In the first ten verses of this chapter 11, Paul asserts that God has not rejected His people. On the contrary, a remnant has been saved by grace (11:1-6) and the rest have been hardened in their rejection (11:7-10).
1. I say then, Did God reject His people?
May it not be! For I too am an Israelite,
a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.
Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the Elijah passage,
how he pleads with God against Israel?
3. "Lord, they have killed Thy prophets,
they have torn down Thine altars,
and I alone is left, and they are seeking my life."
4. But what is God's response to him?
"I have kept for Myself seven thousand men
who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
5. In the same way then,
there has also come to be at the present time
a remnant according to choice of grace.
6. But if it is by grace, it is no longer of works,
otherwise grace is no longer grace.
11:1. I say then, Did God reject His people?In chapter 10, Paul's argument seems to imply that God has rejected His people, because Israel has failed to accept God's salvation of salvation by faith. Paul rejects this implication: "May it not be!" Paul has already earlier formally denied this implication ( 3:3-4):
May it not be! For I too am an Israelite,
a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
"For what if some disbelieved?There Paul answers that God's truthfulness stands over against man's falseness. Men, who will not believe the truth (the true God), will believe the lie (the false gods) that claims to be the truth (Rom. 1:21-23, 25). There he quotes from Psa. 51:4:
Shall their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?
May it not be! but let God be true, but every man a liar."
"that you [God] may be justified [be in the right] in thy words,By using this quotation, Paul links God's truthfulness and faithfulness to God's righteousness and man's falseness and unbelief to man's unrighteousness. Paul has developed this answer more fully in chapters 9 thru 11, bringing it to a conclusion here in chapter 11. God has chosen Israel but Israel has not chosen God. But not all Israel have rejected God. He cites himself as one Israelite who has not rejected God. Paul is a true Israelite, descendened from Abraham and of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people because there are some Israelites, descended from Abraham, who have the faith of Abraham and are God's people.
and overcome when you are judged [put down]."
11:2. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.Paul here states the conclusion of his reply in the previous verse: "God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew." Paul's use of the Greek verb proginosko here, as in Rom. 8:29, has no reference to the philosophical doctrine of divine foreknowledge, that God in His omniscience knows all things before they happen, but to the fact that God had chosen Israel before Israel had chosen Him as their God. The fact that the choice of God was before their choice does not mean that God determined their choice. On the contrary, not everyone who calls himself an Israelite has chosen true God and has put his faith in Him, as Abraham did. Paul is not here concerned with this philosophical problem, but is concerned with God's plan and will for His people. Paul introduces his explanation with the story of Elijah pleading with God against Israel.
Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the Elijah passage,
how he pleads with God against Israel?
11:3. "Lord, they have killed Thy prophets,Paul here in this verse gives Elijah's pleading with God against Israel. Israel has rejected God. "Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, they have torn down Thine altars." (I Kings 19:10) Then Elijah adds, "and I alone is left, and they are seeking my life." (I Kings 19:14)
they have torn down Thine altars,
and I alone is left, and they are seeking my life."
11:4. But what is God's response to him?Then Paul give God's response to Elijah. This answer is taken from I Kings 19:18. God does not condemn Israel, but goes to the reason that Elijah was condemning Israel, that he, Elijah, alone is the only one left. Elijah is not alone. God said, "I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." Where Elijah thought that he alone is the only one who had not worshipped the false god, Baal, God knew and had kept for Himself seven thousand who still worshipped the true God, Himself.
"I have kept for Myself seven thousand men
who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
11:5. In the same way then,Paul sees in this incident with Elijah a similar pattern in the present time, a situation where most of Israel has rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Just as in Elijah's time there was a remnant, so in the present time there is a remnant according to choice of grace. Paul sees himself as part of that remnant, not by his choice but by the choice of God. Paul, as Saul, had persecuted Jesus and His followers, God's remnant. And God had mercy on him and in His grace had chosen him as part of His remnant.
there has also come to be at the present time
a remnant according to choice of grace.
