Romans Chapter 11
Israel’s Remnant
1 So God hasn’t set his people aside, has he? Goodness, no! I’m an Israelite too, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hasn’t set aside the people he chose ahead of time. Don’t you know what the scripture says in the passage about Elijah? He pleads with God against Israel,
3 “LORD, they’ve killed your prophets
and torn down your altars;
I’m the only one left,
and they’re trying to kill me” [1 Kg 19:10].
4 How does God answer him?
“I’ve reserved for myself 7,000
that haven’t bent a knee to Baal” [1 Kg 19:18].
5 It’s the same way now. By God’s grace there’s a remnant. 6 If it’s by God’s grace, it’s not from what the remnant does. Otherwise, grace wouldn’t be grace. 7 So what’s the point? What Israel’s looking for, it hasn’t found, but the Chosen have found it. The rest became stubborn. 8 Like the scripture says,
“To this day, God has put them in a stupor,
eyes that can’t see,
ears that can’t hear” [Deut 29:4; Is 29:10].
9 David says,
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and payback.
10 May their eyes grow dim so they can’t see;
bend their backs always” [Ps 69:22-23].
11 So, they didn’t stumble and fall down, did they? Goodness, no! By their sin, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make the Jews jealous. 12 If their sin enriches the world and their failure enriches the Gentiles, how much more their full number!
13 I’m talking to you Gentiles now. Since I’m an apostle to Gentiles, I highlight my ministry 14 if somehow I can make my fellow Jews jealous and save some of them. 15 If the Jews’ rejecting means reconciling the world, what will their accepting be except a return from the dead? 16 If the original piece of dough is holy, the whole lump’s holy. If the root’s holy, so are the branches.
Rom 11:1-16
The Olive Tree Parable
17 If some branches were removed and you, a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them and partook of the nourishment from the root of the olive tree, 18 don’t feel superior to the original branches: you don’t support the root; it supports you. 19 You may say, “Branches were removed so I could be grafted in.” 20 Right. But they were removed because they didn’t trust, and you stand by trust as well. Don’t get smug; be reverent. 21 If God didn’t spare the natural branches because they didn’t trust, he won’t spare you either. 22 So pay attention to God’s kindness and severity. For the ones that fell, severity; but for you, God’s kindness—if you stay in his kindness. Otherwise, you’ll be removed too. 23 And if they don’t keep distrusting, God will graft them back in; he can do that. 24 If God took you out of a naturally wild olive tree and grafted you unnaturally into a cultivated olive tree, much more will he graft them into their own olive tree. Rom 11:17-24
Israel’s Salvation by Trust
25 I want you to understand this mystery so you won’t feel smug: a hardening has come over Israel in part till the full number of Gentiles comes in. 26 That’s the way all Israel will be saved, like the scripture says,
“A deliverer will come out of Zion;
he’ll turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 That’s my covenant with them
when I take away their sins” [Is 59:20-21].
Israel’s Continuing Responsibility
28 As far as the good news is concerned, they’re enemies for your sake; as far as God’s choice is concerned, they’re highly regarded for their ancestors’ sake. 29 God’s gifts and calling to them aren’t being revoked here. 30 You once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because they disobeyed. 31 In turn, they’ve now disobeyed because God showed mercy to you to prod them to receive mercy. 32 God has locked everyone up in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
Rom 11:25-32
33 The depth of God’s wealth, wisdom, and knowledge! His judgments are so unknowable, his ways so unfathomable!
34 “Who has known the LORD’s mind?
Who was his counselor? [Is 40:13 LXX; Job 15:8; Jer 23:18]
35 Who gave to him first
to have it paid back to him?” [Job 35:7; 41:11]
36 Everything is from him, by him, and for him. Glory to him forever! Amen.
Rom 11:33-36