Teks -- Romans 11:9-36 (NET)

11:9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 11:10 let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually.” 11:11 I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous. 11:12 Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration bring? 11:13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 11:14 if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. 11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 11:16 If the first portion of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches. 11:17 Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root, 11:18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 11:19 Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 11:20 Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, arrogant, but fear! 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. 11:22 Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God– harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 11:23 And even they– 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 grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree? 11:25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 11:26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. 11:27 And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” 11:28 In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. 11:29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 11:30 Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, 11:31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. 11:32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways! 11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? 11:35 Or who has first given to God, that God needs to repay him? 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Rom 11:9 - David says

David says ( Daueid legei ).

From Psa 69:23; (68:23f, lxx); Psa 34:8; Psa 28:4 (combined quotation).

Robertson: Rom 11:9 - Table

Table ( trapeza ).

For what is on the table, "a feast."

Robertson: Rom 11:9 - A snare

A snare ( eis pagida ).

From pēgnumi , to make fast, old word for snares for birds and beasts. See Luk 21:35. Eis in predicate with ginomai is a translation-Hebraism.

Robertson: Rom 11:9 - A trap

A trap ( eis thēran ).

Old word for hunting of wild beasts, then a trap. Only here in N.T.

Robertson: Rom 11:9 - A stumbling-block

A stumbling-block ( eis skandalon ).

A third word for trap, snare, trap-stick or trigger over which they fall. See note on 1Co 1:23; Rom 9:33.

Robertson: Rom 11:9 - A recompense

A recompense ( eis antapodoma ).

Late word from double compound verb antapodidōmi , to repay (both anti and apo ). Ancient Greeks used antapodosis . In lxx and Didache. In N.T. only here (bad sense) and Luk 14:12 (good sense).

Robertson: Rom 11:10 - Let their eyes be darkened

Let their eyes be darkened ( skotisthētōsan hoi ophthalmoi autōn ).

First aorist passive imperative of skotizō , to darken. A terrible imprecation.

Robertson: Rom 11:10 - That they may not see

That they may not see ( tou mē blepein ).

Repeated from Rom 11:8.

Robertson: Rom 11:10 - Bow down

Bow down ( sunkampson ).

First aorist active imperative of sunkamptō , old verb, to bend together as of captives whose backs (nōton , another old word, only here in N.T.) were bent under burdens. Only here in N.T.

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - Did they stumble that they might fall?

Did they stumble that they might fall? ( mē eptaisan hina pesōsiṅ ).

Negative answer expected by mē as in Rom 11:1. First aorist active indicative of ptaiō , old verb, to stumble, only here in Paul (see note on Jam 3:2), suggested perhaps by skandalon in Rom 11:9. If hina is final, then we must add "merely"to the idea, "merely that they might fall"or make a sharp distinction between ptaiō , to stumble, and piptō , to fall, and take pesōsin as effective aorist active subjunctive to fall completely and for good. Hina , as we know, can be either final, sub-final, or even result. See note on 1Th 5:4; 1Co 7:29; Gal 5:17. Paul rejects this query in Rom 11:11 as vehemently as he did that in Rom 11:1.

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - By their fall

By their fall ( tōi autōn paraptōmati ).

Instrumental case. For the word, a falling aside or a false step from parapiptō , see note on Rom 5:15-20.

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - Is come.

Is come.

No verb in the Greek, but ginetai or gegonen is understood.

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - For to provoke them to jealousy

For to provoke them to jealousy ( eis to parazēlōsai ).

Purpose expressed by eis and the articular infinitive, first aorist active, of parazēloō , for which verb see note on 1Co 10:22. As an historical fact Paul turned to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected his message (Act 13:45.; Act 28:28, etc.).

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - The riches of the world

The riches of the world ( ploutos kosmou ).

See note on Rom 10:12.

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - Their loss

Their loss ( to hēttēma autōn ).

So perhaps in 1Co 6:7, but in Isa 31:8 defeat is the idea. Perhaps so here.

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - Fulness

Fulness ( plērōma ).

Perhaps "completion,"though the word from plēroō , to fill, has a variety of senses, that with which anything is filled (1Co 10:26, 1Co 10:28), that which is filled (Eph 1:23).

Robertson: Rom 11:11 - How much more?

How much more? ( posōi mallon ).

Argument a fortiori as in Rom 11:24. Rom 11:25 illustrates the point.

Robertson: Rom 11:13 - To you that are Gentiles

To you that are Gentiles ( humin tois ethnesin ).

"To you the Gentiles."He has a serious word to say to them.

Robertson: Rom 11:13 - Inasmuch then

Inasmuch then ( Ephesians' hoson men oun ).

Not temporal, quamdiu , "so long as"(Mat 9:15), but qualitative quatenus "in so far then as"(Mat 25:40).

Robertson: Rom 11:13 - I glorify my ministry

I glorify my ministry ( tēn diakonian mou doxazō ).

As apostle to the Gentiles (ethnōn apostolos , objective genitive). Would that every minister of Christ glorified his ministry.

Robertson: Rom 11:14 - If by any means

If by any means ( ei pōs ).

This use of ei with purpose or aim is a kind of indirect discourse.

Robertson: Rom 11:14 - I may provoke

I may provoke ( parazēlōsō ).

Either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive, see same uncertainty in Phi 3:10 katantēsō , but in Phi 3:11 katalabō after ei is subjunctive. The future indicative is clear in Rom 1:10 and the optative in Act 27:12. Doubtful whether future indicative or aorist subjunctive also in sōsō (save).

Robertson: Rom 11:15 - The casting away of them

The casting away of them ( hē apobolē autōn ).

Objective genitive (autōn ) with apobolē , old word from apoballō , to throw off (Mar 10:50), in N.T. only here and Act 27:22.

Robertson: Rom 11:15 - The reconciling of the world

The reconciling of the world ( katallagē kosmou ).

See note on Rom 5:10. for katallagē (reconciling). It explains Rom 11:12.

Robertson: Rom 11:15 - The receiving

The receiving ( hē proslēmpsis ).

Old word from proslambanō , to take to oneself, only here in N.T.

Robertson: Rom 11:15 - Life from the dead

Life from the dead ( zōē ek nekrōn ).

Already the conversion of Jews had become so difficult. It is like a miracle of grace today, though it does happen. Many think that Paul means that the general resurrection and the end will come when the Jews are converted. Possibly so, but it is by no means certain. His language may be merely figurative.

Robertson: Rom 11:16 - First fruit

First fruit ( aparchē ).

See note on 1Co 15:20, 1Co 15:23. The metaphor is from Num 15:19. The lxx has aparchēn phuramatos , first of the dough as a heave offering.

Robertson: Rom 11:16 - The lump

The lump ( to phurama ).

From which the first fruit came. See note on Rom 9:21. Apparently the patriarchs are the first fruit.

Robertson: Rom 11:16 - The root

The root ( hē riza ).

Perhaps Abraham singly here. The metaphor is changed, but the idea is the same. Israel is looked on as a tree. But one must recall and keep in mind the double sense of Israel in Rom 9:6. (the natural and the spiritual).

Robertson: Rom 11:17 - Branches

Branches ( kladōn ).

From klaō , to break.

Robertson: Rom 11:17 - Were broken off

Were broken off ( exeklasthēsan ).

First aorist passive indicative of ekklaō . Play on the word klados (branch) and ekklaō , to break off. Condition of first class, assumed as true. Some of the individual Jews (natural Israel) were broken off the stock of the tree (spiritual Israel).

Robertson: Rom 11:17 - And thou

And thou ( kai su ).

An individual Gentile.

Robertson: Rom 11:17 - Being a wild olive

Being a wild olive ( agrielaios ōn ).

This word, used by Aristotle, occurs in an inscription. Ramsay ( Pauline Studies , pp. 219ff.) shows that the ancients used the wild-olive graft upon an old olive tree to reinvigorate the tree precisely as Paul uses the figure here and that both the olive tree and the graft were influenced by each other, though the wild olive graft did not produce as good olives as the original stock. But it should be noted that in Rom 11:24 Paul expressly states that the grafting of Gentiles on to the stock of the spiritual Israel was "contrary to nature"(para phusin ).

Robertson: Rom 11:17 - Wast grafted in

Wast grafted in ( enekentristhēs ).

First aorist passive indicative of enkentrizō , to cut in, to graft, used by Aristotle. Belongs "to the higher Koiné[28928]š "(literary Koiné[28928]š ) according to Milligan.

Robertson: Rom 11:17 - Partaker

Partaker ( sunKoinéōnos ).

Corinthians-partner.

Robertson: Rom 11:17 - Fatness

Fatness ( piotētos ).

Old word from piōn (fat), only here in N.T. Note three genitives here "of the root of the fatness of the olive."

Robertson: Rom 11:18 - Glory not over the branches

Glory not over the branches ( mē katakauchō tōn kladōn ).

Genitive case after kata . Present middle imperative second person singular of katakauchaomai with negative mē , "stop glorying"or "do not have the habit of glorying over the branches."The conclusion of the preceding condition.

Robertson: Rom 11:18 - Gloriest

Gloriest ( katakauchāsai ).

Late form ̇aesai retaining s .

Robertson: Rom 11:18 - Not thou

Not thou ( ou su ).

Very emphatic position. The graft was upon the stock and root, though each affected the other.

Robertson: Rom 11:19 - Thou wilt say then

Thou wilt say then ( ereis oun ).

A presumptuous Gentile speaks.

Robertson: Rom 11:19 - That I might be grafted in

That I might be grafted in ( hina egō enkentristhō ).

Purpose clause with hina and first aorist passive subjunctive. He shows contempt for the cast-off Jews.

Robertson: Rom 11:20 - Well

Well ( kalōs ).

Perhaps ironical, though Paul may simply admit the statement (cf. Mar 12:32) and show the Gentile his real situation.

Robertson: Rom 11:20 - By unbelief

By unbelief ( tēi apistiāi )

- by faith (pistei ). Instrumental case with both contrasted words (by unbelief, by belief).

Robertson: Rom 11:21 - Be not highminded

Be not highminded ( mē hupsēla phronei ).

"Stop thinking high (proud) thoughts."

Robertson: Rom 11:21 - Of God spared not

Of God spared not ( ei gar ho theos ouk epheisato ).

It is not ei mē (unless), but the ouk negatives the verb epheisato (first aorist middle indicative of pheidomai , to spare. Condition of first class.

Robertson: Rom 11:22 - The goodness and the severity of God

The goodness and the severity of God ( chrēstotēta kai apotomian theou ).

See Rom 2:2 for chrēstotēs , kindness of God. Apotomia (here alone in the N.T.) is from apotomos , cut off, abrupt, and this adjective from apotemnō , to cut off. This late word occurs several times in the papyri.

Robertson: Rom 11:22 - If thou continue

If thou continue ( ean epimenēis ).

Third class condition, ean and present active subjunctive.

Robertson: Rom 11:22 - Otherwise

Otherwise ( epei ).

Ellipse after epei , "since if thou dost not continue."

Robertson: Rom 11:22 - Thou also

Thou also ( kai su ).

Precisely as the Jewish branches of Rom 11:17 were.

Robertson: Rom 11:22 - Shalt be cut off

Shalt be cut off ( ekkopēsēi ).

Second future passive of ekkoptō , to cut out.

Robertson: Rom 11:23 - If they continue not in their unbelief

If they continue not in their unbelief ( ean mē epimenōsi tēi apistiāi ).

Third class condition with the same verb used in Rom 11:22 of the Gentile. Locative case of apistiāi here (same form as the instrumental in Rom 11:20).

Robertson: Rom 11:23 - For God is able

For God is able ( dunatos gar estin ho theos ).

See this use of dunatos estin in Rom 4:21 rather than dunatai . This is the crux of the whole matter. God is able.

Robertson: Rom 11:24 - Contrary to nature

Contrary to nature ( para phusin ).

This is the gist of the argument, the power of God to do what is contrary to natural processes. He put the wild olive (Gentile) into the good olive tree (the spiritual Israel) and made the wild olive (contrary to nature) become the good olive (kallielaios , the garden olive, kallos and elaia in Aristotle and a papyrus).

Robertson: Rom 11:24 - Into their own olive tree

Into their own olive tree ( tēi idiāi elaiāi ).

Dative case. Another argument a fortiori , "how much more"(pollōi mallon ). God can graft the natural Israel back upon the spiritual Israel, if they become willing.

Robertson: Rom 11:25 - This mystery

This mystery ( to mustērion touto ).

Not in the pagan sense of an esoteric doctrine for the initiated (from mueō , to blink, to wink), unknown secrets (2Th 2:7), or like the mystery religions of the time, but the revealed will of God now made known to all (1Co 2:1, 1Co 2:7; 1Co 4:1) which includes Gentiles also (Rom 16:25; Col 1:26.; Eph 3:3.) and so far superior to man’ s wisdom (Col 2:2; Col 4:13; Eph 3:9; Eph 5:32; Eph 6:19; Mat 13:11; Mar 4:11). Paul has covered every point of difficulty concerning the failure of the Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah and has shown how God has overruled it for the blessing of the Gentiles with a ray of hope still held out for the Jews. "In early ecclesiastical Latin mustērion was rendered by sacramentum , which in classical Latin means the military oath. The explanation of the word sacrament , which is so often founded on this etymology, is therefore mistaken, since the meaning of sacrament belongs to mustērion and not to sacramentum in the classical sense"(Vincent).

Robertson: Rom 11:25 - Wise in your own conceits

Wise in your own conceits ( en heautois phronimoi ).

"Wise in yourselves."Some MSS. read par' heautois (by yourselves). Negative purpose here (hina mē ēte ), to prevent self-conceit on the part of the Gentiles who have believed. They had no merit in themselves

Robertson: Rom 11:25 - A hardening

A hardening ( pōrōsis ).

Late word from pōroō (Rom 11:7). Occurs in Hippocrates as a medical term, only here in N.T. save Mar 3:5; Eph 4:18. It means obtuseness of intellectual discernment, mental dulness.

Robertson: Rom 11:25 - In part

In part ( apo merous ).

Goes with the verb gegonen (has happened in part). For apo merous , see note on 2Co 1:14; 2Co 2:5; Rom 15:24; for ana meros , see note on 1Co 14:27; for ek merous , see note on 1Co 12:27; 1Co 13:9; for kata meros , see note on Heb 9:5; for meros ti (adverbial accusative) partly see note on 1Co 11:18. Paul refuses to believe that no more Jews will be saved.

Robertson: Rom 11:25 - Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in

Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in ( achri hou to plērōma tōn ethnōn eiselthēi ).

Temporal clause with achri hou (until which time) and the second aorist active subjunctive of eiserchomai , to come in (Mat 7:13, Mat 7:21).

Robertson: Rom 11:25 - For fulness of the Gentiles

For fulness of the Gentiles ( to plērōma tōn ethnōn )

seeRom 11:12, the complement of the Gentiles.

Robertson: Rom 11:26 - And so

And so ( kai houtōs ).

By the complement of the Gentiles stirring up the complement of the Jews (Rom 11:11.).

Robertson: Rom 11:26 - All Israel

All Israel ( pās Israēl ).

What does Paul mean? The immediate context (use of pās in contrast with apo merous , plērōma here in contrast with plērōma in Rom 11:12) argues for the Jewish people "as a whole."But the spiritual Israel (both Jews and Gentiles) may be his idea in accord with Rom 9:6 (Gal 6:16) as the climax of the argument. At any rate we should strive for and pray for the conversion of Jews as a whole. Paul here quotes from Isa 59:20.; Isa 27:9.

Robertson: Rom 11:26 - The Deliverer

The Deliverer ( ho ruomenos ).

Present middle articular participle of ruomai , to rescue, to deliver. See note on 1Th 1:10; 2Co 1:10. The Hebrew Goel , the Avenger, the Messiah, the Redeemer (Deu 25:5-10; Job 19:25; Rth 3:12.). Paul interprets it of Jesus as Messiah.

Robertson: Rom 11:27 - My covenant

My covenant ( hē par' emou diathēkē ).

"The from me covenant,""my side of the covenant I have made with them"(Sanday and Headlam). Cf. Jer 31:31. Not a political deliverance, but a religious and ethical one.

Robertson: Rom 11:27 - When I shall take away

When I shall take away ( hotan aphelōmai ).

Second aorist middle subjunctive of aphaireō , old and common verb, to take away.

Robertson: Rom 11:28 - As touching the gospel

As touching the gospel ( kata to euaggelion ).

"According to (kata with the accusative) the gospel"as Paul has shown in Rom 11:11-24, the gospel order as it has developed.

Robertson: Rom 11:28 - Enemies

Enemies ( echthroi ).

Treated as enemies (of God), in passive sense, because of their rejection of Christ (Rom 11:10), just as agapētoi (beloved) is passive.

Robertson: Rom 11:28 - As touching the election

As touching the election ( kata tēn eklogēn ).

"According to the election"(the principle of election, not as in Rom 11:5. the elect or abstract for concrete).

Robertson: Rom 11:28 - For the fathers’ sake

For the fathers’ sake ( dia tous pateras ).

As in Rom 9:4; Rom 11:16.

Robertson: Rom 11:29 - Without repentance

Without repentance ( ametamelēta ).

See note on 2Co 7:10 for this word (a privative and metamelomai , to be sorry afterwards). It is not ametanoēton (Rom 2:5) from a privative and metanoeō , to change one’ s mind. God is not sorry for his gifts to and calling of the Jews (Rom 9:4.).

Robertson: Rom 11:30 - Ye in time past

Ye in time past ( humeis pote ).

Ye Gentiles (Rom 1:18-32).

Robertson: Rom 11:30 - Were disobedient

Were disobedient ( epeithēsate ).

First aorist active indicative of apeitheō , to disbelieve and then to disobey. "Ye once upon a time disobeyed God."

Robertson: Rom 11:30 - By their disobedience

By their disobedience ( tēi toutōn apeithiāi ).

Instrumental case, "by the disobedience of these"(Jews). Note "now"(nun ) three times in this sentence.

Robertson: Rom 11:31 - By the mercy shown to you

By the mercy shown to you ( tōi humeterōi eleei ).

Objective sense of humeteros (possessive pronoun, your). Proleptic position also for the words go with eleēthōsin (first aorist passive subjunctive of eleeō , from eleos with hina , purpose clause). God’ s purpose is for the Jews to receive a blessing yet.

Robertson: Rom 11:32 - Hath shut up

Hath shut up ( sunekleisen ).

First aorist active indicative of sunkleiō , to shut together like a net (Luk 5:6). See note on Gal 3:22 for this word with hupo hamartian (under sin). This is a resultant (effective) aorist because of the disbelief and disobedience of both Gentile (1:17-32) and Jew (2:1-3:20).

Robertson: Rom 11:32 - All

All ( tous pantas ).

"The all"(both Gentiles and Jews).

Robertson: Rom 11:32 - That he might have mercy

That he might have mercy ( hinȧ̇eleēsēi ).

Purpose with hina and aorist active subjunctive. No merit in anyone, but all of grace. "The all"again, who receive God’ s mercy, not that "all"men are saved.

Robertson: Rom 11:33 - O the depth

O the depth ( O bathos ).

Exclamation with omega and the nominative case of bathos (see note on 2Co 8:2; Rom 8:39). Paul’ s argument concerning God’ s elective grace and goodness has carried him to the heights and now he pauses on the edge of the precipice as he contemplates God’ s wisdom and knowledge, fully conscious of his inability to sound the bottom with the plummet of human reason and words.

Robertson: Rom 11:33 - Unsearchable

Unsearchable ( anexeraunēta ).

Double compound (a privative and ex ) verbal adjective of ereunaō (old spelling ̇eu̇ ), late and rare word (lxx, Dio Cassius, Heraclitus), only here in N.T. Some of God’ s wisdom can be known (Rom 1:20.), but not all.

Robertson: Rom 11:33 - Past tracing out

Past tracing out ( anexichniastoi ).

Another verbal adjective from a privative and exichniazō , to trace out by tracks (ichnos Rom 4:12). Late word in Job (Job 5:9; Job 9:10; Job 34:24) from which use Paul obtained it here and Eph 3:8 (only N.T. examples). Also in ecclesiastical writers. Some of God’ s tracks he has left plain to us, but others are beyond us.

Robertson: Rom 11:34 - Who hath known?

Who hath known? ( tis egnō̇ ).

Second aorist active indicative of ginōskō , a timeless aorist, did know, does know, will know. Quotation from Isa 40:13. Quoted already in 1Co 2:16.

Robertson: Rom 11:34 - Counsellor

Counsellor ( sumboulos ).

Old word from sun and boulē . Only here in N.T.

Robertson: Rom 11:34 - His

His ( autou ).

Objective genitive, counsellor to him (God). Some men seem to feel competent for the job.

Robertson: Rom 11:35 - First driven to him

First driven to him ( proedōken autōi ).

First aorist active indicative of prodidōmi , to give beforehand or first. Old verb, here alone in N.T. From Job 41:11, but not like the lxx, Paul’ s own translation.

Robertson: Rom 11:35 - Shall be recompensed

Shall be recompensed ( antapodothēsetai ).

First future passive of double compound antapodidōmi , to pay back (both anti and apo ), old word in good sense, as here and Luk 14:14; 1Th 3:9 and in bad sense as 2Th 1:6; Rom 12:19.

Robertson: Rom 11:36 - Of him

Of him ( ex autou )

, through him (di' autou ), unto him (eis auton ). By these three prepositions Paul ascribes the universe (ta panta ) with all the phenomena concerning creation, redemption, providence to God as the

Robertson: Rom 11:36 - Source

Source ( ex )

, the

Robertson: Rom 11:36 - Agent

Agent ( di )

, the

Robertson: Rom 11:36 - Goal

Goal ( eis ).

Robertson: Rom 11:36 - For ever

For ever ( eis tous aiōnas ).

"For the ages."Alford terms this doxology in Rom 11:33-36 "the sublimest apostrophe existing even in the pages of inspiration itself."

Vincent: Rom 11:9 - David saith

David saith

Psa 69:23, Psa 69:24. It is doubtful whether David was the author. Some high authorities are inclined to ascribe it to Jeremiah. David here may mean nothing more than the book of Psalm.

Vincent: Rom 11:9 - Table

Table

Representing material prosperity: feasting in wicked security. Some explain of the Jews' presumptuous confidence in the law.

Vincent: Rom 11:9 - Snare

Snare ( παγίδα )

From πήγνυμι to make fast . The anchor is called παγὶς the maker-fast of the ships .

Vincent: Rom 11:9 - Trap

Trap ( θήραν )

Lit., a hunting . Only here in the New Testament, and neither in the Hebrew nor Septuagint. Many render net , following Psa 35:8, where the word is used for the Hebrew resheth net . No kind of snare will be wanting. Their presumptuous security will become to them a snare , a hunting , a stumbling-block .

Vincent: Rom 11:9 - A recompense

A recompense ( ἀνταπόδομα )

Substituted by the Septuagint for the Hebrew, to them at ease . It carries the idea of a just retribution .

Vincent: Rom 11:10 - Bow down

Bow down ( σύγκαμψον )

Lit., bend together . Hebrew, shake the loins .

Vincent: Rom 11:12 - Diminishing

Diminishing ( ἥττημα )

The literal translation. Rev. renders loss . Referring apparently to the diminution in numbers of the Jewish people. Other explanations are defeat , impoverishment , injury , minority .

Vincent: Rom 11:12 - Fullness

Fullness ( πλήρωμα )

See on Joh 1:16. The word may mean that with which anything is filled (1Co 10:26, 1Co 10:28; Mat 9:16; Mar 6:43); that which is filled (Eph 1:23); possibly the act of filling (Rom 13:10), though this is doubtful. Here in the first sense: the fullness of their number contrasted with the diminution . They will belong as an integral whole to the people of God.

Vincent: Rom 11:13 - For I speak

For I speak

The best texts read δὲ but instead of γάρ for . The sentence does not state the reason for the prominence of the Gentiles asserted in Rom 11:12, but makes a transition from the statement of the divine plan to the statement of Paul's own course of working on the line of that plan. He labors the more earnestly for the Gentiles with a view to the salvation of his own race.

Vincent: Rom 11:13 - Inasmuch as I am

Inasmuch as I am

The best texts insert οὖν then . So Rev.; thus disconnecting the clause from the preceding, and connecting it with what follows.

Vincent: Rom 11:13 - I magnify mine office

I magnify mine office ( τὴν διακονίαν μου δοξάζω )

Lit., I glorify my ministry , as Rev. Not I praise , but I honor by the faithful discharge of its duties . He implies, however, that the office is a glorious one. The verb, which occurs about sixty times in the New Testament, most frequently in John, is used, with very few exceptions, of glorifying God or Christ. In Rom 8:30, of God's elect. In 1Co 12:26, of the members of the body. In Rev 18:7, of Babylon. For ministry , see on minister , Mat 20:26.

Vincent: Rom 11:14 - Some of them

Some of them

A modest expression which recalls Paul's limited success among his own countrymen.

Vincent: Rom 11:15 - The casting away

The casting away ( ἡ ἀποβολὴ )

In contrast with receiving . Only here and Act 27:22, where it means loss . Here exclusion from God's people.

Vincent: Rom 11:15 - Reconciling of the world

Reconciling of the world ( καταλλαγὴ κόσμου )

See on Rom 5:10, Rom 5:11. Defining the phrase riches of the world in Rom 11:12.

Vincent: Rom 11:15 - Life from the dead

Life from the dead

The exact meaning cannot be determined. Some refer it to the resurrection to follow the conversion of Israel, including the new life which the resurrection will inaugurate. Others, a new spiritual life. Others combine the two views.

Vincent: Rom 11:16 - For

For ( δὲ )

Better but , or now . A new paragraph begins.

Vincent: Rom 11:16 - The first-fruit - holy

The first-fruit - holy

See on Jam 1:18, see on Act 26:10. Referring to the patriarchs.

Vincent: Rom 11:16 - Lump

Lump

See on Rom 9:21. The whole body of the people. The apparent confusion of metaphor, first-fruit , lump , is resolved by the fact that first-fruit does not apply exclusively to harvest, but is the general term for the first portion of every thing which was offered to God. The reference here is to Num 15:18-21; according to which the Israelites were to set apart a portion of the dough of each baking of bread for a cake for the priests. This was called ἀπαρχή , first-fruits .

Vincent: Rom 11:16 - Root - branches

Root - branches

The same thought under another figure. The second figure is more comprehensive, since it admits an application to the conversion of the Gentiles. The thought of both figures centres in holy . Both the first-fruits and the root represent the patriarchs (or Abraham singly, compare Rom 11:28). The holiness by call and destination of the nation as represented by its fathers (first-fruits, root) implies their future restoration, the holiness of the lump and branches.

Vincent: Rom 11:17 - Branches were broken off

Branches were broken off ( κλάδων ἐξεκλάσθησαν )

See on Mat 24:32; see on Mar 11:8. The derivation of κλάδων branches , from κλάω to break , is exhibited in the word-play between the noun and the verb: kladon , exeklasthesan .

Vincent: Rom 11:17 - A wild olive-tree

A wild olive-tree ( ἀγριέλαιος )

To be taken as an adjective, belonging to the wild olive . Hence Rev., correctly, rejects tree , since the Gentiles are addressed not as a whole but as individuals. Meyer says: " The ingrafting of the Gentiles took place at first only partially and in single instances; while the thou addressed cannot represent heathendom as a whole, and is also not appropriate to the figure itself; because, in fact, not whole trees, not even quite young ones are ingrafted, either with the stem or as to all their branches. Besides, Rom 11:24 contradicts this view."

Vincent: Rom 11:17 - Wert graffed in among them

Wert graffed in among them ( ἐνεκεντρίσθης ἐν αὐτοῖς )

The verb occurs only in this chapter. From κέντπον a sting , a goad . See on Rev 9:9. Thus, in the verb to graft the incision is emphasized. Some render in their place , instead of among them ; but the latter agrees better with partakest . Hence the reference is not to some of the broken off branches in whose place the Gentiles were grafted, but to the branches in general.

Vincent: Rom 11:17 - With them partakest

With them partakest ( συγκοινωνὸς ἐγένου )

Lit., as Rev., didst become partaker with them . See on Rev 1:9; and see on partners , Luk 5:10. With them , the natural branches.

Vincent: Rom 11:17 - Of the root and fatness

Of the root and fatness ( τῆς ῥίζης καὶ τῆς πιότητος )

The best texts omit καὶ and , and render of the root of the fatness: the root as the source of the fatness.

Paul's figure is: The Jewish nation is a tree from which some branches have been cut, but which remains living because the root (and therefore all the branches connected with it) is still alive. Into this living tree the wild branch, the Gentile, is grafted among the living branches, and thus draws life from the root. The insertion of the wild branches takes place in connection with the cutting off of the natural branches (the bringing in of the Gentiles in connection with the rejection of the Jews). But the grafted branches should not glory over the natural branches because of the cutting off of some of the latter, since they derive their life from the common root. " The life-force and the blessing are received by the Gentile through the Jew, and not by the Jew through the Gentile. The spiritual plan moves from the Abrahamic covenant downward, and from the Israelitish nation outward" (Dwight).

The figure is challenged on the ground that the process of grafting is the insertion of the good into the inferior stock, while here the case is reversed. It has been suggested in explanation that Paul took the figure merely at the point of inserting one piece into another; that he was ignorant of the agricultural process; that he was emphasizing the process of grace as contrary to that of nature. References to a custom of grafting wild upon good trees are not sufficiently decisive to warrant the belief that the practice was common. Dr. Thomson says: " In the kingdom of nature generally, certainly in the case of the olive, the process referred to by the apostle never succeeds. Graft the good upon the wild, and, as the Arabs say, 'it will conquer the wild;' but you cannot reverse the process with success.... It is only in the kingdom of grace that a process thus contrary to nature can be successful; and it is this circumstance which the apostle has seized upon to magnify the mercy shown to the Gentiles by grafting them, a wild race, contrary to the nature of such operations, into the good olive tree of the church, and causing them to flourish there and bring forth fruit unto eternal life. The apostle lived in the land of the olive, and was in no danger of falling into a blunder in founding his argument upon such a circumstance in its cultivation" (" Land and Book, Lebanon, Damascus and Beyond Jordan," p. 35). Meyer says: " The subject-matter did not require the figure of the ordinary grafting, but the converse - the grafting of the wild scion and its ennoblement thereby. The Gentile scion was to receive, not to impart, fertility."

