Bible Study Romans 11
Notes
Transcript
The Remnant Israel
The Remnant Israel
1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”?
37 This is what the Lord says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the Lord.
V2 - Linked
37 This is what the Lord says: “Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done,” declares the Lord.
V3 - Linked
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
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14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
The passage to which Paul refers is the story of King Ahab’s attack on the prophets of Yahweh (). After learning of Ahab’s slaughter of the prophets, Jezebel threatens her nemesis Elijah with the same fate (vv. 1–2). Elijah then flees to the wilderness, where he bemoans his fate (vv. 3–14) and where the Lord comforts him with the assurance that he is working out his plan for Israel and the surrounding nations (vv. 15–18).
The passage to which Paul refers is the story of King Ahab’s attack on the prophets of Yahweh (). After learning of Ahab’s slaughter of the prophets, Jezebel threatens her nemesis Elijah with the same fate (vv. 1–2). Elijah then flees to the wilderness, where he bemoans his fate (vv. 3–14) and where the Lord comforts him with the assurance that he is working out his plan for Israel and the surrounding nations (vv. 15–18).
Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 675–676.
Question: God is talking about election here? Individual election or national election
Question: V2 he said he “foreknew” how does that fight with your position on foreknowledge, determinism, freewill, God’s Sovereignty?++
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”?
4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”?
4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
Question: I understand what it says literally… but what the message for ? God has picked _________
5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
Question: V.4 - God chose a remnant… V5. Grace chose a remnant. What is the difference?
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,
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The principle of grace is antithetical to that of “works”; if God has elected the individuals who make up the remnant “by grace,”it follows that he could not have elected them on the basis of works. The word “works” refers to anything that human beings do. Since Paul’s focus is on the basis for the election of Israel, it is quite likely that he would think of these human actions as done specifically in obedience to the Mosaic law
8 as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
9 And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
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Question: Who is the “them”
8 as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
9 And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”
Question: V9 What is all of this about?
V10 -
What David prayed would happen to his persecutors, Paul suggests, God has brought upon those Jews who have resisted the gospel.
Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 683.
Vs. 11-32 form a separate Literary Unit… the were united somewhere down the line in to a single chapter.
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
The Epistle to the Romans D. Summary: Israel, the “Elect,” and the “Hardened” (11:1–10)
In vv. 8–10 Paul supports his reference to hardening with two OT quotations. He follows Jewish precedent in using each of the three main divisions of the Hebrew canon: the “law” (Deut. 29:4), the prophets (Isa. 29:10), and the “writings” (Ps. 69:22–23).56
Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 678.
Question: What if the Israelite could/would have not fallen? Is that even possible?
Question: Are they even today away from the means of grace
12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
Questions: Did God accept them, all of them? What are their “greater” riches
Question: What is “Full Inclusion”
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry
14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.
Paul points out that the role played by Gentiles in the ultimate blessing of Israel means that his own ministry, largely devoted to the Gentiles, has nevertheless a significant indirect impact on Israel. These verses are something of an aside, a parenthesis that anticipates the hortatory direction that Paul takes his argument in vv. 17–24.38
Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 690–691.
15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
The Epistle to the Romans 1. God’s Purpose in Israel’s Rejection (11:11–15)
Paul earnestly seeks to stimulate Israel to jealousy and save “some of” his fellow Jews (vv. 13–14), “for” Israel’s return to divine favor will mean unprecedented blessing for the world (v. 15). At the same time, v. 15 restates the process that Paul has introduced in vv. 11b–12.
Question: How does rejection … bring reconciliation.
16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Question: explain the verse in simple terms
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
This continuing special relationship between God and Israel is, however, reason to hope that Israel might one day be spiritually renewed, hope that Paul enunciates in vv. 23–24.
Question: This a a new testament parable… unwind it for me.
Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 701.
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry
14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.
15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble.
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Ro 11.11
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 11
he olive tree was a symbol of the nation of Israel. It was used in this section by Paul as an illustration or allegory of God’s dealings with Jews and Gentiles. The patriarchs are represented by the root of the tree. The Gentiles are a wild graft. Pruned off branches are the unbelieving Jews. Salvation is by faith, and the Gentiles need to be humble about their position. Spiritual pride has no place in salvation by grace.
The olive tree was a symbol of the nation of Israel. It was used in this section by Paul as an illustration or allegory of God’s dealings with Jews and Gentiles. The patriarchs are represented by the root of the tree. The Gentiles are a wild graft. Pruned off branches are the unbelieving Jews. Salvation is by faith, and the Gentiles need to be humble about their position. Spiritual pride has no place in salvation by grace.
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