Scriptures Often Used to Argue That the Torah or Jewish People Were Replaced
Throughout church history, certain New Testament passages have been interpreted to suggest that the Torah is no longer relevant or that the Jewish people have lost their covenantal role in God’s purposes. The following verses and themes are often treated as foundational support for replacement theology.
Yet when read in context, many of these passages can point in a different direction. Rather than canceling God’s earlier promises, the New Testament often presents Messiah as bringing them to their intended goal and extending their blessings to the nations without erasing Israel.
This article is meant to serve as a hub for several of the passages most often used in these debates. Each section gives a brief summary of a possible traditional reading (described as a Supersessionist interpretation below) alongside a possible reading that emphasizes continuity between the Hebrew Scriptures and the apostolic writings (described as a Post-Supersessionist interpretation below). Neither interpretations encompass all interpretations of the verses in question, but common ones within the scholarly debate.
This Hub is not intended to convince anyone of a particular perspective or claim that one view is superior to another. For many, however, this may be a first time exploring these concepts. It is meant to be a place where you can read Scripture in its proper context, compare it with the rest of Scripture (Acts 17:11), and consider a scholarly approach that seeks to understand the Bible within its historical and cultural setting—even if you do not agree with every specific premise. Follow the links for each section of scripture to dive deeper into a possible exegetical reading of the text that does not replace Israel or the covenants.
Matthew 5:17–19
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
Jesus “fulfilled” the Law, meaning he completed it so that the commandments of the Torah are no longer binding for Jewish believers.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Jesus says he did not come to abolish the Law but to bring it to its fullest meaning and expression, and he immediately warns against annulling even the least commandment of the Law and Prophets.
Colossians 2:13–15
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
The “certificate of debt” nailed to the cross is often taken to mean that the Torah itself was removed.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Paul is better understood as speaking about the record of sins or debt against us, not the Torah itself; what is removed is condemnation, not God’s instruction.
Colossians 2:16–17
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
Sabbaths, festivals, and food laws were shadows that became unnecessary once Christ came.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
These practices continue to function as shadows that point forward to Messiah and the age to come, just as earthly worship reflects heavenly realities. The early Believing community continued in these practices for centuries based on apostolic tradition.
Ephesians 2:13–22
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Traditional interpretation:
Jesus abolished the Law so that Jews and Gentiles could be united as one people.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
The passage speaks about abolishing the enmity and division between Jews and Gentiles, the emnity that is told throughout the Hebrew scriptures and creating one “new humanity” that does not erase the Torah or dissolve Jewish covenant identity.
2 Corinthians 3:4–11
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
“The letter kills” means the Law itself is a ministry of death in contrast to the gospel.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
The Torah brings condemnation because it exposes sin, but the Spirit gives life by transforming the heart and enabling covenant faithfulness.
2 Corinthians 3:12–18
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Traditional interpretation:
The veil over Moses symbolizes the fading glory and inferiority of the old covenant.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
The veil represents a lack of understanding when Moses is read apart from Messiah; the glory is still there, but it is unveiled in him.
Hebrews 7–8
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Traditional interpretation:
The change of priesthood means the Torah and sacrificial system were abolished.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Hebrews explains how Messiah can serve as priest in the heavenly order of Melchizedek, while the earthly priesthood and sanctuary remain shadows of a greater reality, on the foundations of the better promises of the new covenant.
1 Corinthians 9:19–23
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
Paul changed his behavior completely depending on his audience, showing that Torah observance was optional or set aside.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Paul adapted his rhetoric and argumentation to different audiences without abandoning obedience to God or compromising his convictions.
Romans 7:1–13
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
Believers have been released from the Law entirely, meaning the Torah no longer applies.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Believers are released from the Law’s condemnation through Messiah, while Paul still calls the Torah holy, righteous, good, and spiritual.
Galatians 2:11–21
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
Paul rebukes peter for following a Jewish custom of easting with Gentiles and teaches that Jewish identity and Torah observance are incompatible with the gospel.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Paul rebukes Peter for treating table fellowship with Gentiles as if they must become Jews first, while insisting that justification comes through Messiah and not ethnic status.
