Rom. 11:17-32 - Richison Exegesis
Rom. 11:17-24 - THE KINDNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD
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 supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 Quite right, 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, He will not spare you, either. 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 will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
v. 17: And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,
Verses 17 to 24 expand the olive tree's root-and-branches illustration (v. 16). These verses also contrast both natural and wild branches. Verses 17 and 18 argue that Gentile believers should not brag about the cutting off of the branch of unregenerate Israel. This verse sets forth a contrast between believing Israel, unbelieving Israel, and Gentile believers.
And if [since] some [not all] of the branches were broken off [unbelieving Israel] - In the illustration the olive tree is the unregenerate nation of Israel as a whole. God put aside Paul's generation of Jews, for the most part, except for the remnant who believed in Jesus the Messiah. The reason was that Israel rejected the grace provision of the Messiah. Not all Jews were broken off from the tree, for "some" were not. Only unbelieving Jews-those who rejected the Messiah-were cut off.
and you [singular] - Paul spoke here to Gentiles as a unit in the Roman church.
being a wild olive tree [shoot] - Roman Christians were Gentiles who were not part of the nation Israel, the cultivated olive tree. The "wild olive tree," then, is a representation of Gentile (non-Jewish) believers. The reason God broke off the natural branch of Jews is to graft into the tree Gentile believers.
were grafted in among them - God grafted wild branches of Gentiles into the olive tree, the regular cultivated olive tree of Jews. Gentiles are grafted into the tree by faith. This was not a natural process (v. 24). God set aside the theocratic kingdom of Israel and grafted both Jews and Gentiles into His new plan (the church). Thus, God's plans for the nation Israel and the church are distinct. The grafting in here is the launch of the church.
and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree -The Old Testament describes Israel as an olive tree (Jer 11:16-19; Hos 14:6-7). Thus, the olive tree here is ethnic or national Israel. Christians are indebted to Israel who sent the Messiah for their salvation. Believers are now part of the people of God composed of both Jews and Gentiles. The word "fatness" may refer to nourishing sap of the olive tree. All believers draw on the Abrahamic Covenant for blessing.
God supernaturally connected Gentiles to the family of God. He grafted Gentiles into Israel's blessing; that is,
they partook of the blessings of Israel through the "root." The "root" was the Abrahamic Covenant. This does not mean that Gentiles during Paul's day became part of Israel, but only that they partook of the blessings of Israel. Both the natural branches and the wild branches retain their identity.
PRINCIPLE: We gain status with God by grace provision.
APPLICATION: The breaking off of unbelieving Israel and grafting in of believing Gentiles represents positional truth, the believer's status with God. The only way they can gain this status is by grace; that is, God of His own initiative providing the resources through Christ. Both Jew and Gentile have this privilege in the church.
v. 18: do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
do not boast against [exult over] the branches - There was no reason for Gentiles to brag about being grafted into the cultivated olive tree because it was a matter of faith, not works. The word "boast" means to exult over. It was used for a gladiator exulting over his conquered foe. The idea Paul presented here was, "Gentiles, do not forget where you came from." Gentiles owed Jews something.
But if you [Gentiles] do boast - Paul gave the reason why it was not proper for Gentiles to boast about being grafted into the tree.
remember that you [Gentiles] do not support the root [God's covenant with Israel] - Gentiles did not support the root of the tree, but the root supported them. The root of the tree supports the life of the tree. Gentiles were linked to the Abrahamic Covenant by third-party blessing.
but the root [Israel] supports you [Gentiles] - There was a temptation for Gentiles to believe that they were more special in God's eyes because the effort to graft them into the tree as wild branches. Gentiles owed their spiritual heritage to Israel, not themselves. Salvation of both Jew and Gentile came through the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant.
This section of Romans does not say that Gentile believers became part of Israel but only that they participated in the blessings of Israel. The olive tree is not the church but the wild branches benefit from the root of the tree. It is God's faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham to bless the nations that is at issue. Believing Gentiles are now in the place of Israel's blessing.