Vincent: Rom 11:18 - The branches

The branches

Of the olive-tree generally, Jewish Christians and unbelieving Jews. Not those that are broken off, who are specially indicated in Rom 11:19.

Vincent: Rom 11:20 - Well

Well ( καλῶς )

Admitting the fact. Thou art right. Compare Mar 12:32. Some take it as ironical.

Vincent: Rom 11:22 - Goodness and severity

Goodness and severity ( χρηστότητα καὶ ἀποτομίαν )

For goodness , see on Rom 3:12. Ἁποτομία severity , only here in the New Testament. The kindred adverb, ἀποτόμως sharply , occurs 2Co 13:10; Tit 1:13. From ἀποτέμνω to cut off . Hence that which is abrupt , sharp .

Vincent: Rom 11:22 - Thou shalt be cut off

Thou shalt be cut off ( ἐκκοπήσῃ )

Lit., cut out . See on Luk 13:7.

Vincent: Rom 11:23 - Able

Able ( δυνατὸς )

See on Rom 4:21.

Vincent: Rom 11:24 - Contrary to nature

Contrary to nature

See remarks on Rom 11:17.

Vincent: Rom 11:25 - Mystery

Mystery ( μυστήριον )

In the Septuagint only in Daniel. See Dan 2:18, Dan 2:19, Dan 2:27, Dan 2:28, Dan 2:30, of the king's secret. It occurs frequently in the apocryphal books, mostly of secrets of state, or plans kept by a king in his own mind. This meaning illustrates the use of the word in passages like Mat 13:11, " mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" - secret purposes or counsels which God intends to carry into effect in His kingdom. So here; Rom 16:25; Eph 1:9; Eph 3:9; Col 1:26, Col 1:27; Col 2:2; Col 4:3; Rev 10:7. In Justin Martyr (second century) it is commonly used in connection with σύμβολον symbol , τύπος type , παραβολή parable , and so is evidently closely related in meaning to these words. Compare Rev 1:20; Rev 17:7, This meaning may possibly throw light on Eph 5:32. In early ecclesiastical Latin μυστήριον was rendered by sacramentum , which in classical Latin means the military oath . The explanation of the word sacrament , which is so often founded on this etymology, is therefore mistaken, since the meaning of sacrament belongs to μυστήριον and not to sacramentum in the classical sense. In Eph 3:3-6, Paul uses the word as here, of the admission of the Gentiles.

Vincent: Rom 11:25 - Wise

Wise ( φρόνιμοι )

See on the kindred noun φρόνησις wisdom , Luk 1:17. Mostly in the New Testament of practical wisdom, prudence ; thus distinguished from σοφία which is mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense; and from σύνεσις intelligence , which is combinative wisdom; wisdom in its critical applications. See Col 1:9, and compare Eph 1:8.

Vincent: Rom 11:25 - Blindness

Blindness ( πώρωσις )

See on Rom 11:7. Rev., hardening .

Vincent: Rom 11:25 - In part

In part ( ἀπὸ μέρους )

Μέρος part is never used adverbially in the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. In the Epistles it is rarely used in any other way. The only exceptions are 2Co 3:10; 2Co 9:3; Eph 4:9, Eph 4:16. Paul employs it in several combinations. With ἀπό from (1Co 1:14; 1Co 2:5), and ἐκ out of (1Co 12:27; 1Co 13:9, 1Co 13:10, 1Co 13:12), in which a thing is conceived as looked at from the part, either (ἀπὸ ) as a simple point of view, or (ἐκ ) as a standard according to which the whole is estimated. Thus 1Co 12:27, " members ἐκ μέρους severally , i.e., members from a part of the whole point of view. Also with ἐν in , as Col 2:16, with respect to , literally, in the matter of. With ἀνά up , the idea being of a series or column of parts reckoned upward, part by part . Μέρος τι with regard to some part , partly , occurs 1Co 11:18; and κατὰ μέρος , reckoning part by part downward ; according to part , particularly , Heb 9:5.

Construe here with hath happened : has partially befallen. Not partial hardening, but hardening extending over a part.

Vincent: Rom 11:26 - The deliverer

The deliverer ( ὁ ῥυόμενος )

The Hebrew is goel redeemer , avenger . The nearest relative of a murdered person, on whom devolved the duty of avenger, was called goel haddam avenger of blood . So the goel was the nearest kinsman of a childless widow, and was required to marry her (Deu 25:5-10). It is the word used by Job in the celebrated passage Job 19:25. See, also, Rth 3:12, Rth 3:13; Rth 4:1-10.

Vincent: Rom 11:29 - Without repentance

Without repentance ( ἀμεταμέλητα )

Only here and 2Co 7:10. See on repented , Mat 21:29. Not subject to recall.

Vincent: Rom 11:32 - Concluded

Concluded ( συνέκλεισεν )

Only here, Luk 5:6; Gal 3:22, Gal 3:23. A very literal rendering, etymologically considered; con together , claudere to shut . The A.V. followed the Vulgate conclusit . So Hooker: " The person of Christ was only touching bodily substance concluded within the grave." The word has lost this sense. Rev., hath shut up . Some explain in the later Greek sense, to hand over to a power which holds in ward .

Vincent: Rom 11:32 - All

All ( τοὺς πάντας )

Lit., the all. The totality, Jews and Gentiles, jointly and severally.

Vincent: Rom 11:33 - Wisdom - knowledge

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge. So both A.V. and Rev., making depth govern riches , and riches govern wisdom and knowledge . Others, more simply, make the three genitives coordinate, and all governed by depth: the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge . " Like a traveler who has reached the summit of an Alpine ascent, the apostle turns and contemplates. Depths are at his feet, but waves of light illumine them, and there spreads all around an immense horizon which his eye commands" (Godet). Compare the conclusion of ch. 8.

" Therefore into the justice sempiternal

The power of vision which your world receives

As eye into the ocean penetrates;

Which, though it see the bottom near the shore,

Upon the deep perceives it not, and yet

'Tis there, but it is hidden by the depth.

There is no light but comes from the serene

That never is o'ercast, nay, it is darkness

Or shadow of the flesh, or else its poison."

Dante, " Paradiso ," xix . 59-62 .

Compare also Sophocles:

" In words and deeds whose laws on high are set

Through heaven's clear ether spread,

Whose birth Olympus boasts,

Their one, their only sire,

Whom man's frail flesh begat not,

Nor in forgetfulness

Shall lull to sleep of death;

In them our God is great,

In them he grows not old forevermore."

" Oedipus Tyrannus ," 865-871 .

Wisdom - knowledge ( σοφίας - γνώσεως )

Used together only here, 1Co 12:8; Col 2:3. There is much difference of opinion as to the precise distinction. It is agreed on all hands that wisdom is the nobler attribute, being bound up with moral character as knowledge is not. Hence wisdom is ascribed in scripture only to God or to good men, unless it is used ironically. See 1Co 1:20; 1Co 2:6; Luk 10:21. Cicero calls wisdom " the chief of all virtues." The earlier distinction, as Augustine, is unsatisfactory: that wisdom is concerned with eternal things, and knowledge with things of sense; for γνῶσις knowledge , is described as having for its object God (2Co 10:5); the glory of God in the face of Christ (2Co 4:6); Christ Jesus (Phi 3:8).

As applied to human acquaintance with divine things, γνῶσις knowledge , is the lower, σοφία wisdom , the higher stage. Knowledge may issue in self-conceit. It is wisdom that builds up the man (1Co 8:1). As attributes of God, the distinction appears to be between general and special : the wisdom of God ruling everything in the best way for the best end; the knowledge of God, His wisdom as it contemplates the relations of things, and adopts means and methods. The wisdom forms the plan; the knowledge knows the ways of carrying it out.

Vincent: Rom 11:33 - Past finding out

Past finding out ( ἀνεξιχνίαστοι )

Only here and Eph 3:8. Appropriate to ways or paths . Lit., which cannot be tracked .

Vincent: Rom 11:34 - Who hath known, etc

Who hath known, etc.

From Isa 40:13. Heb., Who hath measured the Spirit ? Though measured may be rendered tried , proved , regulated . Compare the same citation in 1Co 2:16. This is the only passage in the Septuagint where ruach spirit is translated by νοῦς mind . Known (ἔγνω ) may refer to God's γνῶσις knowledge and ways in Rom 11:33; counselor to His wisdom and judgments . No one has counseled with Him in forming His decisions.

Vincent: Rom 11:35 - Who hath first given, etc

Who hath first given, etc.

From Job 41:3. Heb., Who has been beforehand with me that I should repay him ? Paul here follows the Aramaic translation. The Septuagint is: Who shall resist me and abide ?

Vincent: Rom 11:36 - Of - through - to

Of - through - to ( ἐξ - διά - εἰς )

Of , proceeding from as the source: through , by means of, as maintainer, preserver, ruler: to or unto , He is the point to which all tends. All men and things are for His glory (1Co 15:28). Alford styles this doxology " the sublimest apostrophe existing even in the pages of inspiration itself."

Wesley: Rom 11:9 - And David saith

In that prophetic imprecation, which is applicable to them, as well as to Judas.

Wesley: Rom 11:9 - A recompence

Of their preceding wickedness. So sin is punished by sin; and thus the gospel, which should have fed and strengthened their souls, is become a means of destroying them. Psa 69:22-23

Wesley: Rom 11:11 - Have they stumbled so as to fall

Totally and finally? No But by their fall - Or slip: it is a very soft word in the original.

Wesley: Rom 11:11 - Salvation is come to the gentiles

See an instance of this, Act 13:46.

Wesley: Rom 11:11 - To provoke them

The Jews themselves, to jealousy.

Wesley: Rom 11:12

The first part of this verse is treated of, Rom 11:13, &c; the latter, How much more their fulness, (that is, their full conversion,) Rom 11:23, &c.

So many prophecies refer to this grand event, that it is surprising any Christian can doubt of it. And these are greatly confirmed by the wonderful preservation of the Jews as a distinct people to this day. When it is accomplished, it will be so strong a demonstration, both of the Old and New Testament revelation, as will doubtless convince many thousand Deists, in countries nominally Christian; of whom there will, of course, be increasing multitudes among merely nominal Christians. And this will be a means of swiftly propagating the gospel among Mahometans and Pagans; who would probably have received it long ago, had they conversed only with real Christians.

Wesley: Rom 11:13 - I magnify my office

Far from being ashamed of ministering to the gentiles, I glory therein; the rather, as it may be a means of provoking my brethren to jealousy.

Wesley: Rom 11:14 - My flesh

My kinsmen.

Wesley: Rom 11:15 - Life from the dead

Overflowing life to the world, which was dead.

Wesley: Rom 11:16

And this will surely come to pass. For if the first fruits be holy, so is the lump - The consecration of them was esteemed the consecration of all and so the conversion of a few Jews is an earnest of the conversion of all the rest.

Wesley: Rom 11:16 - And if the root be holy

The patriarchs from whom they spring, surely God will at length make their descendants also holy.

Wesley: Rom 11:17 - Thou

O gentile.

Wesley: Rom 11:17 - Being a wild olive tree

Had the graft been nobler than the stock, yet its dependance on it for life and nourishment would leave it no room to boast against it. How much less, when, contrary to what is practised among men, the wild olive tree is engrafted on the good!

Wesley: Rom 11:18 - Boast not against the branches

Do not they do this who despise the Jews? or deny their future conversion?

Wesley: Rom 11:20 - They were broken off for unbelief, and thou standest by faith

Both conditionally, not absolutely: if absolutely, there might have been room to boast.

Wesley: Rom 11:20 - By faith

The free gift of God, which therefore ought to humble thee.

Wesley: Rom 11:21 - Be not highminded, but fear

We may observe, this fear is not opposed to trust, but to pride and security.

Wesley: Rom 11:22 - Else shalt thou

Also, who now "standest by faith," be both totally and finally cut off.

Wesley: Rom 11:24 - Contrary to nature

For according to nature, we graft the fruitful branch into the wild stock; but here the wild branch is grafted into the fruitful stock.

Wesley: Rom 11:25

St. Paul calls any truth known but to a few, a mystery. Such had been the calling of the gentiles: such was now the conversion of the Jews.

Wesley: Rom 11:25 - Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits

Puffed up with your present advantages; dreaming that ye are the only church; or that the church of Rome cannot fail. Hardness in part is happened to Israel, till - Israel therefore is neither totally nor finally rejected.

Wesley: Rom 11:25 - The fullness of the gentiles be come in

Till there be a vast harvest amongst the heathens.

Wesley: Rom 11:26 - And so all Israel shall be saved

Being convinced by the coming of the gentiles. But there will be a still larger harvest among the gentiles, when all Israel is come in.

Wesley: Rom 11:26 - The deliverer shall come

Yea, the deliverer is come; but not the full fruit of his coming. Isa 59:20

Wesley: Rom 11:28 - They are now enemies

To the gospel, to God, and to themselves, which God permits.

Wesley: Rom 11:28 - For your sake: but as for the election

That part of them who believe, they are beloved.

Wesley: Rom 11:29 - For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance

God does not repent of his gifts to the Jews, or his calling of the gentiles.

Wesley: Rom 11:32 - For God hath shut up all together in disobedience

Suffering each in their turn to revolt from him. First, God suffered the gentiles in the early age to revolt, and took the family of Abraham as a peculiar seed to himself. Afterwards he permitted them to fall through unbelief, and took in the believing gentiles. And he did even this to provoke the Jews to jealousy, and so bring them also in the end to faith. This was truly a mystery in the divine conduct, which the apostle adores with such holy astonishment.

Wesley: Rom 11:33 - O the depth of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God

In the ninth chapter, St. Paul had sailed but in a narrow sea: now he is in the ocean. The depth of the riches is described, Rom 11:35; the depth of wisdom, Rom 11:34; the depth of knowledge, in the latter part of this verse. Wisdom directs all things to the best end; knowledge sees that end.

Wesley: Rom 11:33 - How unsearchable are his judgments

With regard to unbelievers.

Wesley: Rom 11:33 - His ways

With regard to believers. His ways are more upon a level; His judgments "a great deep." But even his ways we cannot trace.

Wesley: Rom 11:34 - Who hath known the mind of the Lord

Before or any farther than he has revealed it. Isa 40:13.

Wesley: Rom 11:35 - Given to him

Either wisdom or power?

Wesley: Rom 11:36 - Of him

As the Creator.

Wesley: Rom 11:36 - Through him

As the Preserver.

Wesley: Rom 11:36 - To him

As the ultimate end, are all things. To him be the glory of his riches, wisdom, knowledge.

Wesley: Rom 11:36 - Amen

A concluding word, in which the affection of the apostle, when it is come to the height, shuts up all.

JFB: Rom 11:7-10 - What then?

How stands the fact?

JFB: Rom 11:7-10 - Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for

Better, "What Israel is in search of (that is, Justification, or acceptance with God--see on Rom 9:31); this he found not; but the election (the elect remnant of Israel) found it, and the rest were hardened," or judicially given over to the "hardness of their own hearts."

JFB: Rom 11:9 - And David saith

(Psa 69:23), which in such a Messianic psalm must be meant of the rejecters of Christ.

JFB: Rom 11:9 - Let their table, &c.

That is, Let their very blessings prove a curse to them, and their enjoyments only sting and take vengeance on them.

JFB: Rom 11:10 - Let their eyes be darkened . . . and bow down their back alway

Expressive either of the decrepitude, or of the servile condition, to come on the nation through the just judgment of God. The apostle's object in making these quotations is to show that what he had been compelled to say of the then condition and prospects of his nation was more than borne out by their own Scriptures. But, SECONDLY, God has not cast away His people finally. The illustration of this point extends, Rom. 11:11-31.

JFB: Rom 11:11 - I say then, Have they stumbled

"Did they stumble"

JFB: Rom 11:11 - that they should fall? God forbid; but

The supplement "rather" is better omitted.

JFB: Rom 11:11 - through their fall

Literally, "trespass," but here best rendered "false step" [DE WETTE]; not "fall," as in our version.

JFB: Rom 11:11 - salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy

Here, as also in Rom 10:19 (quoted from Deu 32:21), we see that emulation is a legitimate stimulus to what is good.

JFB: Rom 11:12 - Now if the fall of them

"But if their trespass," or "false step"

JFB: Rom 11:12 - be the riches of the

Gentile

JFB: Rom 11:12 - world

As being the occasion of their accession to Christ.

JFB: Rom 11:12 - and the diminishing of them

That is, the reduction of the true Israel to so small a remnant.

JFB: Rom 11:12 - the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness!

That is, their full recovery (see on Rom 11:26); that is, "If an event so untoward as Israel's fall was the occasion of such unspeakable good to the Gentile world, of how much greater good may we expect an event so blessed as their full recovery to be productive?"

JFB: Rom 11:13-14 - I speak

"am speaking"

JFB: Rom 11:13-14 - to you Gentiles

Another proof that this Epistle was addressed to Gentile believers. (See on Rom 1:13).

JFB: Rom 11:13-14 - I magnify

"glorify"

JFB: Rom 11:13-14 - mine office

The clause beginning with "inasmuch" should be read as a parenthesis.

JFB: Rom 11:14

If . . . I may provoke, &c. (See on Rom 11:11.)

JFB: Rom 11:14 - my flesh

Compare Isa 58:7.

JFB: Rom 11:15 - For if the casting away of them

The apostle had denied that they were east away (Rom 11:1); here he affirms it. But both are true; they were cast away, though neither totally nor finally, and it is of this partial and temporary rejection that the apostle here speaks.

JFB: Rom 11:15 - be the reconciling of the

Gentile

JFB: Rom 11:15 - world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

The reception of the whole family of Israel, scattered as they are among all nations under heaven, and the most inveterate enemies of the Lord Jesus, will be such a stupendous manifestation of the power of God upon the spirits of men, and of His glorious presence with the heralds of the Cross, as will not only kindle devout astonishment far and wide, but so change the dominant mode of thinking and feeling on all spiritual things as to seem like a resurrection from the dead.

JFB: Rom 11:16 - For

"But"

JFB: Rom 11:16 - if the first-fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root . . . so the branches

The Israelites were required to offer to God the first-fruits of the earth--both in their raw state, in a sheaf of newly reaped grain (Lev 23:10-11), and in their prepared state, made into cakes of dough (Num 15:19-21) --by which the whole produce of that season was regarded as hallowed. It is probable that the latter of these offerings is here intended, as to it the word "lump" best applies; and the argument of the apostle is, that as the separation unto God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, from the rest of mankind, as the parent stem of their race, was as real an offering of first-fruits as that which hallowed the produce of the earth, so, in the divine estimation, it was as real a separation of the mass or "lump" of that nation in all time to God. The figure of the "root" and its "branches" is of like import--the consecration of the one of them extending to the other.

JFB: Rom 11:17-18 - And if

Rather, "But if"; that is, "If notwithstanding this consecration of Abraham's race to God.

JFB: Rom 11:17-18 - some of the branches

The mass of the unbelieving and rejected Israelites are here called "some," not, as before, to meet Jewish prejudice (see on Rom 3:3, and on "not all" in Rom 10:16), but with the opposite view of checking Gentile pride.

JFB: Rom 11:17-18 - and thou, being a wild olive, wert

"wast"

JFB: Rom 11:17-18 - grafted in among them

Though it is more usual to graft the superior cutting upon the inferior stem, the opposite method, which is intended here, is not without example.

JFB: Rom 11:17-18 - and with them partakest

"wast made partaker," along with the branches left, the believing remnant.

JFB: Rom 11:17-18 - of the root and fatness of the olive tree

The rich grace secured by covenant to the true seed of Abraham.

JFB: Rom 11:18 - Boast not against the

Rejected

JFB: Rom 11:18 - branches. But if thou

"do"

JFB: Rom 11:18 - boast

Remember that

JFB: Rom 11:18 - thou bearest not

"it is not thou that bearest"

JFB: Rom 11:18 - the root, but the root thee

"If the branches may not boast over the root that bears them, then may not the Gentile boast over the seed of Abraham; for what is thy standing, O Gentile, in relation to Israel, but that of a branch in relation to the root? From Israel hath come all that thou art and hast in the family of God; for "salvation is of the Jews" (Joh 4:22).

JFB: Rom 11:19-21 - Thou wilt say then

As a plea for boasting.

The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

JFB: Rom 11:20 - Well

"Be it so, but remember that"

JFB: Rom 11:20 - because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest

Not as a Gentile, but solely

JFB: Rom 11:20 - by faith

But as faith cannot live in those "whose soul is lifted up" (Hab 2:4).

JFB: Rom 11:20 - Be not high-minded, but fear

(Pro 28:14; Phi 2:12):

JFB: Rom 11:21 - For if God spared not the natural branches

Sprung from the parent stem.

JFB: Rom 11:21 - take heed lest he also spare not thee

A mere wild graft. The former might, beforehand, have been thought very improbable; but, after that, no one can wonder at the latter.

JFB: Rom 11:22-23 - Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them that fell, severity

In rejecting the chosen seed.

JFB: Rom 11:22-23 - but toward thee, goodness

"God's goodness" is the true reading, that is, His sovereign goodness in admitting thee to a covenant standing who before wert a "stranger to the covenants of promise" (Eph 2:12-20).

JFB: Rom 11:22-23 - if thou continue in his goodness

In believing dependence on that pure goodness which made thee what thou art.

JFB: Rom 11:23 - And they also

"Yea, and they"

JFB: Rom 11:23 - if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again

This appeal to the power of God to effect the recovery of His ancient people implies the vast difficulty of it--which all who have ever labored for the conversion of the Jews are made depressingly to feel. That intelligent expositors should think that this was meant of individual Jews, reintroduced from time to time into the family of God on their believing on the Lord Jesus, is surprising; and yet those who deny the national recovery of Israel must and do so interpret the apostle. But this is to confound the two things which the apostle carefully distinguishes. Individual Jews have been at all times admissible, and have been admitted, to the Church through the gate of faith in the Lord Jesus. This is the "remnant, even at this present time, according to the election of grace," of which the apostle, in the first part of the chapter, had cited himself as one. But here he manifestly speaks of something not then existing, but to be looked forward to as a great future event in the economy of God, the reingrafting of the nation as such, when they "abide not in unbelief." And though this is here spoken of merely as a supposition (if their unbelief shall cease)--in order to set it over against the other supposition, of what will happen to the Gentiles if they shall not abide in the faith--the supposition is turned into an explicit prediction in the verses following.

JFB: Rom 11:24 - For if thou wert cut

"wert cut off"

JFB: Rom 11:24 - from the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, &c.

This is just the converse of Rom 11:21 : "As the excision of the merely engrafted Gentiles through unbelief is a thing much more to be expected than was the excision of the natural Israel, before it happened; so the restoration of Israel, when they shall be brought to believe in Jesus, is a thing far more in the line of what we should expect, than the admission of the Gentiles to a standing which they never before enjoyed."

JFB: Rom 11:25 - For I would not . . . that ye should be ignorant of this mystery

The word "mystery," so often used by our apostle, does not mean (as with us) something incomprehensible, but "something before kept secret, either wholly or for the most part, and now only fully disclosed" (compare Rom 16:25; 1Co 2:7-10; Eph 1:9-10; Eph 3:3-6, Eph 3:9-10).

JFB: Rom 11:25 - lest ye should be wise in your own conceits

As if ye alone were in all time coming to be the family of God.

JFB: Rom 11:25 - that blindness

"hardness"

JFB: Rom 11:25 - in part is happened to

"hath come upon"

JFB: Rom 11:25 - Israel

That is, hath come partially, or upon a portion of Israel.

JFB: Rom 11:25 - until the fulness of the Gentiles be

"have"

JFB: Rom 11:25 - come in

That is, not the general conversion of the world to Christ, as many take it; for this would seem to contradict the latter part of this chapter, and throw the national recovery of Israel too far into the future: besides, in Rom 11:15, the apostle seems to speak of the receiving of Israel, not as following, but as contributing largely to bring about the general conversion of the world--but, "until the Gentiles have had their full time of the visible Church all to themselves while the Jews are out, which the Jews had till the Gentiles were brought in." (See Luk 21:24).

JFB: Rom 11:26-27 - And so all Israel shall be saved

To understand this great statement, as some still do, merely of such a gradual inbringing of individual Jews, that there shall at length remain none in unbelief, is to do manifest violence both to it and to the whole context. It can only mean the ultimate ingathering of Israel as a nation, in contrast with the present "remnant." (So THOLUCK, MEYER, DE WETTE, PHILIPPI, ALFORD, HODGE). Three confirmations of this now follow: two from the prophets, and a third from the Abrahamic covenant itself. First, as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and

JFB: Rom 11:26-27 - shall

Or, according to what seems the true reading, without the "and"--"He shall"

JFB: Rom 11:26-27 - turn away ungodliness from Jacob

The apostle, having drawn his illustrations of man's sinfulness chiefly from Psa 14:1-7 and Isa. 59:1-21, now seems to combine the language of the same two places regarding Israel's salvation from it [BENGEL]. In the one place the Psalmist longs to see the "salvation of Israel coming out of Zion" (Psa 14:7); in the other, the prophet announces that "the Redeemer (or, 'Deliverer') shall come to (or 'for') Zion" (Isa 59:20). But as all the glorious manifestations of Israel's God were regarded as issuing out of Zion, as the seat of His manifested glory (Psa 20:2; Psa 110:2; Isa 31:9), the turn which the apostle gives to the words merely adds to them that familiar idea. And whereas the prophet announces that He "shall come to (or, 'for') them that turn from transgression in Jacob," while the apostle makes Him say that He shall come "to turn away ungodliness from Jacob," this is taken from the Septuagint version, and seems to indicate a different reading of the original text. The sense, however, is substantially the same in both. Second,

JFB: Rom 11:27 - For

Rather, "and" (again); introducing a new quotation.

JFB: Rom 11:27 - this is my covenant with them

Literally, "this is the covenant from me unto them."

JFB: Rom 11:27 - when I shall take away their sins

This, we believe, is rather a brief summary of Jer 31:31-34 than the express words of any prediction, Those who believe that there are no predictions regarding the literal Israel in the Old Testament, that stretch beyond the end of the Jewish economy, are obliged to view these quotations by the apostle as mere adaptations of Old Testament language to express his own predictions [ALEXANDER on Isaiah, &c.]. But how forced this is, we shall presently see.

JFB: Rom 11:28-29 - As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes

That is, they are regarded and treated as enemies (in a state of exclusion through unbelief, from the family of God) for the benefit of you Gentiles; in the sense of Rom 11:11, Rom 11:15.

JFB: Rom 11:28-29 - but as touching, the election

Of Abraham and his seed.

JFB: Rom 11:28-29 - they are beloved

Even in their state of exclusion for the fathers' sakes.

JFB: Rom 11:29 - For the gifts and calling

"and the calling"

JFB: Rom 11:29 - of God are without repentance

"not to be," or "cannot be repented of." By the "calling of God," in this case, is meant that sovereign act by which God, in the exercise of His free choice, "called" Abraham to be the father of a peculiar people; while "the gifts of God" here denote the articles of the covenant which God made with Abraham, and which constituted the real distinction between his and all other families of the earth. Both these, says the apostle, are irrevocable; and as the point for which he refers to this at all is the final destiny of the Israelitish nation, it is clear that the perpetuity through all time of the Abrahamic covenant is the thing here affirmed. And lest any should say that though Israel, as a nation, has no destiny at all under the Gospel, but as a people disappeared from the stage when the middle wall of partition was broken down, yet the Abrahamic covenant still endures in the spiritual seed of Abraham, made up of Jews and Gentiles in one undistinguished mass of redeemed men under the Gospel--the apostle, as if to preclude that supposition, expressly states that the very Israel who, as concerning the Gospel, are regarded as "enemies for the Gentiles' sakes," are "beloved for the fathers' sakes"; and it is in proof of this that he adds, "For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance." But in what sense are the now unbelieving and excluded children of Israel "beloved for the fathers' sakes?" Not merely from ancestral recollections, as one looks with fond interest on the child of a dear friend for that friend's sake [DR. ARNOLD]--a beautiful thought, and not foreign to Scripture, in this very matter (see 2Ch 20:7; Isa 41:8) --but it is from ancestral connections and obligations, or their lineal descent from and oneness in covenant with the fathers with whom God originally established it. In other words, the natural Israel--not "the remnant of them according to the election of grace," but THE NATION, sprung from Abraham according to the flesh--are still an elect people, and as such, "beloved." The very same love which chose the fathers, and rested on the fathers as a parent stem of the nation, still rests on their descendants at large, and will yet recover them from unbelief, and reinstate them in the family of God.

JFB: Rom 11:30-31 - For as ye in times past have not believed

Or, "obeyed"

JFB: Rom 11:30-31 - God

That is, yielded not to God "the obedience of faith," while strangers to Christ.

JFB: Rom 11:30-31 - yet now have obtained mercy through

By occasion of

JFB: Rom 11:30-31 - their unbelief

(See on Rom 11:11; Rom 11:15; Rom 11:28).

JFB: Rom 11:31 - Even so have these

The Jews.

JFB: Rom 11:31 - now not believed

Or, "now been disobedient"

JFB: Rom 11:31 - that through your mercy

The mercy shown to you.

JFB: Rom 11:31 - they also may obtain mercy

Here is an entirely new idea. The apostle has hitherto dwelt upon the unbelief of the Jews as making way for the faith of the Gentiles--the exclusion of the one occasioning the reception of the other; a truth yielding to generous, believing Gentiles but mingled satisfaction. Now, opening a more cheering prospect, he speaks of the mercy shown to the Gentiles as a means of Israel's recovery; which seems to mean that it will be by the instrumentality of believing Gentiles that Israel as a nation is at length to "look on Him whom they have pierced and mourn for Him," and so to "obtain mercy." (See 2Co 3:15-16).