Hebrews 8:13
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
The first covenant has become obsolete and has been replaced by the new covenant.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
The new covenant renews God’s covenant with Israel by writing the Torah on the heart, showing transformation and continuity rather than cancellation.
Romans 9:6–8
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
Paul is said to redefine Israel so that the church replaces the Jewish people as the “true Israel.”
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Paul is distinguishing between physical descent alone and the faithful covenant line within Israel, not denying Israel’s ongoing identity or transferring Israel’s promises to a separate Gentile body.
Romans 11
Read the full exegetical article
Traditional interpretation:
The unbelief of many Jewish people is taken to mean that the church has replaced Israel as God’s covenant people.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Paul says the opposite: Israel’s stumbling is not final, the root still belongs to Israel, Gentiles are grafted in among them, and God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable.
Themes Often Misinterpreted in Ways That Support Replacement Theology
In addition to specific proof texts, several broad theological themes in the New Testament are often interpreted in ways that suggest the Torah has been abolished or that Israel’s covenant role has ended. These themes frequently arise from reading the apostolic writings apart from their Jewish context and from assuming that fulfillment must mean replacement.
Jesus and the Sabbath
Traditional interpretation:
Jesus’ disputes about the Sabbath are often interpreted to mean that he rejected or abolished Sabbath observance.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Jesus challenged restrictive interpretations of the Sabbath and emphasized its purpose as a gift for humanity, while affirming its place within God’s design for rest and worship.
Grace vs. Law
Traditional interpretation:
Grace and the Law are frequently portrayed as opposites, with the coming of grace replacing the authority of the Torah.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Scripture consistently presents grace as the foundation of God’s covenant relationship, while the Torah describes how redeemed people live in response to that grace.
Ritual Purity
Traditional interpretation:
The purity laws are often dismissed as outdated regulations that became irrelevant after the coming of Christ.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Ritual purity in Scripture reflects themes of holiness, sacred space, and approaching God rightly, concepts that continue to shape the theological framework of the New Testament.
Declaring All Foods Clean
Read the thematic article
Traditional interpretation:
Passages such as Mark 7 and Acts 10 are often interpreted as teaching that the biblical food laws were abolished.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
These passages may instead address issues of ritual handwashing, symbolic vision language, or table fellowship between Jews and Gentiles rather than canceling the Torah’s dietary distinctions.
Faith vs. Works
Read the thematic article
Traditional interpretation:
Paul’s teaching about justification by faith is sometimes read as rejecting obedience to God’s commandments altogether.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Paul opposes reliance on human merit or identity markers for justification, while still affirming that obedience flows naturally from faith.
The New Covenant
Traditional interpretation:
The new covenant is often described as replacing the covenant made with Israel.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
According to the prophets, the new covenant renews God’s covenant with Israel by writing the Torah on the hearts of His people rather than abolishing it and Gentiles are grafted into these promises through Jesus.
The One New Man
Read the thematic article
Traditional interpretation:
Unity in Messiah is sometimes interpreted to mean that Jewish identity and distinctions disappear within the church.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
Paul’s vision describes Jews and Gentiles being united in Messiah while remaining distinct members of God’s people who share in the same salvation and covenant promises.
Works of the Law
Read the thematic article
Traditional interpretation:
“Works of the law” is sometimes interpreted as any act of obedience whatsoever.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
In context, the phrase often refers to boundary markers or identity practices that distinguished Jews from Gentiles and were wrongly treated as requirements for justification.
Circumcision
Read the thematic article
Traditional interpretation:
Circumcision is sometimes portrayed as obsolete or unnecessary in every sense.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
The apostles opposed requiring circumcision for Gentile justification while still recognizing its covenantal significance within Jewish identity.
The Church (Ekklesia) Separate from Israel
Read the thematic article
Traditional interpretation:
The church is often described as replacing Israel as God’s covenant people.
Post-supersessionist interpretation:
The New Testament more often presents Gentiles as being grafted into Israel’s promises rather than replacing Israel. The term ekklesia reflects Israel’s own communal identity, and the early believing community is best understood as a Jewish sect within first-century Judaism.
To be explored in the future:
Christ is the end of the law” (Romans 10:4)
The Weak of Romans 14
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
Peter’s vision in Acts 10
The destruction of the Temple
The priesthood of believers
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