July 2 / Romans 11:25-36

Romans 11:25-36

I’m trying to put together the whole of Paul’s salvation argument in chapter 11, including prior history:

1. God chose the Jews to be His people.
2. Their righteousness was based on faith, not works.
3. But they have been disobedient throughout their history.
4. God sent Jesus, born a Jew, to redeem all of mankind.
5. The Jews rejected Jesus and had him killed.
6. He rose from the dead and offers redemption and salvation to all mankind.
7. Peter, Paul, and others began speaking to the Jews about Jesus.
8. Their preaching expanded to the Samaritans, then to the Gentiles.
9. Many Gentiles, mostly through Paul, became believers.
10. Paul now wishes for all his fellow Jews to also become believers.

So now as we re-read chapter 11 we can see how the Jews’ rejection of the salvation message has opened the door for the Gentiles. Recall that Paul in his missionary work typically went to synagogues or other places of prayer and preached to the Jews. But their rejection of the Gospel and their intense desire to stop Paul’s preaching (and their endless pursuit of him) “forced” him to go to the Gentiles. Using Paul’s analogy, the Gentiles have now been grafted into the vine where branches (unbelieving Jews) have broken off. Paul summarizes all this in the following verses: For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. (vv. 31-32)

As a small point my Study Bible opened my eyes a bit on this sub-sentence: …a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (v. 25b) Their focus was on two words, “partial” and “until”. It was a partial hardening of Jewish hearts, not total, and that hardening is temporary, not permanent.

Finally, Paul ends this entire salvation section with a glorious close in verse 33 (and following): Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! GLORY!!

Slava Bohu!