The Israel of God

"And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16).

When Paul pronounces peace and mercy upon the "Israel of God" to whom is he referring? The answer will differ on who you ask. For some (namely the dispensationalist) the answer depends on the translation of "καὶ" (and). They who maintain that God has two people (Israel and the Church) believe that the normal translation of "καὶ" is "and" and therefore should be translated the same here. Furthermore, it is argued everytime time Israel is mentioned in the Bible it always refers to ethnic Israel. These two concepts combined they argue, lead one to understand that Paul has two groups in mind-the believing Galatians (the "them") and believing Jews (the "Israel of God"). The Bible Knowledge Commentary (a dispensational commentary out of Dallas Theological Seminary) says this: "...all the 65 other occurrences of the term "Israel" in the New Testament refer to Jews. It would thus be strange for Paul to use "Israel" here to mean Gentile Christians. Third, Paul elsewhere referred to two kinds of Israelites—believing Jews and unbelieving Jews (cf. Rom. 9:6). Lest it be thought that Paul is anti-Semitic, he demonstrated by means of this benediction his deep love and concern for true Israel, that is, Jews who had come to Christ." 

For the dispensationalist, this "two group" interpretation must hold or their whole hermeneutical and theological structure will crumble. The absolute sharp distinction between national Israel and the Church must be maintained. Charles Ryrie says this: "the basic premise of Dispensationalism is two purposes of God expressed in the formation of two peoples who maintain their distinction throughout eternity." I mention this because, they are not going to like this, I believe they are bringing their own playing cards to the game. In other words they have a theological agenda that they absolutely must defend or their system collapses. They are reading back into the text their already and essential preconceived ideas.  I say all this as a former dispensationalist. I often struggled with their interpretation of Gal. 6:16. A simple survey of church history and commentaries doesn't favor their view. In fact you will be hard pressed to find any commentary that holds to their understanding of this verse. I'm sure there are some out there but they are, by far, in the minority. This is partly what leads me to believe they are reading back into the text what is not there.Of course they would object that their exegesis is the correct one.

I concede that "καὶ" is often translated "and" in the N.T. but it can also mean "and also," "even," "likewise," "nevertheless," "but" and so on. The usage of "καὶ" has a variety of translation depending on the context. This is where I believe the dispensationalist falls into trouble. The whole context of Galatians is about justification by faith alone, in Christ alone. Paul's main concern seems to be proclaiming and defending how sinners stand right with God (justification) and identifying the true offspring of Abraham ( Christ and all united to him by faith). See Gal. 3:16-29 where there is no ethnic or national distinctions (3:28). It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever for Paul to turn around and completely undo, as well as contradict, what he said  previously (3:28) and divide up the offspring of Abraham by nationality, if he indeed meant what dispensationalists say in Gal. 6:16- that is that peace and mercy be upon the believing Galatians and believing Jew. Two different groups? The context just doesn't allow for that.

So then what of this "καὶ" (and)? Well in light of the context (see above paragraph) is seems best and most reasonable to take it the way it has been understood for the large majority of church history and commentaries. That is explicative and epexegetical- further explaining who the "upon them" are that are walking by "this rule." It seems fairly simple that Paul is saying that all who are trusting in Christ and Him alone for their acceptance with God and are a new creation, to them and them alone be peace and mercy; they are the "Israel of God." I remind you that this is the most common understanding to the verse in the consensus of commentaries.

William Hendricksen writes this,"As to the former, Gal. 6:16 must be interpreted in accordance with its own specific context and in the light of the entire argument of this particular epistle. And as to the latter, it is very clear that in his epistles the apostle employs the term Israel In more than one sense. In fact, in the small compass of a single verse (Rom. 9:6) he uses it in two different senses. Each passage in which that term occurs must therefore be explained in the light of its context. Besides, Paul uses the term "the Israel of God" only in the present passage, nowhere else.What, then, is the solution? In harmony with all of Paul’s teaching in this epistle (and see also Eph. 2:14–22), and also in harmony with the broad, all-inclusive statement at the beginning of the present passage, where the apostle pronounces God’s blessing of peace and mercy upon "as many as" shall walk by this rule, an object from which nothing can be subtracted and to which nothing can be added, it is my firm belief that those many translators and interpreters are right who have decided that kai, as here used, must be rendered even, or (with equal effect) must be left untranslated. Hence, what the apostle says is this: "And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace (be) upon them and mercy, even upon the Israel of God." Cf. Ps. 125:5. Upon all of God’s true Israel, Jew or Gentile, all who truly glory in the cross, the blessing is pronounced" (Baker New Testament Commentary: Galatians).


My conclusion is that in light of the context of Galatians and what Paul says elsewhere (Ro. 2:28-29, Eph. 2:11:22,Eph. 4:1-6, Col. 3:1-17 namely v. 11) it is most appropriate to understand that all, from Adam until the second coming of Christ, who place their faith in Christ and Him alone for their right standing with God, make up the "Israel of God." Soli Deo Gloria!

For His Glory,
Fernando