"You Are Not the Only One"

Romans 11

The Sermon in a Sentence

The Jews play a very important part in Biblical history and in the future of God’s plan. Through the years, many have sought, without success, to destroy the Jewish race. God’s hand will remain on the Jewish race, fulfilling His plan. God is all-wise. He doesn’t make mistakes. He is the Alpha and Omega—Rev. 1:8. He is eternal—Ps. 90:2. He had no beginning and He will have no ending. There is only one true God—Isa. 43:10–11. He knows the past as well as the future. He works all things together for our good—Rom. 8:28. Though many have rejected Him, He still loves and seeks to save.

I. THE PASSION—vv. 1–5

Once again Paul posed a rhetorical question. He asked, “God did not reject his people, did he?” The answer is, “By no means!” They had been disobedient and obstinate (10:21), but they had not been repudiated as a nation. After all, Paul himself was an Israelite. He was a descendant of the great patriarch Abraham (2 Cor 11:22) and a member of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5). If God had rejected the entire nation of Israel, then Paul would not have been able to claim a right standing before God. The truth is that God had not rejected the nation he chose from the very first. He had not taken unilateral action against those whom he approved from the beginning. To illustrate and strengthen his point Paul reminded them of the story of Elijah (vv. 2–4). After Elijah’s spectacular victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Jezebel’s threats sent him fleeing for his life. Hiding in a cave on Mount Horeb, he complained to God against Israel. They had killed the prophets and demolished the altars. “I am the only one left,” he complained, “and they are trying to kill me” (1 Kgs 19:10, 14). And what was the divine response, asked Paul? God answered, “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal” (1 Kgs 19:18). Sulking in a cave forty days’ and nights’ journey away from danger and consumed with self-pity, Elijah learned that he was not a minority of one. He was not the last prophet in the land. If he had known the whole story, he would have realized that God had reserved for himself a significant number of Israelites that had not fallen into the worship of Baal.So it was in his own time, said Paul. There remained a remnant chosen by grace (v. 5; cf. 9:27). This remnant (Jewish Christians) did not exist because of works they had done but because they had been selected by God on the basis of his own unmerited favor. Grace and works are mutually exclusive principles. If the remnant had earned their position by their works, then grace would no longer have been grace. As a remnant “chosen by grace” there was absolutely no room for personal merit or meritorious performance. Although the seven thousand in the days of Elijah were certainly worthy of commendation for their faithfulness to Yahweh, in the case of the remnant in Paul’s day there was nothing they had done that would ever merit their standing as God’s people.

1. Compassion—vv. 1–3. What love! Willing to lose His soul to see His friends saved.

2. Concern—v. 4. God here speaking to the Jews.

3. Christ—v. 5. Through the great godly men of the past, Christ would come.

II. THE PROMISE—vv. 6–13

What are we to infer from all of this?” asked Paul. The answer is that Israel as a nation failed to obtain what it still was searching for. The longing for righteousness based on personal merit is deeply embedded in human nature. It is not that people wish to live exemplary lives because that is the right thing to do but that such conduct is thought to provide the basis for commendation when compared with the achievements of others. When an absolute standard is removed, the goal is more readily achieved. What’s more, it allows for the pride of accomplishment. All of this has no place in God’s plan for setting people right. What Israel sought and could not obtain had been achieved by the chosen remnant. The rest of Israel had become hardened.86 Because they refused the way of faith (cf. 9:31–32), they had become insensitive to God’s self-revelation and the promptings of his Spirit. Disobedience never leaves a person in the same condition. Obedience draws the believer into an increasingly intimate relationship with the Lord, but disobedience separates and hardens. The tragic aspect of hardening is that disobedient people are increasingly unable to grasp the serious nature of their spiritual apostasy.The hardening of Israel is clearly seen in various passages in the Old Testament. In Deut 29:4 and Isa 29:10 we learn that God brought upon them a “numbness of spirit” (NEB) so that their eyes could not see and their ears could not hear (Rom 11:8). Their failure to trust resulted in a “state of spiritual insensitivity” (Goodspeed).87 What’s more, that torpor remains with them until the present time. Spiritual hardening is a terminal disorder for which, in its advanced stages, there is no remedy. In the same way, David (in Ps 69:22–23) spoke of their feasts becoming snares and traps. Their celebrations proved to be hindrances and a retribution “rebounding as a boomerang upon them” (Amplified). Their eyes were dimmed so they could no longer see, and their backs were continually bent under their burden (v. 10).