PRINCIPLE: God grafts people into eternal life by His grace.
APPLICATION: Grace is not exclusive for either Jew or Gentile. Neither group can lord it over the other by a claim that they have a special grace from God that the other does not. Gentiles need to remember that their heritage of grace came from God's blessing on Israel.
v. 19-21: You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.
The reason God broke Israel off was that the Gentiles would be grafted into the tree.
19a: You [Gentiles] will say then, Paul anticipated how the Gentiles in Rome would react to verse 18 by the following statement.
19b: "Branches [unbelieving Israel] were broken off that I [a Gentile] might be grafted in." Paul, putting words in the mouths of Gentile believers in the Roman church, said that God rejected the nation Israel because of her unbelief (v.20). This was not the complete truth.
20a: Well said. Because of unbelief they [unbelieving Jews] were broken off, In addition to the Gentile claim of the previous phrase, it was also a fact that God broke off Israel as a nation because of her unbelief in Jesus as the Messiah. This was not true of all Jews because Jews throughout the Roman Empire had embraced Jesus as the Messiah. These Jews were part of the spiritual olive tree. The root and fatness belonged to them.
20b: and you [Gentiles] stand by faith. The reason Gentiles are Christians and were grafted into the tree is that they accepted the Messiah by faith. While Israel continues in unbelief, she will continue to be cut off from God. This will remain through the Tribulation, the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer 30:7). At the end of this time the nation Israel will accept Jesus the Messiah, when He comes again at the Second Advent. The word "stand" is in a Greek tense that means the Gentiles began standing at some point in the past with the result that they continue standing up to the present. This "stand" was due to what they believed.
20c: Do not be haughty [arrogant], - The word "haughty" means to think highly of oneself. Gentiles were not to gloat because God cut off the nation of Israel from His program. Believers are not to make themselves superior to the Jews in any way, because it was not who they were but what the Gentiles believed that made the difference. There is no ethnic difference, only a faith distinction.
20d: but fear. - Gentiles should carry a proper reverence for God's plan of salvation. It is by God's plan of salvation by grace through faith that people are saved, and not by anything of themselves.
21a: For if [since] God did not spare the natural branches [Israel],
God did not spare the natural branches (Israel). The nation Israel rejected the principle of grace (vv. 5-6). They did this because of unbelief (v. 20).
21b: He may not spare you [Gentiles] either. - If because of their unbelief God put aside Israel as a nation, who belonged to the natural tree (vv. 11-21), He would certainly put aside Gentiles as a group because they came from a mere wild olive branch. There can be no pride in that. This passage does not speak to individual Gentiles but to them as a corporate collection. Paul did not deal with individual Gentiles in this section of Romans 11, so it does not apply to the loss of salvation for an individual. Note that Paul throughout this section of Romans 11 viewed Gentile believers and Jewish unbelievers as two groups. Note the singular "you" (Greek) in verses 17 to 24. Thus, this verse does not speak of individual salvation but of corporate salvation.
PRINCIPLE: No one can presume on God's grace.
APPLICATION: The only way we can access God's grace is through faith, not personal status or effort. God will not bless those who try to stand on their heritage or personal morality. He blesses those who by faith alone access His grace.
heretic. Judgment will come on those who destroyed so many souls by religion.
v. 22: Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
Verses 22 to 24 summarize the idea of God's temporary rejection of Israel as a nation. God will one day restore the entire nation in the Millennium.
Therefore - The word "therefore" draws a conclusion from verse 21. Verse 22 restates verse 20 and is another way of stating the same thing.
consider [behold, notice] the goodness and severity of God: - Instead of exercising pride, Paul said the Gentiles should "consider" or notice something very carefully. They should think about both the "goodness and severity of God." Giving due attention to this would remove the pride of the Gentiles. The word "goodness" carries the idea of compassion in action or grace in action. There is a dovetail between grace and faith. "Severity" is sternness that relates to justice. God possesses both dimensions of grace and justice in His character. Neither is contradictory to the other. Both must be sustained in balance. If we negate God's justice, we make Him a person without standard or character. If we eliminate His mercy, then He becomes a despot.
