How can we describe the relationship between the Church and Israel?  One model I have found helpful is to think of the Church as “Israel’s commonwealth.”

In Ephesians 2:12, Paul describes Gentiles who do not follow Yeshua as “aliens from the politeia of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise.”  By contrast, Yeshua-believing Gentiles are “no longer strangers and aliens” but “citizens with the saints” (Eph 2:19).  Reading the two verses together, it appears that Paul viewed Gentiles who followed Yeshua as citizens of the “politeia of Israel.”

But what exactly is meant by the Greek word politeia in this context?  Given the LXX (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) language and imagery in Ephesians 2, it is reasonable to assume that Paul has a biblical concept in mind.  The term politeia modifies “Israel.” Gentiles outside the politeia are “aliens” and “strangers to the covenants of promise,” without “God” and “far off ” (a possible allusion to LXX Isa 57:19).  Gentiles inside the politeia are “fellow citizens with the saints.”  Against this backdrop, the expression “politeia of Israel” could be translated “citizenship of Israel” (NET), “community of Israel” (REB), “national life of Israel” (CJB), or “commonwealth of Israel” (ESV, NRSV).