The next question to be raised is whether or not Israel’s failure to believe had led to their absolute ruin. Had they stumbled irretrievably? Were they beyond recovery? Once again the answer is “Not at all!”91 In fact, because of their rejection of the gospel salvation had gone out to the Gentiles (e.g., Acts 14:3–6). This in turn would make Israel envious and incite them to do what the Gentiles had done. It is true that Israel had stumbled, but the God who “in all things … works for the good” (8:28) decreed that the result of their transgression would ultimately provide the incentive for their return. If Israel’s false step had brought enrichment to the world and their defeat had proved to be such a benefit for the Gentiles, just think how great would be the result of their restoration. “Riches for the world” speaks of the abundant benefits that accompany adoption into the family of God. Israel’s “loss” refers to all they had sacrificed by their obstinate refusal to accept God’s way of faith.94 Israel’s “fullness” refers to the time of their full restoration (cf. vv. 25–26). The argument in v. 12 is from the lesser to the greater, if A, how much more B (cf. Rom 5:9).

1. Sure Promise—vv. 6–7. Christ would come through the family of Abraham.

2. Supernatural Promise—vv. 8–9. Through Abraham, the Saviour would come and bless all people.

3. Scriptural Promise—vv. 10–13. Through Isaac Christ would come to bear man’s sin.

III. THE PERSON—vv. 14–18

Although the condition of Israel has been the major theme since the beginning of chap. 9, Paul clearly was writing primarily to Gentile believers. Throughout the section he spoke of his Jewish kinsmen in the third person (e.g., 9:4–5, 32; 10:1–3, 18; 11:1, 7). In 11:13 he reminded his Gentile readers that it was to them that he was talking, and he addressed them in the second person (11:13, 17–22, 24–25, 28, 30). Contrary to much that is written, the major theme of chaps. 9–11 is less the fate of Israel than a warning to the Gentiles not to presume on their fortunate position as a wild branch that had been grafted into a historic tree of Jewish origin.In writing to the Gentiles, Paul laid great stress on his office as “the apostle to the Gentiles.” His hope was that in this way he might stir his countrymen to envy with the result that “some of them” might be saved (v. 14). This rather minimal expectation seems to run counter to the optimism of v. 12 with its confidence in the enrichment attendant upon the reinstatement of Israel. There is no verb, however, in the final clause of v. 12 (cf. v. 15). It would not be off the mark to read “how much greater riches would their fullness bring” rather than “will their fullness bring.” This would be in keeping with v. 23, which says the Jews would be grafted back into the tree “if they do not persist in unbelief.”Verse 15 parallels v. 12. If the rejection of Israel led to reconciliation for the world, what would their acceptance mean but “life from the dead.” The note on this verse in the NIVSB suggests three possible interpretations of this phrase: (1) “an unprecedented spiritual awakening in the world,” (2) “the consummation of redemption at the resurrection of the dead,” and (3) “a figurative expression describing the conversion of the Jews.” Each position has its advocates, but it would appear that what Paul was speaking of here was a great spiritual awakening of Israel to take place at the end of human history. Fitzmyer says that the acceptance of the gospel by the Jewish people “will mean for them the passage from a status of death to life.”101 If we follow the parallelism between vv. 12 and 15, then “life from the dead” says essentially the same thing as “their fullness,” that is, “the full quota of Jews” (Williams). For Israel to turn from their unbelief and embrace the gospel of salvation by faith would be well described as a “resurrection.”Numbers 15:17–21 describes an offering made from the first grain harvested and ground. The cake presented to the Lord consecrated the rest of the batch. Paul wrote that if the dough offered as firstfruits was holy, then the entire batch was holy. In this metaphor the “dough” represents the Jewish believers who had accepted Christ (the remnant of v. 5), and the “whole batch” would be those who would come to believe. The metaphor changes to a tree with its branches. If the root is holy, so are the branches. In this case the “root” represents the patriarchs (esp. Abraham); and the “branches,” the nation that follows. The point is that if the patriarchs were holy (and they were), so also were the Jewish people (in the sense that the positive effects of the patriarchs reached to them (cf. 1 Cor 7:14). God’s rejection of the Jewish nation was neither complete (Rom 11:1–10) nor final (11:11–24).

