Does Galatians 3:16 Redefine Israel?

A central verse where Fulfillment Theology often “hangs its hat” is Galatians 3:16:

“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say 'and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Messiah.” (Gal. 3:16)

N. T. Wright, a leading voice in Fulfillment Theology, writes: “Jesus is the single seed through whom the promises to Abraham would come to fruition, and it is those who are in Him who now inherit those promises.” 1 Similarly, Peter Leithart says that the identity of Israel is “reshaped around Jesus.”2

In other words, this perspective argues that Paul is introducing a radically new understanding of Israel—a redefinition that alters how we read Old Testament promises. But is this what Paul is really saying?

There are several problems with this view.

1. It assumes that equating Jesus with Israel is a new development. But Scripture shows that this association is ancient. Isaiah uses the name “Israel” to describe both the people and the Servant (Messiah). For example, in Isaiah 49:3–6, the Servant is called “Israel” in verse 3, yet his task is to restore Israel in verse 5. Isaiah expert John Oswalt writes, “The servant is called 'Israel' in 49:3, but his task is to restore Israel (49:5). Thus, he is an individual who represents the nation but is also distinct from it.” 3 Alec Motyer similarly observes, “The servant bears the name of Israel not simply because he is from Israel, but because he embodies its calling and vocation.” 4

2. Paul’s statement about the seed in Galatians 3:16 is a literary and rhetorical device, not a literal lexical argument. In both Hebrew (zerah) and English, the word “seed” functions as a collective noun. It can be singular or plural depending on context—just like “fish” or “deer.” Paul, a trained Pharisee and Hebrew speaker, would certainly understand this. He is using a midrashic technique—a common Jewish interpretive method that seeks to bring out hidden or layered meaning in Scripture.

3. If Paul meant that only Jesus was the seed, and all other references to Abraham’s descendants were annulled, that would contradict countless passages. Genesis 22:17 speaks of Abraham’s seed being as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand on the seashore. That clearly cannot refer to a single individual.

Moreover, Paul later writes in Galatians 3:29: “If you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

That verse uses the same term—“seed”—but clearly refers to a plural group. If we read verse 16 as excluding all others besides Jesus, verse 29 becomes incoherent. Paul is not unaware of the collective sense of “seed”; rather, he uses it masterfully to highlight Yeshua as the supreme fulfillment of God’s promise, without excluding the broader application.

In other words, Paul’s point in Galatians 3:16 is not to redefine Israel, but to elevate the Messiah as the central figure through whom God’s promises come to fruition. This interpretation is deeply consistent with Jewish interpretive traditions and with Paul’s other teachings.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll explore how this reading fits with Paul's larger theology—especially in Romans 11—and what it means for the ongoing role of Israel in God's redemptive plan.

PART 2

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[1] N. T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2013), 787.

[2] Peter Leithart, Delivered from the Elements of the World: Atonement, Justification, Mission (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016), 212.

[3] John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 40–66, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 291.

[4] J. Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1993), 387.