9:1-5, where he expresses deep love for his fellow Jews while still insisting on the necessity of faith in Christ:
“I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.” (ESV)
The New Testament’s teaching on “true Israel” establishes a deep theological basis for unity across ethnic divisions. If covenant membership is defined by faith in Christ rather than ethnic identity, then ethnic differences become secondary to our shared identity in Christ:
“Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:11, ESV)
This does not erase ethnic distinctives but places them in proper perspective, challenging both anti-Semitism and ethnocentrism.
Understanding Jesus as the true Israel helps us interpret Old Testament promises and prophecies. The promises made to Israel find their fulfillment not in the modern state of Israel or in ethnic Jews as such, but in Christ and those united to Him by faith.
For example, the promise of land to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12:7) finds its ultimate fulfillment not in a territorial possession but in the inheritance of “the world” (Romans 4:13) through Christ. Similarly, the promise of God’s presence among His people finds its fulfillment in Christ as Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23), and in the indwelling Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16).
The biblical distinction between ethnic Israel and “true Israel” is not an innovation of the New Testament but a consistent principle throughout Scripture. From Abraham to Christ, covenant membership has always been defined by faith and obedience rather than mere physical descent.
Jesus Christ stands at the center of this theological framework as the true Israel of God—the faithful Son who succeeded where Israel failed, the Servant who fulfilled Israel’s calling, and the singular Seed who inherits all of God’s promises. Those united to Christ by faith, whether Jew or Gentile, constitute the “Israel of God” as they participate in His covenant identity.
This understanding illuminates Jesus’ controversial statements about the “synagogue of Satan” and those who “say they are Jews and are not.” These statements are not based on ethnicity but on covenant faithfulness, applying the biblical principle that true covenant membership is defined by faith in God’s Messiah.
By maintaining this biblical balance, we can affirm both the unique identity of the Church as the people of God in Christ and God’s enduring faithfulness to ethnic Israel by not rejecting the entire race. We can proclaim the exclusivity of Christ while rejecting anti-Semitism. And we can embrace a unified vision of God’s redemptive plan, in which “all the promises of God find their Yes in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 1:20, ESV).
The Bible’s consistent message is that true Israel is not defined by ethnicity but by faith in God’s promised Messiah. Jesus Christ is the Israel of God par excellence, and only those who are “in Him” can rightfully be called “Israel,” for they participate in His covenant identity as the true seed of Abraham and the faithful Son of God.
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