1. Character—v. 14. God is righteous in all.

2. Compassion—v. 15. Compassion upon those He desires.

3. Concern—v. 16. God’s mercy to those He chooses.

4. Control—vv. 17–18. God controls all things.

IV. THE POWER—vv. 19–24

In vv. 17–24 Paul used the figure of grafting olive trees to illustrate how the Gentiles came to share the spiritual blessings of Israel, to warn them that the arrogance of privilege would lead to their being cut off, and to remind them of God’s ability to graft in the natural branches once again should they not persist in unbelief. The normal process of grafting called for cultivated shoots to be joined to the branches of a wild olive tree that had been cut back. The exposed ends were smeared with clay and bound with cloth or date straw.103 That Paul reversed the process in order to illustrate the engrafting of the Gentiles (the “wild olive shoot”) into historic Israel (“the olive root”) is simply the literary freedom allowed to any writer. It does not betray some critical lack of horticultural knowledge. In fact, he later noted that grafting of the wild shoots into the cultivated tree was contrary to nature (11:24).Gentile believers are described as a wild olive shoot that had been grafted into a cultivated olive tree, some of whose branches had been broken off. The NIV’s “among the others” (v. 17) inadvertently substantiates Paul’s earlier assertion that Israel’s rejection was neither complete nor final. Now the Gentiles “share in the nourishing sap from the olive root.”107 The root, which supplied the rich and nourishing life to the cultivated olive tree, represented historic Israel, specifically the patriarchs through whom God brought the nation into existence. The TCNT describes the root as “the source of the richness of the cultivated olive.” Paul admonished his Gentile readers not to view themselves as somehow superior to the former branches. After all, they owed their spiritual existence to Israel; it was not the other way around. They did not support the root; the root supported them. How subtle yet powerful is the human tendency to presume that “accomplishments” in the realm of the Spirit are due to one’s own persistence and acumen!Believing Gentiles were correct in their understanding that unbelieving Jews were broken off so they could be grafted in. Paul said: “That is true. But don’t forget that they were broken off because of unbelief and your permanence depends upon your continuing faith.” Weymouth translates, “You stand only through your faith.” Therefore Gentile believers were no longer to preoccupy themselves with lofty ideas of their favored position but to be on guard. After all, if God did not spare the natural branches (Israel), what possible chance was there that he would spare branches grafted in contrary to nature (the Gentiles)?11:22–24 It would be well for the Gentile believers to consider that God is both kind and stern. Any adequate doctrine of God must include both his kindness and his sternness. The liberal mind chooses to emphasize the kindness of God with less than satisfactory attention to his sternness. The overly serious concentrate only on God’s sternness. In the first case God comes across as a well-intentioned but doting father. In the latter case he appears as a merciless despot. Goodness does not rule out “strict justice” (Phillips), and sternness does not rule out graciousness. The two qualities must be maintained in balance.111 God’s sternness is seen in his dealings with faithless Israel. He cut them off. God’s kindness is seen in the inclusion into his family of those who at one time were “foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12). His kindness to Gentile believers is, of course, contingent upon their continuing to be responsive to that kindness. A failure in this responsibility will lead to their being cut off.113 Goodspeed translates, “Otherwise you in your turn will be pruned away.” There is no security for those who by their lives show that the grafting process of faith was apparent rather than real.Paul said of Israel that if they did not persist in unbelief they would be grafted back into their own olive tree (v. 23). God certainly had the power to graft them in again (Matt 19:26 and parallels). The only thing that stood in Israel’s way was their continuance in unbelief. God would never overpower their unwillingness to believe and force them back into his family. Verse 24 may be taken as a statement (RSV), a question (AV), or an exclamation (NIV). In any case, the logic is crystal clear. If God can take a wild olive shoot and graft it into a cultivated olive tree (as he did with the Gentiles), how much easier it would be to graft the natural branches (Israel) back into their parent tree. A warning against presumption runs throughout this section. A caution Paul left with the Corinthians is apropos, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Cor 10:12).

