Frameworks:
Romans 11
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
CHAPTER
11
v.1-6
All called but only a faithful remnant chosen
v.7-10
The obedient chosen, the disobedient rest
v.11-15
Faithful Gentiles to make Jews Jealous
v.16-24
Analogies of Grafting
v.25-32
The hope of the future
v.33-36
Praise to God
[Context:
We continue to provide a brief summary of earlier sections to
provide present context:
Part
1: Ch.1-8: Our lost state & God's Justification & the
New Life
Part
2: Ch.9-11 Considering the State of Israel
Ch.9
He considers
the state of his own people, Israel, who might feel rejected when
they see Gentiles entering the kingdom. He deals with God's sovereign
choice. See notes at end of chapter 9]
Ch.10
He considers
the misguided zeal of his own people, their need to receive and
speak out by faith the words of the Gospel about Christ, and their
failure to believe.
Now
he reflects on the
unbelief and belief of Jews and Gentiles and how roles have been
reversed – for the time being.
v.1-6
All called but only a faithful remnant chosen
v.1
(was Jewish
disobedience a God-act? No Paul, a believer was a Jew) So
I ask, “Did God force his people to leave him?” Of course not.
I myself am an Israelite. I am from the family of Abraham, from
the tribe of Benjamin.
v.2,3
(God chose
Israel so didn't force their unbelief. This has often seemed to
happen. Elijah, for instance thought he was the only believer
left in his day) God
chose the Israelites to be his people before they were born. And
he did not force them to leave. Surely you know what the Scriptures
say about Elijah. The Scriptures tell about Elijah praying to
God against the people of Israel. He said, “Lord, they have killed
your prophets and destroyed your altars. I am the only prophet
still living, and they are trying to kill me now.” [1
Kings 19:10,14]
v.4
(God disagreed
– there were still at least 7000 ) But
what answer did God give to Elijah? God said, “I have kept for
myself seven thousand men who have never given worship to Baal.”
[1 Kings19:18]
v.5
(it
is the same today – a minority believing remnant) It
is the same now. God has chosen a few people by his grace.
v.6 (but
they are believers by faith-grace not by what they do) And
if he chose them by grace, then it is not what they have done
that made them his people. If they could be made his people by
what they did, his gift of grace would not really be a gift.
v.7-10
The obedient chosen, the disobedient rest
v.7
(Israel wanted
God's blessing but the price was obedience and many wouldn't)
So
this is what has happened: The people of Israel wanted God's blessing,
but they did not all get it. The people he chose did get his blessing,
but the others became hard and refused to listen to him.
v.8
(because He
wasn't heavy handed with them, Israel's negative hearts accepted
a slumber-type spiritual life, right up to now) As
the Scriptures say, “God caused the people to fall asleep.” “God
closed their eyes so that they could not see, and
he closed their ears so that they could not hear. This continues
until now.”
v.9,10
(David spoke
of the same things – complacency in the good life caused their
fall) And
David says, “Let those people be caught and trapped at their own
feasts.
Let
them fall and be punished. Let
their eyes be closed so that they cannot see. And let them be
troubled forever.”
v.11-15
Faithful Gentiles to make Jews Jealous
v.11
(But their flal
hasn't resulted in their destruction; they continue to exist,
having opened the door to faith in the Gentiles who now make them
jealous) So
I ask: When the Jews fell, did that fall destroy them? No! But
their mistake brought salvation to those who are not Jews. The
purpose of this was to make the Jews jealous.
v.12
(their rejection of their messiah brought salvation to the
Gentile world) Their
mistake brought rich blessings to the world. And what they lost
brought rich blessings to the non-Jewish people. So surely the
world will get much richer blessings when enough Jews become the
kind of people God wants.
v.13
(I am addressing
Gentiles) Now
I am speaking to you people who are not Jews. I am an apostle
to the non-Jewish people. So while I have that work, I will do
the best I can.
v.14
(I hope my ministry
with you will make some of my people jealous so perhaps they will
get saved) I
hope I can make my own people jealous. That way, maybe I can help
some of them to be saved.
