KJ
Rom 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26
And so all Israel shall be
saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and
shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take
away their sins.
Rom 11:28
As concerning the gospel,
they are enemies for your sakes: but as
touching the election, they are beloved for the
fathers' sakes.
Rom 11:29
For the gifts and calling of God are without
repentance.
Rom 11:30
For as ye in times past have
not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31
Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32
For God hath concluded them all
in unbelief, that
he might have mercy
upon all.
Rom 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways past
finding out!
Rom 11:34
For who hath known
the mind of the Lord? or who
hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35
Or who hath first
given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Main
Points: Paul explains how unbelief can
lead others to believe. He is finishing some of what he opens this chapter with;
i.e (vs. 7) the elect will get it and some will be hardened. This may seem as a
conflict to some, but as Paul continues to illustrate, ONLY GOD can do this. He
is also extending the argument of holy jealousy being an effective tool to lead
some to obedience (10:19-21, 11:11,14)
8. Explain Paul’s
statement about a *partial hardening coming upon Israel until the fullness of
the Gentiles has come in. (25) KJ says it’s “*blindness” – the root word
meaning stupid or callous. “Fullness” means completion, or crammed full. Couple
it with what Paul has already stated about the REMNANT, and the Gentile
obedience making the Jews JEALOUS to obedience. Paul’s main point about all
this is made at the end of this section. It is of God, that is why it works.
9. How will
all Israel be saved? What Israel is Paul talking about? Mercy (31) Which implies belief (obedience). The reference
may be to spiritual Israel which is not a heritage/race. Most specifically,
this message concerns the Jews, and of them, the elect (29)…which finishes his hanging
argument concerning the elect/remnant (9:27,
11:5,7). In short it will be saved with the same power/method/system available
to the Gentiles: Complete faith in God
through Jesus the Christ. THAT reveals God’s grace.
10. Explain
verses 28-29. As was pointed out earlier, the rejection of
the Christ by the Jews opened the door (access to Jehovah) for the Gentiles.
But as has alos been pointed out, God HAS NOT rejected Israel. Some of Israel will
obey (remnant). God’s call to them within the covenant of promise (chap.9) will
never go away. It is always available to them. They are the firstfruits
(11:16).
11. What was
brought about by the disobedience of Israel? Mercy, extended to the Gentiles. Note that this is the perception,
however, the reality of it is that God has always simply looked for faith from
His children. If you exhibited faith in
Jehovah, you were found righteous, it never mattered where you were born or
what color your skin was. It just so happened that events unfolded so that the
Jews’ rejection of the Christ prompted and/or coincided with the perception
that this religion (God) was being made available to the entire world. Before
this, Jehovah was perceived (wrongly) as a nation-specific God. That was never
the case. Nations rejected God for idols, but Jehovah was (technically) their
God.
12. What
does it mean that God has consigned (bound-NIV, imprisoned NASB) all to
disobedience? (32) This concludes the hanging arguments; That all
have fallen short (chap 3). It supports
his other hanging arguments: There is no difference between Jew and Greek
(10:12). Israel is a spiritual concept (2:28/29, 9:6) based on promise.
It also supports his arguments that this system is one relying on mercy which
reveals God’s love/grace.
Who can work his way into righteousness? Who can leverage their goodness against God,
making Him bestow blessings for perfect obedience? It simply cannot happen.
THAT is not God’s fault. It is everyone’s own
inability that manifests our need for a loving God. Paul’s point here is ALL
are in need of Him.
Additional:
25)
fullness G4138- plērōma play'-ro-mah
From G4137; repletion or completion,
26, 32) all
– G3956 pas pasIncluding all the forms of declension; apparently
a primary word; all,
27) take
away- G851 aphaireō af-ahee-reh'-o
From G575 and G138; to
remove
29) gifts –G5486
charisma char'-is-mah
From G5483; a (divine) gratuity,
that is, deliverance
Calling – G2821- klēsis klay'-sis
From a shorter form of G2564; an
invitation
Irrevocable – G278 - ametamelētos am-et-am-el'-ay-tos
From G1 (as a negative particle)
and a presumed derivative of G3338; irrevocable
30)
disobedient- G544 apeitheō ap-i-theh'-o
From G545; to disbelieve
(wilfully and perversely)
Disobedience- G543- apeitheia ap-i'-thi-ah
From G545; disbelief
(obstinate and rebellious)
31) Disobedient –G544
32) disobedience -G543
G545- apeithēs ap-i-thace'From G1 (as a negative particle) and G3982; unpersuadable,
that is, contumacious: - disobedient.