on those [Israel] who fell, severity [cut off]; - "Those who fell" are unbelieving Jews as a group. God deals with severity toward Israel, who rejected His plan of salvation through the Messiah. He cannot compromise the integrity of His person and character. If we do not accept the grace principle, then God has no other option but to deal with us in judgment. Those who commit to unbelief have nothing but severity ahead.
but toward you [Gentiles], goodness, - God deals in "goodness" toward Gentiles who accept by grace through faith the provision found in the Messiah. It has nothing to do with the personal status or works of the Gentile. We cannot truly appreciate God's grace or "goodness" until we understand something of His severe judgment on those who do not accept it. Keeping a balance of thinking on both God's grace (goodness) and severity will protect the Christian from pride.
if [hypothetically] you [believing Gentiles] continue [persist] in His goodness. - God's "goodness" here is His grace toward the Gentiles as a group. Believers need to continue to operate on the principle of grace and must always keep God's grace in view. They should never fall from the principle of grace.
Otherwise you [singular, a Gentile] also will be cut off [complete ruin]. - The cutting off of Gentiles has to do with the principle of salvation by faith through grace. This is not a reference to individual salvation but to the entirety of the group of Gentiles; that is, Gentiles as a group will be cut off if they do not accept grace as the means of salvation. God cannot save anyone other than by grace through faith, even Gentiles. The argument here is not about an individual Gentile but Gentiles as a whole-note the singular use of "you" in this phrase. The word "also" indicates that Gentiles as a group could be cut off from God's plan just like the nation Israel. There is no way to relate to God other than by grace. If we do not come to God on the basis of grace, then He will cut us off. Faith in God's grace provision is the only way to be saved. If God would not spare His chosen people but cut them off, He would do no less than cut off the Gentiles as a group if they chose to reject the Messiah.
PRINCIPLE: The antidote to pride is reverence for God.
APPLICATION: If we are prone to pride, we need to look at life from God's viewpoint. There is no ethnic superiority in any of us. Nothing in ourselves renders us acceptable to God.
It is doctrinal error to emphasize the love of God over the justice of God. God is justified in His wrath against unbelievers because they flagrantly reject His revelation. He is very severe in this matter because He has no other option than to send people to hell if they reject His movement on their soul. His movement toward their soul was one of grace.
v. 23: And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
God has a promise for the nation Israel if she does not continue in unbelief (vv. 23-24). One day the nation Israel will meet the condition of belief in Jesus the Messiah. Thus, God has not permanently rejected Jews from salvation.
And they [the nation Israel who comes to believe in the Messiah] also, - There is a converse argument to verse 22 regarding the nation Israel. Verses 23 and 24 give the conclusion to the metaphor of the olive tree. Grace needs only faith to become operable. Once Israel as a nation places her faith in the Messiah, God will restore her to her national prerogatives.
if they [Israel] do not continue [persist] in unbelief, - God will extend justification to Israel as a nation if they believe in the grace of the Messiah. The one condition for Israel to enter into the Millennial kingdom is faith in Jesus the Messiah, that He was the atoning sacrifice for their sins.
will be grafted in, - God will graft the nation Israel back into the promise of the Abrahamic Covenant when she, as a nation, embraces Jesus as the Messiah by faith.
for God is able to graft them [Israel as a nation] in again. - The unbelief that caused Israel to be rejected by God can be reversed if she accepts by faith God's provision. God is "able" because of His grace to graft those who believe into His covenant again by faith. Again, God has not abandoned Israel in His plan. It is easier to graft a natural branch (Israel) broken off from the original tree back into the olive tree than it is to graft in a wild or alien olive branch (Gentiles). "Again" is a key to understand this verse. God will restore the nation Israel again. If Israel repents of her rejection of Jesus the Messiah, God will save her in grace (Jer 23:3-8).
PRINCIPLE: If God accepted Gentiles without merit, He will restore Israel without merit.