v.15
(God made friends
with the Gentiles so when the Jews eventually come back it will
be the resurrection of their people) God
turned away from the Jews. When that happened, he became friends
with the other people in the world. So when he accepts the Jews,
it will be like bringing people to life after death.
v.16-24
Analogies of Grafting
v.16
(if a part of
a loaf is holy, the whole loaf is; is tree roots are holy, so
is the tree and its branches) If
the first piece of bread is offered to God, then the whole loaf
is made holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, the tree's branches
are holy too.
v.17
(take an olive
tree for example: call it the people of God. It's like some branches
– Israel – have been broken off and new ones – Gentiles – grafted
in) It
is as if some of the branches from an olive tree have been broken
off, and the branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to that
first tree. If you are not a Jew, you are the same as that wild
branch, and you now share the strength and life of the first tree.
v.18
(but
if you're a grafted in branch don't feel superior because you
only have life because of the roots)
But
don't act as if you are better than those branches that were broken
off. You have no reason to be proud of yourself, because you don't
give life to the root. The root gives life to you.
v.19
(you might say
they were broken off so we could be grafted in) You
might say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be joined
to their tree.”
v.20
(right! but
they were broken off because of unbelief. Bear than in mind!)
That
is true. But those branches were broken off because they did not
believe. And you continue to be part of the tree only because
you believe. Don't be proud, but be afraid.
v.21
(if you stop
believing don't you expect to remain in the tree of God's people)
If
God did not let the natural branches of that tree stay, he will
not let you stay if you stop believing.
v.22
(God can be kind and strict, kind if you remain obedient but
you don't then expect to be cut off) So
you see that God is kind, but he can also be very strict. He punishes
those who stop following him. But he is kind to you, if you continue
trusting in his kindness. If you don't continue depending on him,
you will be cut off from the tree.
v.23
(if the Jews
as a people believe again they will be rejoined) And
if the Jews will believe in God again, he will accept them back.
He is able to put them back where they were.
v.24
(it would be
more natural for them, the original branches to be regrafted than
you wild branches having been grafted in) It
is not natural for a wild branch to become part of a good tree.
But you non-Jewish people are like a branch cut from a wild olive
tree. And you were joined to a good olive tree. But those Jews
are like a branch that grew from the good tree. So surely they
can be joined to their own tree again.
v.25-32
The hope of the future
v.25
(the truth is
that their stubbornness will only last until the full number of
Gentiles have come to belief) I
want you to understand this secret truth, brothers and sisters.
This truth will help you understand that you don't know everything.
The truth is this: Part of Israel has been made stubborn, but
that will change when enough non-Jewish people have come to God.
v.26,27
(they will be
saved when they ‘see' their Saviour) And
that is how all Israel will be saved. The Scriptures say, “The
Savior will come from Zion;
he
will take away all evil from the family of Jacob. And I will
make this agreement with those people
when
I take away their sins.”
v.28
(at
the moment they are in unbelief but they started the church to
bless you Gentiles but He still loves them) The
Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so they are God's enemies.
This has happened to help you who are not Jews. But they are still
God's chosen people, and he loves them because of the promises
he made to their ancestors.
v.29
(God hasn't
changed His intentions to bless them) God
never changes his mind about the people he calls. He never decides
to take back the blessings he has given them.
v.30
(you once were
unbelievers but now received mercy because of them starting the
church off) At
one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received mercy,
because the Jews refused to obey.
v.31
(now it's them
who don't believe but that won't last for ever) And
now they are the ones who refuse to obey, because God showed mercy
to you. But this happened so that they can also receive mercy
from him.
v.32
(let's face
it, all mankind rebelled so now God's mercy can be held out to
all peoples) All
people have refused to obey God. And he has put them all together
as people who don't obey him so that he can show mercy to everyone.
v.33-36
Praise to God
v.33
(accept it,
we're all a bit lost trying to understand God's wonderful plans)
Yes,
God's riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no
end! No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand
his ways.
v.34,35
(scripture speaks
of our lack of understanding) As
the Scriptures say, “Who can know what is on the Lord's mind?
Who is able to give him advice?” “Who has ever given God anything?
God owes nothing to anyone.”
v.36
(but God is
Creator ad Sustainer of all we know, so worship Him) Yes,
God made all things. And everything continues through him and
for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.