JFB: Rom 11:32 - For God hath concluded them all in unbelief

"hath shut them all up to unbelief"

JFB: Rom 11:32 - that he might have mercy upon all

That is, those "all" of whom he had been discoursing; the Gentiles first, and after them the Jews [FRITZSCHE, THOLUCK, OLSHAUSEN, DE WETTE, PHILIPPI, STUART, HODGE]. Certainly it is not "all mankind individually" [MEYER, ALFORD]; for the apostle is not here dealing with individuals, but with those great divisions of mankind, Jew and Gentile. And what he here says is that God's purpose was to shut each of these divisions of men to the experience first of an humbled, condemned state, without Christ, and then to the experience of His mercy in Christ.

JFB: Rom 11:33 - Oh, the depth, &c.

The apostle now yields himself up to the admiring contemplation of the grandeur of that divine plan which he had sketched out.

JFB: Rom 11:33 - of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God

Many able expositors render this, "of the riches and wisdom and knowledge," &c. [ERASMUS, GROTIUS, BENGEL, MEYER, DE WETTE, THOLUCK, OLSHAUSEN, FRITZSCHE, PHILIPPI, ALFORD, Revised Version]. The words will certainly bear this sense, "the depth of God's riches." But "the riches of God" is a much rarer expression with our apostle than the riches of this or that perfection of God; and the words immediately following limit our attention to the unsearchableness of God's "judgments," which probably means His decrees or plans (Psa 119:75), and of "His ways," or the method by which He carries these into effect. (So LUTHER, CALVIN, BEZA, HODGE, &c.). Besides, all that follows to the end of the chapter seems to show that while the Grace of God to guilty men in Christ Jesus is presupposed to be the whole theme of this chapter, that which called forth the special admiration of the apostle, after sketching at some length the divine purposes and methods in the bestowment of this grace, was "the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge" in these purposes and methods. The "knowledge," then, points probably to the vast sweep of divine comprehension herein displayed; the "wisdom" to that fitness to accomplish the ends intended, which is stamped on all this procedure.

JFB: Rom 11:34-35 - For who hath known the mind of the Lord?

See Job 15:8; Jer 23:18.

JFB: Rom 11:34-35 - or who hath been his counsellor

See Isa 40:13-14.

JFB: Rom 11:35 - Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him

"and shall have recompense made to him"

JFB: Rom 11:35 - again

See Job 35:7; Job 41:11. These questions, it will thus be seen, are just quotations from the Old Testament, as if to show how familiar to God's ancient people was the great truth which the apostle himself had just uttered, that God's plans and methods in the dispensation of His Grace have a reach of comprehension and wisdom stamped upon them which finite mortals cannot fathom, much less could ever have imagined, before they were disclosed.

JFB: Rom 11:36 - For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom

"to Him"

JFB: Rom 11:36 - be glory for ever. Amen

Thus worthily--with a brevity only equalled by its sublimity--does the apostle here sum up this whole matter. "OF Him are all things," as their eternal Source: "THROUGH HIM are all things," inasmuch as He brings all to pass which in His eternal counsels He purposed: "To Him are all things," as being His own last End; the manifestation of the glory of His own perfections being the ultimate, because the highest possible, design of all His procedure from first to last.

JFB: Rom 11:36 - On this rich chapter, Note, (1) It is an unspeakable consolation to know that in times of deepest religious declension and most extensive defection from the truth, the lamp of God has never been permitted to go out, and that a faithful remnant has ever existed

A remnant larger than their own drooping spirits could easily believe (Rom 11:1-5). (2) The preservation of this remnant, even as their separation at the first, is all of mere grace (Rom 11:5-6). (3) When individuals and communities, after many fruitless warnings, are abandoned of God, they go from bad to worse (Rom 11:7-10). (4) God has so ordered His dealings with the great divisions of mankind, "that no flesh should glory in His presence." Gentile and Jew have each in turn been "shut up to unbelief," that each in turn may experience the "mercy" which saves the chief of sinners (Rom. 11:11-32). (5) As we are "justified by faith," so are we "kept by the power of God through faith"--faith alone--unto salvation (Rom 11:20-32). (6) God's covenant with Abraham and his natural seed is a perpetual covenant, in equal force under the Gospel as before it. Therefore it is, that the Jews as a nation still survive, in spite of all the laws which, in similar circumstances, have either extinguished or destroyed the identity of other nations. And therefore it is that the Jews as a nation will yet be restored to the family of God, through the subjection of their proud hearts to Him whom they have pierced. And as believing Gentiles will be honored to be the instruments of this stupendous change, so shall the vast Gentile world reap such benefit from it, that it shall be like the communication of life to them from the dead. (7) Thus has the Christian Church the highest motive to the establishment and vigorous prosecution of missions to the Jews; God having not only promised that there shall be a remnant of them gathered in every age, but pledged Himself to the final ingathering of the whole nation assigned the honor of that ingathering to the Gentile Church, and assured them that the event, when it does arrive, shall have a life-giving effect upon the whole world (Rom 11:12-16, Rom 11:26-31). (8) Those who think that in all the evangelical prophecies of the Old Testament the terms "Jacob," "Israel," &c., are to be understood solely of the Christian Church, would appear to read the Old Testament differently from the apostle, who, from the use of those very terms in Old Testament prophecy, draws arguments to prove that God has mercy in store for the natural Israel (Rom 11:26-27). (9) Mere intellectual investigations into divine truth in general, and the sense of the living oracles in particular, as they have a hardening effect, so they are a great contrast to the spirit of our apostle, whose lengthened sketch of God's majestic procedure towards men in Christ Jesus ends here in a burst of admiration, which loses itself in the still loftier frame of adoration (Rom 11:33-36).

Clarke: Rom 11:9 - And David saith, Let their table, etc.

And David saith, Let their table, etc. - And from their present disposition it is reasonable to conclude that the same evils will fall upon them as fell upon the disobedient in former times, as predicted by David, Psa 69:22, Psa 69:23, that their very blessings should become curses to them, and their temporal mercies be their only recompense; and yet even these earthly blessings, by not being enjoyed in the Lord, should be a stumbling block over which they should fall, and, instead of being a blessing, should be the means of their punishment. They would have a worldly Messiah, and therefore they rejected him whose kingdom was not of this world.

Clarke: Rom 11:10 - Let their eyes be darkened

Let their eyes be darkened - All these words are declarative, and not imprecatory. God declares what will be the case of such obstinate unbelievers; their table, their common providential blessings, will become a snare, a trap, a stumbling block, and the means of their punishment. Their eyes will be more and more darkened as they persist in their unbelief, and their back shall be bowed down always; far from becoming a great and powerful nation, they shall continue ever in a state of abject slavery and oppression, till they acknowledge Jesus as the promised Messiah, and submit to receive redemption in his blood.

Clarke: Rom 11:11 - Have they stumbled that they should fall?

Have they stumbled that they should fall? - Have the Jews, now for their disobedience and unbelief rejected, so sinned against God as to be for ever put out of the reach of his mercy? By no means. Are they, as a nation, utterly irrecoverable? This is the sense of the place, and here the prophecy of the restoration of the Jewish nation commences

Clarke: Rom 11:11 - But rather through their fall salvation is come

But rather through their fall salvation is come - The Church of God cannot fail; if the Jews have broken the everlasting covenant, Isa 24:5, the Gentiles shall be taken into it; and this very circumstance shall be ultimately the means of exciting them to seek and claim a share in the blessings of the new covenant; and this is what the apostle terms provoking them to jealousy, i.e. exciting them to emulation, for so the word should be understood. We should observe here, that the fall of the Jews was not in itself the cause or reason of the calling of the Gentiles; for whether the Jews had stood or fallen, whether they had embraced or rejected the Gospel, it was the original purpose of God to take the Gentiles into the Church; for this was absolutely implied in the covenant made with Abraham: and it was in virtue of that covenant that the Gentiles were now called, and not Because of the unbelief of the Jews. And hence we see that their fall was not the necessary means of the salvation of the Gentiles; for certainly the unbelief of the Jews could never produce faith in the Gentiles. The simple state of the case is: the Jews, in the most obstinate and unprincipled manner, rejected Jesus Christ and the salvation offered them in his name; then the apostles turned to the Gentiles, and they heard and believed. The Jews themselves perceived that the Gentiles were to be put in possession of similar privileges to those which they, as the peculiar people of God, had enjoyed; and this they could not bear, and put forth all their strength in opposition and persecution. The calling of the Gentiles, which existed in the original purpose of God, became in a certain way accelerated by the unbelief of the Jews, through which they forfeited all their privileges, and fell from that state of glory and dignity in which they had been long placed as the peculiar people of God. See Taylor.

Clarke: Rom 11:12 - Now if the fall of them

Now if the fall of them - The English reader may imagine that, because fall is used in both these verses, the original word is the same. But their fall, and the fall of them, is παραπτωμα, the same word which we render offense, Rom 5:15, Rom 5:17, Rom 5:18, and might be rendered lapse. Whereas that they should fall (Rom 11:11) is, ινα πεσωσι . Now, πιπτω, to fall, is used in a sense so very emphatical as to signify being slain. So Homer, Il. viii., ver. 475

Ηματι τῳ, οτ ’ αν οἱ μεν επι πρυμνησι μαχωνται,

Στεινει εν αινοτατῳ, περι Πατροκλοιο πεσοντος

Ὡς γαρ θεσφατον εστι.

And for Patroclus slain, the crowded hosts

In narrow space, shall at the ships contend

Such the divine decree

And again, Il. xi., ver. 84

Οφρα μεν ηως ην και αεξετο ἱερον ημαρ

Τοφρα μαλ ’ αμφοτερων βελε ’ ἡπτετο, πιπτε δε λαος.

While morning lasted, and the light of da

Increased, so long the weapons on both side

Flew in thick vollies; and the people fell

Cowper

It is well known, that to fall in battle means to be killed. It is in such a sense as this that St. Paul used the word fall, when he says, Have they stumbled that they should Fall? He means a fall quite destructive and ruinous; whereas by their fall, and the fall of them, he means no more than such a lapse as was recoverable; as in the case of Adam’ s offense. See Dr. Taylor

Clarke: Rom 11:12 - The riches of the world

The riches of the world - If, in consequence of their unbelief, the riches of God’ s grace and goodness be poured out on the whole Gentile world, how much more shall that dispensation of grace and mercy enrich and aggrandize the Gentiles, which shall bring the whole body of the Jews to the faith of the Gospel! Here the apostle supposes, or rather predicts, that such a dispensation shall take place; and that, therefore, the Jews have not so stumbled as to be finally irrecoverable.

Clarke: Rom 11:13 - I magnify mine office

I magnify mine office - This is a very improper translation of την διακονιαν μου δοξαζω, which is, literally, I honor this my ministry. Dr. Taylor has justly observed that magnify, except when applied to the most High, carries with it, in our language, the idea of stretching beyond the bounds of truth; whereas the apostle simply means that he does justice to his ministry, by stating the glorious things which he was commissioned to preach among the Gentiles: blessings which the Jews by their obstinacy had forfeited.

Clarke: Rom 11:14 - Might save some of them

Might save some of them - And yet all these were among the reprobate, or rejected; however, the apostle supposed that none of them were irrecoverably shut out from the Divine favor; and that some of them, by his preaching, might be disposed to receive salvation by Christ Jesus.

Clarke: Rom 11:15 - But life from the dead

But life from the dead - If the rejection of the Jews became the occasion of our receiving the Gospel, so that we can even glory in our tribulations, though they themselves became chief instruments of our sufferings; yet so far must we feel from exulting over them that we should esteem their full conversion to God as great and choice a favor as we would the restoration of a most intimate friend to life, who had been at the gates of death

The restoration of the Jews to a state of favor with God to which the apostle refers, and which is too plainly intimated by the spirit of prophecy to admit of a doubt, will be a most striking event. Their being preserved as a distinct people is certainly a strong collateral proof that they shall once more be brought into the Church of God: and their conversion to Christianity will be an incontestable proof of the truth of Divine revelation; and doubtless will become the means of converting multitudes of deists, who will see the prophecies of God, which had been delivered so long before, so strikingly fulfilled in this great event. We need not wonder, if a whole nation should then be born as in a day.

Clarke: Rom 11:16 - For if the first fruit be holy

For if the first fruit be holy - As the consecrating the first fruits to God was the means of drawing down his blessing upon the rest, so the conversion of Abraham to the true faith, and the several Jews who have now embraced Christianity, are pledges that God will, in process of time, admit the whole Jewish nation into his favor again, so that they shall constitute a part of the visible Church of Christ

Clarke: Rom 11:16 - If the root be holy, so are the branches

If the root be holy, so are the branches - The word holy in this verse is to be taken in that sense which it has so frequently in the Old and New Testaments, viz. consecrated, set apart to sacred uses. It must not be forgotten that the first converts to Christ were from among the Jews; these formed the root of the Christian Church: these were holy, ἁγιοι, consecrated to God, and those who among the Gentiles were converted by their means were also ἁγιοι, consecrated; but the chief reference is to the ancestors of the Jewish people, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and, as these were devoted to God and received into his covenant, all their posterity, the branches which proceeded from this root, became entitled to the same privileges: and as the root still remains, and the branches also, the descendants from that root still remain: they still have a certain title to the blessings of the covenant; though, because of their obstinate unbelief, these blessings are suspended, as they cannot, even on the ground of the old covenant, enjoy these blessings but through faith: for it was when Abraham believed God that it was accounted to him for righteousness; and thus he became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Clarke: Rom 11:17 - And if some of the branches, etc.

And if some of the branches, etc. - If the present nation of the Jews, because of their unbelief, are cut off from the blessings of the Church of God, and the high honor and dignity of being his peculiar people; and thou, being a wild olive - ye Gentiles, being without the knowledge of the true God, and consequently bringing forth no fruits of righteousness, wert grafted in among them - are now inserted in the original stock, having been made partakers of the faith of Abraham, and consequently of his blessings; and enjoy, as the people did who sprang from him, the fatness of the olive tree - the promises made to the patriarchs, and the spiritual privileges of the Jewish Church: -

Clarke: Rom 11:18 - Boast not against the branches

Boast not against the branches - While you are ready to acknowledge that you were included in the covenant made with Abraham, and are now partakers of the same blessings with him, do not exult over, much less insult, the branches, his present descendants, whose place you now fill up, according to the election of grace: for remember, ye are not the root, nor do ye bear the root, but the root bears you. You have not been the means of deriving any blessing on the Jewish people; but through that very people, which you may be tempted to despise, all the blessing and excellencies which you enjoy have been communicated to you.

Clarke: Rom 11:19 - Thou wilt say then, etc.

Thou wilt say then, etc. - You may think that you have reason to exult over them; because it is a fact that God has been displeased with them, and therefore has broken them off; has cast them out of the Church, and taken you into it in their place.

Clarke: Rom 11:20 - Well; because of unbelief, etc.

Well; because of unbelief, etc. - This statement is all true; but then, consider, why is it that they were cast out? Was it not because of their unbelief? And you stand by faith: you were made partakers of these blessings by faith; be not high-minded; let this humble, not exalt you in your own estimation; for if the blessings were received by faith, consequently not by works; and if not by works, you have no merit; and what you have received is through the mere mercy of God. They once stood by faith; they gave place to unbelief, and fell: you stand now by faith; but it is as possible for you to be unfaithful as it was for them, and consequently you may fall under the Divine displeasure, as they have done; be not high-minded, but fear; watch over yourselves with godly jealousy.

Clarke: Rom 11:21 - For if God spared not the natural branches

For if God spared not the natural branches - If He, in his infinite justice and holiness, could not tolerate sin in the people whom he foreknew, whom he had so long loved, cherished, miraculously preserved and blessed; take heed lest he also spare not thee. Be convinced that the same righteous principle in him will cause him to act towards you as he has acted towards them, if you sin after the similitude of their transgression; and to this, self-sufficiency and self-confidence will soon lead you. Remember, therefore, the rock whence you were hewn, and the hole of the pit whence ye were digged. Depend incessantly on God’ s free grace, that ye may abide in his favor.

Clarke: Rom 11:22 - Behold therefore the goodness

Behold therefore the goodness - The exclamation, Behold the goodness of God! is frequent among the Jewish writers, when they wish to call the attention of men to particular displays of God’ s mercy, especially towards those who are singularly unworthy. See several instances in Schoettgen

Clarke: Rom 11:22 - And severity of God

And severity of God - As χρηστοτης, goodness, signifies the essential quality of the Divine nature, the fountain of all good to men and angels, so αποτομια, severity, as it is here translated, signifies that particular exercise of his goodness and holiness which leads him to sever from his mystical body whatsoever would injure, corrupt, or destroy it. The apostle in these verses uses a metaphor taken from engrafting, εγκεντρισις, from the verb εγκεντριζω, from εν, in, and κεντριζω, to puncture, because engrafting was frequently done by making a puncture in the bark of a tree, and then inserting a bud taken from another. This was the practice in the Roman agriculture, as we learn from Virgil, Georg. ii, ver. 73: -

Nam qua se medio trudunt de cortice gemmae

Et tenues rumpunt tunicas, angustus in ips

Fit nodo sinus: huc aliena ex arbore germe

Includunt, udoque docent inolescere libro

For where the tender rinds of trees disclos

Their shooting gems, a swelling knot there grows

Just in that space a narrow slit we make

Then other buds from bearing trees we take

Inserted thus, the wounded rind we close

In whose moist womb the admitted infant grows

Dryden

In all countries the principle is the same, though the mode is various

The apostle, having adopted this metaphor as the best he could find to express that act of God’ s justice and mercy by which the Jews were rejected, and the Gentiles elected in their stead, and, in order to show that though the Jewish tree was cut down, or its branches lopped off, yet it was not rooted up, he informs the Gentile believers that, as it is customary to insert a good scion in a bad or useless stock, they who were bad, contrary to the custom in such cases, were grafted in a good stock, and their growth and fruitfulness proclaimed the excellence and vegetative life of the stock in which they were inserted. This was the goodness of the heavenly gardener to them; but it was severity, αποτομια, an act of excision to the Jews

The reader will observe that this term belongs to engrafting: often, in this operation, a part of a branch is cut off; in that part which remains in connection with the tree a little slit is made, and then a small twig or branch taken from another tree is, at its lower end, shaved thin, wedge-like, and then inserted in the cleft, after which the whole is tied together, clayed round, etc., and the bark unites to bark; and the stock and the scion become thus one tree, the juices of the whole stock circulating through the tubes of the newly-inserted twig; and thus both live, though the branch inserted bears a very different fruit from that which the parent stock bore. I have often performed this operation, and in this very way, with success: and I cannot conceive that the apostle could have chosen a more apt or more elegant metaphor. The Jewish tree does not bring forth proper fruit; but it will answer well to ingraft a proper fruit-bearing tree on. The Gentiles are a wild olive, which is a tree that bears no fruit; but it may be made to bear if grafted on the Jewish stock. Some of the branches were cut off, that the branches of this wild olive might be inserted: the act by which this insertion is made is termed αποτομια, goodness, benignity: the act by which the branches of the original stock are broken off is termed αποτομια, excision; from απο, from, and τεμνω, I cut, still keeping the metaphor taken from engrafting in view. Now, let the apostle’ s mode of reasoning be observed: the tree is cut down, or its branches lopped off; but the tree is not rooted up. The Jews have stumbled, but not so as to fall irrecoverably; for if they abide not still in unbelief, they shall be grafted in, Rom 11:23. The Gentiles which are grafted in on these cut-off branches, like the scion inserted into another stock, partake of the root, which absorbs from the earth the nutritious juices, and the fatness of the Jewish tree, the blessings and privileges which that people have long enjoyed, in consequence of the Abrahamic covenant, Rom 11:17; the root, the Jewish covenant, bears them: not they the root, Rom 11:18. As, therefore, the continuance of the Gentiles as the Church and people of God depends upon their interest in the Abrahamic covenant, the blessings of which they derive through the medium of the Jews, they should be grateful to God, and tolerant to those through whom they have received such blessings. And as, in the case of grafting, the prosperity of the engrafted scion depends on the existence of the parent stock, so the continuance of the Gentiles in this state of favor, (following the metaphor), in a certain way depends on the continuance of the Jewish people: and they are preserved, as so many scions which are in process of time to be engrafted on the Gentiles; and thus the Gentiles shall become the means of salvation to the Jews, as the Jews have been the means of salvation to the Gentiles. Following, therefore, the metaphor a little farther, which seems to have been so well chosen in all its parts, the continued existence of the Jews as a distinct people, together with the acknowledgment of the Gentiles, that they have derived their salvation and state of blessedness through them - of which Jesus Christ, born of the stock of David, is the author; and the Jewish Scriptures, which the Gentiles receive as inspired by God, are the evidence - then, the restoration of the Jews to the favor of God is a necessary consequence, and indeed seems to be the principal end in reference to which the apostle reasons. The Gentiles, however, are to take care that the restoration of the Jews be not at their expense; as their calling and election were at the expense of the Jews: the latter being cut off, that the former might be grafted in, Rom 11:19. Of this there is no kind of necessity, for the original stock, the Abrahamic covenant, is sufficient to receive them all; and so Jews and Gentiles become one eternal flock, under one Bishop and Shepherd of all their souls.

Clarke: Rom 11:23 - If they abide not in unbelief

If they abide not in unbelief - So, we find that their rejection took place in consequence of their wilful obstinacy: and, that they may return into the fold, the door of which still stands open

Clarke: Rom 11:23 - For God is able to graft them in again

For God is able to graft them in again - Fallen as they are and degraded, God can, in the course of his providence and mercy, restore them to all their forfeited privileges; and this will take place if they abide not in unbelief: which intimates that God has furnished them with all the power and means necessary for faith, and that they may believe on the Lord Jesus whenever they will. The veil now continues on their heart; but it is not a veil which God has spread there, but a veil occasioned by their own voluntary and obstinate unbelief: and, when they shall turn to the Lord, (Jesus), the veil shall be taken away. See what the apostle has said, 2Co 3:6-18.

Clarke: Rom 11:24 - The olive tree, which is wild by nature

The olive tree, which is wild by nature - Which is κατα φυσιν, naturally, wild and barren; for that the wild olive bore no fruit is sufficiently evident from the testimony of the authors who have written on the subject; hence the proverb, Ακαρποτερος αγριππου· more unfruitful than the wild olive. Λακωνες γαρ αγριαν ελαιαν αγιππον καλουσι· for the Lacedemonians term the wild olive αγριππον . See Suidas. And hence Hesychius interprets αγριελαιος, the wild olive, (the word used here by St. Paul), by ακαρπος, unfruitful: and the reason given in Diogen. Proverb. Cent. ii. n. 63, is φυτον γαρ εστιν ὁ αγριππος ακαρπον· for the wild olive is an unfruitful tree. On this account the apostle very properly says: Thou wert cut, εκ της κατα φυσιν αγριελαιου, out of that olive which is uncultivated, because it is barren: the κατα φυσιν does not refer here to its being naturally barren; but to its being commonly or customarily permitted to remain so. And that this is the import of the phrase here is evident from the next clause of the verse

Clarke: Rom 11:24 - And wert grafted contrary to nature

And wert grafted contrary to nature - Παρα φυσιν, contrary to all custom; for a scion taken from a barren or useless tree is scarcely ever known to be grafted into a good stock; but here the Gentiles, a fruitless and sinful race, are grafted on the ancient patriarchal stock. Now, if it was possible to effect such a change in the state and disposition of the Gentiles, who were αθεοι εν τῳ κοσμῳ, Eph 2:12, without God, Atheists, in the world; how much more possible is it, speaking after the manner of men, to bring about a similar change in the Jews, who acknowledge the one, only, and true God, and receive the law and the prophets as a revelation from him. This seems to be the drift of the apostle’ s argument.

Clarke: Rom 11:25 - I would not - that ye should be ignorant of this mystery

I would not - that ye should be ignorant of this mystery - Mystery, μυστηριον, signifies any thing that is hidden or covered, or not fully made manifest. The Greek word seems to have been borrowed from the Hebrew מסתר mistar , from the root סתר sathar , to hide, conceal, etc.; though some derive it from μυεισθαι, to be initiated into sacred rites, from μυειν, to shut up. In the New Testament it signifies, generally, any thing or doctrine that has not, in former times, been fully known to men: or, something that has not been heard of, or which is so deep, profound, and difficult of comprehension, that it cannot be apprehended without special direction and instruction: here it signifies the doctrine of the future restoration of the Jews, not fully known in itself, and not at all known as to the time in which it will take place. In Rom 16:25 it means the Christian religion, not known till the advent of Christ. The apostle wished the Romans not to be ignorant of this mystery, viz. that such a thing was intended; and, in order to give them as much instruction as possible on this subject, he gives them some characteristic or sign of the times when it was to take place

Clarke: Rom 11:25 - Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits

Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits - It seems from this, and from other expressions in this epistle, that the converted Gentiles had not behaved toward the Jews with that decorum and propriety which the relation they bore to them required. In this chapter the apostle strongly guards them against giving way to such a disposition

Clarke: Rom 11:25 - Blindness in part is happened to Israel

Blindness in part is happened to Israel - Partial blindness, or blindness to a part of them; for they were not all unbelievers: several thousands of them had been converted to the Christian faith; though the body of the nation, and especially its rulers, civil and spiritual, continued opposed to Christ and his doctrine

Clarke: Rom 11:25 - Until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in

Until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in - And this blindness will continue till the Church of the Gentiles be fully completed - till the Gospel be preached through all the nations of the earth, and multitudes of heathens every where embrace the faith. The words πληρωμα των εθνων may be borrowed from the מלא הגוים melo haggoyim , a multitude of nations, which the Septuagint translate by πληθος εθνων . By the πληρωμα, or fullness, a great multitude may be intended, which should be so dilated on every hand as to fill various regions. In this sense the words were understood by Solomon ben Melec, ארצות הגוים שימלאו מהם . The nations of the Gentiles shall be filled with them: the apostle, therefore, seems to give this sense of the mystery - that the Jews will continue in a state of blindness till such time as a multitude of nations, or Gentiles, shall be converted to the Christian faith; and the Jews, hearing of this, shall be excited, by a spirit of emulation, to examine and acknowledge the validity of the proofs of Christianity, and embrace the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ

We should not restrict the meaning of these words too much, by imagining

1.    That the fullness must necessarily mean all the nations of the universe, and all the individuals of those nations: probably, no more than a general spread of Christianity over many nations which are now under the influence of Pagan or Mohammedan superstition may be what is intended

2.    We must not suppose that the coming in here mentioned necessarily means, what most religious persons understand by conversion, a thorough change of the whole heart and the whole life: the acknowledgment of the Divine mission of our Lord, and a cordial embracing of the Christian religion, will sufficiently fulfill the apostle’ s words. If we wait for the conversion of the Jews till such a time as every Gentile and Mohammedan soul shall be, in this especial sense, converted to God, then - we shall wait for ever.

Clarke: Rom 11:26 - And so all Israel shall be saved

And so all Israel shall be saved - Shall be brought into the way of salvation, by acknowledging the Messiah; for the word certainly does not mean eternal glory; for no man can conceive that a time will ever come in which every Jew then living, shall be taken to the kingdom of glory. The term saved, as applied to the Israelites in different parts of the Scripture, signifies no more than their being gathered out of the nations of the world, separated to God, and possessed of the high privilege of being his peculiar people. And we know that this is the meaning of the term, by finding it applied to the body of the Israelites when this alone was the sum of their state. See the Preface, Part II

Clarke: Rom 11:26 - As it is written

As it is written - The apostle supports what he advances on this head by a quotation from Scripture, which, in the main, is taken from Isa 59:20 : The Deliverer shall come out of Zion, and turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Now this cannot be understood of the manifestation of Christ among the Jews; or of the multitudes which were converted before, at, and for some time after, the day of pentecost; for these times were all past when the apostle wrote this epistle, which was probably about the 57th or 58th year of our Lord; and, as no remarkable conversion of that people has since taken place, therefore the fulfillment of this prophecy is yet to take place. In what manner Christ is to come out of Zion, and in what way or by what means he is to turn away transgression from Jacob, we cannot tell; and to attempt to conjecture, when the time, occasion, means, etc., are all in mystery, would be more than reprehensible.

Clarke: Rom 11:27 - For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins

For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins - The reader on referring to Isa 59:20, Isa 59:21, will find that the words of the original are here greatly abridged. They are the following: -

And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’ s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever

For the manner in which St. Paul makes his quotation from Scripture, see the observations at the end of the preceding chapter, (Rom 10:21 (note), Part I.). The whole of these two verses should be read in a parenthesis, as I have marked them in the text; for it is evident that the 25th verse should be immediately connected with the 28th

It may not be amiss to subjoin here a collection of those texts in the Old Testament that seem to point out a restoration of the Jewish commonwealth to a higher degree of excellence than it has yet attained. Isa 2:2-5; Isa 19:24, Isa 19:25; Isa 25:6, etc.; Isa 30:18, Isa 30:19, Isa 30:26; Isaiah 60:1-22; Isa 65:17-25; Jer 31:10-12; Jer 46:27, Jer 46:28; Eze 20:34, Eze 20:40, etc.; Eze 28:25, Eze 28:26; Eze 34:20, etc.; Eze 36:8-16; Eze 37:21-28; Eze 39:25, etc.; Joe 3:1, Joe 3:2, Joe 3:17, Joe 3:20, Joe 3:21; Amo 9:9-15; Oba 1:17, Oba 1:21; Mic 4:3-7; Mic 7:18-20; Zep 3:19, Zep 3:20.

