Topical Bible: The Jews: Called: Seed of Abraham

◄ The Jews: Called: Seed of Abraham ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The term "Seed of Abraham" is a significant designation for the Jewish people, reflecting their ancestral and covenantal relationship with God as established through the patriarch Abraham. This title underscores the unique role and identity of the Jews within the biblical narrative and God's redemptive plan.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of the Jews as the "Seed of Abraham" originates in the book of Genesis, where God establishes His covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 12:1-3 , God calls Abram (later named Abraham) to leave his country and promises to make him a great nation: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing." This promise is foundational to the identity of the Jewish people as Abraham's descendants.

Further, in Genesis 15:5 , God reaffirms His promise to Abraham, saying, "Look now at the heavens and count the stars, if you are able. Then He told him, 'So shall your offspring be.'" This imagery of countless descendants highlights the vastness and enduring nature of Abraham's lineage.

Covenantal Significance

The covenantal relationship between God and Abraham is formalized in Genesis 17:7 , where God declares, "I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." This covenant is marked by the rite of circumcision, serving as a physical sign of the Jews' unique relationship with God.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, emphasizes the spiritual and covenantal aspects of being Abraham's seed. In Romans 4:13 , Paul writes, "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." This highlights the faith-based aspect of the covenant, extending the concept of Abraham's seed beyond mere physical descent.

Historical and Theological Context

Throughout the Old Testament, the Jews are repeatedly identified as the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, forming the twelve tribes of Israel. This lineage is central to their identity and mission as God's chosen people, tasked with being a light to the nations and upholding the laws and commandments given through Moses.

In the New Testament, the designation "Seed of Abraham" takes on additional theological significance. Jesus Christ, as a descendant of Abraham, fulfills the promises made to the patriarch. In Galatians 3:16 , Paul explains, "The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, 'and to seeds,' meaning many, but 'and to your seed,' meaning One, who is Christ." This interpretation underscores the messianic fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant through Jesus.

Contemporary Relevance

The identity of the Jews as the "Seed of Abraham" continues to hold profound religious and cultural significance. It serves as a reminder of their historical roots and the enduring nature of God's promises. This designation also invites reflection on the broader spiritual implications for all believers, as Paul articulates in Galatians 3:29 : "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise." This extends the blessings of Abraham to all who share in the faith of Christ, emphasizing the inclusive nature of God's redemptive plan.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 105:6
O you seed of Abraham his servant, you children of Jacob his chosen.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 41:8
But you, Israel, are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of Abraham's Obedience and Faith, which were Proved by the ...
... He was offered up, was crowned with thorns by the Jews? ... "And the Angel of the Lord
called unto Abraham ... thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 32 of abrahams obedience and.htm

Salvation to the Jews
... For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe ... He had afore prepared
unto glory, even us, whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 35 salvation to the.htm

But You Will Say, the Good Will of a Friend Towards Me, Although I ...
... For Jacob himself was called Israel ... Among these twelve sons he begat Judah, whence
the Jews have their ... And, lo, in Christ, that is, in the seed of Abraham, that ...
/.../augustine/concerning faith of things not seen /5 but you will say.htm

What is Meant by Abraham's Marrying Keturah after Sarah's Death.
... sons of the concubines, that is, the heretics and the carnal Jews, have some ... the
seed, of whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." [952] For I ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 34 what is meant by.htm

John Chapter xix. 17-22.
... therefore, "His cross, He went forth into the place that is called Calvary, in ... who
are they that are to be understood as the Jews but the seed of Abraham ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate cxvii john chapter xix.htm

Book 1 Footnotes:
... Nor did the Jews feed upon any other domestic animals ... and Hebrews 11:17, Isaac is
called Abraham's only begotten ... all nations being happy in the seed of Abraham ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 1 footnotes .htm

What Messiah did the Jews Expect?
... CHAPTER V. WHAT MESSIAH DID THE JEWS EXPECT ... connection with Israel is marked by the
designations Seed of Abraham ... in His history: Out of Egypt have I called my Son ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v what messiah did.htm

Christ Clothed with the True Substance of Human Nature.
... Hence, when manifested in the flesh, he is called the Son of ... as Paul explains, he
was "made of the seed of David ... elsewhere says, that he came of the Jews (Rom.9 ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 13 christ clothed with.htm

Whether the Old Law Should have Been Given to the Jews Alone?
... reason for the Law being given to the Jews rather than ... that Christ should be born
of his seed: but of gratuitous ... the just one form the east, hath called him to ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the old law should.htm

But if Moreover any not Having Charity, which Pertaineth to the ...
... received even by the sons of concubines to whom carnal Jews and schismatics ... and though
God said to Abraham, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called:" which the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/on patience /23 but if moreover any.htm