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Did Paul call the Jewish people “God’s enemies” in Romans 11:28?

In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, Ryan Lambert looks closely at one of the most misunderstood verses in the New Testament — a verse that has often been used to justify Christian hostility toward the Jewish people.

We explore:

*why some English translations say “enemies of God”

*how the Greek text actually works

*why Paul also calls the same Jewish people “beloved”

*why Paul saw Jewish unbelief as temporary, not permanent

*what this means for Jewish–Christian relations today

And we ask a vital question:

What if Romans 11:28 has been mistranslated and misused?

This matters not just for accurate Bible reading, but because antisemitism is rising globally, and Paul’s words have too often been weaponized to support it. In this episode, we show why Paul never declared the Jewish people “enemies of God”…and why their calling remains irrevocable.

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Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

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In 1965, the Catholic Church issued Nostra Aetate, a groundbreaking declaration that dramatically transformed its relationship with the Jewish people — rejecting centuries of theological hostility and opening the door to renewed friendship and respect.

Sixty years later, the legacy of Nostra Aetate continues to shape Jewish-Christian relations. But what still needs to be done?

In this episode, Ryan Lambert speaks with Dr. Philip Cunningham, co-director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at Saint Joseph’s University, and a widely respected scholar in Catholic-Jewish dialogue. Together they explore:

What Nostra Aetate actually said — and why it was revolutionary

How Catholic teaching on Jews changed so dramatically in 1965

Why the Apostle Paul is central to Nostra Aetate’s vision

How Catholic preaching and education have been transformed (or not)

How Jews themselves have responded to Nostra Aetate

Why Pope Francis speaks of receiving “treasures of wisdom” from Judaism

What the next 10 years could look like for Jewish-Christian relations

If you care about overcoming misunderstanding between Jews and Christians — and building a future of mutual respect, learning, and covenantal partnership — this episode is for you!

Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at St. Joseph's University: https://www.sju.edu/college-arts-and-sciences/ijcr

Dr. Cunningham's recent lecture on Nostra Aetate at Boston College: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYTUg3hWmAY

Nostra Aetate, Paragraph 4: https://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/commissione-per-i-rapporti-religiosi-con-l-ebraismo/nostra-aetate-n--4.html

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum

Send us a text

Were Paul’s churches actually synagogue sub-groups?
We usually imagine Paul planting “Christian churches” that were completely separate from Judaism — but that’s not likely how Paul saw it.

In this episode of Journey with the Jewish Paul, Ryan Lambert explores a game-changing possibility: that Paul’s “churches” were actually assemblies meeting within Jewish synagogues — not outside of them.

You’ll discover:

Why Paul’s Gentile followers could only worship Israel’s God within synagogue life

Why synagogues were the only place they could learn and interpret the Jewish Scriptures

Why Paul expected Gentiles to observe Torah-based practices like Passover (1 Cor 5)

How Romans 11 confirms ongoing connection to the Jewish community

What this means for Jewish-Christian relations today

This is not about erasing differences — it’s about better understanding Paul’s actual vision, which was far more connected, humble, and rooted in Jewish communal life than many assume.

Bridge Builders Forum
An educational entity dedicated to helping Jews and Christians understand their faith, the Bible, and each other.

Bridge Builders Forum Email News and Updates

Download the free PDF "Recovering the Jewish Paul: Three Keys to Understanding the Apostle and Building Bridges Between Jews and Christians"

The Weird Apostle
Ryan's book places the Apostle Paul in his Jewish and Greco-Roman context.

Make a tax deductible donation to the Bridge Builders Forum