APPLICATION: God will one day reverse the destiny of the nation Israel. This grafting in again will happen at the end of the Great Tribulation. During this time great numbers of Jews will finally believe in Jesus the Messiah. They will receive the fulfillment of the unconditional promises of the Old Testament. Belief by the Gentiles is what caused God to graft them in (v. 17), and Israel's belief in the Messiah is what will cause God to reinstate that nation.
v. 24: For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
The olive tree is Israel with the Abrahamic Covenant (grace) as the root. Some of the branches of this tree were cut off by God's rejection of these Jews. God then grafted Gentiles into the tree. First, God cut off Israel and then grafted in the church (both Jew and Gentile) directly. Second, because God did that, He can take the natural branches (Jews) and graft them back in again. God did not cast Israel away permanently.
For - Paul continued his thought from verse 23 that God is able to graft Jews back into the olive tree of national blessings.
if [since] you [Gentiles] were cut out of the olive tree [the spiritual stock of Abraham] - The "olive tree" here is the spiritual stock of Abraham (the first Jew), not the church. God includes Gentiles into the sphere of those who have eternal life, whether Jew or Gentile.
which is wild by nature [Gentiles], - Gentiles were not in the cultivated tree of Israel but were from the uncultivated stock that did not have the prerogatives of God's covenants.
and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree [Israel], - Gentiles were grafted into the blessing of the Abrahamic Covenant but not all the provisions of the covenant. Gentiles cannot permanently replace Israel as God's chosen people.
how much more will these [Israel], who are natural branches, - The nation Israel has the promise of the unconditional covenants (unilateral contracts from God). She will reap the blessings of the covenants in the future when she is restored as a nation. The "much more" is a comparison. If God did the difficult thing of grafting a wild olive branch into the cultivated stock, He certainly can do the easier thing of restoring the cultivated tree to its former state.
be grafted into their [the nation Israel's] own olive tree? - Israel will be grafted back into the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant. That is, if God can graft a wild olive shoot and put it into a cultivated tree (as He did with Gentiles), how much more He is able to graft Israelites back into the people of God. If God can reject Israel as His chosen nation for a period, He can restore them as well. After His dealing with the church God, will bring Israel back to status as His chosen people again. He will do this after the Second Advent and then establish the Millennial kingdom. This second graft will be a greater blessing than the first. God's blessing during the Millennium will pale by comparison to the present time. The entire argument of this chapter is about the nation Israel, not the individual salvation of Jews. Paul anticipated national repentance of Israel (v. 26). Since God promised to bless the world through Israel (Ge 12:1-3), how much more blessing will come to the world when Israel as a nation returns to God. The Gentile olive tree was grafted into the cultivated Israel tree. This does not convey the idea that Gentile believers became part of the nation Israel but that they changed their status in God's plan of salvation. Because God blessed Israel during her dispensation, He would bless the church during her economy. Those branches broken off from the tree do not represent the same body of people as those who will be grafted into the tree in the future. Israelites who did not believe will not represent those whom God will bless in the future.
PRINCIPLE: Presumption displaces faith.
APPLICATION: Presumption displaces faith in God's grace. It replaces dependence on grace. The Israelites presumed on God's grace, thinking they as a people-and not the provision of God-was the issue. Believers of all generations need to keep the grace principle in mind at all times.
Rom. 11:25-32 - SO YOU WILL NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN ESTIMATION
25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery-so that you will not be wise in your own estimation-that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." 27 "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." 28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake 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, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
v. 25: For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
For - The "for" here explains verse 24. The mystery of God now revealed shows that God only temporarily set aside Israel as a nation. This was for the purpose that Jews and Gentiles would be incorporated into the church.
