Jesus and Paul were not making distinctions of the flesh but of the faith.
Although faith is a good thing LA, perhaps the best of things, Paul was distinctly talking about the flesh early in my source text Romans 9:6 KJV, Romans 9:7 KJV:
Romans 9:3, 4, 5, 6, 7, KJV “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren (Paul was a Benjamite), my kinsmen (fellow Israelites) according to the flesh: 4) Who are Israelites (flesh); to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5) Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all, God be blessed for ever. Amen. 6) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel (Israelites) which are of Israel: 7) Neither, because they are of Abraham, are they all children (of Abraham): but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called (Genesis 21:12 KJV).
Paul also noted in Galatians 4:3 KJV “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons (Genesis 25:9 KJV), the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free-woman.” Where were “the children of Keturah” (Genesis 25:4 KJV), delineated a few verses earlier, during Abraham’s funeral?
Jesus’ conversation with those non-Israelites (John 8:33 KJV) plotting His crucifixion was distinctly about flesh in my source text John 8: 33 KJV, John 8:37 KJV, John 8:39 KJV, also:
John 8:19, 23, 33, 37, 39, KJV “Then they said unto him, Where is thy Father?... 23) And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above, ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 33) They answered him, We be Abrahams’ seed (flesh), and were never in bondage to any man (flesh)… 37) I know that ye are Abraham’s seed (flesh)… 39) They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father (flesh). Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children (flesh), ye would do the works of Abraham.”
‘They’ didn’t show up at Abraham’s funeral! Paul made this same flesh ‘seed’ v. ‘children’ distinction in Romans 9:6 KJV, Romans 9:7 KJV. But, I think you overlooked my source text in Genesis 25:1, 2, 3, 4, where Moses distinctly called Abraham’s ‘progeny’ via Keturah “the children of Keturah.”
Anyone could become an Israelite or Jew by coming into the covenant with God in the OT.
Indeed LA, spiritually and figuratively speaking… and, that was after the fact of Jesus’ arrival. That does not refute the fact there were those who disputed Jesus’ ancestry, both from a maternal flesh perspective, and from a Divine perspective. Matthew began the NT with “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1 KJV):
Matthew 1:2, 3, KJV “Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3) And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom (Hezron); and Esrom begat Aram;”
As I previously pointed out LA; Ezra excluded Shelah and “The sons of Shelah the son of Judah…” (1Chronicles 4:21 KJV) from the tribe of Judah in 1Chronicles 4:1 KV. Therefore, Abraham’s progeny via Keturah (Judah’s Canaanitess wife, 1Chronicles 2:3), daughter of Keturah’s Canaanite son Shuah (Genesis 38:2, Genesis 25:1, 2, 4), the Shelanites (Numbers 26:20 KJV) were NOT Israelites (John 8:33 KJV, John 8:37 KJV, John 8:39 KJV, Romans 9:6 KJV, Romans 9:7 KJV). Neither were they Jews (Revelation 2:9, 3:9). And, ‘they’ had a vested interest instigating Jesus’ crucifixion, a descendant of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar, contrary to multiple Laws in Leviticus 18:15 KJV, Leviticus 20:12 KJV, Leviticus 21:7 KJV (Genesis 38:11 KJV), Leviticus 21:9 KJV, Leviticus 21:13 KJV, Leviticus 21:14 KJV…
With sincere respect to Genuineoriginal, when one uses the title "Jew," then one needs to be explicit not including the Shelanites (Genesis 25:4 KJV, Genesis 38:2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 26, KJV, Numbers 26:20 KJV, 1Chronicles 4:1 minus 1Chronicles 4:21, Ezra 9:1, 2, Ezra 9:7 KJV, John 8:33 KJV, John 8:37 KJV, John 8:39 KJV, Romans 9:6, 7, Revelation 2:9, 3:9, with particular emphasis on Revelation 3:10 KJV as relates to this discussion.
On a side note along these lines: When one grasps the notion Nicodemus was suggesting a man re-enter his mother's womb, and be born again... Nicodemus was suggesting a Gentile, for instance, re-enter his mother's womb and be born a 'Jew.' That was the 'flesh' perspective of the day, as we've overcome via faith becoming heirs to the covenant as adopted children of Abraham via the righteous blood of Jesus Christ, descendant of Abraham via Judah, via Pharez.
kayaker
hmmm??
