Romans 11WEB
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Romans11

World English Bible · Public Domain

1I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

2God didn’t reject his people, whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

3“Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have broken down your altars. I am left alone, and they seek my life.”

4But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

5Even so too at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

6And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

7What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

8According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”

9David says, “Let their table be made a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.

10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Always keep their backs bent.”

11I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

12Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

13For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry,

14if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

15For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?

16If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

17But 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 root and of the richness of the olive tree,

18don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

19You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”

20True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;

21for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

22See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

23They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

24For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

26and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

27This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”

28Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.

29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

30For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,

31even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.

32For God has bound all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

33Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!

34“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”

35“Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”

36For of him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Romans 11.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The rejection of the Jews is not universal. (1–10). God overruled their unbelief for making the Gentiles partakers of gospel privileges. (11–21). The Gentiles cautioned against pride and unbelief, The Jews shall be called as a nation, and brought into God's visible covenant again. (22–32). A solemn adoring of the wisdom, goodness, and justice of God. (33–36).

vv1-10

There was a chosen remnant of believing Jews, who had righteousness and life by faith in Jesus Christ. These were kept according to the election of grace. If then this election was of grace, it could not be of works, either performed or foreseen. Every truly good disposition in a fallen creature must be the effect, therefore it cannot be the cause, of the grace of God bestowed on him. Salvation from the first to the last must be either of grace or of debt. These things are so directly contrary to each other that they cannot be blended together. God glorifies his grace by changing the hearts and tempers of the rebellious. How then should they wonder and praise him! The Jewish nation were as in a deep sleep, without knowledge of their danger, or concern about it; having no sense of their need of the Saviour, or of their being upon the borders of eternal ruin. David, having by the Spirit foretold the sufferings of Christ from his own people, the Jews, foretells the dreadful judgments of God upon them for it, Ps 69. This teaches us how to understand other prayers of David against his enemies; they are prophecies of the judgments of God, not expressions of his own anger. Divine curses will work long; and we have our eyes darkened, if we are bowed down in worldly-mindedness.

vv11-21

The gospel is the greatest riches of every place where it is. As therefore the righteous rejection of the unbelieving Jews, was the occasion of so large a multitude of the Gentiles being reconciled to God, and at peace with him; the future receiving of the Jews into the church would be such a change, as would resemble a general resurrection of the dead in sin to a life of righteousness. Abraham was as the root of the church. The Jews continued branches of this tree till, as a nation, they rejected the Messiah; after that, their relation to Abraham and to God was, as it were, cut off. The Gentiles were grafted into this tree in their room; being admitted into the church of God. Multitudes were made heirs of Abraham's faith, holiness and blessedness. It is the natural state of every one of us, to be wild by nature. Conversion is as the grafting in of wild branches into the good olive. The wild olive was often ingrafted into the fruitful one when it began to decay, and this not only brought forth fruit, but caused the decaying olive to revive and flourish. The Gentiles, of free grace, had been grafted in to share advantages. They ought therefore to beware of self-confidence, and every kind of pride or ambition; lest, having only a dead faith, and an empty profession, they should turn from God, and forfeit their privileges. If we stand at all, it is by faith; we are guilty and helpless in ourselves, and are to be humble, watchful, afraid of self-deception, or of being overcome by temptation. Not only are we at first justified by faith, but kept to the end in that justified state by faith only; yet, by a faith which is not alone, but which worketh by love to God and man.

vv22-32

Of all judgments, spiritual judgments are the sorest; of these the apostle is here speaking. The restoration of the Jews is, in the course of things, far less improbable than the call of the Gentiles to be the children of Abraham; and though others now possess these privileges, it will not hinder their being admitted again. By rejecting the gospel, and by their indignation at its being preached to the Gentiles, the Jews were become enemies to God; yet they are still to be favoured for the sake of their pious fathers. Though at present they are enemies to the gospel, for their hatred to the Gentiles; yet, when God's time is come, that will no longer exist, and God's love to their fathers will be remembered. True grace seeks not to confine God's favour. Those who find mercy themselves, should endeavour that through their mercy others also may obtain mercy. Not that the Jews will be restored to have their priesthood, and temple, and ceremonies again; an end is put to all these; but they are to be brought to believe in Christ, the true become one sheep-fold with the Gentiles, under Christ the Great Shepherd. The captivities of Israel, their dispersion, and their being shut out from the church, are emblems of the believer's corrections for doing wrong; and the continued care of the Lord towards that people, and the final mercy and blessed restoration intended for them, show the patience and love of God.

Key Words

askG3004Greek

λέγω (légō): properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 (ἔπω) and G5346 (φημί) generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 (ῥέω) is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 (λαλέω) means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean

thenG3767Greek

οὖν (oûn): (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly

hasG3361Greek

μή (mḗ): (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 (οὐ) expects an affirmative one)) whether

GodG2316Greek

θεός (theós): figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very

rejectedG683Greek

ἀπωθέομαι (apōthéomai): to push off, figuratively, to reject

hisG846Greek

αὐτός (autós): the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438 (ἑαυτοῦ)) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

peopleG2992Greek

λαός (laós): a people (in general; thus differing from G1218 (δῆμος), which denotes one's own populace)

meansG1096Greek

γίνομαι (gínomai): to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)

ForG1063Greek

γάρ (gár): properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)

IG1473Greek

ἐγώ (egṓ): I, me

Cross References

Romans 11
v31 Kings 19:10quotation

Directly quoted by Paul to detail Elijah's complaint that he alone was left faithful.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v41 Kings 19:18quotation

Direct quotation of the divine response reserving seven thousand who did not bow to Baal.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v8Isaiah 29:10quotation

Quoted by Paul for Israel's judicial blinding, described as a spirit of deep sleep.

Supported by JFB

v8Deuteronomy 29:4quotation

Quoted alongside Isaiah to describe eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear.

Supported by JFB

v9Psalms 69:22quotation

Paul quotes David's imprecatory psalm detailing their table becoming a snare and a trap.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v10Psalms 69:23quotation

Paul quotes David's prophecy of their eyes being darkened and their backs bowed down.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v26Isaiah 59:20quotation

Quoted to show the Deliverer coming out of Zion to turn ungodliness from Jacob.

v34Isaiah 40:13quotation

Directly quoted to praise God's unsearchable mind: 'Who hath known the mind of the Lord?'

v35Job 41:11quotation

Directly quoted to demonstrate that no one can place God in their debt.

v1Psalms 94:14allusion

The foundational Old Testament promise that the Lord will not cast off His people.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v2Romans 8:29thematic

Explains the term 'foreknew' in relation to God's unbreakable covenant people.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

The basis for Paul's concept of provoking Israel to jealousy through a non-nation.

Supported by JFB

v5Romans 9:27thematic

Establishes the theological concept of the 'remnant' of Israel that will be saved.

v6Romans 4:4thematic

Parallel theological argument that grace and works are mutually exclusive for justification.

Supported by JFB

v7Romans 11:25thematic

Identifies the 'blindness' that happened to the rest of Israel as temporary.

Supported by JFB

v12Colossians 1:27thematic

Parallels the concept of the 'riches' of Christ's glory being made known among the Gentiles.

Warning to the Gentiles against pride: 'Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed.'

v27Jeremiah 31:31-37fulfillment

Prophetic background for God's covenant to take away Israel's sins.

v32Galatians 3:22thematic

Theological parallel: scripture consigns all to sin/unbelief so that the promise is by faith.

v33Ephesians 3:18thematic

Echoes the depth, height, and unsearchable riches of God's love and wisdom.

Supported by Matthew Henry