You are our dearly beloved brothers, and in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers.

The line expresses John Paul II’s insistence that Christianity is historically and theologically rooted in Judaism. Calling Jews “dearly beloved brothers” emphasizes a bond of kinship rather than rivalry, while “in a certain way… elder brothers” underscores Judaism’s prior covenantal history and the chronological priority of Israel’s faith, Scriptures, and worship in relation to the Church. The phrasing also functions as a corrective to centuries of Christian anti-Judaism: it frames Jewish–Christian relations in terms of family, gratitude, and respect, and implies that Christians should approach Judaism not as a superseded opponent but as a living tradition intimately connected to Christian identity.