Clarke: Rom 11:28 - As concerning the Gospel

As concerning the Gospel - The unbelieving Jews, with regard to the Gospel which they have rejected, are at present enemies to God, and aliens from his kingdom, under his Son Jesus Christ, on account of that extensive grace which has overturned their peculiarity, by admitting the Gentiles into his Church and family: but with regard to the original purpose of election, whereby they were chosen and separated from all the people of the earth to be the peculiar people of God, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake; he has still favor in store for them on account of their forefathers the patriarchs.

Clarke: Rom 11:29 - For the gifts and calling of God, etc.

For the gifts and calling of God, etc. - The gifts which God has bestowed upon them, and the calling - the invitation, with which he has favored them he will never revoke. In reference to this point there is no change of mind in him; and therefore the possibility and certainty of their restoration to their original privileges, of being the people of God, of enjoying every spiritual blessing with the fullness of the Gentiles, may be both reasonably and safely inferred

Repentance, when applied to God, signifies simply change of purpose relative to some declarations made subject to certain conditions. See this fully explained and illustrated by himself, Jer 18:7-9.

Clarke: Rom 11:30 - For as ye in times past

For as ye in times past - The apostle pursues his argument in favor of the restoration of the Jews. As ye, Gentiles, in times past - for many ages back

Clarke: Rom 11:30 - Have not believed

Have not believed - Were in a state of alienation from God, yet not so as to be totally and for ever excluded

Clarke: Rom 11:30 - Have now obtained mercy

Have now obtained mercy - For ye are now taken into the kingdom of the Messiah; through their unbelief - by that method which, in destroying the Jewish peculiarity, and fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant, has occasioned the unbelief and obstinate opposition of the Jews.

Clarke: Rom 11:31 - Even so have these also

Even so have these also - In like manner the Jews are, through their infidelity, shut out of the kingdom of God: -

That through your mercy - But this exclusion will not be everlasting; but this will serve to open a new scene when, through farther displays of mercy to you Gentiles, they also may obtain mercy - shall be received into the kingdom of God again; and this shall take place whenever they shall consent to acknowledge the Lord Jesus, and see it their privilege to be fellow heirs with the Gentiles of the grace of life

As sure, therefore, as the Jews were once in the kingdom, and the Gentiles were not; as sure as the Gentiles are now in the kingdom, and the Jews are not; so surely will the Jews be brought back into that kingdom.

Clarke: Rom 11:32 - For God hath concluded them all in unbelief

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief - Συνεκλεισε γαρ ὁ Θεος, God hath shut or locked them all up under unbelief. This refers to the guilty state of both Jews and Gentiles. They had all broken God’ s law - the Jews, the written law; the Gentiles, the law written in their hearts; see Rom 1:19, Rom 1:20; Rom 2:14, Rom 2:15. They are represented here as having been accused if their transgressions; tried at God’ s bar; found guilty on being tried; condemned to the death they had merited; remanded to prison, till the sovereign will, relative to their execution, should be announced; shut or locked up, under the jailer, unbelief; and there both continued in the same state, awaiting the execution of their sentence: but God, in his own compassion, moved by no merit in either party, caused a general pardon by the Gospel to be proclaimed to all. The Jews have refused to receive this pardon on the terms which God has proposed it, and therefore continue locked up under unbelief. The Gentiles have welcomed the offers of grace, and are delivered out of their prison. But, as the offers of mercy continue to be made to all indiscriminately, the time will come when the Jews, seeing the vast accession of the Gentile world to the kingdom of the Messiah, and the glorious privileges which they in consequence enjoy, shall also lay hold on the hope set before them, and thus become with the Gentiles one flock under one shepherd and bishop of all their souls. The same figure is used Gal 3:22, Gal 3:23. But the Scripture hath concluded συνεκλεισεν, locked up all under sin, that the promise, by faith of Christ Jesus, might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept, εφρουρουμεθα, we were guarded as in a strong hold, under the law; shut up, συγκεκλεισμενοι, locked up together unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. It is a fine and well chosen metaphor in both places, and forcibly expresses the guilty, helpless, wretched state of both Jews and Gentiles.

Clarke: Rom 11:33 - O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! - This is a very proper conclusion of the whole preceding discourse. Wisdom may here refer to the designs of God; knowledge, to the means which he employs to accomplish these designs. The designs are the offspring of infinite wisdom, and therefore they are all right; the means are the most proper, as being the choice of an infinite knowledge that cannot err; we may safely credit the goodness of the design, founded in infinite wisdom; we may rely on the due accomplishment of the end, because the means are chosen and applied by infinite knowledge and skill.

Clarke: Rom 11:34 - For who hath known the mind of the Lord?

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? - Who can pretend to penetrate the counsels of God, or fathom the reasons of his conduct? His designs and his counsels are like himself, infinite; and, consequently, inscrutable. It is strange that, with such a scripture as this before their eyes, men should sit down and coolly and positively write about counsels and decrees of God formed from all eternity, of which they speak with as much confidence and decision as if they had formed a part of the council of the Most High, and had been with him in the beginning of his ways! A certain writer, (Mr. Perkins), after having entered into all these counsels, and drawn out his black-lined scheme of absolute and eternal reprobation, with all its causes and effects; and then his light-lined scheme of absolute and eternal Election, with all its causes and effects, all deduced in the most regular and graduated order, link by link; concludes with Rom 11:33 : O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how Unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways Past Finding Out! But this writer forgot that he had searched out God’ s judgments in the one case, and found out his ways in the other: and that he had given, as a proof of the success of his researches, a complete exhibition of the whole scheme! This conduct is worthy of more than mere reprehension; and yet he who differs from such opinions gives, in the apprehension of some, this proof of his being included in some of the links of the black list! We may rest with the conviction, that God is as merciful and good in all his ways, as he is wise and just. But as we cannot comprehend him, neither can we his operations, it is our place, who are the objects of his infinite mercy and kindness, to adore in silence, and to obey with alacrity and delight.

Clarke: Rom 11:35 - Or, who hath first given to him

Or, who hath first given to him - Who can pretend to have any demands upon God? To whom is he indebted? Have either Jews or Gentiles any right to his blessings? May not he bestow his favors as he pleases, and to whom he pleases? Does he do any injustice to the Jews in choosing the Gentiles! And was it because he was under obligation to the Gentiles that he has chosen them in the place of the Jews? Let him who has any claim on God prefer it; and he shall be compensated

But how can the Creator be indebted to the creature? How can the Cause be dependent on the effect? How can the Author of providence, and the Father of every good and perfect gift, be under obligation to them for whom he provides, and who are wholly dependent on his bounty?

Clarke: Rom 11:36 - For of him, etc.

For of him, etc. - This is so far from being the case, for εξ αυτου, of him, as the original designer and author; and δι ’ αυτου, By him, as the prime and efficient cause; and εις αυτον, To him, as the ultimate end for the manifestation of his eternal glory and goodness, are all things in universal nature, through the whole compass of time and eternity

The Emperor Marcus Antoninus ( εις ἑαυτον, lib. iv.) has a saying very much like this of St. Paul, which it is very probable he borrowed from this epistle to the Romans. Speaking of nature, whom he addresses as God, he says, Ω φυσις εκ σου παντα, εν σοι παντα, εις σε παντα ; O, Nature! Of thee are all things; In thee are all things; To thee are all things. Several of the Gentile philosophers had expressions of the same import, as may be seen in Wetstein’ s quotations

Clarke: Rom 11:36 - To whom be glory

To whom be glory - And let him have the praise of all his works, from the hearts and mouths of all his intelligent creatures, for ever - throughout all the generations of men. Amen - so be it! Let this be established for ever

I. The apostle considers the designs of God inscrutable, and his mode of governing the world incomprehensible. His designs, schemes, and ends are all infinite, and consequently unfathomable. It is impossible to account for the dispensations either of his justice or mercy. He does things under both these characters which far surpass the comprehension of men. But though his dispensations are a great deep, yet they are never self-contradictory: though they far surpass our reason, yet they never contradict reason; nor are they ever opposite to those ideas which God has implanted in man, of goodness, justice, mercy, and truth. But it is worthy of remark, that we can more easily account for the dispensations of his justice than we can for the dispensations of his mercy. We can every where see ten thousand reasons why he should display his justice; but scarcely can we find one reason why he should display his mercy. And yet, these displays of mercy for which we can scarcely find a reason, are infinitely greater and more numerous than his displays of justice, for which the reasons are, in a vast variety of cases, as obvious as they are multiplied. The sacrifice of Christ is certainly an infinite reason why God should extend, as he does, his mercy to all men; but Jesus Christ is the gift of God’ s love: who can account for the love that gave him to redeem a fallen world? The Jews have fallen under the displeasure of Divine justice: why they should be objects of this displeasure is at once seen in their ingratitude, disobedience, unbelief, and rebellion. But a most especial providence has watched over them, and preserved them in all their dispersions for 1700 years: who can account for this? Again, these very persons have a most positive promise of a future deliverance, both great and glorious: why should this be? The Gentile world was long left without a Divine revelation, while the Jews enjoyed one: who can account for this? The Jews are now cast out of favor, in a certain sense, and the reasons of it are sufficiently obvious; and the Gentiles, without any apparent reason, are taken into favor. In all these things his judgments are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out

II. Once more: Let it be remarked that, although God is every where promising and bestowing the greatest and most ennobling privileges, together with an eternal and ineffable glory, for which we can give no reason but his own endless goodness, through the death of his Son; yet, in no case does he remove those privileges, nor exclude from this glory, but where the reasons are most obvious to the meanest capacity

III. This epistle has been thought by some to afford proofs that God, by an eternal decree, had predestinated to eternal perdition millions of millions of human souls before they had any existence, except in his own purpose, and for no other reason but his sovereign pleasure! But such a decree can be no more found in this book, than such a disposition in the mind of Him who is the perfection, as he is the model, of wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy, and truth. May God save the reader from profaning his name, by suppositions at once so monstrous and absurd!

Calvin: Rom 11:9 - And David says, etc

9.And David says, etc In this testimony of David there is also made some change in the words, but it is not what changes the meaning. For he thus speaks, “Let their table before them become a snare, and their peaceful things a trap;” there is no mention of retribution. As to the main point there is sufficient agreement. The Prophet prays, that whatever is desirable and happy in life might turn out to the ruin and destruction of the ungodly; and this is what he means by table and peaceful things. ³⁴⁹ He then gives them up to blindness of spirit and weakening of strength; the one of which he expresses by the darkening of the eyes, and the other by the incurvation of the back. But that this should be extended almost to the whole nation, is not to be wondered at; for we know, that not only the chief men were incensed against David, but that the common people were also opposed to him. It appears plain, that what is read in that passage was not applied to a few, but to a large number; yea, when we consider of whom David was a type, there appears to be a spiritual import in the opposite clause. ³⁵⁰

Seeing then that this imprecation remains for all the adversaries of Christ, — that their meat shall be converted into poison, (as we see that the gospel is to be the savor of death unto death,) let us embrace with humility and trembling the grace of God. We may add, that since David speaks of the Israelites, who descended according to the flesh from Abraham, Paul fitly applies his testimony to the subject in hand, that the blindness of the majority of the people might not appear new or unusual.

Calvin: Rom 11:11 - Have they stumbled, etc // But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, etc

11.Have they stumbled, etc You will be greatly hindered in understanding this argument, except you take notice, that the Apostle speaks sometimes of the whole nation of the Jews, and sometimes of single individuals; for hence arises the diversity, that onewhile he speaks of the Jews as being banished from the kingdom of God, cut off from the tree and precipitated by God’s judgment into destruction, and that at another he denies that they had fallen from grace, but that on the contrary they continued in the possession of the covenant, and had a place in the Church of God.

It is then in conformity with this difference that he now speaks; for since the Jews for the most part rejected Christ, so that perverseness had taken hold almost on the whole nation, and few among them seemed to be of a sane mind, he asks the question, whether the Jewish nation had so stumbled at Christ, that it was all over with them universally, and that no hope of repentance remained. Here he justly denies that the salvation of the Jews was to be despaired of, or that they were so rejected by God, that there was to be no future restoration, or that the covenant of grace, which he had once made with them, was entirely abolished, since there had ever remained in that nation the seed of blessing. That we are so to understand his meaning is evident from this, — that having before connected a sure ruin with blindness, he now gives a hope of rising again; which two things are wholly different. They then, who perversely stumbled at Christ, fell and fell into destruction; yet the nation itself had not fallen, so that he who is a Jew must necessarily perish or be alienated from God.

But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, etc The Apostle asserts two things in this place, — that the fall of the Jews had turned out for salvation to the Gentiles; but to this end — that they might be kindled by a sort of jealousy, and be thus led to repentance. He no doubt had an eye to the testimony of Moses, which he had already quoted, where the Lord threatened Israel, — that as he had been provoked by them to emulation through their false gods; so he also, according to the law of retaliation, would provoke them by a foolish nation.

The word here used denotes the feeling of emulation or jealousy with which we are excited, when we see another preferred before us. Since then it was the Lord’s purpose that Israel should be provoked to emulation, they were not so fallen as to be precipitated into eternal ruin; but that God’s blessing, despised by them, might come to the Gentiles, in order that they might at length be also stirred up to seek the Lord, from whom they had fallen away.

But there is no reason for readers to weary themselves much as to the application of this testimony: for Paul does not dwell on the strict meaning of the word, but alludes only to a common and well-known practice. For as emulation stimulates a wife, who for her fault has been rejected by her husband, so that she strives to be reconciled again; so it may be now, he says, that the Jews, seeing the Gentiles introduced into their place, will be touched with grief for their divorce, and seek reconciliation.

Calvin: Rom 11:12 - And if their fall, etc

12.And if their fall, etc As he had taught us that after the Jews were repudiated, the Gentiles were introduced in their place, that he might not make the salvation of the Jews to be disliked by the Gentiles, as though their salvation depended on the ruin of the Jews, he anticipates this false notion, and lays down a sentiment of an opposite kind, that nothing would conduce more to advance the salvation of the Gentiles, than that the grace of God should flourish and abound among the Jews. To prove this, he derives an argument from the less, — “If their fall had raised the Gentiles, and their diminution had enriched them, how much more their fullness?” for the first was done contrary to nature, and the last will be done according to a natural order of things. And it is no objection to this reasoning, that the word of God had flowed to the Gentiles, after the Jews had rejected, and, as it were, cast it from them; for if they had received it, their faith would have brought forth much more fruit than their unbelief had occasioned; for the truth of God would have been thereby confirmed by being accomplished in them, and they also themselves would have led many by their teaching, whom they, on the contrary, by their perverseness, had turned aside.

Now he would have spoken more strictly correct, if, to the fall, he had opposed rising: ³⁵¹ of this I remind you, that no one may expect here an adorned language, and may not be offended with this simple mode of speaking; for these things were written to mold the heart and not the tongue.

Calvin: Rom 11:13 - For to you Gentiles I speak, etc

13.For to you Gentiles I speak, etc He confirms by a strong reason, that nothing shall be lost by the Gentiles, were the Jews to return again to favor with God; for he shows, that the salvation of both is so connected, that it can by the same means be promoted. For he thus addresses the Gentiles, — “Though I am peculiarly destined to be your Apostle, and ought therefore with special care to seek your salvation, with which I am charged, and to omit as it were all other things, and to labor for that only, I shall yet be faithfully discharging my office, by gaining to Christ any of my own nation; and this will be for the glory of my ministry, and so for your good.” ³⁵² For whatever served to render Paul’s ministry illustrious, was advantageous to the Gentiles, whose salvation was its object.

And here also he uses the verb παραζηλῶσαι, to provoke to emulation, and for this purpose, that the Gentiles might seek the accomplishment of Moses’ prophecy, such as he describes, when they understood that it would be for their benefit.

Calvin: Rom 11:14 - And save, etc

14.And save, etc Observe here that the minister of the word is said in some way to save those whom he leads to the obedience of faith. So conducted indeed ought to be the ministry of our salvation, as that we may feel that the whole power and efficacy of it depends on God, and that we may give him his due praise: we ought at the same time to understand that preaching is an instrument for effecting the salvation of the faithful, and though it can do nothing without the Spirit of God, yet through his inward operation it produces the most powerful effects.

Calvin: Rom 11:15 - For if their rejections, etc

15.For if their rejections, etc This passage, which many deem obscure, and some awfully pervert, ought, in my view, to be understood as another argument, derived from a comparison of the less with the greater, according to this import, “Since the rejection of the Jews has availed so much as to occasion the reconciling of the Gentiles, how much more effectual will be their resumption? Will it not be to raise them even from the dead?” For Paul ever insists on this, that the Gentiles have no cause for envy, as though the restoration of the Jews to favor were to render their condition worse. Since then God has wonderfully drawn forth life from death and light from darkness, how much more ought we to hope, he reasons, that the resurrection of a people, as it were, wholly dead, will bring life to the Gentiles. ³⁵³ It is no objection what some allege, that reconciliation differs not from resurrection, as we do indeed understand resurrection in the present instance, that is, to be that by which we are translated from the kingdom of death to the kingdom of life, for though the thing is the same, yet there is more force in the expression, and this a sufficient answer.

Calvin: Rom 11:16 - For if the first-fruits, etc

16.For if the first-fruits, etc By comparing the worthiness of the Jews and of the Gentiles, he now takes away pride from the one and pacifies the other, as far as he could; for he shows that the Gentiles, if they pretended any prerogative of honor of their own, did in no respect excel the Jews, nay, that if they came to a contest, they should be left far behind. Let us remember that in this comparison man is not compared with man, but nation with nation. If then a comparison be made between them, they shall be found equal in this respect, that they are both equally the children of Adam; the only difference is that the Jews had been separated from the Gentiles, that they might be a peculiar people to the Lord. ³⁵⁴

They were then sanctified by the holy covenant, and adorned with peculiar honor, with which God had not at that time favored the Gentiles; but as the efficacy of the covenant appeared then but small, he bids us to look back to Abraham and the patriarchs, in whom the blessing of God was not indeed either empty or void. He hence concludes, that from them an heredity holiness had passed to all their posterity. But this conclusion would not have been right had he spoken of persons, or rather had he not regarded the promise; for when the father is just, he cannot yet transmit his own uprightness to his son: but as the Lord had sanctified Abraham for himself for this end, that his seed might also be holy, and as he thus conferred holiness not only on his person but also on his whole race, the Apostle does not unsuitably draw this conclusion, that all the Jews were sanctified in their father Abraham. ³⁵⁵

Then to confirm this view, he adduces two similitudes: the one taken from the ceremonies of the law, and the other borrowed from nature. The first-fruits which were offered sanctified the whole lump, in like manner the goodness of the juice diffuses itself from the root to the branches; and posterity hold the same connection with their parents from whom they proceed as the lump has with the first-fruits, and the branches with the tree. It is not then a strange thing that the Jews were sanctified in their father. There is here no difficulty if you understand by holiness the spiritual nobility of the nation, and that indeed not belonging to nature, but what proceeded from the covenant. It may be truly said, I allow, that the Jews were naturally holy, for their adoption was hereditary; but I now speak of our first nature, according to which we are all, as we know, accursed in Adam. Therefore the dignity of an elect people, to speak correctly, is a supernatural privilege.

Calvin: Rom 11:17 - And if some of the branches, etc

17.And if some of the branches, etc He now refers to the present dignity of the Gentiles, which is no other than to be of the branches; which, being taken from another, are set in some noble tree: for the origin of the Gentiles was as it were from some wild and unfruitful olive, as nothing but a curse was to be found in their whole race. Whatever glory then they had was from their new insition, not from their old stock. There was then no reason for the Gentiles to glory in their own dignity in comparison with the Jews. We may also add, that Paul wisely mitigates the severity of the case, by not saying that the whole top of the tree was cut off, but that some of the branches were broken, and also that God took some here and there from among the Gentiles, whom he set in the holy and blessed trunk. ³⁵⁶

Calvin: Rom 11:18 - But if thou gloriest, thou bearest not the root, etc

18.But if thou gloriest, thou bearest not the root, etc The Gentiles could not contend with the Jews respecting the excellency of their race without contending with Abraham himself; which would have been extremely unbecoming, since he was like a root by which they were borne and nourished. As unreasonable as it would be for the branches to boast against the root, so unreasonable would it have been for the Gentiles to glory against the Jews, that is, with respect to the excellency of their race; for Paul would have them ever to consider whence was the origin of their salvation. And we know that after Christ by his coming has pulled down the partition-wall, the whole world partook of the favor which God had previously conferred on the chosen people. It hence follows, that the calling of the Gentiles was like an ingrafting, and that they did not otherwise grow up as God’s people than as they were grafted in the stock of Abraham.

Calvin: Rom 11:19 - Thou wilt then say, etc

19.Thou wilt then say, etc In the person of the Gentiles he brings forward what they might have pleaded for themselves; but that was of such a nature as ought not to have filled them with pride, but, on the contrary, to have made them humble. For if the cutting off of the Jews was through unbelief, and if the ingrafting of the Gentiles was by faith, what was their duty but to acknowledge the favor of God, and also to cherish modesty and humbleness of mind? For it is the nature of faith, and what properly belongs to it, to generate humility and fear. ³⁵⁷ But by fear understand that which is in no way inconsistent with the assurance of faith; for Paul would not have our faith to vacillate or to alternate with doubt, much less would he have us to be frightened or to quake with fear. ³⁵⁸

Of what kind then is this fear? As the Lord bids us to take into our consideration two things, so two kinds of feeling must thereby be produced. For he would have us ever to bear in mind the miserable condition of our nature; and this can produce nothing but dread, weariness, anxiety, and despair; and it is indeed expedient that we should thus be thoroughly laid prostrate and broken down, that we may at length groan to him; but this dread, derived from the knowledge of ourselves, keeps not our minds while relying on his goodness, from continuing calm; this weariness hinders us not from enjoying full consolation in him; this anxiety, this despair, does not prevent us from obtaining in him real joy and hope. Hence the fear, of which he speaks, is set up as an antidote to proud contempt; for as every one claims for himself more than what is right, and becomes too secure and at length insolent towards others, we ought then so far to fear, that our heart may not swell with pride and elate itself.

But it seems that he throws in a doubt as to salvation, since he reminds them to beware lest they also should not be spared. To this I answer, — that as this exhortation refers to the subduing of the flesh, which is ever insolent even in the children of God, he derogates nothing from the certainty of faith. And we must especially notice and remember what I have before said, — that Paul’s address is not so much to individuals as to the whole body of the Gentiles, among whom there might have been many, who were vainly inflated, professing rather than having faith. On account of these Paul threatens the Gentiles, not without reason, with excision, as we shall hereafter find again.

Calvin: Rom 11:21 - For if God has not spared the natural branches, etc

21.For if God has not spared the natural branches, etc This is a most powerful reason to beat down all self-confidence: for the rejection of the Jews should never come across our minds without striking and shaking us with dread. For what ruined them, but that through supine dependence on the dignity which they had obtained, they despised what God had appointed? They were not spared, though they were natural branches; what then shall be done to us, who are the wild olive and aliens, if we become beyond measure arrogant? But this thought, as it leads us to distrust ourselves, so it tends to make us to cleave more firmly and steadfastly to the goodness of God.

And here again it appears more evident, that the discourse is addressed generally to the body of the Gentiles, for the excision, of which he speaks, could not apply to individuals, whose election is unchangeable, based on the eternal purpose of God. Paul therefore declares to the Gentiles, that if they exulted over the Jews, a reward for their pride would be prepared for them; for God will again reconcile to himself the first people whom he has divorced.

Calvin: Rom 11:22 - See then, etc // Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off, etc

22.See then, etc By laying the case before their eyes he more clearly and fully confirms the fact, — that the Gentiles had no reason to be proud. They saw in the Jews an example of God’s severity, which ought to have terrified them; while in themselves they had an evidence of his grace and goodness, by which they ought to have been stimulated to thankfulness only, and to exalt the Lord and not themselves. The words import the same, as though he had said, — “If thou exultest over their calamity, think first what thou hast been; for the same severity of God would have impended over thee, hadst thou not been delivered by his gratuitous favor: then consider what thou art even now; for salvation shall not continue to thee, except thou humbly recognisest the mercy of God; for if thou forgettest thyself and arrogantly exultest, the ruin, into which they have fallen, awaits thee: it is not indeed enough for thee to have once embraced the favor of God, except thou followest his call through the whole course of thy life.” They indeed who have been illuminated by the Lord ought always to think of perseverance; for they continue not in the goodness of God, who having for a time responded to the call of God, do at length begin to loathe the kingdom of heaven, and thus by their ingratitude justly deserve to be blinded again.

But he addresses not each of the godly apart, as we have already said, but he makes a comparison between the Gentiles and the Jews. It is indeed true that each individual among the Jews received the reward due to his own unbelief, when they were banished from the kingdom of God, and that all who front among the Gentiles were called, were vessels of God’s mercy; but yet the particular design of Paul must be borne in mind. For he would have the Gentiles to depend on the eternal covenant of God, so as to connect their own with the salvation of the elect people, and then, lest the rejection of the Jews should produce offense, as though their ancient adoption were void, he would have them to be terrified by this example of punishment, so as reverently to regard the judgment of God. For whence comes so great licentiousness on curious questions, except that we almost neglect to consider those things which ought to have duly taught us humility?

But as he speaks not of the elect individually, but of the whole body, a condition is added, If they continued in his kindness I indeed allow, that as soon as any one abuses God’s goodness, he deserves to be deprived of the offered favor; but it would be improper to say of any one of the godly particularly, that God had mercy on him, when he chose him, provided he would continue in his mercy; for the perseverance of faith, which completes in us the effect of God’s grace, flows from election itself. Paul then teaches us, that the Gentiles were admitted into the hope of eternal life on the condition, that they by their gratitude retained possession of it. And dreadful indeed was the defection of the whole world, which afterwards happened; and this dearly proves, that this exhortation was not superfluous; for when God had almost in a moment watered it with his grace, so that religion flourished everywhere, soon after the truth of the gospel vanished, and the treasure of salvation was taken away. And whence came so sudden a change, except that the Gentiles had fallen away from their calling?

Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off, etc We now understand in what sense Paul threatens them with excision, whom he has already allowed to have been grafted into the hope of life through God’s election. For, first, though this cannot happen to the elect, they have yet need of such warning, in order to subdue the pride of the flesh; which being really opposed to their salvation, ought justly to be terrified with the dread of perdition. As far then as Christians are illuminated by faith, they hear, for their assurance, that the calling of God is without repentance; but as far as they carry about them the flesh, which wantonly resists the grace of God, they are taught humility by this warning, “Take heed lest thou be cut off.” Secondly, we must bear in mind the solution which I have before mentioned, — that Paul speaks not here of the special election of individuals, but sets the Gentiles and Jews in opposition the one to the other; and that therefore the elect are not so much addressed in these words, as those who falsely gloried that they had obtained the place of the Jews: nay, he speaks to the Gentiles generally, and addresses the whole body in common, among whom there were many who were faithful, and those who were members of Christ in name only.

But if it be asked respecting individuals, “How any one could be cut off from the grafting, and how, after excision, he could be grafted again,” — bear in mind, that there are three modes of insition, and two modes of excision. For instance, the children of the faithful are ingrafted, to whom the promise belongs according to the covenant made with the fathers; ingrafted are also they who indeed receive the seed of the gospel, but it strikes no root, or it is choked before it brings any fruit; and thirdly, the elect are ingrafted, who are illuminated unto eternal life according to the immutable purpose of God. The first are cut off, when they refuse the promise given to their fathers, or do not receive it on account of their ingratitude; the second are cut off, when the seed is withered and destroyed; and as the danger of this impends over all, with regard to their own nature, it must be allowed that this warning which Paul gives belongs in a certain way to the faithful, lest they indulge themselves in the sloth of the flesh. But with regard to the present passage, it is enough for us to know, that the vengeance which God had executed on the Jews, is pronounced on the Gentiles, in case they become like them.

Calvin: Rom 11:23 - For God is able, etc

23.For God is able, etc. Frigid would this argument be to the profane; for however they may concede power to God, yet as they view it at a distance, shut up as it were in heaven, they do for the most part rob it of its effect. But as the faithful, whenever they hear God’s power named, look on it as in present operation, he thought that this reason was sufficient to strike their minds. We may add, that he assumes this as an acknowledged axiom, — that God had so punished the unbelief of his people as not to forget his mercy; according to what he had done before, having often restored the Jews, after he had apparently banished them from his kingdom. And he shows at the same time by the comparison, how much more easy it would be to reverse the present state of things than to have introduced it; that is, how much easier it would be for the natural branches, if they were again put in the place from which they had been cut off, to draw substance from their own root, than for the wild and the unfruitful, from a foreign stock: for such is the comparison made between the Jews and the Gentiles.

Calvin: Rom 11:25 - I would not, etc // That blindness in part, etc

25.I would not, etc Here he rouses his hearers to a greater attention, while he avows that he is going to declare something that was secret. Nor did he do this without reason; for he wished to conclude, by a brief or plain sentence, a very perplexed question; and yet he declares what no one could have expected. But the words, Lest ye should be proud in yourselves, ³⁶¹ show what was his designed object; and that was, to check the arrogance of the Gentiles, lest they should exult over the Jews. This admonition was also necessary, lest the defection of that people should immoderately disturb the minds of the weak, as though the salvation of them all was to be forever despaired of. The same is still not less useful to us at this day, so that we may know, that the salvation of the remnant, whom the Lord will at length gather to himself, is hid, sealed as it were by his signet. And whenever a long delay tempts us to despair, let us remember this word mystery; by which Paul clearly reminds us, that the mode of their conversion will neither be common nor usual; and hence they act absurdly who attempt to measure it by their own judgment; for what can be more unreasonable than to regard that as incredible which is far removed from our view? It is called a mystery, because it will be incomprehensible until the time of its revelation. ³⁶² It is, however, made known to us, as it was to the Romans, that our faith may be content with the word, and support us with hope, until the event itself come to light.

