Sermon Tone Analysis

In Romans 11:27, Paul cites a combination of Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 as further support for his prediction in Romans 11:26 that there will be a national regeneration of Israel.

So in Romans 11:26b-27 to validate his assertion in Romans 11:26a that there will be a national regeneration of Israel and to teach that this will take place at Christ’s Second Advent, Paul quotes Isaiah 59:20-21 and 27:9.

Romans 11:27 “Furthermore, this is the covenant established by Me for their benefit when I act on My promise and remove their sins.”

(My translation)

Paul cites a combination of Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 as further support for his prediction in Romans 11:26 that there will be a national regeneration of Israel.

These quotations are alluding to the New Covenant recorded in Jeremiah 31:31-34, which refers to this national regeneration of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent.

Paul in Romans 11:27 quotes Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 to teach that this national regeneration of Israel will involve the Lord fulfilling one of His promises in this covenant, namely removing the sins from those Jews who have faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

Romans 11:28 summarizes God’s dealings with the nation of Israel and the Gentiles.

The first part of the verse teaches that from the standpoint of the gospel, the nation of Israel corporately is God’s enemy for the sake of evangelizing the Gentiles.

The second half of the verse teaches that from the standpoint of God electing them in a national sense, the nation of Israel is the object of God’s love because of unconditional promises to the patriarchs.

Romans 11:28 On the one hand, from the perspective of the gospel, they are enemies on behalf of all of you while on the other hand from the perspective of their election, they are divinely loved because of the promises to the fathers.

(My translation)

“Because of the promises to the fathers” is saying that because of God’s faithfulness to His unconditional promises He made to the patriarchs, the nation of Israel is the object of God’s unconditional love.

Paul in Romans 11:29 then presents the reason why the nation of Israel can be both God’s enemy and the object of His unconditional love.

Romans 11:29 Because the gracious privileges, especially, God the Father’s invitation to privilege is irrevocable.

(My translation)

The apostle Paul teaches in this passage that Israel is both the enemy of God and the object of His unconditional love because the eight gracious privileges that God bestowed upon the nation of Israel that are listed in Romans 9:4-5 and especially the invitation to privilege that He extended to that nation are irrevocable.

Paul is teaching the reason why Israel can be both God’s enemy and the object of His unconditional love.

This statement in Romans 11:29 is explaining the paradox presented in Romans 11:28.

Therefore, Paul is saying in Romans 11:29 that Israel can be both the enemy of God and the object of His unconditional love “because” the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

The national election of the nation of Israel by God, which was addressed by Paul in Romans 9:6-29, was not based upon the negative or positive responses of the individual citizens of the nation of Israel with regards to Jesus Christ.

Rather, it was based upon God’s grace policy, which itself is based upon the character and nature of God.

Therefore, the nation of Israel can still be the elect nation of God and the object of His love even though the majority of Jews in Israel from the first to the second advents of Christ have rejected His Son Jesus Christ.

In Romans 11:30-31 Paul employs a correlative clause that compares God giving grace to the formerly disobedient Gentiles because of Israel’s unbelief with extending grace to the presently disobedient Jews because of the grace obtained by the Gentiles.

Romans 11:30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy 31 because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.

(My translation)

Then, in Romans 11:32, Paul draws an inference from his teaching in Romans 11:30-31, which states God has confined the entire human race to unbelief in order that He might extend the offer of grace to the entire human race.

Romans 11:32 Therefore, God the Father has confined the entire human race to unbelief in order that He may extend the offer of grace to the entire human race.

(My translation)

In Romans 11:33, Paul praises the Father for His infinite wealth, wisdom and knowledge as well as His unsearchable decrees and incomprehensible ways.

Romans 11:33 Oh, God’s infinite wealth and wisdom and knowledge!

How unsearchable are His decrees and in addition, how incomprehensible are His ways! (My translation)

Then, in Romans 11:34, Paul cites the two rhetorical questions that demand a negative response that appear in Isaiah 40:13 to support his exclamation in Romans 11:33.

Romans 11:34 Indeed, who has fully comprehended the Lord’s mind or who became His advisor?

(My translation)

Lastly, in Romans 11:35, Paul cites the rhetorical question that demands a negative response that appears in Job 41:11 to support his praise of the Father in Romans 11:33.

Paul teaches that the Father will receive praise and thanksgiving throughout eternity because all things exist from Him and through Him and for Him.

Romans 11:36 Because each and every thing exists because of Him as their source and through Him and for Him.

Glory (in the sense of adoring praise and worshipful thanksgiving) will be directed towards Him throughout eternity.

Amen! (My translation)

The quotations from Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11 that appear in Romans 11:34-35 serve to “confirm” Paul’s doxology or praise of the Father in Romans 11:33.