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With Through the [[New Testament|New Covenant]], the [[Orthodox Church|Church]] of [[Jesus Christ]] becomes the New Israel, becoming "the fulfillment and continuation of the Old biblical Israel." {{ref|1}}
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Over the past three thousand years, the name '''"Israel"''' has meant in common and religious usage both: 1) the [[w:Land of Israel|Land of Israel]], also called the [[w:Canaan|Land of Canaan]], constituting the [[w:Promised Land|Promised Land]] forming part of the Abrahamic, Jacob and Israel covenants, as well as referring to the modern state of [[w:Israel|Israel]]; and also 2) the entire Jewish nation, an ethnoreligious group originating in the [[w:Israelites|Israelites]]<ref>In modern Judaic usage, an Israelite is a Jew who is neither a [[w:Kohen|Kohen]] (descendant of [[Aaron]], the first high priest) nor a Levite (descendant of early religious functionaries). The distinction is significant, for if a Kohen is present for synagogue service, he must be called up first for the reading of the Law; he is then followed by a Levite. Normally, therefore, an Israelite is not called up until the third reading. (''"Israelite."'' '''Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite.''' Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009.)</ref> (Twelve Tribes) or [[w:Hebrews|Hebrews]] of the Ancient Near East.
==Old Testament==
===The Ancient Israel and the New Israel===
The Church, the New Israel, is therefore the fulfillment of the Old Testament Israel. In the Old Israel, membership was by birth,<ref>Phillipians 3:5.</ref> and pagans were excluded from its citizenship.<ref>Ephesians 2:12.</ref> It is no more than the Israel of the flesh and what is important is to belong to the Israel of God. But "all the descendants of Israel are not Israel".<ref>Romans 9:6.</ref> Confronted with Jesus and the Gospel, a sorting takes place:<ref>Luke 2:34f..</ref> the fall of those who look for the justice of the Law and who harden their hearts when they hear the announcement of justification by faith,<ref>Romans 9:31; 11:7.</ref> and the rescue of those others , the "true Israelites",<ref>John 1:48.</ref> who constitute the remnant of Israel announced by the [[Scripture]]s<ref>Romans 9:27ff..</ref> and who are joined to the New Israel by the converted pagans. The Old Israel has not been definitively rejected, but at the time her incomprehension of the Gospel was manifested God wishes to awaken her jealousy.<Ref>Romans 10:19.</ref> As Archbishop Alexander Golitzin has noted, "for St Paul, ... the discussion at issue in epistles such as Galatians and especially Romans, centres not on the rejection of Israel, but rather, through the Messiah, on the expansion of Israel's boundaries so as to include the nations." {{ref|2}} When the pagans are converted in their totality, the partial hardening of Israel's heart will cease, "and thus all Israel will be saved".<ref>Romans 11:26.</ref> It will belong once again to that spiritual Israel which has entered into the way of salvation.
==See also==
==References==
{{note|1}} Father Demetrios Tonias. “Fulfillment in Continuity: The Orthodox Christian Theology of Biblical Israel.” Page 210.
{{note|2}} Archbishop Alexander Golitzin. "Scriptural Images of the Church: An Eastern Orthodox Reflection." Page 256.
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