That blindness in part, etc “In part,” I think, refers not simply to time, nor to the number, but means, in a manner, or in a measure; by which expression he intended, as it seems to me, only to qualify a declaration which in itself was severe. Until does not specify the progress or order of time, but signifies the same thing, as though he had said, “That the fullness of the Gentiles,” etc. The meaning then is, — That God had in a manner so blinded Israel, that while they refused the light of the gospel, it might be transferred to the Gentiles, and that these might occupy, as it were, the vacated possession. And so this blindness served the providence of God in furthering the salvation of the Gentiles, which he had designed. And the fullness of the Gentiles is to be taken for a great number: for it was not to be, as before, when a few proselytes connected themselves with the Jews; but such was to be the change, that the Gentiles would form almost the entire body of the Church. ³⁶³

Calvin: Rom 11:26 - And so all Israel, etc // As it is written, etc

26.And so all Israel, etc Many understand this of the Jewish people, as though Paul had said, that religion would again be restored among them as before: but I extend the word Israel to all the people of God, according to this meaning, — “When the Gentiles shall come in, the Jews also shall return from their defection to the obedience of faith; and thus shall be completed the salvation of the whole Israel of God, which must be gathered from both; and yet in such a way that the Jews shall obtain the first place, being as it were the first-born in God’s family.” This interpretation seems to me the most suitable, because Paul intended here to set forth the completion of the kingdom of Christ, which is by no means to be confined to the Jews, but is to include the whole world. The same manner of speaking we find in Gal 6:16. The Israel of God is what he calls the Church, gathered alike from Jews and Gentiles; and he sets the people, thus collected from their dispersion, in opposition to the carnal children of Abraham, who had departed from his faith.

As it is written, etc He does not confirm the whole passage by this testimony of Isaiah, (Isa 59:20,) but only one clause, — that the children of Abraham shall be partakers of redemption. But if one takes this view, — that Christ had been promised and offered to them, but that as they rejected him, they were deprived of his grace; yet the Prophet’s words express more, even this, — that there will be some remnant, who, having repented, shall enjoy the favor of deliverance.

Paul, however, does not quote what we read in Isaiah, word for word;

“come,” he says, “shall a Redeemer to Sion, and to those who shall repent of iniquity in Jacob, saith the Lord.” (Isa 59:20.)

But on this point we need not be very curious; only this is to be regarded, that the Apostles suitably apply to their purpose whatever proofs they adduce from the Old Testament; for their object was to point but passages, as it were by the finger, that readers might be directed to the fountain itself.

But though in this prophecy deliverance to the spiritual people of God is promised, among whom even Gentiles are included; yet as the Jews are the first-born, what the Prophet declares must be fulfilled, especially in them: for that Scripture calls all the people of God Israelites, is to be ascribed to the pre-eminence of that nation, whom God had preferred to all other nations. And then, from a regard to the ancient covenant, he says expressly, that a Redeemer shall come to Sion; and he adds, that he will redeem those in Jacob who shall return from their transgression. ³⁶⁴ By these words God distinctly claims for himself a certain seed, so that his redemption may be effectual in his elect and peculiar nation. And though fitter for his purpose would have been the expression used by the Prophet, “shall come to Sion;” yet Paul made no scruple to follow the commonly received translation, which reads, “The Redeemer shall come forth from Mount Sion.” And similar is the case as to the second part, “He shall turn away iniquities from Jacob:” for Paul thought it enough to regard this point only, — that as it is Christ’s peculiar office to reconcile to God an apostate and faithless people, some change was surely to be looked for, lest they should all perish together.

Calvin: Rom 11:27 - And, this is my covenant with them, etc

27.And, this is my covenant with them, etc Though Paul, by the last prophecy of Isaiah, briefly touched on the office of the Messiah, in order to remind the Jews what was to be expected especially from him, he further adds these few words from Jeremiah, expressly for the same purpose; for what is added is not found in the former passage. ³⁶⁵ This also tends to confirm the subject in hand; for what he said of the conversion of a people who were so stubborn and obstinate, might have appeared incredible: he therefore removes this stumblingblock, by declaring that the covenant included a gratuitous remission of sins. For we may gather from the words of the Prophet, — that God would have no more to do with his apostate people, until he should remit the crime of perfidy, as well as their other sins.

Calvin: Rom 11:28 - With regard indeed to the gospel, etc

28.With regard indeed to the gospel, etc He shows that the worst thing in the Jews ought not to subject them to the contempt of the Gentiles. Their chief crime was unbelief: but Paul teaches us, that they were thus blinded for a time by God’s providence, that a way to the gospel might be made for the Gentiles; ³⁶⁸ and that still they were not for ever excluded from the favor of God. He then admits, that they were for the present alienated from God on account of the gospel, that thus the salvation, which at first was deposited with them, might come to the Gentiles; and yet that God was not unmindful of the covenant which he had made with their fathers, and by which he testified that according to his eternal purpose he loved that nation: and this he confirms by this remarkable declaration, — that the grace of the divine calling cannot be made void; for this is the import of the words, —

Calvin: Rom 11:29 - The gifts and calling of God are without repentance // On account of the Fathers,

29.The gifts and calling of God are without repentance He has mentioned gifts and calling; which are to be understood, according to a figure in grammar, ³⁶⁹ as meaning the gift of calling: and this is not to be taken for any sort of calling but of that, by which God had adopted the posterity of Abraham into covenant; since this is especially the subject here, as he has previously, by the word, election, designated the secret purpose of God, by which he had formerly made a distinction between the Jews and the Gentiles. ³⁷⁰ For we must bear this in mind, — that he speaks not now of the election of individuals, but of the common adoption of the whole nation, which might seem for a time, according to the outward appearance, to have failed, but had not been cut up by the roots. As the Jews had fallen from their privilege and the salvation promised them, that some hope might remain to the remnant, Paul maintains that the purpose of God stands firm and immovable, by which he had once deigned to choose them for himself as a peculiar nation. Since then it cannot possibly be, that the Lord will depart from that covenant which he made with Abraham,

“I will be the God of thy seed,” (Gen 17:7,)

it is evident that he has not wholly turned away his kindness from the Jewish nation.

He does not oppose the gospel to election, as though they were contrary the one to the other, for whom God has chosen he calls; but inasmuch as the gospel had been proclaimed to the Gentiles beyond the expectation of the world, he justly compares this favor with the ancient election of the Jews, which had been manifested so many ages before: and so election derives its name from antiquity; for God had in past ages of the world chosen one people for himself.

On account of the Fathers, he says not, because they gave any cause for love, but because God’s favor had descended from them to their posterity, according to the tenor of the covenant, “Thy God and the God of thy seed.” How the Gentiles had obtained mercy through the unbelief of the Jews, has been before stated, namely, that God, being angry with the Jews for their unbelief, turned his kindness to them. What immediately follows, that they became unbelievers through the mercy manifested to the Gentiles, seems rather strange; and yet there is in it nothing unreasonable; for Paul assigns not the cause of blindness, but only declares, that what God transferred to the Gentiles had been taken away from the Jews. But lest what they had lost through unbelief, should be thought by the Gentiles to have been gained by them through the merit of faith, mention is made only of mercy. What is substantially said then is, — that as God purposed to show mercy to the Gentiles, the Jews were on this account deprived of the light of faith.

Calvin: Rom 11:32 - For God has shut up, etc

32.For God has shut up, etc A remarkable conclusion, by which he shows that there is no reason why they who have a hope of salvation should despair of others; for whatever they may now be, they have been like all the rest. If they have emerged from unbelief through God’s mercy alone, they ought to leave place for it as to others also. For he makes the Jews equal in guilt with the Gentiles, that both might understand that the avenue to salvation is no less open to others than to them. For it is the mercy of God alone which saves; and this offers itself to both. This sentence then corresponds with the testimony of Hosea, which he had before quoted, “I will call those my people who were not my people.” But he does not mean, that God so blinds all men that their unbelief is to be imputed to him; but that he hath so arranged by his providence, that all should be guilty of unbelief, in order that he might have them subject to his judgment, and for this end, — that all merits being buried, salvation might proceed from his goodness alone. ³⁷¹

Paul then intends here to teach two things — that there is nothing in any man why he should be preferred to others, apart from the mere favor of God; and that God in the dispensation of his grace, is under no restraint that he should not grant it to whom he pleases. There is an emphasis in the word mercy; for it intimates that God is bound to none, and that he therefore saves all freely, for they are all equally lost. But extremely gross is their folly who hence conclude that all shall be saved; for Paul simply means that both Jews and Gentiles do not otherwise obtain salvation than through the mercy of God, and thus he leaves to none any reason for complaint. It is indeed true that this mercy is without any difference offered to all, but every one must seek it by faith.

Calvin: Rom 11:33 - Oh! the depth, etc // How incomprehensible, etc

33.Oh! the depth, etc Here first the Apostle bursts into an exclamation, which arose spontaneously from a devout consideration of God’s dealings with the faithful; then in passing he checks the boldness of impiety, which is wont to clamor against the judgments of God. When therefore we hear, Oh! the depth, this expression of wonder ought greatly to avail to the beating down of the presumption of our flesh; for after having spoken from the word and by the Spirit of the Lord, being at length overcome by the sublimity of so great a mystery, he could not do otherwise than wonder and exclaim, that, the riches of God’s wisdom are deeper than our reason can penetrate to. Whenever then we enter on a discourse respecting the eternal counsels of God, let a bridle be always set on our thoughts and tongue, so that after having spoken soberly and within the limits of God’s word, our reasoning may at last end in admiration. Nor ought we to be ashamed, that if we are not wiser than he, who, having been taken into the third heaven, saw mysteries to man ineffable, and who yet could find in this instance no other end designed but that he should thus humble himself.

Some render the words of Paul thus, “Oh! the deep riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God!” as though the word βάθος was an adjective; and they take riches for abundance, but this seems to me strained, and I have therefore no doubt but that he extols God’s deep riches of wisdom and knowledge. ³⁷⁴

How incomprehensible, etc By different words, according to a practice common in Hebrew, he expresses the same thing. For he speaks of judgments, then he subjoins ways, which mean appointments or the mode of acting, or the manner of ruling. But he still continues his exclamation, and thus the more he elevates the height of the divine mystery, the more he deters us from the curiosity of investigating it. Let us then learn to make no searchings respecting the Lord, except as far as he has revealed himself in the Scriptures; for otherwise we shall enter a labyrinth, from which the retreat is not easy. It must however be noticed, that he speaks not here of all God’s mysteries, but of those which are hid with God himself, and ought to be only admired and adored by us.

Calvin: Rom 11:34 - Who has known the mind of the Lord?

34.Who has known the mind of the Lord? He begins here to extend as it were his hand to restrain the audacity of men, lest they should clamor against God’s judgments, and this he does by stating two reasons: the first is, that all mortals are too blind to take a view of God’s predestination by their own understanding, and to reason on a thing unknown is presumptuous and absurd; the other is, that we can have no cause of complaint against God, since no mortal can boast that God is a debtor to him; but that, on the contrary, all are under obligations to him for his bounty. ³⁷⁵

Within this limit then let every one remember to keep his own mind, lest he be carried beyond God’s oracles in investigating predestination, since we hear that man can distinguish nothing in this case, any more than a blind man in darkness. This caution, however, is not to be so applied as to weaken the certainty of faith, which proceeds not from the acumen of the human mind, but solely from the illumination of the Spirit; for Paul himself in another place, after having testified that all the mysteries of God far exceed the comprehension of our minds, immediately subjoins that the faithful understand the mind of the Lord, because they have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which has been given them by God, by whom they are instructed as to his goodness, which otherwise would be incomprehensible to them.

As then we cannot by our own faculties examine the secrets of God, so we are admitted into a certain and clear knowledge of them by the grace of the Holy Spirit: and if we ought to follow the guidance of the Spirit, where he leaves us, there we ought to stop and as it were to fix our standing. If any one will seek to know more than what God has revealed, he shall be overwhelmed with the immeasurable brightness of inaccessible light. But we must bear in mind the distinction, which I have before mentioned, between the secret counsel of God, and his will made known in Scripture; for though the whole doctrine of Scripture surpasses in its height the mind of man, yet an access to it is not closed against the faithful, who reverently and soberly follow the Spirit as their guide; but the case is different with regard to his hidden counsel, the depth and height of which cannot by any investigation be reached.

Calvin: Rom 11:35 - Who has first given to him, etc

35.Who has first given to him, etc Another reason, by which God’s righteousness is most effectually defended against all the accusations of the ungodly: for if no one retains him bound to himself by his own merits, no one can justly expostulate with him for not having received his reward; as he, who would constrain another to do him good, must necessarily adduce those deeds by which he has deserved a reward. The import then of Paul’s words is this — “God cannot be charged with unrighteousness, except it can be proved, that he renders not to every one his due: but it is evident, that no one is deprived by him of his right, since he is under obligation to none; for who can boast of any thing of his own, by which he has deserved his favor?” ³⁷⁶

Now this is a remarkable passage; for we are here taught, that it is not in our power to constrain God by our good works to bestow salvation on us, but that he anticipates the undeserving by his gratuitous goodness. But if we desire to make an honest examination, we shall not only find, that God is in no way a debtor to us, but that we are all subject to his judgment, — that we not only deserve no layout, but that we are worthy of eternal death. And Paul not only concludes, that God owes us nothing, on account of our corrupt and sinful nature; but he denies, that if man were perfect, he could bring anything before God, by which he could gain his favor; for as soon as he begins to exist, he is already by the right of creation so much indebted to his Maker, that he has nothing of his own. In vain then shall we try to take from him his own right, that he should not, as he pleases, freely determine respecting his own creatures, as though there was mutual debt and credit.

Calvin: Rom 11:36 - For from him and through him, etc // To him be glory, etc

36.For from him and through him, etc A confirmation of the last verse. He shows, that it is very far from being the case, that we can glory in any good thing of our own against God, since we have been created by him from nothing, and now exist through him. He hence infers, that our being should be employed for his glory: for how unreasonable would it be for creatures, whom he has formed and whom he sustains, to live for any other purpose than for making his glory known? It has not escaped my notice, that the phrase, εἰς αὐτὸν, to him, is sometimes taken for ἐν αὐτῷ , in or by him, but improperly: and as its proper meaning is more suitable to the present subject, it is better to retain it, than to adopt that which is improper. The import of what is said is, — That the whole order of nature would be strangely subverted, were not God, who is the beginning of all things, the end also.

To him be glory, etc The proposition being as it were proved, he now confidently assumes it as indubitable, — That the Lord’s own glory ought everywhere to continue to him unchangeably: for the sentence would be frigid were it taken generally; but its emphasis depends on the context, that. God justly claims for himself absolute supremacy, and that in the condition of mankind and of the whole world nothing is to be sought beyond his own glory. It hence follows, that absurd and contrary to reason, and even insane, are all those sentiments which tend to diminish his glory.

Defender: Rom 11:9 - David saith

Quoting from Psa 69:22, which is a Messianic psalm, the context indicates the implication of the Jews in the sufferings of Christ."

Defender: Rom 11:12 - much more their fulness

The setting aside of Israel while the Gentiles are receiving divine favor is not final, as some theologians allege, but is only for the present age. After "the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Rom 11:25), then the "fulness" of restored Israel will be even more rich (see note on Rom 11:15). Only "some of the branches" have been "broken off," (Rom 11:17) not all of them, even in this age."

Defender: Rom 11:15 - life from the dead

The reconciling of Israel back to God is, indeed, associated with the resurrection of Israel as a nation (Eze 37:11-14), and also with the bodily resurrection of all who have died in faith (Isa 26:19; Hos 6:1-3; Rev 20:4-6)."

Defender: Rom 11:22 - severity of God

God's "severity" is a subject studiously avoided by many modern scholars who prefer to believe in a God who will take everyone to heaven. The Scriptures clearly reveal otherwise. Jesus said only a few are on the road that "leadeth unto life" (Mat 7:14), while many are on the broad "way, that leadeth to destruction" (Mat 7:13). All those that "know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ... shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" (2Th 1:8, 2Th 1:9). Sadly also, many who profess to know the Lord will be dismayed at the judgment to hear Him say: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mat 7:23). God can be severe."

Defender: Rom 11:25 - blindness in part

Israel has been judicially blinded (Rom 11:7, Rom 11:8) but only "in part." Only "some of the branches be broken off" (Rom 11:17). Through every year in this age of the church, there has been "a remnant according to the election of grace" (Rom 11:5). Many Christian leaders, beginning with the apostles, have been Jews.

Defender: Rom 11:25 - fulness of the Gentiles

God is now "[visiting] the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name" (Act 15:14). When the full number (known only to God) has been reached, then "the times of the Gentiles" will end (Luk 21:24), and God will begin again to deal with Israel as His elect nation."

Defender: Rom 11:26 - Israel shall be saved

The complete restoration of Israel will climax the purging trials of "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer 30:7). Paul refers here to Isa 59:20. This will take place when Christ returns to earth to establish His millennial kingdom centered in Jerusalem (Zec 12:8-10; Zec 13:1; Zec 14:9), following the great tribulation period (Mat 24:29-31). The surviving and resurrected Jews will all acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Savior in that day."

Defender: Rom 11:33 - wisdom and knowledge

All the treasures of both wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ (Col 2:3), for He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Col 1:16, Col 1:17; Heb 1:3). In fact, "the fear of the Lord is the [very] beginning" (Pro 1:7; Pro 9:10) of both "knowledge" (awareness and comprehension of facts) and "wisdom" (correlation and application of facts).

Defender: Rom 11:33 - past finding out

God is not accessible to scientific research. "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" (Job 11:7). The negative answer to this rhetorical question is confirmed by Paul in many references (1Co 1:21 : "the world by wisdom knew not God")."

Defender: Rom 11:34 - who hath known

This phrase is quoted from Isa 40:13, which is also quoted in 1Co 2:16. Though we cannot know the mind of the Lord by human wisdom, Paul says "we have the mind of Christ" (1Co 2:16, see also Phi 2:5)."

Defender: Rom 11:35 - recompensed

All of God's gifts are by grace, not for recompense. He needs nothing from us, but gives us all things in Christ (Rom 8:32)."

Defender: Rom 11:36 - all things

Christ created all things, sustains all things and reconciles all things (Col 1:16-20). God's Son "made the worlds" (Heb 1:2) in the past, is "upholding all things by the word of his power" (Heb 1:3) in the present, and will be heir of all things in the future (Heb 1:4). Jesus Christ is "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev 22:13), "the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (Rev 1:8)."

TSK: Rom 11:9 - David saith // their table // a recompense

David saith : Psa 69:22, Psa 69:23

their table : Deu 6:10-12, Deu 32:13-15; 1Sa 25:36-38; Job 20:20-23; Pro 1:32; Isa 8:13, Isa 8:14; Luk 12:20, Luk 16:19-25; 1Ti 6:17-19

a recompense : Deu 32:35; Psa 28:4; Isa 59:18, Isa 66:9; Heb 2:2

TSK: Rom 11:10 - their eyes // and bow

their eyes : Rom 11:8, Rom 1:21; Psa 69:23; Zec 11:17; Eph 4:18; 2Pe 2:4, 2Pe 2:17; Jud 1:6, Jud 1:13

and bow : Deu 28:64-68; Isa 51:23, Isa 65:12

TSK: Rom 11:11 - Have they stumbled // but rather // for // to provoke them to jealousy

Have they stumbled : Eze 18:23, Eze 18:32, Eze 33:11

but rather : Rom 11:12, Rom 11:31; Act 13:42, Act 13:46-48, Act 18:6, Act 22:18-21, Act 28:24-28

for : Rom 11:14, Rom 10:19

to provoke them to jealousy : Rather ""to provoke (or excite) them to emulation,"" παραζηλωσαι [Strong’ s G3863], as it is rendered. Rom 11:14

TSK: Rom 11:12 - the world // diminishing // their

the world : Rom 11:15, Rom 11:33, Rom 9:23; Eph 3:8; Col 1:27

diminishing : decay, or, loss

their : Rom 11:25; Isa 11:11-16, Isa 12:1-6, 60:1-22, Isa 66:8-20; Mic 4:1, Mic 4:2, Mic 5:7; Zec 2:11; Zec 8:20-23; Rev 11:15-19

TSK: Rom 11:13 - the apostle

the apostle : Rom 15:16-19; Act 9:15, Act 13:2, Act 22:21, Act 26:17, Act 26:18; Gal 1:16, Gal 2:2, Gal 2:7-9; Eph 3:8; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 1:11, 2Ti 1:12; I magnify mine office. Rather, ""I honour my ministry,"" την διακονιαν [Strong’ s G1248], μου [Strong’ s G3450], δοξαζω [Strong’ s G1392].

TSK: Rom 11:14 - by // provoke // my // might

by : 1Co 7:16, 1Co 9:20-22; 2Ti 2:10

provoke : Rom 11:11

my : Rom 9:3; Phm 1:12

might : 1Co 7:16; 1Ti 4:16; Jam 5:20

TSK: Rom 11:15 - the casting // the reconciling // but

the casting : Rom 11:1, Rom 11:2, Rom 11:11, Rom 11:12

the reconciling : Rom 5:10; Dan 9:24; 2Co 5:18-20; Eph 1:10; Col 1:20,Col 1:21

but : Eze 37:1-14; Rev 11:11, Rev 20:4-6

TSK: Rom 11:16 - if the firstfruit // and if

if the firstfruit : Exo 22:29, Exo 23:16, Exo 23:19; Lev 23:10; Num 15:17-21; Deu 18:4, Deu 26:10; Neh 10:35-37; Pro 3:9; Eze 44:30; Jam 1:18; Rev 14:4

and if : Rom 11:17; Gen 17:7; Jer 2:21; 1Co 7:14

TSK: Rom 11:17 - some // being // among them // and with

some : Psa 80:11-16; Isa 6:13, Isa 27:11; Jer 11:16; Eze 15:6-8; Mat 8:11, Mat 8:12; Mat 21:43; Joh 15:6

being : Act 2:39; Gal 2:15; Eph 2:11-13, Eph 3:6; Col 2:13

among them : or, for them

and with : Deu 8:8; Jdg 9:8, Jdg 9:9; Psa 52:8; Zec 4:3; Jon 1:16; Rev 11:4

TSK: Rom 11:18 - Boast not // thou bearest

Boast not : Rom 11:20, Rom 3:27; 1Ki 20:11; Pro 16:18; Mat 26:33; Luk 18:9-11; 1Co 10:12

thou bearest : Rom 4:16; Zec 8:20-23; Joh 10:16; Gal 3:29; Eph 2:19, Eph 2:20

TSK: Rom 11:19 - that

that : Rom 11:11, Rom 11:12, Rom 11:17, Rom 11:23, Rom 11:24

TSK: Rom 11:20 - Well // because // and // Be // but

Well : Joh 4:17, Joh 4:18; Jam 2:19

because : Rom 3:3; Act 13:46, Act 13:47, Act 18:6; Heb 3:12, Heb 3:19, Heb 4:6, Heb 4:11

and : Rom 5:1, Rom 5:2; 2Ch 20:20; Isa 7:9; 1Co 16:13; 2Co 1:24; Col 2:7; 1Pe 5:9, 1Pe 5:12

Be : Rom 11:18, Rom 12:16; Psa 138:6; Pro 28:26; Isa 2:11, Isa 2:17; Hab 2:4; Zep 3:11; Luk 18:14; 2Co 10:5; 2Th 2:4; 2Ti 3:3-5; Jam 4:6; 1Pe 5:5, 1Pe 5:6; Rev 3:17; Rev 18:7

but : Pro 28:14; Isa 66:2; 1Co 10:12; Phi 2:12; Heb 4:1; 1Pe 1:17

TSK: Rom 11:21 - if God

if God : Rom 11:17, Rom 11:19, Rom 8:32; Jer 25:29, Jer 49:12; 1Co 10:1-12; 2Pe 2:4-9; Jud 1:5

TSK: Rom 11:22 - therefore // severity // if thou // otherwise

therefore : Rom 2:4, Rom 2:5, Rom 9:22, Rom 9:23; Num 14:18-22; Deu 32:39-43; Jos 23:15, Jos 23:16; Psa 58:10,Psa 58:11; Psa 78:49-52, Psa 136:15-22; Isa 66:14

severity : The term severity αποτομια [Strong’ s G663], from απο [Strong’ s G575], from, and τεμνω , to cut off, properly denotes excision, cutting off, as the gardener cuts off, with a pruning knife, dead boughs, or luxuriant stems.

if thou : Rom 2:7; Luk 8:15; Joh 8:31, Joh 15:4-10; Act 11:23, Act 14:22; 1Co 15:2; Gal 6:9; 1Th 3:5, 1Th 3:8; Heb 3:6, Heb 3:14, Heb 10:23, Heb 10:35-39; 1Jo 2:19; Jud 1:20,Jud 1:21

otherwise : Eze 3:20, Eze 18:24, Eze 33:17-19; Mat 3:9, Mat 3:10; Joh 15:2; Rev 2:5

TSK: Rom 11:23

Zec 12:10; Mat 23:39; 2Co 3:16

TSK: Rom 11:24

Rom 11:17, Rom 11:18, Rom 11:30

TSK: Rom 11:25 - I would // this // lest // blindness // until

I would : Psa 107:43; Hos 14:9; 1Co 10:1, 1Co 12:1; 2Pe 3:8

this : Rom 16:25; Eph 3:3, Eph 3:4, Eph 3:9; Rev 10:7

lest : Rom 12:16; Pro 3:5-7, Pro 26:12, Pro 26:16; Isa 5:21

blindness : or, hardness, Rom 11:7, Rom 11:8; 2Co 3:14-16

until : Psa 22:27, Psa 72:8-14, Psa 72:17, Psa 127:1; Isa 2:1-8, 60:1-22, Isa 66:18-23; Mic 4:1, Mic 4:2; Zec 8:20-23, Zec 14:9-21; Luk 21:24; Rev 7:9, Rev 11:15, Rev 20:2-4

TSK: Rom 11:26 - all // There // and shall

all : Isa 11:11-16, Isa 45:17, Isa 54:6-10; Jer 3:17-23, Jer 30:17-22, Jer 31:31-37; Jer 32:37-41, Jer 33:24-26; Eze 34:22-31, Eze 37:21-28, Eze 39:25-29; Ezek. 40:1-48:35; Hos 3:5; Joe 3:16-21; Amo 9:14, Amo 9:15; Mic 7:15-20; Zep 3:12-20; Zec 10:6-12

There : Psa 14:7, Psa 106:47; Isa 59:20

and shall : Mat 1:21; Act 3:26; Tit 2:14

TSK: Rom 11:27 - this // when

this : Isa 55:3, Isa 59:21; Jer 31:31-34, Jer 32:38-40; Heb 8:8-12, Heb 10:16

when : Isa 27:9, Isa 43:25; Jer 50:20; Eze 36:25-29; Hos 14:2; Joh 1:29

TSK: Rom 11:28 - are enemies // but // are beloved

are enemies : Rom 11:11, Rom 11:30; Mat 21:43; Act 13:45, Act 13:46, Act 14:2, Act 18:6; 1Th 2:15, 1Th 2:16

but : Rom 11:7; Isa 41:8, Isa 41:9

are beloved : Gen 26:4, Gen 28:14; Lev 26:40-42; Deu 4:31, Deu 7:7, Deu 7:8, Deu 8:18, Deu 9:5, Deu 10:15; Psa 105:8-11; Jer 31:3; Mic 7:20; Luk 1:54, Luk 1:68-75

TSK: Rom 11:29

Num 23:19; Hos 13:14; Mal 3:6

TSK: Rom 11:30 - as ye // believed // obtained // through

as ye : 1Co 6:9-11; Eph 2:1, Eph 2:2, Eph 2:12, Eph 2:13, Eph 2:19-21; Col 3:7; Tit 3:3-7

believed : or, obeyed

obtained : Rom 11:31; 1Co 7:25; 2Co 4:1; 1Ti 1:18; 1Pe 2:10

through : Rom 11:11-19

TSK: Rom 11:31 - believed

believed : or, obeyed, Rom 10:16, Rom 11:15, Rom 11:25

TSK: Rom 11:32 - God // concluded them all

God : Rom 3:9, Rom 3:22; Gal 3:22

concluded them all : or, shut them all up together, Joh 1:7, Joh 12:32; 1Ti 2:4-6

TSK: Rom 11:33 - the depth // riches // how

the depth : Psa. 107:8-43; Pro 25:3; Eph 3:18

riches : Rom 2:4, Rom 9:23; Eph 1:7, Eph 2:7, Eph 3:8, Eph 3:10,Eph 3:16; Col 1:27, Col 2:2, Col 2:3

how : Job 5:9, Job 9:10, Job 11:7-9, Job 26:14, Job 33:13, Job 37:19, Job 37:23; Psa 36:6, Psa 40:5, Psa 77:19; Psa 92:5, Psa 97:2; Ecc 3:11; Dan 4:35

TSK: Rom 11:34

Job 15:8, Job 36:22; Isa 40:13; Jer 23:18; 1Co 2:16

TSK: Rom 11:35

Job 35:7, Job 41:11; Mat 20:15; 1Co 4:7

TSK: Rom 11:36 - of him // to whom

of him : 1Ch 29:11, 1Ch 29:12; Psa 33:6; Pro 16:4; Dan 2:20-23, Dan 4:3, Dan 4:34; Mat 6:13; Act 17:25, Act 17:26, Act 17:28; 1Co 8:6; Eph 4:6-10; Col 1:15-17; Rev 21:6

to whom : Gr. to him, Rom 16:27; Psa 29:1, Psa 29:2, Psa 96:7, Psa 96:8, Psa 115:1; Isa 42:12; Luk 2:14, Luk 19:38; Gal 1:5; Eph 3:21; Phi 4:20; 1Ti 1:17, 1Ti 6:16; 2Ti 4:18; Heb 13:21; 1Pe 5:11; 2Pe 3:18; Jud 1:25; Rev 1:5, Rev 1:6, Rev 4:10,Rev 4:11, Rev 5:12-14, Rev 7:10, Rev 19:1, Rev 19:6, Rev 19:7

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Rom 11:9-10 - Let their table be made a snare, &c.