I do not desire, - Paul provided a motivation for Gentile believers to understand what God has done and will do with the nation Israel. If Gentiles understood this, they would not be proud.
brethren, - Paul might have been primarily addressing Gentile believers but might also have been including Jewish believers in Rome. All are in the bonds of Christ together.
that you should be ignorant of this mystery, - The idea of Israel's corporate stumbling for a time is a "mystery." Why God would allow this and then restore her as a nation at some future point is difficult to understand. A "mystery" in the biblical usage is nothing spooky. The word is not something we cannot comprehend. It is not mysterious but a truth not hitherto revealed or known. A "mystery," then, is something previously unknown but now presently known. In this case the mystery is the union of Jews and Gentiles into the body of Christ called the church. God gave this special revelation to the apostle Paul. The "mystery" involved not only putting Israel aside but also demonstrating God's grace to the Gentiles. This is a new dimension of God's manifesting His glory in time. The focus of the mystery in this verse is that Israel will be delivered as a nation after the time of Gentile salvation. Some Gentiles believed that there was no future for the nation Israel. They thought that the entire future of God's people had to do with Gentiles. This passage refutes that idea.
lest you should be wise in your own opinion, - Paul's readers were Gentile believers in Rome as well as Jews. He particularly wanted his Gentile readers to not be haughty about what would happen to the nation Israel during the times of the Gentiles.
that blindness [literally hardening] in part has happened to Israel - The nation of Israel's hardening was only "in part." God did not fully reject Israel because some believed in Jesus the Messiah when He came. We call these Jews the "remnant." The word "blindness" means hardening, insensibility, or obstinacy. This is a different word than used for Pharaoh's hardening (9:18). It is also different from the word "stubbornness" (2:5). The word in this phrase refers to dullness. Continued rejection of the Word of God leads to hardening of the heart toward God.
PRINCIPLE: Continued hardening of our hearts toward the Word will lead us to a state of negativity to God.
APPLICATION: The more a believer goes negative toward what God reveals in His Word, the more negative he will be to God Himself. This happened to Israel. God revealed the Messiah to them, but they have been out of phase with God for two thousand years.
25b: until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. - God designed that Israel as a nation be set aside until He manifested His grace to Gentiles in the church age. This rejection of Israel was only for a time, until God dealt with the Gentiles. God had a "fullness" for Israel (11:12) and He has a "fullness" for the Gentiles. At the present time, God is gathering Gentiles for Himself: At the time when God will be finished with the Gentiles, then the nation Israel's hardness will cease. The "fullness of the Gentiles" will be realized when God completes His work among national entities. This work has been going on since God rejected the nation Israel, when they repudiated Jesus the Messiah (Mt 18). The "fullness" of the Gentiles will come when the Lord raptures His church to heaven. There is no evidence to interpret the "fullness of the Gentiles" as the completion of the preaching of the gospel to the world. This phrase says that the Gentiles will have "come in," not that they will have heard the message. This passage does not fix a time when the fullness of the Gentiles will occur. One thing is clear- there will be a great ingathering of Jews as the nation Israel comes into the Millennial kingdom.
PRINCIPLE: If Gentile believers do not understand what God is doing with the church and Israel, then they will end up with their own opinion about the future.
APPLICATION: Israel's rejection of the Messiah was not absolute, final, or unqualified. God assigned a specific span of time-and no more-to Israel's hardening. He will restore them after the times of the Gentiles. Luke 21 states that Jesus said Jerusalem would be trodden down until the "times of the Gentiles." The "fullness of the Gentiles" began with the launch of the church and it will end with the Rapture of the church.
v. 26: And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."
And so - "And so" refers to the "mystery." These words denote manner or the way Israel will be delivered. Israel will be saved after the fullness of the Gentiles enters in. The mystery, then, is not merely that Israel will enter the kingdom but that this will occur after the fullness of the Gentiles.
all Israel will be saved [delivered], - After "the fullness of the Gentiles" the entire nation of Israel will be delivered or ushered into the Millennial kingdom. The deliverance is from the Great Tribulation by the Second Coming of the Messiah. Jews who did not believe in Jesus the Messiah in the Tribulation are not included in this salvation. The idea here is that there will be a national salvation for the nation Israel. "All Israel" during the Tribulation (Daniel's 70th week) will be delivered from the wrath of the Tribulation by the Second Coming of Christ.
as it is written: - Paul confirmed the fact that Jesus will deliver Israel at the Second Coming by citing from the Greek Old Testament (LXX) of Isaiah 59:20-21 and 24:9.
