The Community of the Faithful

Based on an extension of the traditional Jewish theological interpretations of the texts of Daniel 7 and Isaiah 53, we can develop the perceptual lens that Jesus' role was to singularly personify the collective nation of Israel and to not only relive their history, but to carry out their ultimate destiny in a microcosm. The Jewish prophets spoke of a death and resurrection experience that Israel would have to undergo, and these took place in both the bondage and slavery in Egypt (death) and the subsequent restoration to the promised land (resurrection), and a second time in the exile to Babylon (death) and then restoration to the Holy Land and re-consecration of the temple by the Persians (resurrection). But this death and resurrection experience was actualized and finalized by Jesus himself, who singularly represented and personified his people, Israel. This act became the literal fulfillment of the prophetic Scriptures of the Old Testament and conclusively restored the House of Israel to their promised place based on the original covenant as extended to Abraham and his descendants.