11:6. But if it is by grace, it is no longer of works,And Paul cannot speak of the grace of God, without speaking of the misunderstanding of the law of God, salvation by works. It was as a follower of that legalism that Paul persecuted God's remnant. And according to that legalism, God should never have chosen him, Saul; he should have been condemned and destroyed. But God is not a God of justice, but of love, and in His love God choose to appear to Saul on the road to Damascus. Paul states here a very fundamental truth about the grace of God; grace and works cannot be mixed. They are mutually excusive; it is either grace or works, but not both. If the mixture of grace and works is attempted, grace is no longer grace. This is what has happened in Christian theology, particularly orthodox Protestant theology. Understanding righteousness legalistic as the merits earned by Christ in His active obedience and imputed to the account of the one who believes, they defined grace as unmerited favor; that is, grace is God being favorable to us because of the merits of Christ, not because our merit. This view of salvation by faith is salvation by the vicarious works of Christ. This theology, rejecting salvation by our works, since, because our sinful natures, we cannot ourselves earn and merit eternal life, teaches that it was still must be earned, not by us, but by another, Jesus Christ. It is vicarious salvation by works. And Paul would have rejected it, as indicated by this verse. Grace and works cannot be mixed. If it is by grace, it is no longer of works. And if is by works, it is no longer by grace. And if they are mixed, "grace is no longer grace."
otherwise grace is no longer grace.
What is grace? Grace is love in action giving that which is needed.
"4 But God, who is rich in mercy,Man is spiritually dead, and dying physically; he needs life, both spiritually and physically. God has in his love provided the gift of life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Life is not earned by the merits of Christ, but it is the gift of God's grace in the person of God's Son, Jesus Christ. This life is a person, Jesus Christ, and He is the life. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). And the apostle John wrote; "He that has the Son has life, and he that does not have the Son has not life." (I John 5:12). This gift of eternal life is received by faith. This is the righteousness of faith, faith being reckoned as righteousness ( Rom. 4:5).
out of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in failures,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved)," (Eph. 2:4-5 ERS)
"Abraham believed God, and it [his faith] was reckoned to him for righteousness" ( Rom. 4:3; quoting Gen. 15:6).Paul explains,
"22 And that is why his faith was 'reckoned to him as righteousness.'Justification is not God declaring righteousness or imputing the merits of Christ to our account when we believe, but it is God acting to set or put one who believes into right relationship with Himself. To justify is to save ( Rom. 3:24), and justification as salvation is by grace through faith.
23 But the words, 'it was reckoned to him',
were written not for his sakes alone,
24 but for ours also.
It will be reckoned to us who believe in him
that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
25 who was put to death for our offences
and raised for our justification." ( Rom. 4:22-25 ERS).
"8 For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and this [salvation] is not your own doing,
it is the gift of God --
9 not because of works,
lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9 ERS).
Note: Since most ancient Greek manuscripts and all Latin fathers omits the words translated in the King James Version: "But if it be of works, then it is no more grace; otherwise work is no more work", for the shorter version of verse 6, some commentators have concluded that this second half of the longer version of verse 6 was probably a marginal note by some scribe or reader who thought he could state the converse of the principle stated in the first half of the verse, and later this marginal note found its way into the Greek text in the course of its transmission. But the second half of the longer version of verse 6 was not just a marginal note to state the converse of first half of the verse 6, but it was an attempt to remove the exclusion of works from salvation by grace. That is, if works are not made possible by grace, then works are not works. This addition to verse 6 must be rejected. Grace and works cannot be mixed. They are mutually excusive; it is either grace or works, but not both. And if they are mixed, then grace is not grace.
7. What then?
That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained,
but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;
8. just as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day."
9. And David says, "Let their table become a snare
and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them.
10. Let their eyes be darkened to see not,
and bend their backs forever."