1. Problem—vv. 19–20. Man should not “boss” God.

2. Power—v. 21. God will do what He thinks is best.

3. Patience—v. 22. God’s patience only goes so far.

4. Purpose—vv. 23–24. Patience to Jew and Gentile.

V. THE PEOPLE—vv. 25–33

It is important that we understand this paragraph in the larger context of what Paul had been saying about Israel as a nation. All that he had taught about the unfortunate condition of faithless Israel, the grafting in of believing Gentiles and how this would arouse his countrymen to envy and lead them to salvation, is summarized in v. 26 with the statement, “And so all Israel will be saved.” Paul did not want his Gentile brethren to be uninformed about this “mystery.” He used the statement “I do not want you to be ignorant” when he had something to say that was especially important (cf. Rom 1:13; 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1; 2 Cor 1:8; 1 Thess 4:13). It is always accompanied by the vocative adelphoi, “brothers.”A great deal has been written about the word “mystery,” whose Greek equivalent occurs in one setting only in the Synoptics (Mark 4:11 and parallels), not at all in John’s Gospel, but some twenty times in Paul’s writings. In the mystery religions the term was used of secret information that was revealed only to the devotees who underwent initiation into the cult. Paul used the word in reference to something that was formerly hidden but now is revealed by God so that all may understand. In the present context the mystery referred to “God’s saving activity toward Israel.”115 God had not gone back on his promises made to his ancient people. There was a future for Israel if it did not persist in unbelief (v. 23). Paul wanted the Gentiles to understand this so they would not become conceited and think too highly of themselves. The hardening that Israel had experienced was limited in scope and in time.117 It was “in part” in that some (the believing remnant) had not become callous toward God. It was also “until” the full number of Gentile believers had come to Christ—that is, the hardening was temporary (cf. Luke 21:24).“And so all Israel will be saved.” It was only in this way that Israel as a whole would be restored to favor with God. Obviously this was not some unilateral action of God on behalf of his people. Israel’s salvation would be on the same basis as anyone else’s, that is, by responding in faith to the forgiveness made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Earlier commentators tended to take “all Israel” to mean “spiritual Israel,” that is, all believers, Jew and Gentile alike. But throughout this entire section Paul had been comparing Gentile and Jew as separate ethnic groups. It would have been highly unlikely for him to have blurred this crucial distinction when it came time for a summarizing conclusion.Paul found indication of this final salvation of Israel in the words of the prophets. Isaiah promised that a Redeemer would come to those in Zion who repented of their sins (Isa 59:20), and Paul applied the prophecy to the coming of the Messiah. When he came, he would banish ungodliness from Jacob. This was the covenant he made with the descendants of Israel when he took away their sin (Isa 59:21). Jeremiah described a new covenant in which the law of God would be written on the heart, controlling life from within. It stands in contrast to the old covenant, which was inscribed on stone and legislated from without (Jer 31:33–34). Paul was saying that beyond the current period of Israel’s unbelief there would come a time when believing Jews would turn to Christ in faith. They would join the faithful remnant and believing Gentiles to complete the family of God, which stretches throughout all of redemptive history. From the standpoint of the twentieth century, that time is yet future.11:28–32 In terms of the spread of the gospel, Israel’s failure to respond made them an enemy of God. That worked for the advantage of the Gentile. Although unbelieving Jews were temporarily at odds with their God, they were, after all, his elect people and were loved by him “on account of the patriarchs.” In accordance with his eternal plan, God continues to welcome them for the sake of their ancestors. Paul was not supporting the idea that m.erit is passed on from the patriarchs to their descendants. But they were the ones who received his call (Gen 12:1–2; Deut 7:6–7), and it was to them that he first gave his gifts. And God’s gifts and call are irrevocable (cf. 1 Sam 15:29; Isa 31:2). He does not change his mind regarding the nation he called and sustained with gracious acts of provision and protection.127Verses 30–31 compare Gentile and Jew in terms of their disobedience and the mercy that follows. The Gentile believers were at one time in a state of rebellion, but now they had received mercy as a result of Israel’s disobedience. In the same way, Israel’s present disobedience opened the possibility of their receiving mercy as a result of God’s present mercy to the Gentiles. Mercy was extended to the Gentiles because of Israel’s disobedience. Mercy would be extended to Israel because of the mercy shown to the Gentiles. The theological conclusion is that God has “locked up all in the prison of disobedience” (Montgomery). Now he is able to show mercy to all alike.130 Since “there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:22b–23), no one can lay claim on the mercy of God. It is a free gift for all who believe regardless of ethnic background or ethical performance.11:33–36 God’s providence at work in his redemptive relationship with all humans brought forth from Paul a doxology of praise and adoration. This doxology, thought by many to have been written by Paul himself, provides an appropriate finale for the theological portion of Romans and an effective transition to the more instructional nature of the chapters that follow. Its power is felt more in hearing it read and reflecting upon its truth than in comments that must be made regarding its specific meaning at various points. The commentator’s role, however, is to clarify the text and make observations that may expand the reader’s grasp of the text. With that caveat we proceed.How fathomless is the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God. Who but God could have conceived a plan that would turn disobedience into an occasion for mercy and in the process reach out universally to all who would believe? How inscrutable are his judgments.134 His decisions are beyond human ken. How unsearchable are his ways. His methods are mysterious and beyond our ability to grasp. Phillips translates, “How could man ever understand his reasons for action, or explain his methods of working?” As God said through the prophet Isaiah, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9). No one grasps the mind of God or could ever serve as his counselor (cf. Isa 40:13–14). No one has ever advanced anything to him so as to deserve payment in return. God is debtor to no one. It is God who has set everything in motion by his creative word. He is the source, the agent, and the goal of all that is. All things find their origin in him. Through him everything that exists is sustained and directed. All things exist for his glory.137 Therefore to him be praise and glory forever! Amen.

1. Prophecy—v. 25. Quote from Hosea 2:23.

2. People—v. 26. Called the children of God.

3. Problem—vv. 27–28. Many Jews, only few saved.

4. Plan—v. 29. Not destroy the Jews. Christ to come through their race.

5. Purging—vv. 30–32. Depend on righteousness—not law

.6. Person—v. 33. Christ the rock. Many stumble over Him.