"The Deliverer will come out of Zion, - Jesus is the "Deliverer" who will come at the Second Coming from Zion. Mount Zion was the place where God resided in the temple. There are three dimensions of Christ's coming:
And He will turn away ungodliness [godlessness] from Jacob; - When Jesus sets up His Millennial kingdom, He will remove unbelieving Jews and what they represent from participating in the kingdom. "Jacob" here is equivalent to "Israel." "Ungodliness" is unbelief (v. 23). There will be a time when Jesus will remove unbelief from Israel. This is a divine working and will not depend on man other than the faith of Israelites.
v. 27: "This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."
For this is My covenant with them, - Only regenerate Israel will enter the kingdom (Jer 31:33-34). At this time Jesus will establish the New Covenant with Israel (Jer 31). The essence of the New Covenant is that God will give people a heart to know Him by regeneration. The future of Israel is clearly in God's economy and plan.
When I take away their sins." - This is regeneration in Israel. Jesus the Messiah will give a new contract (covenant) to Israel that will be operative in the Millennial kingdom (Jer 31:33). This new covenant is yet future and is yet to be applied to Israel. It is not a covenant to the church but to the physical seed of Israel. The nation Israel will become a special theocracy for God again.
PRINCIPLE: God's promises appropriated by faith will change lives.
APPLICATION: Israel's judicial blindness toward Jesus the Messiah will be removed at the Second Coming and end of the Tribulation. The unconditional promise of the Abrahamic Covenant (Ge 12-15) was available to every generation of Jews, but it will only apply to those who believe it. God will never allow His promises to be wasted on rebellious unbelievers.
v. 28: Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Verses 28 to 32 clarify the point in verses 25 to 27 that God will intervene to save all Israel as a nation at some point.
Concerning the gospel they [Israelites] are enemies for your [Gentiles'] sake, - Christians should keep in mind that there are two distinct dimensions to God's attitude toward Israel. He sees them as:
enemies of the gospel, and - beloved because of God's commitments to them. This verse comes back to how God deals with Gentiles-"for your sake." To bring Gentiles to faith in Jesus, God had to deal with Israel as a nation first because they were enemies of the gospel. The word "concerning" means according to the standard of the gospel. When Paul used the measuring stick of the gospel of grace Israel became an enemy of grace (vv. 5-6). They refused to accept the grace provided by Jesus the Messiah. Israel's failure to believe in Jesus the Messiah made them an enemy in God's books.
but - God resistance to Israel is not the entire story.
concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. - Paul qualifies the previous statement by reminding Gentiles that Israel as a nation was still God's chosen people. God will restore His beloved people once again. The restoration of Israel is on the basis of God's election system of salvation by grace. Their salvation will be by grace alone. The reason God views Israel as "beloved" is because of the unconditional covenants (contracts, promises) He made with them. This is God's election of Israel as a nation. Because God has to honor these covenants Israel's promised Kingdom is sure.
v. 29: for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
For - The word "for" gives a reason for verse 28.
the gifts and the calling [effectual] of God are irrevocable [repented of]. - Since God chose the nation Israel by "election" He can never go back on His Word. God will never revoke what He has promised. The "gifts" refer to concrete enactments of God's grace (9:4-5). The "calling" is God's summons of the nation Israel (9:6-29). We find the word "irrevocable" only here and in 2 Corinthians 7:10 in the New Testament. It is a legal term that indicates the unbreakable nature of God's commitment to Israel. God never goes back on His Word or His Covenants (contracts).
PRINCIPLE: God will never go back on His promises.
APPLICATION: God is utterly trustworthy. He will never rescind a unilateral contract or promise He makes with His people. His promises are punctual and certain. He will fulfill what He promised exactly.
v. 30-32: For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their dis-obedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
Paul drew out two epochs in verses 30 to 32, one of Israel and the other of Gentiles. There is an interrelation between these two epochs in that each affects the other.
