“For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:21-22)
Why not read further?
Rom 11:23
And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree,
how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
Rom 11:25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Notice, a partial hardening upon YisraEl..not a cutting off from salvation....until...the fullness of the Goyim/Gentiles has come in......
Elijah in his despair thought Israel would be
extinguished.
But God assured Elijah that he had preserved a remnant,
which gave Elijah hope that God would fulfill his saving promises in the
future.
In Paul’s day, as in Elijah’s day (v. 4)
and today, a remnant of Jews
believe in Christ because of God’s electing grace (cf. 9:27–29).
11:6 Election and grace are inseparable, for both show
that salvation is God’s work alone, and that it has nothing to do with works.
"lest you be wise in your own estimation" Here is another hint of the tension in the Roman church(s) (cf. Rom. 11:18).
NASB"that a partial hardening has happened to Israel"
NKJV"that a hardening in part has happened to Israel"
NRSV"a hardening has come upon part of Israel"
TEV"that the stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent"
NJB"One section of Israel has become blind"
This statement must be related to all of Romans 11. There have been and will continue to be some believing Jews.
This partial blindness, instigated by God (Rom. 11:8-10) because of the Jews' rejection of Jesus, fits into God's plan to redeem all mankind. God promised salvation to all (cf. Gen. 3:15). He chose Abraham to reach all (cf. Gen. 12:3). He chose Israel to reach all (cf. Exod. 19:5-6, Rom. 8:28).
Israel failed in her mission effort through pride, unfaithfulness and unbelief. God wanted to reach the Gentile world through His blessing of Israel (cf. Deuteronomy 27-29). Israel could not keep the Covenant, therefore,
God's temporal judgment fell on her. Now God has taken this very judgment and used it to fulfill His original purpose of the redemption of mankind through faith (cf. Rom. 11:30-31; Ezek. 36:22-38).
"until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in" This same term (pleroma) is used in Rom. 11:12 for the Jews.
Both verses speak of God's foreknowledge and election. The "until" speaks of a time limit to this Gentile period (cf. Luke 21:24).
11:26 "all Israel will be saved" There are two possible interpretations.
*Hear me out on this.....*
1. This refers to national Israel-not every single individual Jew but the majority at a certain point in history.
2. This refers in some sense to spiritual Israel, the Church.
Paul used this concept in Rom. 2:28-29; Gal. 6:16; 1 Pet. 2:5,9; Rev. 1:6. "The full quota of the Jews" in Rom. 11:12 and "the full quota of the Gentiles" in Rom. 11:25 are in a parallel relationship. It is "all" in the sense of God's election not all in the sense of every individual. The olive tree of promise will one day be complete.
Some commentators say that this must refer to national Israel only because of
1. the context of Romans 9-11
2. the OT quotes in Rom. 11:26-27
3. the clear statement in Rom. 11:28
God still has a love and desire for Abraham's natural seed to be saved! They must come through faith in Christ (Zech. 12:10).
"as it is written" This refers to two quotes from the Septuagint of Isa. 59:20-21(Rom. 11:26) and 27:9 (Rom. 11:27).
The mechanism of salvation will be faith in Jesus the Messiah. There is no plan B, just plan A. There is only one way to be saved (cf. John 10:7-18; 11:25-29;14:6).
11:27 Isaiah 27:9, which is quoted in Rom. 11:27, combines the restoration of Israel to the Promised Land (Rom. 11:1-11) with the invitation to the traditional enemy (Gentile nations) to be included (cf. Rom. 11:12-13). If this restoration is literal then the millennium may fulfill this prophecy.
If it is figurative, then the new covenant, the mystery of the gospel, in which Jew and Gentile are joined by faith in God's Messiah will be the goal (cf. Eph. 2:11-3:13). It is difficult to decide. Some OT prophecies are applied to the New Covenant church. Yet God is faithful to His promises, even when humans are not (cf. Ezek. 36:22-36).
11:28 This verse reflects the twin aspects of election.
1. in the OT election was for service; God chose human instrumentality for the purpose of redeeming humanity
2. in the NT election is linked to the gospel and eternal salvation; this salvation of all humans made in God's image has always been the goal (cf. Gen. 3:15)
God is faithful to His promises. This is true for the OT believers and NT saints. The key is God's faithfulness, not mankind's, God's mercy, not mankind's performance. Election is for the purpose of blessing, not of excluding!
"they are beloved for the sake of the fathers" This is the promise of Exod. 20:5-6 and Deut. 5:9-10 and 7:9. Families are blessed because of the faith of previous generations. Israel was blessed because of faithful Patriarchs (cf. Deut. 4:37; 7:8; 10:15). That the Messiah would come from Judah was also a promise to David (cf. 2 Samuel 7). However, it must also be stated that even the "faithful" were unable to fully keep the Law (cf. Ezek. 36:22-36). Faith-personal faith, family faith, but not perfect faith-is acceptable to God and is potentially passed on through families (cf. 1 Cor. 7:8-16).
11:29
NASB, NKJV,
NRSV"for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable"
TEV"For God does not change his mind about whom he chooses and blesses"
NJB"God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice"
This does not refer to spiritual gifts to individuals (cf. 1 Corinthians 12), but to God's promises of salvation, OT and NT. Election is effective. The faithfulness of God is the hope of national Israel (cf. Mal. 3:6) and spiritual Israel!
11:30-32 These verses are a summary of God's plans and purposes.
1. They are always based on His mercy (see note at Rom. 9:15-16), not arbitrary determinism. The term "mercy" is used four times in this larger context (cf. Rom. 9:15,16,18,23).
2. God has judged all humans. Jews and Gentiles are all sinful (cf. Rom. 3:9,19,23; 5:11).
3. God has used mankind's need and inability as an opportunity to show mercy to all humanity (cf. Rom. 11:22). Again in context "all" must be seen in light of Rom. 11:12 and 25-26. Not all individuals will respond to God's offer, but all are included in the scope of redemption (cf. Rom. 5:12-21; John 3:16). Oh, God, may it be so!!!
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