11:7. What then?"What then?" is Paul's way of asking: what is the conclusion to be drawn from the preceding discussion in verses 2 through 6. According to Rom. 9:31, Israel as a nation continues to seek after "the law of righteousness"; that is, the obeying the law that would earn for them righteousness. But Israel could never obtain righteousness by the law. As Paul says in Gal. 3:21b:
That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained,
but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;
"... for if a law had been given which could make alive,That is, righteousness comes from spiritual life, a personal relationship to God. Thus Israel could never obtain righteousness by the law since the law could not make anyone spiritually alive to God. But a few, the chosen or elect, obtain righteousness, the righteousness of faith, by receiving by faith the gift of life given by the grace of God. They are save by grace through faith, not by works of the law ( Eph. 2:8-9). But the rest who have rejected the gift of life in Christ and righteousness of faith and sought righteousness by the works of the law were hardened. This rejection hardened them to God's gift of love. As indicated in the next verses, this hardening was by God who gave them a spirit of stupor, that is, put them asleep, blinded them and made them deaf to God's offer of life in Christ.
then righteousness would indeed be by the law."
11:8. just as it is written,Paul here quotes Isa. 29:10 to support and explain his previous statement in verse 7. Because since all of Israel but the remnant had rejected the gift of God's grace and sought righteousness by the works of the law, they were hardened. Paul now explains in this quotation the result of this hardening; God gave them a spirit of stupor, that is, put them asleep, and blinded and made them deaf to God's offer of life in Christ. This may look as if God had given Israel no chance, but Paul in chapter 10 had shown that Israel is responsible for its own failure. The Israel of Paul's day is here described as having a condition of mind characterized by spiritual numbness and insensibility, so that they cannot comprehend the gospel. But it is a condition that came about as the result of their time after time refusing to heed God's pleadings. And since that time, generation after generation have been conditioned to refuse Jesus as their Messiah, so that the same condition of mind prevails today.
"God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day."
11:9. And David says, "Let their table become a snareThis is a quote from David in Psa. 69:22 with a slight modification which follows the terms of the Greek version. The messianic reference of Psa. 69:21 is apparent (compare Matt. 27:34, 48).
and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them."
"21 They gave me also gall for my meat;In the succeeding verses in Psalms 69 (verses 24 and 25), we have David as God's mouthpiece uttering imprecatory curses. The words "snare", "trap", and "stumbling block" in Paul's quotation are closely related. This combination enforces the purpose and effect of turning "their table" into the opposite of its intent. The table stands for the bounties that God's providence placed upon it and the thought may be that those concerned are conceived of as partaking of these gifts in ease and content. But instead of peaceful enjoyment they are caught as in a snare and trap (compare Dan. 5:1, 4, 5), overtaken by the judgments of God. That is, the table that was intended for comfort and enjoyment is turned into the occasion for the exact opposite. The word "retribution" confirms the judicial character of the hardening ( verse 7) and of the spirit of stupor ( verse 8). The judicial binding, already expressed in verse 8, is reiterated in the first part of verse 10 in stronger terms.
and in my thrist they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table become a snare before them:
and that which should have been for their welfare,
let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not;
and make their loins continually to shake.
24 Pour out thine indignation upon them,
and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate;
and let none dwell in their tents." (Psa. 68:21-25 KJV)
11:10. "Let their eyes be darkened to see not,Paul here continues his quote from David in Psa. 69:23.
and bend their backs forever."
"Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not;The last clause here in this verse 10 differs from the Hebrew though identical with the Greek version. It is difficult to know whether the figure of backs bowed down protrays the bondage of slaves bending under a heavy burden or represents the bowing down under grief expecially that of error. The Hebrew, "make their loins continually to shake", suggests the latter.
and make their loins continually to shake." (Psa. 69:23 KJV)
11. I say then, did they stumble so as to fall?
Let it not be!
But by their blunder salvation has come unto the Gentiles,
to make them jealous.
12. Now if their blunder be riches for the world
and their loss be riches to the Gentiles,
how much more will their fulfillment be!
13. But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles.
Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of the Gentiles,
I magnify my ministry,
14. if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen
and save some of them.
15. For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16. And if the first piece of dough be holy, the lump is also;
and if the root be holy, the branches are too.