We find two dominant themes in verses 30 to 32: Unbelief and Mercy
30: For as you [Gentiles] were once disobedient to God, - There was a time when Gentiles were without Christ, rooted in unbelief. That was before the Age of Grace opened up the opportunity to them.
yet have now [current dispensation] obtained mercy - Gentiles now have come to Christ and by that God
showed them mercy. "Mercy" carries the idea of compassion for those in need. Our greatest need is to have our sins forgiven.
through their [Israel] disobedience [unbelief], - Israel as a nation was corporately in rebellion against Jesus the Messiah. "Disobedience" is equivalent to disbelief. Israel's rejection of the Messiah gave occasion for Gentiles to become believers. The Greek word carries the idea of not allowing oneself to be persuaded. A "disobedient" person is obstinate before God.
31: even so these [Israel] also have now [current dispensation] been disobedient [unbelieving],
Paul now compared the situation between Jews and Gentiles. During the New Testament period Jews were in a state of rebellion against God by their rejection of Jesus the Messiah (9:30-10:21). Israel could not merit mercy because she was in this state of rebellious unbelief. The word "now" indicates that God was dealing primarily with Gentiles at the time of writing, which continues to the present day. This verse does not deal with personal but corporate salvation (Jews and Gentiles).
that [purpose] through the mercy shown you [Gentiles] they [Israel] also may obtain mercy. - Israel's disobedience resulted in Gentile salvation. However, Israel will receive mercy in the future again (vv. 26-27). Mercy extended to Gentiles, however, does not exclude Jews. God used the disobedience of Israel to save Gentiles and now He will use His mercy to save Israel. God put Israel in prison for a time during the times of the Gentiles, but He will save the nation when Jesus comes back.
32: For - Paul concluded what he said in verses 30 and 31.
God has committed them all [both Jew and Gentile] to disobedience [unbelief], - The word "committed" means enclosed, confined, shut in on all sides. God does not compromise with unbelief. He puts it into a category until people come to believe. God subordinates sin for His purpose. Note that verses 30 to 32 do not deal with individual salvation but with groups; that is, Jews and Gentiles who will be saved.
that [purpose] He might have mercy on all [both Jews and Gentiles]. - God's purpose is that He might have "mercy on all"; that is, both Jew and Gentile. There would be a great pouring out of God's mercy in the future. There is no distinction between Gentile and Jew because God found them both in unbelief. All people are on equal footing before God. Whether speaking of Jew or Gentile, God bases His salvation on mercy, not merit.
PRINCIPLE: Unbelief is God's occasion for mercy.
APPLICATION: The idea of "mercy on all" is not universal salvation. The meaning is that all people without distinction receive God's mercy, His saving grace. No group deserves salvation; all need God's mercy. Grace is not conquered by sin, but rather sin is conquered by grace.
We see mercy best in light of our sin. The better we understand our sin, the greater will be our appreciation of mercy. There is no way for God to save our souls other than by mercy. There is no way to live the Christian life other than by God's mercy. That is why we need a mercy seat. God can extend His mercy because He was satisfied with the death of Christ to adequately pay for our sins.
BLB Commentary Rom. 11:17-32
3. (Rom. 11:17-21) To the Gentiles: yes, Jewish rejection of Jesus was made into a blessing for you; but consider how great a blessing their acceptance of Jesus will be.
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 supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 Quite right, 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, He will not spare you, either.
4. (Rom. 11:22-24) Application of God's purpose in Israel's rejection that the Gentiles might be reached.
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 will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
C. God's plan for Israel includes their eventual restoration.
1. (25-27) The promise that all Israel will be saved.
25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery-so that you will not be wise in your own estimation-that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,"THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." 27 "THIS IS [b]MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."
2. (Rom. 11:28-29) God's love and calling for Israel still endures.
28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but ]from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
3. (Rom. 11:30-32) Paul cautions the Gentile Christians to remember where they came from and where God has promised to take the Jewish people.
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, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