Ver. 9,10. David saith viz. in Psa 69:22,23 . The apostle tieth not himself to the very words of the psalmist, but being guided by the same Spirit by which David wrote, he adds and alters some words, without diminishing the sense.

Let their table be made a snare, &c.: some take these words for a prayer; others, a prophecy. David, in the person of Christ, (of whom he was a type), doth complain and prophesy of the extreme injuries and oppressions wherewith the Jews (his own people) should vex him; as that they should give him gall for meat, and in his thirst, give him vinegar to drink, Rom 11:21 . Therefore, by way of imprecation, he prayeth down the wrath of God upon them: particularly, he prophesies or prays, that all their most pleasant things might be turned to their destruction; that their understandings might be darkened, so as they shall discern nothing of heavenly things; that they might savour nothing but earthly things, and be unable to lift up their heads and hearts to God, and to his gospel. Now David having, by the Spirit of prophecy, prayed down such miseries upon the Jews, they must be fulfilled; therefore the general unbelief and hardness of heart that is amongst that people is not to be wondered at.

Poole: Rom 11:11

Hitherto he hath showed that the rejection of the Jews is not total. Now he comes to prove that it is not final; that before the end of the world they shall be generally called and converted; that they, together with the Gentiles that believe, shall make one sheepfold, and one flock under one Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. And for the proving of this, divers arguments are brought by the apostle, (who alone plainly handles this secret), on which he insisteth the longer, for the comfort of the poor Jews, as also for the administration and information of the Gentiles.

Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: here is another prolepsis or anticipation. The Jews might say: If the case be thus, that these holy prophets, Isaiah and David, have foretold our blindness and stumbling, then we are in a hopeless condition, and that for ever. To this he answers, that they have not so stumbled as that they should finally fall, so as never to rise again; far be it from me to affirm any such things: God hath revealed the contrary to me; that he will one day call the Jews again, and restore them to his favour.

Through they fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles: q. d. Out of the forementioned evil there ariseth this good, that the gospel (being rejected by the Jews) is preached to the Gentiles, and they are thereby called and brought to salvation: see Act 13:42,46 . Because now at first a few Jews only, and a multitude of Gentiles, are converted, it hath so fallen out, that the ceremonial law is the more easily abrogated, and the doctrine of the gospel and the grace of God is the better established.

To provoke them to jealousy; i.e. the Jews who embrace not the gospel: q. d. This grace that God hath bestowed upon the Gentiles, he will make use of in his appointed time, as a prick of holy jealousy to the Jews; he will by means thereof stir them up to a holy indignation and emulation, to see themselves so far outstripped by those whom they contemned, and thereupon to embrace the gospel, and become the people of God again. Thus, as God hath ordered that the casting away of the Jews should be an occasion of the calling of the Gentiles; so again, on the other hand, the calling of the Gentiles shall be an occasion of the restoring of the Jews.

Poole: Rom 11:12 - How much more their fulness!

Another anticipation. The apostle having showed, that the falling away of the Jews was an occasion of the coming in of the Gentiles, it might be objected, that the conversion of the Jews might likewise be an occasion of the falling away of the Gentiles. To this he answers negatively, and confirms his answer by an argument from the less to the greater; that if their fall and diminution were the riches of the Gentiles, their calling again would be so much more: q.d. If God hath made use of the fall and rejection of the Jews, for an occasion of pouring out the riches or abundance of his grace upon the nations; and if the number of believing Jews, being so very small, (which is meant by their diminishing ), hath occasioned the conversion of such a multitude of Gentiles; then how much more will their fulness have the effect!

How much more their fulness! i.e. their general conversion, the coming in of the Jews, shall so fill the world with wonder, and the gospel with lustre, that a much further accession will be made even to the number of the believing Gentiles.

Poole: Rom 11:13 - I am // I magnify mine office

i.e. I speak to you of being rich in the faith above the Jews, because I challenge a special interest in you, inasmuch as

I am appointed to be the apostle of the Gentiles and am sent chiefly unto them: see Rom 15:16 Act 9:15 13:2 22:21 26:17 Gal 1:16 2:7 Eph 3:8 2Ti 1:11 . And therefore, in thus setting forth your privileges and blessings:

I magnify mine office

Poole: Rom 11:14 - Question // Answer

q.d. And I thus extol God’ s favour and mercy to you, that it may be a means (if God please) to provoke the Jews, that are my own flesh and blood, to a holy emulation or jealousy, see Rom 11:11when they shall see the Gentiles possess what was promised to them.

Question. How doth he say, that he may save some of them? Is not God the author of salvation?

Answer. Yes; but he hath given his ministers to be instruments therein, and called them fellow workers with himself, 1Co 6:1 : see 1Ti 4:16 .

Poole: Rom 11:15 - Be the reconciling of the world // Life from the dead

This verse contains an argument to prove the calling of the Jews; not a new one, but that repeated which you had before, Rom 11:12 ; the substance is the same, only the terms differ: there he spake of the fall and diminishing of the Jews, here, of their casting away; there it was the riches, here it is the reconciling of the world: q.d. If the rejection of the Jews brought great profit to the Gentiles, their reception and restoration will bring abundantly more.

Be the reconciling of the world i.e. an occasion of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, by means of which they were reconciled to God. The gospel is the ministry of reconciliation, 2Co 5:18-20 .

The receiving of them, into the favour of God and the bosom of the church.

Life from the dead a proverbial speech, to signify a great change for the better. The conversion of that people and nation, will strengthen the things that are languishing and like to die in the Christian church. It will confirm the faith of the Gentiles, and reconcile all their differences in religion, and occasion a more thorough reformation amongst them: there will be a much more happy and flourishing estate of the church, even such as shall be in the end of the world, at the resurrection of the dead.

Poole: Rom 11:16 - If the first-fruit be holy // The lump is also holy

Here is another argument to prove the Jews are not finally rejected, because of the covenant made with their fathers.

If the first-fruit be holy: some make a difference between the first-fruit, and the root, in the latter part of the verse. By the first-fruit they understand the apostles and other godly Jews, that were at first converted to the Christian faith; and by the root they understand Abraham and the patriarchs. Others take them for the same, and understand Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with the rest of the patriarchs, to be both the first-fruit and the root.

The lump is also holy by lump, and branches, he means the people of the Jews that descended of these holy patriarchs, and spring from them, as branches from a root. The great question is, In what sense they are said to be holy? Or of what holiness doth he speak? It is not meant of inherent, but of federal, or covenant holiness; all in all outward and visible covenant with God, were called holy: see Exo 9:6 Dan 8:24 . Many common things are called holy in Scripture, because dedicated to God and to his service; yea, Jerusalem, though a place of great wickedness, is called a holy city, Mat 27:53 . In such a sense as this, the Jews are still a holy people; they have an hereditary kind of dedication to God; they have a federal holiness, and relation to God, as being for ever separated to him, in the loins of their progenitors; this can never be wholly forfeited, as being granted to all the posterity of the holy patriarchs: therefore they are called the children of the covenant, which God made with their fathers, Act 3:25 : see Act 2:39 . So then God will remember in his own time, his covenant with the Jews, the posterity of Abraham, &c., who are beloved for the fathers’ sakes, Rom 11:28 . Therefore, in the mean time, they should not look on themselves with desperation; nor should the Gentiles look on them with disdain, as it follows in the next words.

Poole: Rom 11:17 - If some of the branches be broken off // And thou // Being a wild olive tree // Wert graffed in among them // And with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree

In this, and some following verses, the apostle digresses a little, and takes occasion to prevent the insulting of the Gentiles over the Jews; as also to persuade them to take warning by their example.

If some of the branches be broken off the unbelieving Jews.

And thou a believing Gentile: though he speaks as to a particular person, yet he means the whole body of the believing Gentiles.

Being a wild olive tree a scion taken from a wild olive tree; i.e. from the heathenish and unbelieving world.

Wert graffed in among them the believing Jews. Some read, for them, or in the place of the branches that are broken off.

And with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree: by the root he means Abraham, &c. as before: by the olive tree he means the church of Christ; by the root, or sap of the root, and by the

fatness of the olive tree he means, all the promises and privileges, the graces and ordinances, the spiritual blessings and benefits, which belonged to Abraham and his seed, or to the true church of God.

Poole: Rom 11:18 - Boast not against the branches // But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee

Boast not against the branches i.e. against the Jews, who, because of their unbelief, are broken off; as if by nature thou wert better than they, or more worthy of that grace which is bestowed on thee. The word signifies: Throw not up thy neck, do not carry thyself scornfully and insultingly.

But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee: q.d. If any will needs be so insolent, let them know and consider, that as the root is not beholden to the branches, but the branches to the root; so the good things that the Gentiles have, they received from the Jews, and not the Jews from them: the Gentile church is incorporated into the Jewish, and not the Jewish into the Gentile. Or else the meaning is: Despise not the Jews, for they are the natural branches of the root that bears them. If thou insultest over the branches, thou dost in a manner lift up thyself against the root, that once bore them, and now bears thee; even Abraham, who is the father of all them that believe. Abraham is not the root, simply and absolutely, but relatively, or by way of relation to his posterity and offspring.

Poole: Rom 11:19-20 - were broken off // And thou standest by faith

Ver. 19,20. Here he brings in the Gentiles, alleging a reason for their insulting over the Jews; because the Jews were broken off, that they might give place, or make way, for them; and the less worthy do always give place to the more worthy. To this he answers, first, by way of concession: Well, (saith he), it is true, and I do not deny it, that the Jews

were broken off that the Gentiles might be grafted in. But then he further adds, by way of correction or negation, that the worthiness of the Gentiles was not the cause why the Jews were broken off; but it was because of their own unbelief; they would not accept of Christ, Joh 1:11 ; they went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit themselves to the righteousness of God, as it is in Rom 10:3 . Therefore, if you Gentiles shall reason after this manner, you plainly put a fallacy upon yourselves, and take that for a cause which is none: you do not distinguish between the cause and the event; it fell out, indeed, that the Jews, being cast off, the Gentiles were received in, but this was not the cause of that.

And thou standest by faith: q.d. Neither is thy worthiness the cause of thy present standing in the room of the Jews, or of having thy station in the church of Christ; but it is thy believing in that Christ whom the Jews rejected. By faith thou wast first ingrafted, and still continuest in the good olive tree.

Be not high-minded, but fear: q.d. Be advised, and take heed of being self-conceited and secure; if thou fall into their fault, thou mayst expect the same fate. Therefore stand in awe, and sin not; thou art subject to unbelief and apostacy, as well as they.

Poole: Rom 11:21

This verse is a reason of the forementioned admonition: q.d. If God proceeded with so much severity against his ancient people the Jews, you Gentiles may in reason expect as great severity, if you take not heed to yourselves, and to your standing.

Poole: Rom 11:22 - continue in his goodness

In this verse, he further persuades the Gentiles to humility and godly fear, and suggesteth several reasons for it. The first is taken from the example of God’ s

severity to the Jews; they falling into apostacy and unbelief, are generally cut off and cast away. A second reason is taken from the free grace and undeserved goodness of God to the poor Gentiles, who were mercifully planted or grafted in the room of the Jews. A third reason is taken from the condition of their present standing, which is, if they

continue in his goodness i.e. if they continue in that state wherein his goodness hath set them. Some think the cause is here put for the effect, the goodness of God for faith, which was wrought in them by the goodness or grace of God. The antithesis, in the next verse, shows this to be the sense; for there he speaks of the Jews not continuing or abiding still in unbelief. A fourth reason is from the danger that would follow; if, through pride and security, they should fall and miscarry, they would be cut off, as the Jews, the natural branches, are. Some observe the change of the word; the Jews are said to be broken off, but the Gentiles would be cut off; they would, as it were, be stocked up by the roots: but that seems too critical and curious.

Poole: Rom 11:23

Here he adds another argument, to repress the arrogance and insulting of the Gentiles; and it is taken from the hope of the Jews’ restoration. Though for the present they seem to be in a desperate and forlorn condition, yet the restoring and re-ingrafting of them into the church is not impossible. The great obstacle is their unbelief, which God is able to remove. The same God that rejected them is able to restore them; to him all things are possible, he can cause dead and dry bones to live. An argument from the power of God (and that in the very words of this text) is frequently made use of in Scripture, to excite hope and assurance. Rom 4:21 14:4 2Co 9:8 2Ti 1:12 Heb 2:18 11:19 .

Poole: Rom 11:24

He here shows the probability, as well as possibility, of the Jews’ conversion, because God hath done that which is more unlikely: q.d. If the Gentiles, which were a kind of wild olive branches, were grafted into a good olive tree, the church of God, which is contrary to nature, seeing men use to graft a good scion into a wild stock, (as an apple into a crab), and not a wild scion into a good stock; how much more shall the Jews, which are the natural branches, yea, branches of that olive tree into which the Gentiles are now ingrafted, be grafted into their own olive tree, to which formerly they did belong! According to the custom of grafting which was common amongst them, to graft one tree upon another of the same kind; and grounded on Lev 19:19 .

Poole: Rom 11:25 - mystery // that blindness is happened to Israel in part // the fulness of the Gentiles came in // Query

Here he shows there is not only a possibility and probability, but a certainty of the Jews’ conversion and calling. This he calleth a

mystery or a secret; though it was revealed in the Scripture, (as you will hear), yet it was not understood; nay, the manner, the number, and the time of their conversion, is still concealed and hid from us. The calling of the Gentiles was a mystery, and a great secret; see Eph 3:3 ; and so is the calling and restoration of the Jews. There are three particulars of this mystery, which he makes known to the Gentiles (and he doth it the rather, lest they should swell with a high conceit of themselves, and proudly despise the Jews): two of them are in this verse; and the first is,

that blindness is happened to Israel in part only; i.e. they were not all blinded or hardened; or this blindness should not last always, but for a time. The latter sense agrees best with the word mystery; for it was no secret that some of the Jews believed; this was told them before, Rom 11:2,5,7 . Secondly, another part of this mystery was, that this blindness of the Jews should continue till

the fulness of the Gentiles came in By fulness here, (as in Rom 11:12 ), understand a great number or multitude of the Gentiles; greater, by far, than was in the apostles’ days. There is another exposition of this clause, which I submit to consideration: by the Gentiles, here, you may understand the Romans, or the Roman monarchy and power; see Act 4:27 21:11and by the coming in of their fulness may be understood, the full time of their reign and continuance; after which their ruin follows. And so here is foretold the time of the calling of the Jews, which will be soon after the destruction of antichrist and the Roman monarchy.

Query: Whether this doth not agree with the prediction of our Saviour? Luk 21:24 .

Poole: Rom 11:26 - all Israel shall be saved // all Israel // As it is written

Here is a third and chief part of the aforementioned mystery, that in the end,

all Israel shall be saved By Israel is not meant the whole church of God, consisting of Jews and Gentiles; so that word is used, Gal 6:16 , and elsewhere; for then, what he spake would have been no mystery at all: but by Israel here (as in the precedent verse) you must understand, the nation and people of the Jews. And by

all Israel is not meant every individual Israelite, but many, or (it may be) the greatest part of them. So all is to be taken in Scripture: see Joh 6:45 1Ti 2:6 , and elsewhere. Look, as when he speaks of the conversion of the Gentiles, and the coming in of their fulness, there are many (too many of them) still unconverted; so, notwithstanding the general calling of the Jews, a great many of them may remain uncalled.

As it is written the apostle had this by revelation, but he proves it also by Scripture. All are not agreed from whence these testimonies are taken; the former is found (with some little variation) in Isa 59:20 : as for the latter, some think it is taken from Jer 31:33 . Others think, that he joineth two places in Isaiah together, (as he did before, Rom 11:8 ), and the last words are taken out of Isa 27:9 . The Seventy have the very words used by the apostle. These prophecies and promises, though they were in part fulfilled when Christ came in the flesh, see Act 3:26yet there will be a more full and complete accomplishment thereof upon the Jewish nation and people towards the end of the world.

Poole: Rom 11:27-28

Ver. 27,28. Here an objection is obviated: the Gentiles might object and say, The Jews can never return and be saved, forasmuch as they have rejected the gospel, and are therefore hated of God. To this he answers by way of concession, that it was true indeed, they had rejected the gospel, and for this they were rejected and hated of God; but this happened well to the Gentiles, and was to their advantage. for the Jews’ refusal of the gospel brought it sooner to them: see Rom 11:11 . Or else the meaning is: They are enemies of God, and of his gospel; and the rather reject it, because you Gentiles embrace it; they think the worse of the gospel because you believe and profess it. Then he adds by way of correction, that they were not yet in such desperate circumstances; but in regard of

election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes By election he means, either God’ s choosing them to eternal life; or rather, his choosing that nation and people, above all other nations and people of the world, to be his peculiar people: see Deu 7:6 Psa 135:4 Act 13:46 . And by God’ s love to them, he means his love of good will which he had to that people still, for their fathers’ sakes: not because of the merit of their fathers, but because of the covenant made with their fathers; because they are descended of those fathers, to whom God had promised, that he would be their God, and the God of their seed after them; aye, and of their seed’ s seed for ever; which promises of God, the infidelity of many of them cannot wholly frustrate.

Poole: Rom 11:29 - the gifts and calling of God

These words, considered simply and abstractedly, afford this truth; That the special gifts of God, his election, justification, adoption, and in particular effectual calling, are irrevocable. God never repents of giving, nor we of receiving them. It is otherwise with common gifts and graces, 1Sa 15:11 . But if you consider these words relatively, as you respect what went before, the sense seems to be this; That

the gifts and calling of God whereby he was pleased to adopt the posterity of Abraham, and to engage himself by covenant to them, are inviolable, and are such as shall never be reversed or repented of.

Poole: Rom 11:30-31

Ver. 30,31. This is the last argument, to prove the conversion and calling of the Jews, which is further confirmed, Rom 11:32 . The argument is taken from the like dealing of God with the Gentiles; after a long time of infidelity, he received them to mercy; therefore he will also at last receive the Jews. He argues from the less to the greater; If the infidelity of the Jews was the occasion of mercy to the Gentiles, much more shall the mercy showed to the Gentiles be an occasion of showing mercy to the Jews: q.d. There is more force in that which is good, to produce a good effect, than in that which is evil, to have a good event: therefore, if the unbelief of the Jews had so good an event, as to occasion the conversion of the Gentiles, why may we not think, that the calling of the Gentiles will contribute to the conversion of the Jews? See Rom 11:11,14 . When the Jews shall see the Gentiles’ mercy, i.e. God’ s mercy to them; how the whole world flourisheth under the profession of Christianity; how the Messias is in vain expected by them; how their nation is dispersed, &c.; then they shall at last come in and cleave to Christ, and be mercifully received by him.

Poole: Rom 11:32

q.d. God hath, in just judgment, shut up both Jews and Gentiles, equally and successively, in unbelief, as in a prison, that so, in his own time, he might fulfil the counsel of his will, in showing undeserved mercy unto all: i.e. unto both Jews and Gentiles; first the Jews, and then the Gentiles; and then at last, both to Jews and Gentiles. By all here he means, those that shall believe, whether of one sort or of the other, as appears from that parallel place, Gal 3:22 . Luther, in a very great conflict, had much support from this text.

Poole: Rom 11:33 - Oh the depth! // Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! // How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

In this and the following verses is the conclusion of all that he had delivered, especially in this and the two preceding chapters. He had spoken of many profound mysteries, and answered many critical questions; and here he makes a pause, and falls into an admiration of God, his abundant wisdom and knowledge. He seems here to be like a man that wades into the waters, till he begins to feel no bottom, and then he cries out:

Oh the depth! and goes no farther.

Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! i.e. the unmeasurable, inconceivable abundance of his wisdom and knowledge. Some distinguish these two; others take them for the same: see Col 2:3 .

How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Some distinguish betwixt the judgments and ways of God; by the former, understanding his decrees and purposes concerning nations or persons; by the latter, the methods of his providence in his dealings with them: others think the same thing is meant, by an ingemination, which is familiar amongst the Hebrews. He says of God’ s judgments, that they are unsearchable; therefore not to be complained of, censured, or to be narrowly pried into; and of his ways, that they are past finding out; the same in sense with unsearchable: it is a metaphor from hounds, that have no footstep or scent of the game which they pursue: nor can men trace the Lord, or find out the reason of his doings; as none can line out the way of a ship in the sea, or an eagle in the air, &c. Some restrain the sense to the ways of God in disposing and ordering the election and rejection of men.

Poole: Rom 11:34

i.e. Who knoweth what God is about to do? Or who hath given his advice about the doing of it? This is taken out of Isa 40:13,14 .

Poole: Rom 11:35

q.d. If any man hath obliged God, by any thing he hath done for him, he shall have an ample reward: alluding (as some think) to Job 41:11 . But seeing this cannot be, and that God is indebted unto none, therefore the salvation of all is of mere grace and mercy; and there is no cause of complaining, if he deal more bountifully with some than with others.

Poole: Rom 11:36 - For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things // To whom be glory for ever. Amen

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things i.e. all things are of him, as the efficient cause; through him, as the disposing cause; to him, as the final cause. They are of him, without any other motive; through him, without any assistance; and to him, without any other end, i.e. for his sake alone.

To whom be glory for ever. Amen: a usual doxology in Scripture: see Gal 1:5 2Ti 4:18 Heb 13:21 1Pe 5:11 .

PBC: Rom 11:21

I thought about God’s people among the Jewish Nation who had the very oracles of God committed unto them. Yet, in spite of this " light of truth" given them by their God, because of their unbelief, they rejected this light of knowledge, rejecting the very Lord of Glory as the true Messiah, and went about establishing their own righteousness and refused to submit themselves unto the righteousness of God. For this very reason, they invited the divine judgment of God upon themselves. So, " God blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." Joh 12:40

Then, with great conviction of heart and soul, I turned my eyes inward to personal self, looked in the mirror of my own heart, trembled greatly, and then seriously pondered the very beauty and preciousness of God’s revealed truth as the glorious Gospel reveals the righteousness of God from the body of God’s revealed faith to the faith He sovereignly put in my heart in regeneration. It is only by this given faith of God to which I am debtor and obligated to live a sanctified life of righteousness, glory, and honor to Jehovah God, my Glorious Redeemer. His precious, inspired, preserved, and revealed word is not a toy with which we can play, turn, twist, and wrestle to suit our own preconceived ideas and notions over which to contest and war in a rash political manner just for personal prestige.

32

Let us compare the above with Ga 5:15.

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PBC: Rom 11:26 - And so all Israel shall be saved.

" And so all Israel shall be saved." {Ro 11:26}

Then Moses sang at the Red Sea, it was his joy to know that all Israel were safe. Not a drop of spray fell from that solid wall until the last of God’s Israel had safely planted his foot on the other side the flood. That done, immediately the floods dissolved into their proper place again, but not till then. Part of that song was, " Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed." In the last time, when the elect shall sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb, it shall be the boast of Jesus, " Of all whom thou hast given me, I have lost none." In heaven there shall not be a vacant throne.

For all the chosen race Shall meet around the throne, Shall bless the conduct of his grace, And make his glories known.

As many as God hath chosen, as many as Christ hath redeemed, as many as the Spirit hath called, as many as believe in Jesus, shall safely cross the dividing sea. We are not all safely landed yet:

Part of the host have crossed the flood, And part are crossing now.

The vanguard of the army has already reached the shore. We are marching through the depths; we are at this day following hard after our Leader into the heart of the sea. Let us be of good cheer: the rearguard shall soon be where the vanguard already is; the last of the chosen ones shall soon have crossed the sea, and then shall be heard the song of triumph, when all are secure. But O! if one were absent- oh! if one of his chosen family should be cast away- it would make an everlasting discord in the song of the redeemed, and cut the strings of the harps of paradise, so that music could never be extorted from them.  C. H. Spurgeon

And so all Israel shall be saved—This is the real, elect, spared nation of the future, —" those written unto life." {Da 12:1; Isa 4:3, margin} The mystery comprehends this fact (as we have said above, and as the apostle amplifies in Ro 11:31) for the salvation of national Israel was impossible, except on purely grace lines. God had given them the Law: that was necessary to reveal sin. But they utterly failed. Now comes in the fulness of the Gentiles—by grace: and so, after that, and on the same grace line as were the Gentiles, all Israel shall be saved! Most of that earthly nation will perish under Divine judgments, and the Antichrist: but the Remnant will be " accounted as a generation." Our Lord told His disciples that this present unbelieving generation of Israel would not pass away till all the terrible judgments He foretold would be fulfilled. But that that generation— " Israel after the flesh" will pass away we know; and a believing generation take their place. See Ps 22:30; 102:18. Jehovah at last " arises, and has pity on her, —for the set time has come!" So we read the Psalmist’s words: " This shall be written for the generation to come; And a people which shall be created shall praise Jehovah." This is the real Israel of God, of whom it is written, " All Israel shall be saved."  William Newell

Haydock: Rom 11:11-15 - Have they so stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid // How much more the fulness of them?

Have they so stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid. That is, their fall is not irreparable, or so as never to rise again: but by their offending, salvation (through the liberal mercy of God) is come to the Gentiles, that they, the Jews, may be emulous of the Gentiles, and of their happiness, and so may be converted. (Witham) ---

The nation of the Jews is not absolutely and without remedy cast off for ever; but in part only (many thousands of them having been at first converted) and for a time: which fall of theirs God has been pleased to turn to the good of the Gentiles. (Challoner) ---

How much more the fulness of them? As if he should say, if the obstinacy of so many Jews seem to be an occasion upon which God, whose mercy calls whom he pleaseth, hath bestowed the riches of his grace on other nations; and while the glory of the Jews, the elect people of God, has been diminished, the Gentiles have been made happy: how much more glorious will be the fulness of them? that is, according to the common interpretation, will be the re-establishment and conversion of the Jews hereafter, before the end of the world? See St. John Chrysostom, Greek: om. ith. p. 164; St. Hilary, in Ps. lviii; St. Jerome, in chap. iii. Osee. Habacuc iii.; St. Augustine, lib. xx. de Civ. Dei. chap. xxix. ---

Then (ver. 15.) the receiving of them into the Church, and their conversion to Christ, shall be like life from the dead, when the Jewish nation in general, shall rise from the death of sin, and their hardened infidelity, to the life of faith and grace. These things I speak to you, Gentiles, to honour and comply with my ministry of being your apostle: yet endeavouring at the same time, if by a pious emulation, or by any other way, I may be able to bring any of my flesh, or of my brethren, the Jews, to be saved by the faith of Christ. (Witham)

Haydock: Rom 11:16 - If the first-fruit // If the root be holy, so are the branches

If the first-fruit (see the Greek word) be holy, so also is the mass; so also the rest, the product that follows. He alludes to the offering made by the law of the first-fruit, which was to acknowledge that all good things were from God, and to bring a blessing upon the rest. ---

If the root be holy, so are the branches. By the root, says St. John Chrysostom, he understands Abraham, and the patriarchs, from whom all the Jewish nation proceeded, as branches from that root: and these branches are to be esteemed holy, not only because of the root they proceeded from, but also because they worshipped the true God. And if some, or a great part of these branches, have been broken, they may, as it is said, (ver. 23.) be ingrafted again. And you, Gentiles, ought to remember that, you were of yourselves a wild olive-tree: and it is only by the merciful call of God, that you have the happiness to be ingrafted upon the same root of the patriarchs; and so, by imitating the faith of Abraham, are become his spiritual children, and heirs of the promises, and by that means have been made partakers of the root, and of the sap, and fatness of the sweet olive-tree. Remember that you bear not the root, nor were you the root that was holy; but the root beareth you; and that being branches of a wild olive, you ought naturally still to bear bad fruit, though ingrafted on the root of a sweet olive. It is only by the mercies of God, if you bring forth good fruit. Do not then be high-minded, nor boast, but fear, and endeavour to continue in goodness; lest God also spare not you, but cut you off, as unprofitable branches. And let me tell you, as to the Jews, if they abide not still in unbelief, God is able to ingraft them again into their own olive-tree; and it seems more easy, that they, who are naturally branches of the sweet olive-tree, should bring forth good fruit, when they shall be ingrafted in their own olive-tree, being of the race of Abraham, to whom the promises were made. (Witham) ---

We see here, that he who standeth by faith, may fall from it; and therefore must live in fear, and not in the vain presumption and security of modern sectaries. (Challoner) ---

The apostle here exhorts the converted Gentiles, to fear lest they fall, and bring upon themselves a punishment similar to that of the Jews. The Jews were his chosen people, the children of the alliance; they have now been stripped of all; the same may also happen to you. You may fall into presumption and incredulity; if you remain firm, it is not by you own merits or works, but by faith, the pure gift of God. Neither faith, nor vocation, nor grace, are inadmissible. You may lose all; and therefore ought always to fear and live in humility. If God has not spared the natural branches, fear, lest he should not spare you. (ver. 21.) (Calmet) ---

The Gentiles are here admonished not to be proud, nor to glory over the Jews; but to take occasion rather from their fall to fear and to be humble, lest they be cast off. Not that the whole Church of Christ can ever fall from him; having been secured by so many divine promises in holy writ; but that each one in particular may fall; and therefore all in general are to be admonished to beware of that, which may happen to any one in particular. (Challoner)

Haydock: Rom 11:25-26 - I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery

I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, this hidden truth of God's justice and mercy, that blindness in part hath happened in Israel, or to part of them, until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in, by the conversion of all nations: and then all Israel should be saved, when they shall submit to the faith of Christ: as it is written by the prophet Isaias, (lix. 20.) there shall come out of Sion he that shall deliver; that is, their Redeemer, Christ Jesus, who is indeed come already, but who shall then come to them by his powerful grace. This is my covenant with them. (Witham)

Haydock: Rom 11:28 - According to the gospel, indeed

According to the gospel, indeed, they are enemies for your sake. That is, enemies both to you, because they see the gospel preached and received by you, and enemies of God, because he has rejected them at present for their wilful blindness: yet according to election, God having once made them his elect, and because of their forefathers, the patriarchs, they are most dear for the sake of the fathers: for the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance, in as much as God is unchangeable, and his promises, made absolutely, cannot fail. (Witham)

Haydock: Rom 11:30 - As you also in times past did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief // That they also may obtain mercy // For God hath concluded

As you also in times past did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief, which was an occasion of God's sending his preachers to you: but the cause of your salvation is God's mercy. ---

That they also may obtain mercy. That is, God has permitted their incredulity, that being a greater object of pity, he may shew greater mercy in converting them by the free gift of his grace. ---

For God hath concluded [2] all, that is, has permitted at different times, both Gentiles and Jews, to fall into a state of unbelief, that the salvation of all may be known to come, not from themselves, but as an effect of his mercy and grace. (Witham) ---

He hath found all nations, both Jews and Gentiles, in unbelief and sin; not by his causing, but by the abuse of their own free-will; so that their calling and election are purely owing to his mercy. (Challoner)

Haydock: Rom 11:32

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Conclusit omnia. Greek: pantas.

