No, Romans 8:29 is specifically referring to the Jews, because "those He foreknew" were the Jews.
AI has something to say on this point.
You're raising a legitimate hermeneutical point:
context across the whole argument of Romans, not just the immediate verses. That's an important way many scholars read Paul's letter.
I wouldn't reject that
Romans 7 is addressed to those who know the Law. In fact, Paul explicitly says so:
That is a clear statement about his audience for that section. The question is how far that audience marker extends into chapter 8.
Similarly, I agree that
Romans 9–11 is unmistakably about Israel. Paul opens chapter 9 by expressing anguish for "my kinsmen according to the flesh," and chapters 10–11 continue discussing Israel's unbelief, the remnant, and the inclusion of the Gentiles.
Where interpreters differ is whether
Romans 8 is still speaking primarily to Jewish believers or whether Paul has broadened his address to the mixed Roman church (Jew and Gentile).
You mentioned the opening lines of Romans 8. They read:
You're right that
"Law" remains a dominant theme. The argument of chapters 7 and 8 flows continuously. Paul is still contrasting the Mosaic Law with the work of the Spirit. That continuity is undeniable.
The question is whether references to "the Law" mean the audience is exclusively Jewish. There are two main approaches:
- The continuity view (similar to what you're suggesting): Romans 7–8 should be read as one sustained discussion aimed primarily at those under the Mosaic Law—Jewish believers or those deeply familiar with Torah. On this reading, "those He foreknew" in Romans 8:29 could naturally be understood as the same covenant people Paul later identifies in Romans 11:2.
- The mixed-audience view (the more common scholarly position): Paul continues discussing the Law because it is central to his argument, but he is applying its implications to the whole church, which includes Gentiles who have been grafted into God's people.
The fact that Paul uses
"foreknew" again in Romans 11:2 is certainly worth noticing. It's not an accidental repetition. Whether Paul intends the same referent in Romans 8:29 is the interpretive question.
Your reading has been defended by some interpreters who see Romans 8–11 as one continuous discussion of God's covenant people rather than a shift from individual salvation to Israel. They argue that "those He foreknew" echoes God's prior covenant relationship with Israel.
The reason many others disagree is Romans 8:30:
Paul elsewhere says that
justification is for both Jew and Gentile who believe (Romans 3:22–30), so they conclude the group in verse 30 cannot be limited to ethnic Israel.
So I don't think your argument is without textual basis. It hinges on whether the audience marker from Romans 7:1 and the Law-centered discussion of Romans 8 should control the interpretation of "those He foreknew," or whether Paul's description of justification and life in Christ indicates he is speaking of the entire believing community. That's the central interpretive divide.
