More from Schreiner:
“Bringing the gospel to the Gentiles was a distinctive advance in the mission of early Christianity, and Paul perceived the theological implications of the gospel more clearly than did the pillars and th other apostles in Jerusalem” (50).
Schreiner sees Acts 15 and Galatians 2:1-10 as referring to the same incident (though he does not support the North Galatian hypothesis) (51-52).
“God has planned history in such a way that the unity of the Jews and Gentiles would occur though the work of his Messiah on the cross. Enmity marked the relations between Jews and Gentiles before the arrival of the new covenant (Eph 2:14-19). Peace between these factions has been accomplished through the cross of Jesus the Messiah” (55).
“Those Gentiles who believe in Christ are no longer excluded from the people of God. They are ‘no longer strangers and aliens but are fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household’ (Eph 2:19). Paul emphasizes in Ephesians 3 that his role in proclaiming the unity of Jews and Gentiles in the church is a divine gift” (57). I kept waiting for Dr. S. to say that the Gentiles has become Jews, but he, like Paul, does not make such a statement. Although, I’m anticipating it from Dr. S. at any point now. I would have also loved for a fuller description of what the “one new man” is in Ephesians 2:15.
“What was previously hidden was the Gentiles’ equal status in the people of God” (57).
“When Paul says he has ‘fulfilled the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum,’ he does not mean that the gospel has been proclaimed to every person individually; he means that he has accomplished his goal of establishing churches in virgin territories. Paul has systematically planted churches in strategic centers so that Gentiles who had not yet heard the gospel would now hear it proclaimed” (61).