Haydock: Rom 11:33-36 - O the depth // How incomprehensible are his judgments // Who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? // For of him

O the depth, &c. After he hath spoken of the mysteries of God's grace and predestination, of his mercy and justice, which we must not pretend to dive into, he concludes this part of his epistle, by an exclamation, to teach us submission of our judgment, as to the secrets of his providence, which we cannot comprehend. ---

How incomprehensible are his judgments, &c. ---

Who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? That is, no one, by any merit on his part, can first deserve God's favours and mercy, by which he prevents us. ---

For of him, from God, or from Jesus Christ, as God, and by him, who made, preserves, and governs all things, and in him, is our continual dependance: for in him we live, we move, and exist. In the Greek, it is unto him, [3] to signify he is also our last end. See the notes, John chap. i. (Witham) ---

All things are from God, as their first cause and creator; all things are by God, as the ruler and governor of the universe; and all things are in God, or (as the Greek has it) for God, because they are all directed to his honour and glory. For the hath made all things for himself. (Psalm xvi; St. Basil, lib. de Spiritu sto. chap. 5.)

Haydock: Rom 11:36

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Et in ipso, Greek: kai eis auton.

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Gill: Rom 11:9 - And David saith // let their table be made a snare, and a trap and a stumbling block // a recompense to them

And David saith,.... That is, Christ by the mouth of David, or David in the person of Christ; for the psalm out of which the following words are taken is a prophecy of the Messiah, as appears from some passages cited out of it in the New Testament, and applied to Christ; compare Rom 11:4 with Joh 15:25, and Rom 11:9 with Joh 2:17, and Rom 11:21 with Joh 19:28; and what are here cited are not so much imprecations, as predictions of what should befall the Jews, by way of recompense for their ill usage of the Messiah, in giving him gall for meat, and vinegar for drink, Mat 27:34,

let their table be made a snare, and a trap and a stumbling block. By their "table" may be meant, the altar; see Mal 1:7; and the sacrifices offered up upon it, their meat offerings and drink offerings, and all others; likewise the laws concerning the difference of meats, and indeed the whole ceremonial law may be intended, which lay in meats and drinks, and such like things: now the Jews placing their justifying righteousness before God, in the observance of these rites and ceremonies, and imagining that by these sacrifices their sins were really expiated and atoned for, they neglected and submitted not to the righteousness of Christ, but went about to establish their own; so that that which should have led them to Christ, became an handwriting of ordinances against them, and rendered Christ of no effect to them: moreover, the sacred writings, which are full of spiritual food and divine refreshment, the prophecies of the Old Testament, which clearly pointed out Christ, not being understood, but misapplied by them, proved a trap, a snare, and a stumbling block to them; so that they rejected the true Messiah, which issued in their utter ruin and destruction: yea, the preaching of the Gospel, the salutary truths and wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, were a stumbling block to the Jews, nay, even the savour of death unto death. Though these words may be literally understood of their table mercies, the necessary provisions of life, their common food and drink, of which they had great scarcity in their last wars; so that they not only by wicked methods stole it from one another, but ate what was forbidden by their law, and what was abhorrent to nature, as one is said to eat her own child; nor is it to be overlooked what is suggested by some, that the passover may be meant by their "table"; which was their grand yearly feast, and which they were eating ^s when they were surrounded and taken by the Roman army, like birds in a net, or beasts in a trap: and all this as

a recompense to them; a just judgment upon them, by way of retaliation for their ill treatment of Christ when on the cross, giving him gall and vinegar for his meat and drink.

Gill: Rom 11:10 - Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see // and bow down their back alway

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see,.... Which is to be understood not literally of their being struck with blindness, as the men of Sodom were by the angels, and as Elymas the sorcerer was by the Apostle Paul; but mystically, of the eyes of their understandings being darkened, as they were by themselves and by Satan, and judicially by God; so that they could not see into the true same of the prophecies and promises concerning Christ; and how all the characters of the Messiah met in Jesus of Nazareth; their eyes were so blinded, that they could see no beauty nor comeliness in him; no excellency in his person, nothing wonderful in his works, nor amiable in his doctrine; nay, not only spiritual things, the things of the Gospel, were hid from the most wise and prudent among them, from their doctors and Rabbins, but also the things which regarded their temporal peace and happiness were hid from their eyes; their eyes were not only darkened with respect to things spiritual and evangelical, but even with regard to things natural and civil: never did a people act more imprudently for their temporal safety and welfare, or appear so infatuated in all their conduct, as they did, as the history of their wars does abundantly declare:

and bow down their back alway; which may denote their subjection and bondage to the Romans, when taken and carried captive by them; who laid very heavy burdens on them, which bowed down their backs indeed, multitudes of them being condemned to the mines; or this may design the general disposition of the minds of these people, which are bowed to the earth, for they mind nothing but earth and earthly things; the acquiring of which they are bent upon at any rate, and are infamous for their earthly mindedness, covetousness, extortion, usury, tricking, and over reaching: or this phrase may be expressive of that trembling, distress, horror, and despair, which shall seize them; especially when the son of man comes in the clouds of heaven, and they that have pierced him shall behold him, and wail because of trim; for in the Psalms the words are, "make their loins continually to shake", Psa 69:23.

Gill: Rom 11:11 - I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall // God forbid // but rather through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles // for to provoke them to jealousy

I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall?.... This is an objection, which the apostle takes from the mouth of an adversary; and the purport of it is, you say that the people of the Jews being blind, have stumbled at Christ and his Gospel, as was prophesied of them, and to which they were appointed; pray what were God's view and end in this? was it that they should fall and perish eternally? if it be so, is not this doing himself, what he forbids others, namely, "to put a stumblingblock before the blind?" Lev 19:14, and can he be excused from cruelty, and rejoicing at the misery of others? or is their stumbling permitted, that they should "all" fall through unbelief, and be cast away? and so it is an objection of the same kind with Rom 11:1; or since they have stumbled, and have thereby fell into a forlorn and miserable condition, are they always to continue in it, as the last clause in the above cited passage suggests? To which the apostle answers,

God forbid; neither of these are to be admitted of. The end which God had in view, in suffering the Jews to stumble and fall, was not their destruction, but rather the salvation of the Gentiles; and especially not the destruction of "all" of them, blindness had only happened "in part" to them; for there was a remnant among them according to the election of grace, which should be saved; a chosen number, which obtained life and righteousness by Christ; yea, a fulness of them, how small soever their number might be now, which should be brought in; and still less that they should always continue in this sad condition, their unbelief had brought them into; for the time would come, when there would be a receiving of them as life from the dead, when all Israel should be saved. And at present there appeared nothing ill in view,

but rather through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles. That is, the Gospel; which is sometimes called salvation, the Gospel of our salvation, the word of "salvation"; because it is a declaration of salvation by Christ, and is the power of God unto it; or a means made effectual by the power of God to convince persons, both of their need, and of the worth of it, and also a means of the application of it to them, by the Spirit of God: now this came to the Gentiles by the ministry of the apostles, according to the orders and command of Christ; and that through the fall of the Jews, their unbelief and rejection of the Messiah; for the Gospel was first preached to them, but they contradicting and blaspheming it, the apostles turned to the Gentiles, and preached it to them, as the Lord had commanded them: and thus they came to be acquainted with the doctrine of salvation by a crucified Christ, and to have it powerfully applied to their souls by the Spirit of God; when salvation might be said to "come" to them, in such sense as our Lord says it did to Zacchaeus and his house, Luk 19:9, and another end is to be answered hereby; which is

for to provoke them to jealousy: that is, to provoke the Jews to jealousy; not in an ill sense, as in Rom 10:19, and as they were provoked upon the first sending of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and the calling of them, when they discovered a great deal of envy, wrath, and bitterness; but in a good sense, as will appear in the latter day, when being convinced of their sin in rejecting the Messiah, and observing the many advantages the Gentiles have received by embracing him, and they have lost by their contempt of him, will be provoked to an holy emulation of them, and be stirred up through their means to seek the Lord their God, and David their King; and thus things will wind about in Providence. The fall of the Jews makes way for the Gospel among the Gentiles; and this having had its effects with them, will be a means of putting the Jews upon serious thoughts about, and a studious inquiry after, the true Messiah, and salvation by him; all which is a full answer to the question, and the objection contained in it.

Gill: Rom 11:12 - Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world // and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles // how much more their fulness

Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world,.... By "the world", as is clear from the next clause, is meant the Gentiles; who were frequently called so by the Jews, who reckoned themselves to be "the church", and all the nations round about them, "the world"; which observation may serve to illustrate other passages of Scripture; see Joh 3:16; now the fall of the Jews, which was a lessening of them, was the riches of the Gentiles;

and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; the number of the true believers in Christ among them were very few, the generality of them received him not, but stumbled at him, and fell through unbelief; but the few that did believe were the means of carrying and spreading the Gospel, which is, "the unsearchable riches of Christ", Eph 3:8, in the Gentile world: thus at first a persecution being raised against the church at Jerusalem, the ministers of the Gospel were scattered abroad, and went everywhere preaching the word; and afterwards the Jews behaving in a very indecent manner towards the apostles of Christ, they turned in a manner wholly to the Gentiles; and thus by the means of a few, a diminutive company, of which the Apostle Paul was one, the Gospel, the pearl of great price, treasure hid in a field, and put into earthen vessels, was carried into the Heathen world, and by it they were enriched. This handful of men that went out of Judea, were the means of converting vast numbers, large multitudes of souls among the Gentiles, which may be also designed by "riches": this word sometimes signifying plenty, see Rom 2:4; and also of enriching them with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, and of directing them to Christ, who has durable riches, treasures of wisdom and knowledge, riches of grace, and riches of glory. Now the apostle argues, that if such a small number of the Jews who embraced Christ, were of so much advantage to the Gentiles,

how much more their fulness? when converts to Christ among them will be as the sand of the sea, a nation of them shall be born again at once, and all Israel be saved. This will be a great accession to the Gentile church, bring much glory to it, contribute greatly to its welfare, and be a means of establishing their faith, and of putting fresh life and vigour into them, and of inspiring them with more zeal for Christ, and for his honour and glory.

Gill: Rom 11:13 - For I speak to you Gentiles // in as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles // I magnify mine office

For I speak to you Gentiles,.... The church at Rome, as the primitive churches for the most part did, consisted of Jews and Gentiles; hence the apostle sometimes addresses the one, as in Rom 2:17, and sometimes the other, as here; and this he does to observe unto them the grace and goodness of God, in enriching them with the Gospel of salvation; and that they might not despise the Jews, from whom it first came out, and through whose fall it came to them, and was preached among them by some of that nation:

in as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles. He was ordained and set apart by God, in his eternal purposes, to be a teacher of the Gentiles; he was sent immediately by Christ to bear his name among them, though not among them only, to the exclusion of the people of Israel; he chiefly preached the Gospel to them, though sometimes to the Jews also; and the success of his ministry was mostly among the uncircumcision, though he sought by all ways and means to gain both Jews and Gentiles: hence he addresses the Gentiles with greater freedom and boldness, because he was their apostle, and had been so useful among them; and is a reason why we Gentiles should have a special regard to his writings; for though every word of God is pure, and all Scripture is divinely inspired, and is profitable on one account or other; nor is any part of it to be slighted and neglected; yet as Paul's epistles are written chiefly to the Gentile churches, excepting that to the Hebrews, and which some question whether it is his, they ought especially to be attended to by us; though, alas, of all the inspired writings they are had in the least esteem:

I magnify mine office: not himself, for he was not of a self-exalting spirit, but humble and lowly minded, ready at all times to own himself to be less than the least of saints and the chief of sinners; but his office, which he had received from Christ, as an instance of his grace and favour. This was magnified partly by the miracles, signs, and wonders done by him, in proof, and for the confirmation of his apostleship; and partly by his constant, diligent, and faithful preaching of the Gospel: as also by the unwearied pains he took to spread it far and near; and likewise by the numbers of souls he was the means of bringing to the knowledge of Christ; and it was no small accession of glory to his office, as an apostle of the Gentiles, that he was an instrument of the conversion of many among the Jews.

Gill: Rom 11:14 - If by any means I may provoke to emulation // them which are my flesh // and might save some of them

If by any means I may provoke to emulation,.... What he had in view, even in discharging his office among the Gentiles with so much labour, assiduity, and indefatigableness, was, that if possible he might stir up the Jews to emulate and imitate the Gentiles, in seeking after Christ; for these he means when he says,

them which are my flesh; they being his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, for it was common with the eastern nations to call such persons their flesh; see Gen 29:14; and carries in it a reason why he was so solicitous for their welfare, because of the relation of them to him, and the natural affection he bore towards them; and his hope was, that they seeing the nations of the earth blessed in the promised seed, through his preaching the Gospel to them, great gatherings of the people to Shiloh, and the Gentiles seeking to the root of Jesse, set up for an ensign to the people, might be provoked to an emulation of them; and likewise seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and thereby have his end he so much wished for and desired:

and might save some of them; he says "some", not all, for he knew the bulk of the people was rejected, only a seed was left among them, a remnant according to the election of grace that should be saved, and which did obtain righteousness and life, while the rest were blinded. The ministers of the Gospel may be said to save souls, not efficiently, for the author or efficient cause of salvation is God only; the Father has chose unto it, the Son has effected it, and the Spirit applies it; but instrumentally, as the word preached by them is the means of regeneration, faith, and conversion, with which salvation is connected: and as they show unto men the way of salvation, and encourage souls to believe in Christ, in whom alone it is. Now the apostle argues from his office, and the usefulness of it, to some among the Jews, to saving purposes, to prove that their rejection was not total.

Gill: Rom 11:15 - For if the casting away of them // the reconciling of the world // what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead

For if the casting away of them,.... This argument, as before, in Rom 11:12, is from the lesser to the greater, showing that as the Gentiles received present advantage through the rejection of the Jews, they would receive far greater at their future recovery, and which proves that their rejection is not final; for by "the casting away of them", is meant the rejection of the Jews, and refers to God's writing a "Lo-ammi", Hos 1:9, upon them, and his taking away the Gospel from them, and which were the occasion of

the reconciling of the world, the Gentiles; not of God's drawing the scheme of their reconciliation in his Son; nor of the actual reconciliation of them by his sufferings and death; but of the Gospel, the word of reconciliation being carried among them upon the Jews' disbelief and contempt of it, which was made effectual by the power of divine grace, to the reconciling of them to God, to the, way of salvation by Christ; to be willing to serve him, and be saved by him; to, lay down their arms, surrender to his victorious grace, and become obedient to him both by word and deed; and if this was the case then, as it was, he asks

what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead? By the receiving of them is meant the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, when they will be received by Christ, on whom they will look with an eye of faith, and mourn in an evangelical manner for their sins against him; who casts out none that come unto him, but receives them into his arms in the most kind and tender manner; and when they will be also openly received into the house and family of God, into the visible church of Christ; and as the apostle afterwards says, "be grafted into their own olive tree", Rom 11:24; and this their restoration will be as "life from the dead"; which regards not so much the quickening of the Jews themselves, though their conversion will be, as the conversion of every sinner is, a resurrection from the death of sin to a life of grace, and is so represented in Eze 37:1, but rather the reviving the work of God among the Gentile churches, who having lain long in a dead, lifeless, lukewarm, and indifferent frame of spirit, will be aroused and quickened, at this wonderful work of grace upon the Jews; and besides it will be as unexpected by them, and as surprising to them, as a person's being raised from the dead would be; yea as joyful, and as welcome to them, as if a man received his nearest relation and friend from the dead; add to this, and which some of the ancients make to be the sense of the place, quickly after the conversion of the Jews, the fulness of the Gentiles being brought in, and nothing more to be done in a way of grace, the first resurrection from the dead will follow, and happy is he that will have part in it.

Gill: Rom 11:16 - For if the firstfruit be holy // the lump is also holy, and if the root be holy, so are the branches

For if the firstfruit be holy,.... Some by "the firstfruit" and "root" understand Christ, who is sometimes called, "the firstfruits of them that slept", 1Co 15:20, and "the root of Jesse and David", Isa 11:10, and indeed of all the righteous; and certain it is, that since he is holy, has all the holiness of his people in him, and is sanctification unto them, they shall be holy likewise; have it imparted to them in this life, and perfected in them in another: but this does not seem to agree with the apostle's argument. Others think that by them are meant the Jewish ancestors, and particularly Abraham, and dream of a holiness derived from him to his natural seed; but if no such holiness was derived from him to his immediate offspring, Ishmael, it can hardly be thought any should be communicated by him to his remote posterity; and to these here designed, at the distance of four or five thousand years from him: but by them are intended the first converts among the Jews, under the Gospel dispensation; it being usual with the apostle to call those persons, that were first converted in any place, the firstfruits of it; see Rom 16:5; These were they who received the firstfruits of the Spirit in Judea, and who first among the Jews hoped and believed in Christ; these were but few in number, as the "firstfruit" is but small in comparison of "the lump", and mean, abject, and despicable, as the "root" under, and in a dry ground is; but yet were pledges and presages of a larger number of souls among that people, to be converted in the latter day: now the apostle's argument is, "if the firstfruit be holy",

the lump is also holy, and if the root be holy, so are the branches; that is, that whereas those persons who were converted among the Jews, however few in number, and despicable in appearance they might be, yet were truly sanctified by the Spirit of God; and as they were, so should the whole body of that people be in the last days, "when holiness shall be upon the horses' bells, and every pot in Judah and Jerusalem shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts", Zec 14:20, by which metaphorical expressions is meant, that holiness should be common to the whole nation, and all the inhabitants of it, of which the call of some few among them was a pledge and presage. The allusion in the former clause is to the holy offerings of firstfruits to the Lord, the two wave loaves, Lev 23:14, whereby the whole lump was sanctified, for after use throughout the year following; and that in the latter clause, to the holiness of trees; that is, to trees devoted to sacred use or that were planted in a field appropriated thereunto: hence we read ^t, that the men of Jericho permitted, or as other exemplars read it, cut down גמזיות של הקדש, "branches of holiness", or "holy branches"; and eat fallen fruit on the sabbath day. ^u Bartenora explains these branches, of such that grow upon a tree devoted to holy uses; and Maimonides ^w, observes, that they thought it lawful to eat what grew in a holy field.

Gill: Rom 11:17 - And if some of the branches be broken // and thou being a wild olive tree // grafted amongst them // and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree

And if some of the branches be broken,.... This is to be understood, not of the exclusion of the Jews from their national church; for the persons designed by the "branches", were the principal members of it, as the civil and ecclesiastical rulers, the priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, and the far greater part of the people; and on the other hand, the apostles and followers of Christ were put out of their synagogues, and deemed by them heretics and apostates: nor of the destruction of the Jewish nation, city, and temple; for as yet they existed as a nation, their city of Jerusalem was in being, and their temple standing: but of their being left out of the Gospel church, gathered among them, they not believing in the Messiah, but rejected and crucified him; and though afterwards the Gospel was preached to them, they despise it, contradicted, and blasphemed it; so that it pleased God to take it wholly away from them, when they might be truly said to be, "as branches broken off"; which phrase seems to be borrowed from Jer 11:16; they were withered, lifeless, and hopeless, being cast off by God, and neglected by his ministers, the Gospel being removed from them, and they without the means of grace and salvation: and this was the case of the generality of the people; for though the apostle only says "some", making the best of it in their favour against the Gentiles, and speaking in the softest terms; yet they were only a few, a seed, a remnant, that were taken into the Gospel church, and the rest were blinded, hardened, rejected, and left out for their unbelief:

and thou being a wild olive tree: speaking to the Gentiles, to some, not to all of them; for not a whole tree, but a part of one, what is cut out of it, a scion from it is grafted into another; and so they were a certain number which God took out from among the Gentiles, to be a people for his name and glory, and who before conversion were comparable to a wild olive tree; for though they might have some show of morality, religion, and worship, yet lived in gross ignorance, superstition, idolatry, and profaneness were destitute of a divine revelation, of all spiritual light and knowledge, of true righteousness and the grace of God; were barren and unfruitful in good works, were without hope, God and Christ in the world. This metaphor rather regards their character, case, and manners, than their original; in respect of which they and the Jews were on a level, being by nature equally corrupt, and children of wrath; and yet though a wild olive tree, were

grafted amongst them; meaning either the broken branches, in whose stead they were grafted; the Syriac version favours this sense, reading it בדוכתיהון, "in their place"; as also in Rom 11:19; and so the Ethiopic version: or rather the believing Jews, of whom the first Gospel church and churches consisted; for the Jews first trusted in Christ, received the firstfruits of the Spirit, and were first incorporated into a Gospel church state; and then the Gentiles which believed were received among them. The first coalition of Jews and Gentiles, or the ingrafting of the Gentiles in among the Jews that believed, was at Antioch, when dropping their distinctive names of Jews and Gentiles, they took the common name of Christians, Act 11:19. So that this is not to be understood of an ingrafting into Christ unless by a visible profession, but of being received into a Gospel church state; which is signified by the "olive tree" in the next clause:

and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; the Gospel church is so called for its excellency the olive tree being a choice tree, as they were a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; for its fruitfulness, bringing forth berries that are wholesome, delightful, and useful, so the saints are filled with the fruits of grace, and good works, which are by Christ to the praise and glory of God; for its beauty when laden with fruit, so a Gospel church is beautiful maintaining the purity of Gospel doctrine, discipline, worship and conversation; "his beauty shall be as the olive tree", Hos 14:6; see Jer 11:16; and for its verdure and durableness, and growing on the mountains, all which may denote the continuance and firmness of the church of Christ. Now the Gentiles being grafted into a Gospel church state with the believing Jews, partook of the same root and fatness as they did, being built upon the same "foundation of the apostles prophets", Eph 2:20; rooted, grounded, and built up in the same church state they enjoyed the same privileges, had the doctrines of Christ and his apostles preached to them, communicated with them in the ordinances of the Gospel, and were satisfied with the goodness and fatness of the house of God; for they became "fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel", Eph 3:6, the apostle speaks according to the nature of the olive tree, which is unctuous, from whence an oil is taken, which makes the face of man to shine, the fruit of which fattens those that are lean; and hence it loses not its leaves, δια το θερμον και λιπαρον, "because of its heat and fatness", as Plutarch ^x says.

Gill: Rom 11:18 - Boast not against the branches // but if thou boast // thou bearest not the root, but the root thee

Boast not against the branches,.... Those that were broken off: the apostle would not have them vaunt it over them, despise them, and trample upon them; but pity them, and pray for and be abundantly thankful and humbled before God, under a sense of Ida sovereign and distinguishing grace, who had settled them in a Gospel church state, who were before comparable to a wild olive tree; and much less should they glory over the believing Jews, among whom they were, there being no difference between them, for they were all one in Christ Jesus:

but if thou boast; but if such a vain temper of mind should prevail, he suggests they would do well to sit down and consider what little reason they had on their side to glory; and if such glorying and boasting, one against another was lawful, the Jews had the greatest reason for it; for, adds the apostle,

thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. The Jews received no advantages from the Gentiles, but on the contrary the Gentiles from the Jews, to whom were committed the oracles of God, and by whom they were faithfully kept and transmitted to the Gentiles; the Gospel itself came out first from among them; the first preachers of it were Jews, who carried it into the Gentile world, where it was greatly succeeded to the conversion of many, who by this means were brought into a Gospel church state, and so enjoyed all the privileges they did: yea, Christ himself, according to the flesh, came of them, was sent unto them, was the minister of them, lived and died among them, and wrought out the great salvation for his people; hence "salvation" itself is said to be "of the Jews", Joh 4:22, so that the root and foundation of all their enjoyments were from the Jews, and not those of the Jews from them; hence there was no room, nor reason, for boasting against them, and vaunting it over them.

Gill: Rom 11:19 - Thou wilt say then // the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in

Thou wilt say then,.... This is an objection which the apostle foresaw the Gentiles would make against what he had said, and in favour of their boasting;

the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. The sense of which is, that the Jews were rejected and left out of the Gospel church, on purpose to make way for the Gentiles, that they might be put in their room; and consequently the Jews must be more vile and unworthy, and the Gentiles more deserving of such favours and privileges, or God would never have taken such a step, to leave out one to make room for the other.

Gill: Rom 11:20 - Well // because of unbelief they were broken off // and thou standest by faith // be not highminded, but fear

Well,.... To this the apostle answers, by approving and granting in, part what was said, that the unbelieving Jews were broken off and rejected, and that the Gentiles that believed in Christ were grafted in among the Jews that professed his name; but then he tacitly denies that it was for their sakes, and their account, they were broken off, but for their own incredulity:

because of unbelief they were broken off; because of their unbelief and contempt of the Messiah, they were rejected of God, and died in their sins; that which excluded their forefathers from the land of Canaan, shut them out of the Gospel church state, and the kingdom of heaven:

and thou standest by faith; which is not of a man's self, but the gift of God; so that it was not by their merits, and better deservings, but by the grace of God that they were in the situation they were; they were blessed with faith in Christ, and having made a profession of it were admitted to Gospel ordinances, and into a Gospel church; and being helped hitherto to hold the profession of their faith in a becoming manner they stood their ground, and continued in their church relation; and therefore ought not to give way to a vain boasting spirit, but to be humble, modest, and dependent; wherefore he gives them this proper pertinent, and wholesome advice,

be not highminded, but fear. The apostle would have them not be elated with their gifts, privileges, and enjoyments, and look over others, or down upon them with contempt and disdain, considering that all they had and enjoyed were owing to the goodness of God, and not to any deserts of theirs; and therefore should fear the Lord and his goodness; for not a fear of hell and damnation, or a distrust of the grace of God, is here meant; but a fear of offending him, and that not from a dread of punishment, but from a sense of his grace and goodness; and also designs humility of soul, in opposition to pride, haughtiness, and elation of mind, a lowly carriage and behaviour to others, and an humble dependence on grace and strength from above, to enable to persevere and hold out to the end; for "let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" into sin, 1Co 10:12; so as to dishonour God and Christ grieve the Holy Spirit, wound his own conscience, and bring himself under the censure of the church, and to be cut off from the good olive tree, the root and fatness of which he now partakes.

Gill: Rom 11:21 - For if God spared not the natural branches // take heed lest he also spare not thee

For if God spared not the natural branches,.... That is, executed his righteous judgments, inflicted due punishment upon the Jews, unchurched them, and stripped them of those privileges they enjoyed in a church state; who were the natural descendants of Abraham; were naturally, and as born into the world, in a national church state and in that national covenant God made with that people; to whom belonged a national adoption, in which sense they were the sons of God, his firstborn; they were chosen by him as a special and peculiar people, to very great favours and privileges; they were Christ's own, he came of them according to the flesh, and was particularly sent unto them, and ministered among them; wherefore, if, at last, God did not spare this people, though he had for a long time done it, but stirred up all his wrath against them, they disbelieving his Son, rejecting and despising the Messiah, and salvation by him, this should awaken the fear, care, and caution of the Gentiles in a church state, lest if they behave not well, he should deal in like manner with them:

take heed lest he also spare not thee; for whatever was done to the Jews in former or latter times, are written for the instruction and admonition of Gentiles; and the use they are to make thereof is, to be careful and cautious, lest by imbibing principles derogatory from the grace of God and glory of Christ, or by an unbecoming walk and conversation they provoke the Lord to unchurch them as he has done the Jews before them; and which they may the rather fear, since the Jews were the natural branches, and they formerly strangers and aliens.

Gill: Rom 11:22 - Behold therefore the goodness, and severity of God // on them which fell, severity // but towards thee, goodness // if thou continue in his goodness // otherwise thou also shall be cut off

Behold therefore the goodness, and severity of God,.... The consideration of both the grace and kindness of God to some, and his severity or strict justice towards others, is recommended by the apostle as very proper to abate pride, vain glory, and haughtiness of spirit; and to engage to humility, fear, care, and caution;

on them which fell, severity: the Jews who stumbled at Christ and his Gospel, and fell by unbelief, God in strict justice and righteous judgment not only destroyed, as afterwards their nation, city, and temple, and scattered them abroad in the world to be a reproach, a proverb, a taunt, and a curse in all places; but cast them off as his people, broke his covenant with them, took away his Gospel from them, left them out of a Gospel church state, except a few, and gave up the generality of them to blindness and hardness of heart; so that wrath is come upon them to the uttermost, both with respect to things civil and religious, and they continue as living standing monuments of God's severity and justice, to be beheld by us Gentiles with pity and concern, and to excite in us the fear of God, and caution as to our conduct and behaviour in the world, and in the church:

but towards thee, goodness; the Gentiles, who not only share in the goodness and grace of God, displayed in the election of many of them to eternal life, in their redemption by Christ, and the effectual calling of them by the grace of God; but in their church state, they being made fellow citizens with the saints, fellow heirs, and of the same body, and having a place and a name in God's house, better than that of sons and daughters; and therefore under great obligation to fear the Lord, and his goodness, and to walk worthy of the calling wherein they are called, in all humility and lowliness of mind:

if thou continue in his goodness; meaning not the love, grace, and free favour of God, or the grace of the Spirit, a continuance in which no "if" is to be put upon; for such who are interested in the love of God always continue in it, and nothing can separate them from it; and such as have the graces of the Spirit implanted in them, as faith, hope, and love, can never lose them; these always remain in them, and they in the possession of them, though not always in the exercise of them; but the goodness of God in a church state is here meant, as the means of grace and comfort, the ministration of the word and ordinances; and the sense is, if thou dost not despise the riches of divine goodness in a church relation, if thou dost not abuse it, or walk unworthy of it, if thou abidest by it, and retainest a value for it, thou wilt still share the advantages of it:

otherwise thou also shall be cut off; from the good olive tree, the Gospel church state, into which the Gentiles were taken; and which, with respect to particular persons, may intend the act of excommunication by the church, expressed in Scripture by purging the old leaven, putting away the wicked person, withdrawing from such that are disorderly, and rejecting heretics, that is, from the communion of the church; and with respect to whole bodies and societies, an entire unchurching of them by removing the Gospel, and the ordinances of it; which threatening has been awfully fulfilled in many Gentile churches, in Asia, Africa, and Europe; and therefore may serve to awaken our fear, care, and caution, lest we should be treated in like manner.

