The understanding of the salvation of all Israel in Rom. 11.26 remains controversial. In this article I propose a new perspective—the genealogical-religious Israelite view—based on Paul’s distinctive use of ‘Jews’ and ‘Israel’ and the occasion of his writing. Paul’s contemporary Israelites are a subset of Jews. Insofar as ‘Jews’ includes proselytes (Gentile Judaizers), Israelites are the subgroup of Jews with genealogical credentials. Paul yearns for the salvation of more of these genealogical Israelites in his time, and ‘all Israel’ is the sum of the remnant and the portion of the hardened genealogical Israelites who would ultimately believe in Jesus. Against Jason A. Staples, Gentiles-in-Christ are not resurrected Israelites. Rather, Paul presents descent from Jacob as a credential beyond Gentile reach. Gentiles can never become Israelites.
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