17. But if some of the branches were broken off,
and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and
became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
18. do not be arrogant toward the branches;
but if you are arrogant,
remember that it is not you who support the root,
but the root supports you.
11:11. I say then, did they stumble so as to fall?Since the last quotations in the previous verses said nothing about the remnant, but spoke only of the judicial binding of Israel ( verse 9), Paul, realizing that he has been diverted from his theme, is complelled to return to the question of verse 1, which he now expresses in other terms. There is no doubt that the Jews have stumbled (compare 9:32-33) and lost their place; the Gentiles are overtaking them. But does this mean that they are now out of the race? Are the Jews forever outside the sphere of salvation? It is probable that some Christians gave a positive answer to this question; there are passages in the gospels which would suggest this (for example, Matt. 21:43; 27:25). But this is not Paul's answer. He answers his own question: "Let it not be!" But what then is the facts? The defection of the Jews is temporary, and while it lasts it serves a definite and important purpose. "But by their blunder salvation has come unto the Gentiles, to make them [the Jews] jealous." In the Greek text, there is no verb, but some verb must be expressed in the English translation, and the "has come" is the simplest but perhaps the best possible translation here. Paul is here describing a state of affairs which has actually come about in history. It was the failure of the mission to the Jews that led to the mission to the Gentiles (see Acts 13:45-46; 18:5-7; 28:23-28), who were thereby brought within the scope of salvation and through the Gospel received the assurance that in due time they would possess it ( Rom. 13:11-14). This inclusion of the Gentiles would provoke the Jews to envy. Paul here alludes to the Old Testament passage (Deut. 32:21) which he quoted at 10:19. There in that passage was foreshadowed the argument which is to be developed in this paragraph: Israel, seeking righteousness by works, did not believe; accordingly the Gospel was sent to the Gentiles, who accepted the righteousness of faith.
Let it not be!
But by their blunder salvation has come unto the Gentiles,
to make them jealous.
11:12. Now if their blunder be riches for the worldBefore Israel's blunder, if a Gentile wanted to know the true God, he must become a "proselyte". He must journey up to Jerusalem three times a year; and even then he could not worship directly. He must have Levitical priests and forms. Contrast this with the day of Pentecost. Every man heard "in his own tongue in which he was born", the wonderful works of God! And by and by Paul goes freely forth, apart from the Law and "religion", to all Gentiles. At Ephesus, and Corinth, and Rome, and then the whole world became "rich" by Israel's blunder. Wherever you are, you can call on the Lord, and walk by the Holy Spirit and be a witness to the free salvation to all any who will listen! No "going up to Jerusalem" to keep feasts, and worship Jehovah afar off, but drawing nigh to God in Heaven by the blood of Christ, at any time, any place, under all circumstances! In everything, we are invited to "let your requests be made known unto God!" That is riches, indeed! Alas, how much Israel lost in refusing Christ's "day of visitation" to them. How He wept over that! (Luke 19:41-44). We cannot blame God for Israel's rejection of their Messiah, and their "blunder". That was their choice. But their blunder was their loss and that loss has been "riches to the Gentiles". Now if this blessing be so great for the world with Israel's blunder, how much more, when the time of their restoration and fulfillment be come!
and their loss be riches to the Gentiles,
how much more will their fulfillment be!
11:13. But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles.Many scholars believe that these verses are parenthetical. But these verses are not a tangent, but are completely in line with Paul's purpose in dealing with the second objection to the doctrine of salvation of faith. The Gentile readers at Rome must understand the point and ultimate goal of Paul's ministry in God's plan of salvation. Paul's special commission was to "go unto the Gentiles" (Gal. 2:7, 9). But that does not mean that he cannot be concerned for his fellow-Jews and and that concern is not derogatory to or inconsistent with his commission. Paul sees the importance of his ministry is that he might somehow move his fellow countrymen to jealousy and save some of them. The success of his ministry among the Gentiles will make some of his fellow Jews jealous so that they will want similar success and thus will accept Jesus as their Messiah and thus be saved.
Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of the Gentiles,
I magnify my ministry,
11:14. if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen
and save some of them.
11:15. For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world,These conversions, few as they may be, point to the full return of Israel, which is part of the total hope not only of that race, but of whole world. Their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah and his death and resurrection was the reconciliation of the world. This reconciliation is not just a reconciliation of Jew and Gentile into one new people of God, but is that aspect of salvation that is from death to life. See Paul's teaching concerning salvation as reconciliation in Rom. 5:10-11 and II Cor. 5:17-20.
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
"17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature;According to these statements, Paul sees his ministry as ministry of reconciliation. And Israel's rejection had led to God in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself and Paul's ministry of reconciliation. God has committed to Paul the word of reconciliation and he as ambassadors for Christ proclaims that message. Those who accept this message are reconciled to God, and are saved from death to life.
the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God,
who reconciled us to Himself through Christ,
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself,
not counting their trespasses against them,
and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God were entreating through us;
we beg you on the behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God."
(II Cor. 5:17-20 NAS).
11:16. And if the first piece of dough be holy, the lump is also;This verse forms the transition from verses 11-15 to the elaborate allegory of the olive tree in verses 17-24.
and if the root be holy, the branches are too.
11:17. But if some of the branches were broken off,
and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and
became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
11:18. do not be arrogant toward the branches;
but if you are arrogant,
remember that it is not you who support the root,
but the root supports you.
19. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that
I might be grafted in."
20. Good; they were broken off for their unbelief,
but you stand by your faith.
Do not be conceited, but fear;
21. for if God did not spare the natural branches,
neither will He spare you.
22. Behold then the kindness and severity of God;
to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness,
if you continue in His kindness;
otherwise you also will be cut off.
23. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief,
will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.
24. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree,
and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree,
how much more shall these who are the natural branches be grafted
into their own olive tree?
11:19. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that
I might be grafted in."
11:20. Good; they were broken off for their unbelief,
but you stand by your faith.
Do not be conceited, but fear;
11:21. for if God did not spare the natural branches,
neither will He spare you.
11:22. Behold then the kindness and severity of God;
to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness,
if you continue in His kindness;
otherwise you also will be cut off.
11:23. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief,
will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.
11:24. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree,
and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree,
how much more shall these who are the natural branches be grafted
into their own olive tree?
25. For I do not want you, brethren,
to be uninformed of this mystery,
lest you be wise in your own estimation,
that a partial hardening has happened to Israel
until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in;
26. and thus all Israel will be saved;
just as it is written,
"The deliverer will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob";
27. "And this is My covenant with them,
when I take away their sins."
28. From the standpoint of the gospel
they are enemies for your sakes,
but from the standpoint of God's choice
they are beloved for the sakes of the fathers;
29. for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30. For just as you once were disobedient to God,
but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
31. so these also now have been disobedient,
in order that because of the mercy shown to you
they also may now be shown mercy.
32. For God has shut up all in disobedience
that He might show mercy to all.
11:25. For I do not want you, brethren,
to be uninformed of this mystery,
lest you be wise in your own estimation,
that a partial hardening has happened to Israel
until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in;
11:26. and thus all Israel will be saved;
just as it is written,
"The deliverer will come from Zion,
He will remove ungodliness from Jacob";
11:27. "And this is My covenant with them,
when I take away their sins."
11:28. From the standpoint of the gospel
they are enemies for your sakes,
but from the standpoint of God's choice
they are beloved for the sakes of the fathers;
11:29. for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
11:30. For just as you once were disobedient to God,
but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
11:31. so these also now have been disobedient,
in order that because of the mercy shown to you
they also may now be shown mercy.
11:32. For God has shut up all in disobedience
that He might show mercy to all.
33. Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments
and unfathomable His ways!
34. "For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who became His counselor?"
35. "Or who has first given to Him
that it might repaid to Him again?"
36. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
11:33. Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments
and unfathomable His ways!
11:34. "For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who became His counselor?"
11:35. "Or who has first given to Him
that it might repaid to Him again?"
11:36. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.