Gill: Rom 11:23 - And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief // shall be grafted in // for God is able to graft them in again

And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief,.... The apostle suggests that the Jews also might be recovered and brought into a Gospel church state, provided they did not continue in infidelity; but inasmuch as they seem to lie under invincible ignorance, obstinacy, and unbelief, and were such bitter enemies to the Gospel, and abhorrers of Gospel ordinances, and a Gospel church state; yea, that they must and will abide in unbelief, unless the Spirit of God convinces them of it, and it is given to them to believe in Christ, and they are powerfully drawn by the Father to come to the Son, there is no possibility or likelihood that they

shall be grafted in, or taken into a Gospel church state; to which the apostle answers, and argues for their ingrafting, and the possibility of it from the power of God:

for God is able to graft them in again; as many of them were in the times of the apostles, and some since, for nothing is impossible with God; he can remove their unbelief, knock off the shackles and fetters in which they are held, and bring, them out of the prison of infidelity, in which they are shut up; he is able to take away the blindness of their minds, and the hardness of their hearts, the veil that is over them, and turn them to the Lord; he can by his mighty power work faith in them, and cause them to look on him whom they have pierced, and mourn in an evangelical manner; he can bring them to Christ, and into his churches, and among his people, and fold them with the rest of his sheep; so that there one fold of Jew and Gentile, under one shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Gill: Rom 11:24 - For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree // which is wild by nature // and wert grafted, contrary to nature, into a good olive tree // how much more shall these which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree

For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree,.... As the apostle argues the possibility of bringing the Jews into a Gospel church state, from the power of God; so here the probability of it, or the easiness and likelihood of its being performed, from the ingrafting of the Gentiles; who were originally like an olive tree,

which is wild by nature, grows in the field, bears no fruit, and is useless and unprofitable; so they by nature were sinners of the Gentiles, children of wrath, full of unrighteousness, without any fruit of holiness; being not within the pale of the Jewish church and commonwealth; but in the wide field of the world, worthless, and of no account; and yet many were "cut out of" this wild olive tree; were, through the ministration of the Gospel, by the power of divine grace separated from the rest of the world; were effectually called and brought into a Gospel church state; God took out from among them a people for his name. This their being cut out of the wild olive, as it expresses the power and grace of God towards them, it might teach them humility, as it led them to observe their original state and condition:

and wert grafted, contrary to nature, into a good olive tree: for an olive tree being full of fatness, will not admit of ingrafting; nor was it ever usual to ingraft upon olive; hence the Jews say ^y זתים אין בהן הרכבח, "there is no ingrafting on olives": besides, it is contrary to nature, use, and custom, to ingraft wild scions, or grafts of any sort into a good stock; but always good scions or grafts into a wild stock, for in wild hungry stocks, grafts grow best: but in the ingrafting of the Gentiles into a Gospel church state, just such a method was taken, as if a wild graft were let into a good stock; so that this ingrafting was not of nature, it was contrary to it; but of pure grace, and, sovereign good will and pleasure; and the apostle's argument is this, that if the Gentiles, who were originally as a wild olive tree; if some as grafts were taken out from among them, and, quite contrary to their own nature, and the nature of things, were, by the goodness and grace of God, grafted into a good olive, the Gospel church state;

how much more shall these which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? that there is a greater likelihood, and more easily may it be, according to all appearance of things, that the Jews, the natural branches or descendants of Abraham, should be brought into a Gospel church state, which first began among them, and which at first only consisted of some of their nation. The Gospel church is called "their own olive tree", in allusion to Israel, or the Jewish church, which is often so called in their writings.

"Says ^z R. Joshua ben Levi, to what are the Israelites like? לזית, "to an olive tree"; to teach them that as the leaves of an olive tree do not fall, neither on sunshine days, nor on rainy days; so the Israelites will never cease, neither in this world, nor in the world to come; and says R. Jochanan, to what are the Israelites like? "to an olive"; to teach thee that as an olive does not send forth its oil, but by the means of pressing, so the Israelites do not return to do good, but by the means of chastisement:''

and says another ^a of their writers,

"as oil ascendeth above all liquids, and is not mixed with them; so the Israelites ascend above all nations, and are not mixed with them; and there is an intimation that they are even like לזית, "to an olive", that is pressed or squeezed; for so the Israelites are bruised and afflicted, and yet, notwithstanding all this, they ascend by virtue of the law, which is called "oil olive".''

It is easy to see from whence this simile is borrowed.

Gill: Rom 11:25 - For I would not, brethren // that ye should be ignorant of this mystery // lest ye should be wise in your own conceits // that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in

For I would not, brethren,.... The apostle in order to raise the attention of the Gentiles to what he was about to deliver to them, not only styles them "brethren", expressing his affection for them, and their relation to him and other believing Jews, and to one another, being all one in Christ Jesus, partakers of the same grace, and heirs of the same glory; but also tells them, that what he had to acquaint them with was a "mystery", a thing secret and hidden, which had not been heard of and known, at least not so fully and clearly as he was about to reveal it; and because of his great respect for them, he was unwilling, as he says,

that ye should be ignorant of this mystery; he was desirous that they should abound and improve in all spiritual knowledge and judgment, and, among the rest, be better informed of this particular article, the call of the Jews: and his view in apprizing them of it is expressed in the following clause,

lest ye should be wise in your own conceits: lest they should imagine that they were the only wise and knowing persons, and be elated in their minds with their knowledge and understanding, and look with contempt upon the poor, blind, ignorant Jews, as if they were always to remain in such a state of darkness and infidelity. The thing he had to inform them of is,

that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; by Israel is meant the Jews, the descendants of Jacob, whose name was Israel. Philo the Jew observes ^b, that this name signifies ορασιν θεου, "the vision of God"; indeed, Jacob had it given him when he wrestled with the angel, and saw God face to face, though it does not seem to be for that reason; however, blindness had now befallen the Jews, who had been favoured with a divine revelation, with the knowledge of God, his will and worship; and none were more blind than those who were called the servants and messengers of the Lord of hosts, as the Scribes and Pharisees, the priests and princes of the Jewish world. This "blindness" designs their unbelief, the hardness of their hearts, and darkness of their understandings with respect to God himself, whom they knew not in Christ; not as the Father of Christ; nor even the perfections of his nature, particularly his righteousness; which was the reason of their setting up their own righteousness, and of their non-submission to the righteousness of Christ: they were blind as to the Messiah; they knew him not, when he came; they saw no beauty and comeliness in him; could not discern the characters of him in Jesus, though they were so manifest; and rejected him notwithstanding the clear evidence of his ministry and miracles. They were in the dark about the sense of the prophecies of the Old Testament; a vail was upon their hearts when they read them, so that they understood them not, and could not see their accomplishment in Christ; they were even ignorant of the law, the spiritual nature, true use, and right end and scope of it; and it is no wonder that the Gospel should be hidden from them. This blindness "happened" to them not by chance, but befell them by the decree, and according to the will of God, who hardens whom he pleases; and according to various predictions in the Old Testament, cited in Mat 13:14; and in righteous judgment, for since they liked not to retain God and his Christ in their knowledge, it was but just in God to give them up to reprobate minds, to judicial blindness, and hardness of heart: but then this blindness only happened to them "in part"; not that it was only in some measure or some degree, for it was total, they were darkness itself, and had no spiritual and evangelic light at all on whom it fell; but that this blindness was not general with respect to persons, there were some few, a seed, a remnant, that were delivered from it, though the far greater part of the nation were involved in it, and continue in it to this day; and will do, "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in": that is, till the whole number of God's elect among them, be called and brought into the Gospel church state, which in the latter day will be very great; when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ; and the abundance of the sea shall be converted, and the forces of the Gentiles shall come to the church, and multitudes of them shall flock thither, as doves to their windows: and since the blindness of the Jews is not yet removed, it seems plain that the full number of God's chosen ones among the Gentiles is not yet completed in regeneration; for as soon as ever they are all called and brought in, the vail will be taken away from the Jews, and they will be turned unto the Lord.

Gill: Rom 11:26 - And so all Israel shall be saved // as it is written // there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer // and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob

And so all Israel shall be saved,.... Meaning not the mystical spiritual Israel of God, consisting both of Jews and Gentiles, who shall appear to be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation, when all God's elect among the latter are gathered in, which is the sense many give into; but the people of the Jews, the generality of them, the body of that nation, called "the fulness" of them, Rom 11:12, and relates to the latter day, when a nation of them shall be born again at once; when, their number being as the sand of the sea, they shall come up out of the lands where they are dispersed, and appoint them one head, Christ, and great shall be the day of Jezreel; when they as a body, even the far greater part of them that shall be in being, shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their King; shall acknowledge Jesus to be the true Messiah, and shall look to him, believe on him, and be saved by him from wrath to come. There is a common saying among them ^c, כל ישראל יש להם חלק לעולם הבא, "all Israel shall have a part", or "portion in the world to come"; and in support of this they usually produce the passage in Isa 60:21, "thy people also shall be all righteous": yea, they even go so far as to say ^d,

"that hell fire will have no power over the transgressors of Israel;''

fancying, that every individual person of their nation will be saved; though they sometimes except such who deny the resurrection of the dead, and that the law is from heaven, or is an epicure, and he that reads foreign books, or is an enchanter, or pronounces the ineffable name: but the apostle is not to be understood with such a latitude; he refers to the last times, and to a very general conversion of them to the Messiah:

as it is written, Isa 59:20,

there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer: the words of the prophet are, "and the Redeemer shall come to Zion": by the Redeemer, or Deliverer, words of the same signification, is meant the Messiah, as the Jews ^e themselves own, and apply this passage to him; who is the "Goel", or near kinsman of his people, to whom the right of their redemption belongs as man; and who as God was able to effect it, and, as God-man and Mediator, was every way qualified for it, and has obtained it for them: and whereas, in the prophet Isaiah, he is said to "come to", and by the apostle, "out of Zion", this may be reconciled by observing, that the servile letter ל sometimes signifies "from", as well as to, when it is put in the room of מ; of which instances may be given, as Exo 16:1 compared with 2Ch 11:4. Besides, the Messiah was to come out of Zion, as well as to come to it, according to Psa 14:7; so that the apostle fitly expresses the faith and expectation of the old Jewish church in this citation:

and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob; in the prophet it is, "and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob", Isa 59:20. The apostle follows the translation of the Septuagint, and which is favoured by the Chaldee paraphrase, which runs thus; "the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to turn the rebellious ones of the house of Jacob to the law"; so that the Jew ^f has no reason to charge the apostle with a perversion of the prophet's words, when they are cited so agreeably to their own Targumist: and the sense of them relates not to what Christ did on the cross, when the iniquities of his people were laid on him, and he bore them, and removed them all in one day from them; but to what he will do to the Jews in the latter day, in consequence thereof; he will convince them of their ungodliness, give them repentance for it and remission of it.

Gill: Rom 11:27 - For this is my covenant unto them // when I // shall take away their sins

For this is my covenant unto them,.... This is what God has promised to them in covenant, and he will be as good as his word; his covenant will never be broken, it will always remain sure and inviolable; so that there is not only a possibility, and a probability, but even a certainty, of the call and conversion of the Jews; which promise and covenant will have their accomplishment,

when I, saith the Lord,

shall take away their sins: some think that the apostle alludes to Jer 31:34; others, that he takes this passage out of Isa 27:9; where in the Septuagint version the selfsame phrase is used; though it may be no citation, or reference, but the apostle's own words, explaining what is meant by "turning away ungodliness from Jacob", Rom 11:26; and as before; regards not the taking away of their sins by the sacrifice of Christ, which is done already, and is what the blood of bulls and goats could not do; but of the removing of their sins from themselves, from their consciences, by the application of the blood of Christ, and the imputation of his righteousness.

Gill: Rom 11:28 - As concerning the Gospel // they were enemies // for your sakes // but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes

As concerning the Gospel,.... Whereas it might be objected to the call and conversion of the Jews, their implacable enmity to the Gospel, the apostle replies, by granting, that with respect to that,

they were enemies to God and Christ, to the Gospel, and the ministers of it, and particularly to the apostle:

for your sakes; the Gentiles, to whom it was preached, and by whom it was received, and which greatly irritated and provoked the Jews; or the sense is, that they were suffered to reject the Gospel, and treat it with hatred and virulence, that by this means it might be taken away from them, and carried to the Gentiles; so that the present enmity of the Jews to the Gospel, turned to the advantage of the Gentiles, and should not hinder the future conversion of God's elect among them in the latter day:

but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes; as many of them as belong to the election of grace, are beloved of God; and will appear to be so, when they are called by grace, as they will be, for the confirming of the promises concerning their future restoration made unto their fathers; not one of which shall ever fall to the ground, or they be deprived of any gifts and blessings of grace, which God has purposed for them, or promised to them, as is clear from what follows:

Gill: Rom 11:29 - For the gifts and calling of God // are without repentance

For the gifts and calling of God,.... By "gifts" are meant, not the gifts of nature and providence, as life, health, strength, riches, and honour, which God sometimes gives, and repents of, and takes away; as he repented that he had made man upon earth, and Saul king of Israel; which must be understood by an "anthropopathy", after the manner of men, and that not of a change of the counsel of his mind, but of the course of his providence: nor do gifts here design external gifts of grace, or such gifts of the Spirit, which qualify men for ministerial work, for public service in the church; for these may be taken away, as the "parable" of the "talents" shows, Mat 25:29; see 1Co 13:8; but the special and spiritual gifts of God's free grace, which relate to the spiritual and eternal welfare of the souls of men, even that, grace which was given to God's elect in Christ before the world was, and all those spiritual blessings wherewith they were then blessed in him: these

are without repentance; that is, they are immutable and unalterable; God never revokes them, or calls them in again, or takes them away from the persons to whom he has made such a previous donation: the reasons are, because that his love from whence they spring is always the same; it admits of no distinction, nor of any degrees, nor of any alteration; and electing grace, according to which these gifts are bestowed, stands sure and immovable; not upon the foot of works, but of the sovereign will of God, and always has its sure and certain effect; and the covenant of grace, in which they are secured, remains firm and inviolable; and indeed, these gifts are no other than the promises of it, which are all yea and amen in Christ, and the blessings of it, which are the sure mercies of David. Whatever God purposes, or promises to give, or really does give to his people, whether into the hands of Christ for them, or into their own, he never repents of or reverses. Agreeably to these words of the apostle, the Jews say ^g.

"that the holy blessed God, after שנתן המתנה, "that he hath given a gift", לא יקחנה המקבל, "never takes it away from the receiver"; and this is the "Gemara", or doctrine of the Rabbins ^h דמיהב יהבי משקל לא שקלי, "that giving they give, but taking away they do not take away"; the gloss upon it is, בתר דיהבי, "after it is given":''

the meaning is, that what is once given to men from heaven, is never taken away from them up into heaven: and elsewhere ⁱ they ask,

"is there any servant to whom his master gives a gift, and returns and takes it away from him?''

Moreover, the apostle here says the same of the "calling of God", as of gifts; by which is meant, not a bare external call by the ministry of the word, which oftentimes is without effect, and may be where persons are neither chosen, nor converted, nor saved; but an internal effectual call, by special, powerful, and efficacious grace; and designs either actual calling, to which are inseparably annexed final perseverance in grace, and eternal glorification; or rather the purpose of God from eternity, to call his people in time, and which is never repented of, or changed. The apostle's argument here is this, that since there are a number of people among the Jews whom God has loved, and has chosen to everlasting salvation, and has in covenant promised to them, and secured and laid up gifts for them, and has determined to call them by his grace; and since all these are unchangeable and irreversible, the future call and conversion of these persons must be sure and certain.

Gill: Rom 11:30 - For as ye in times past have not believed God // and yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief

For as ye in times past have not believed God,.... The times referred to, are the times of ignorance, idolatry, and superstition; when God suffered the Gentiles, for many hundreds of years, to walk in their own ways; while the Jews were his favourite people, were chosen by him above all people, separated from them, and distinguished by his goodness; had his word and oracles, his judgments and his statutes to direct them, and many other valuable blessings: the times before the coming of the Messiah are here meant, when these people sat in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death; till Christ, who came to lighten the Gentiles, sent his Gospel among them, and which has been attended with great success; in these times they were in a state of incredulity: they either, as some of them, did not believe there was a God, or that there was but one God, at least but very few believed it; and these did not know who he was; nor did they glorify him as God, or perform any true spiritual worship to him: the far greater part believed there were more gods, and did service to them which by nature were no gods, and fell down to idols of gold, and silver, and wood, and stone:

and yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; that is, they were regenerated, effectually called and converted, through the rich and abundant mercy of God; repentance unto life was granted to them; and faith in our Lord Jesus, as a free grace gift, was bestowed upon them; and they had an application of pardoning grace and mercy, through the blood of Christ, made unto them; and all this through the unbelief of the Jews: not that their unbelief could be the cause of their obtaining mercy; but the Jews not believing in the Messiah, but rejecting him, and contradicting and blaspheming his Gospel, it was taken away from them, and carried to the Gentiles; which was the means of their believing in Christ, and obtaining mercy; so that the unbelief of the Jews was the occasion and means, in Providence, of bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, whereby faith came; see Rom 11:11. This mercy they are said to enjoy "now"; for the present time of the Gospel is the dispensation of mercy to the Gentiles.

Gill: Rom 11:31 - Even so have these also now not believed // that through your mercy they may obtain mercy

Even so have these also now not believed,.... Now is the time of the Jews' unbelief, blindness has happened to them, the vail is over their hearts; as the Gentiles formerly did not believe God, so the Jews do not now; though they believe there is a God, and that there is but one God, yet they do not believe God in Christ; nor that he is the Father of Christ; or that Christ is the Son of God, the true Messiah, and Saviour of the world: they do not believe, as some read the words, connecting them with the next clause, and so they stand in the original text, "in your mercy"; meaning either Christ, in whom the Gentiles obtained mercy; or the Gospel, the means of it; or the sense is, that they do not believe that mercy belongs to the Gentiles, having entertained a notion, treat the Messiah, and the blessings of mercy and goodness by him, are peculiar to Israel: but our version after Beza, who follows Theophylact, connects the clause with the following,

that through your mercy they may obtain mercy; not through the mercy the Gentiles show to others, but which they have received of God; and principally intends faith, which springs from the mercy of God, and is a gift of his pure, free, rich grace; and stands opposed to the unbelief of the Jews, through which the Gentiles are said to obtain mercy; and the meaning: is, that in time to come, the Jews, observing the mercy obtained and enjoyed by the Gentiles, will be provoked to jealousy, and stirred up to an emulation of them, to seek for the same mercy at the same hands, and in the same way, they have had it; see Rom 11:11; The apostle's argument in favour of the call and conversion of the Jews, upon the whole is this, that since the unbelief of the Gentiles was no bar to their obtaining mercy, and that through the infidelity of the Jews; then it cannot be thought, that the present blindness, hardness of heart, enmity, and unbelief, which now attend the Jews, can be any obstacle to their obtaining mercy in the same way the Gentiles have; but as the one has been, the other also will be.

Gill: Rom 11:32 - For God hath concluded them all in unbelief // that he might have mercy upon all

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief,.... Both Jews and Gentiles, particularly God's elect among them: some think the metaphor is taken from the binding up of sheaves in bands; and that Jews and Gentiles are the sheaves, and unbelief the band, in which they are bound together; but the apostle is not speaking of their being together in unbelief, but as separate, first the Gentiles, and now the Jews: rather it seems to be taken from a prison, and Jews and Gentiles are represented as prisoners, and unbelief the prison, in which they are shut up by God: not that God is the author of unbelief, or of any other sin in men; he does not put it into them, or them into that, but finding them in unbelief, concludes them in it, or leaves them in such a state, and does not as yet however deliver out of it, or say to the prisoners, go forth: moreover, to be "concluded in unbelief", is the same as to be "concluded under sin", Gal 3:22; that is, to be thoroughly convinced of it; and to be held and bound down by such a sense of it in the conscience, as to see no way to escape deserved punishment, or to obtain salvation, but by fleeing to the mercy of God in Christ:

that he might have mercy upon all: not upon all the individuals of Jews and Gentiles; for all are not concluded in, or convinced of the sin of unbelief, but only such who are eventually believers, as appears from the parallel text, Gal 3:22; and designs all God's elect among the Jews, called "their fulness", Rom 11:12; and all God's elect among the Gentiles, called "the fulness of the Gentiles", Rom 11:25; for whom he has mercy in store, and will bestow it on them; and in order to bring them to a sense of their need of it, and that he may the more illustriously display the riches of it, he leaves them for a while in a state of unbelief, and then by his Spirit thoroughly convinces them of it, and gives them faith to look to, and believe in, the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.

Gill: Rom 11:33 - O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God // how unsearchable are his judgments // and his ways past finding out

O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God,.... These words are the epilogue, or conclusion of the doctrinal part of this epistle, and relate to what is said throughout the whole of it hitherto; particularly to the doctrines of salvation by Christ, justification by his righteousness, predestination, the calling of the Gentiles, the rejection of the Jews, and their restoration in the latter day; upon the whole of which, the apostle breaks forth into this pathetic exclamation; the design of which is to show, how much of the wisdom and knowledge of God is displayed in these doctrines, and how small a part of it is known by the best of men, and therefore ought not to be cavilled at and objected to, because of some difficulties attending them, but to be received upon the testimony of divine revelation: and if there was a depth in these things unsearchable and past finding out by so great a man as the apostle, who had by revelation such knowledge in the mysteries of grace, and who had been caught up into the third heaven, and heard things unutterable, how much less is it to be fathomed by others, and therefore should be silent: by "the wisdom and knowledge of God", one and the same thing is meant; and design not so much the perfections of the divine nature, which are infinite and unsearchable, the understanding of which is too high for creatures, and not be attained to by them; nor the display of them in the works of creation and providence, in which there are most glorious and amazing instances; but rather the effects of them, the counsels and decrees of God; which are so wisely formed and laid, as not to fail of their accomplishment, or to be frustrated of their end; and the doctrines of grace relating to them, in which are treasures, riches, that is, an abundance of wisdom and knowledge; and a depth, not to be reached to the bottom of, in this imperfect state, and in which the knowledge and wisdom of God are wonderfully displayed: thus in the doctrine of redemption and salvation by Christ, wherein God has abounded in all wisdom and prudence; in the person fixed upon to be the Saviour, his own Son; who by the assumption of human nature, being God and man in one person, was very fit and proper to be a Mediator between God and man, to transact the affair of salvation; was every way qualified for it, and able to do it: so likewise in the manner in which it is accomplished, being done in a way which glorifies all the divine perfections; in which the rights of God's justice and the honour of his holiness are secured, as well as his love, grace, and mercy, displayed; in which Satan is most mortified, sin condemned, and the sinner saved; and also in the persons, the subjects of it, ungodly sinners, enemies, the chief of sinners, whereby the grace of God is the more illustrated, and all boasting in the creature excluded. The wisdom of God manifestly appears, in the doctrine of a sinner's justification; which though it proceeds from grace, yet upon the foot of redemption and satisfaction, in a way of strict justice; so that God is just, whilst he is the justifier; it is of persons ungodly, and without a righteousness in themselves, and yet by a perfect and complete righteousness, answerable to all the demands of law and justice; and the grace of faith is wisely made the recipient of this blessing, that it might appear to be of free grace, and not of works, and that the justified ones might have solid peace, joy, and comfort, from it. The doctrine of predestination is full of the wisdom and knowledge of God; his choice of some to everlasting life in his Son, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, for the glorifying of his grace and mercy, in a way of righteousness; and his passing by others, leaving them to themselves, and in their sins, justly to perish for them, for the glorifying of his justice, are acts of the highest wisdom, and done according to the counsel of his will. The account just given of the call of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews, is an astonishing scheme of infinite wisdom; that, on the one hand salvation should come to the Gentiles, through the fall of the Jews, and they should obtain mercy through their unbelief; and on the other hand that the restoration of the Jews should be as life from the dead to the Gentiles; and the Jews, through their mercy, obtain mercy; and that both, in their turns, should be shut up in unbelief by God, that he might have mercy on them all, "O the depth", &c. To which is added,

how unsearchable are his judgments! which are not to be understood of his awful judgments on wicked men in particular, nor of the administrations of his providence in general; though these are a great deep, and in many instances are unsearchable, and cannot be counted for in the present state, but will hereafter be made manifest; nor of the commands of God, sometimes called his judgments, which are all plain, and may be easily searched out in his word; but rather of the counsels and purposes of God, and the doctrines of grace relating thereunto; which are the deep things of God, and are only searched out by the Spirit of God, who reveals them to us:

and his ways past finding out! not the methods and course of his providence, though his way in this respect is often in the deep, his footsteps are not to be known, discerned, and traced, by finite creatures; but rather the goings forth and steps of his wisdom from everlasting, in his purposes and decrees, council and covenant, which are higher than the ways of men, even as the heavens are higher than the earth; and which are all mercy and truth to his chosen people, and strict justice to others, and not to be found out by any; particularly his ways and methods, and dealings, with both Jews and Gentiles; that he should for so many hundred years leave the Gentiles in blindness and unbelief; and now for as many years his favourite people the Jews in the same, and yet gather in his elect out of them both; these are things out of our reach and comprehension.

Gill: Rom 11:34 - For who hath known the mind of the Lord // or who hath been his counsellor

For who hath known the mind of the Lord,.... The intentions of his mind, the thoughts of his heart, and the counsels of his will: these could never have been known, if he had not revealed them; nor can the doctrines relating to them, though externally revealed, be known by the natural man, or by the mere dint of nature, but only by the light of the Spirit of God; who searches them, and makes them known in a spiritual manner to spiritual men, who have a spiritual discerning of them; and yet even by these they are not known perfectly, only in part, and are seen through a glass darkly:

or who hath been his counsellor? or was of his council, when all things were fixed according to his sovereign will: when the scheme of man's salvation was consulted and agreed upon between the eternal Three, there was no creature, angel, or man there; no created angel, only the eternal One, "the Counsellor", Isa 9:6; or as the Septuagint there style him, αγγελος μεγαλης βουλης, "the angel of the great council"; none but Father, Son, and Spirit, were present, when the book of life was made, when the names of God's elect were put into it, and others left out; when all things relating to his chosen ones, both for time and eternity, whether among Jews or Gentiles, were determined, ordered, and settled; and as there was no creature that assisted, or could give any advice about these matters, so there were none that were privy to the resolutions, determinations, and counsels of his will; which were purposed in himself and in his Son, and were known only to them and his Spirit, which is in him: from the whole it appears, that predestination is not according to men's works, or the foresight of them; for then these things would be plain and easy, they would not be unsearchable and past finding out; there would not be an unfathomable depth in them; the mind and counsels of God, and the springs of them, would be obvious; but it is according to his secret, sovereign, and unchangeable will.

Gill: Rom 11:35 - Or who hath first given to him // it shall be recompensed to him again

Or who hath first given to him,.... See Job 41:11; no man can give God anything, which he has not first given him, or which he has not a prior right to, or a claim upon him for; Adam, in innocence, was not able to give God anything, nor are the angels in heaven, much less sinful men on earth; their bodies and souls, and all their enjoyments, all that is good in them, or done by them, are from the Lord; men by all their good works, best duties and services, give nothing to God, nor lay him under any manner of obligation to them: hence no man can merit anything at the hands of God, if he could,

it shall be recompensed to him again; but it is impossible there should be merit in a creature, who has nothing but what he has from God, and does nothing but what he is obliged to do; and that not by his own strength, but by the grace and strength of God; and therefore there is no retribution made by God as of debt, but of grace: hence it follows, that God is indebted to, and obliged by none, and may do what he will with his own; love Jacob and hate Esau; choose one and not another; reject the Jews, and call the Gentiles; save and justify some, and not others; none can call him to account, or say unto him, what dost thou?

Gill: Rom 11:36 - For of him, and through him, and to him are all things // to whom be glory for ever // amen

For of him, and through him, and to him are all things,.... Not only all things in nature and providence, he being the Maker and efficient cause of things, and the preserver and supporter of them their beings, and to whose glory they are all designed and directed; but all things in grace owe their original to him, as their first cause; they are produced by him, and make for his glory; they all spring from his sovereign will, are brought about by his almighty power, and tend to the glory of his grace; as does every thing in election, redemption, and regeneration: particularly the counsels and purposes of God respecting men may be here meant; which all rise out of his own heart, without any motive or inducement to them in the creature; are accomplished by his divine power, notwithstanding all the opposition of men and devils; and all issue in his glory, even such of them as may seem to carry in them severity to some of his creatures: and since this is the case, the following doxology, or ascription of glory to God, is justly and pertinently made,

to whom be glory for ever; and which will be given to him by angels and men to all eternity, for the perfection of his being, the counsels of his will, and the works of his hands, both of nature and grace; to which the, apostle annexes his

amen, so be it, assenting to it, wishing for it, and believing of it.