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A Light for the Nations
The Scriptures on the Universal Mission of Israel and the Church
Series: Verbum Domini
Foreword by Frank J. Matera
Translated by Kristin Towle
Imprint: Catholic University of America Press
Universality belongs to the very being of the catholic Church. This claim of the Gospel is rooted in the ministry of Jesus, witnessed to by the canonical Gospels and the other books of the New Testament, all of which present the universal openness of salvation as a fulfillment of the Scriptures of Israel. In this book, after addressing the universality of salvation in the writings of the Old Covenant, we examine the differentiated and concordant witness of the synoptic Gospels, John and Paul, as well as the Letter to the Hebrews and the Apocalypse. In this way, we intend to show how this apostolic witness responds to the will of the Lord Jesus, while highlighting its harmony with Torah, Prophets and Writings.
A Light for the Nations, by reviewing the main biblical passages on the universal dimension of salvation, aims to show how the fact that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has a claim to universality does not diminish, but rather enhances, the importance of the people of the first Covenant: Israel is called to be an active mediator of salvation. The canonical perspective is based on a differentiated exegetical study of each testimony. The scope is broad, since this theme of biblical theology is also relevant for Christology and soteriology, for anthropology and for ecclesiology. The main contribution lies in showing how the various biblical testimonies, in their diversity (which is fully taken into account), offer at the same time a concurring testimony on this fundamental question of Christian theology, forming a true symphony within its polyphony.
Luis Sánchez-Navarro is Professor of New Testament at the San Dámaso University, Madrid. Frank J. Matera is professor emeritus of biblical studies at The Catholic University of America. Kristin Towle is adjunct professor of theology at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity.
"Accessible to teachers or professors of theology, seminarians, and catechists. In addition, the work is student-friendly and accessible to anyone without a specific theological background. It is a good text for exploring a theological vision of universal salvation for all nations at once, rooted in both Old and New Testament traditions."
~Dempsey Rosales Acosta, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX
"Sánchez-Navarro’s sweeping, bold, and learned exegesis illustrates God’s intention for the nations to be saved through the re-established Israelites. He carefully traces this theme from its inception in the Tanak to its fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the early Church. Wonderful accomplishment!"
~Kelly Anderson, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
"Every page of this book is packed with depth and richness. Luis Sánchez-Navarro writes with deft understanding, clarity, and wisdom to explain the intended universality of the biblical story from its beginnings in the Old Testament. Far from an innovation, Jesus and his disciples grasped their universal mission to the Gentiles from Israel’s scriptures, as hopes and promises that were being fulfilled in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection and the subsequent ministry of the Church. This is the work of a master scholar who knows the biblical texts intimately and fully and is able to express their meaning with a simplicity that arises only from a deep learning and knowledge."
~John Martens, St. Mark's College, Vancouver, Canada
"In Luis Sánchez-Navarro’s volume, the rigor of the Scripture scholar is combined with the passion of the believer in illuminating a question that has always been crucial but has become as relevant as ever: the universal value of the salvific event of Jesus Christ in relation to Israel and the mission of the Catholic Church."
~Livio Melina, Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, Rome
"Sánchez-Navarro masterfully draws out the many themes of universality in both Testaments. He rightly affirms the privileged place of the Jewish people in the economy of salvation and shows the reader how, in the new covenant, ‘the new life proclaimed by Jesus is a proposal intended for all people.’ I recommend this book for anyone interested in the Bible's remarkable openness to all humanity."
~Kevin Zilverberg, University of St. Thomas
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