11:1-10 Will God restore Israel as a nation or will a remnant only be incorporated into the New Testament church?

Some Bible scholars believe that Ro 11 does not deal with the restoration of Israel as a nation, but only with a remnant being incorporated into the New Testament church. But that is not correct. While Jews indeed have been incorporated into the New Testament church, God still will restore Israel as a nation, no longer in unbelief, but as a Christian believing nation, at Christ's second coming, which Ro 11 clearly teaches in conformity with all other scriptures (cp Ro 11:12, 23, 26-29 with 1Sam 12:22; Psa 14:7; 94:14; Isa 10:20-22; 11:10-13; 27:12-13; 59:20-21; 66:8-14; Jer 23:3-6; 31:31-34; Eze 37:12-14; Joel 2:32; Mic 2:12; 4:6-8; 5:7-8; Zech 8:6-12; 12:8 -13:1; Mt 24:30-31). The word fullness in Ro 11:12 refers to that which is complete, the completeness of national Israel in its return to God at the second advent, and its salvation through Christ (cp Isa 10:20-22). V23 and 27 in Ro 11 talks of Israel as a nation under grace becoming again the channel of blessing God meant it to be in the world (cp V23 and 27 with Isa 49:6; 56:6-8; Mic 5:7-8).

"All Israel" in Ro 11:26 does not mean that every Jew who ever lived will be saved. It refers to each member of the nation of Israel living at the time of Christ's second coming. God called Israel His elect in the beginning, and He still wants the nation saved. Calling in V29 refers to God calling Israel to be a part of His eternal kingdom. God has never repented or regretted this calling. He has merely set Israel aside temporarily and will restore it at the second coming of Jesus (cp Mt 24:30-31). Let us now read Ro 11:12, 23, 26-29 once more (cp Ro 11:12, 23, 26-29). See also comments on Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11,10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6

11:2 What does the word "foreknew" mean here?

It means simply that God knew Israel as the nation He chose in order for His purposes in the earth to be fulfilled in Jesus (cp Ro 9:4-5 with Gen 49:10; Mic 5:2; Mt 2:3-6;Lk 2:11) God also chose national Israel to be His witness in the earth (cp Ex 19:5-6; Deut 7:6; 26:18-19; Isa 62:11-12; Ro 3:1-2). Israel was also chosen by God to be the first nation to receive His offer of salvation (cp Mt 10:1, 5-6; Jn 1:11; 5:39-40; Ro 1:16). When Israel rejected salvation, God temporarily set the nation aside and took the gospel to the Gentiles (cp Ac 13:44-47; Ro 9:30-33; 10:1-4 with Mic 5:3). See also comments on Ro 9:7 and 9:10-13, 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6

11:4 Is the figure seven thousand here literal or symbolic?

(cp also 1Ki 19:14, 18). Whether the figure seven thousand in these scriptures is literal or symbolic is irrelevant. It is more important to know that even today God has a faithful remnant of Jews serving Him the same as He had in both Paul and Elijah's day (cp Ro 11:5). According to the election of grace means that there will always be some that believe who are saved by grace as the remnant of Israel is here. They are saved only by God's grace through faith in Christ. All human works are excluded (cp Ro 11:6 with Ro 9:11, 30-33; Eph 1:4-7, 2:8-9).) See also comment on Mt 11:28-30, 13:10-11, 20:16; Jn 3:15-16, 3:36, 6:37, 12:37-40, Ac 2:37-38, 13:48, 28:23-29,Ro 3:24-26 (A), Ro 8:28-30, 9:7, 9:10-13, 9:14-18, 9:19-21, 10:14-17, 11:2; Eph 1:3-6, 1:11-14, 2:8-10, 1Th 1:4; 2Ti 1:8-9; 1Pe 1:2,

11:7-10 How are we to understand what Paul says here?

This is the crux of Paul's discussion in V1-6 (cp Ro 11:1-6). National Israel, who pursued after righteousness by the works of the law, has not attained it (cp 9:30-33). Only individual Jews, called "the election" here, who have accepted Christ as their Saviour have attained it (cp 9:6). The rest of Israel were blinded to the gospel through rebellion and unbelief (cp Isa 29:9-13; Psa 69:22-23). Paul quotes Isaiah in Ro 11:8 to signify Israel's utter insensibility to God's word, and its failure to recognize Jesus as Messiah, and in V9-10 he quoted King David's curse upon those who crucified Jesus, as Christ's reproach to Israel for their blindness and obstinacy in the face of God's grace. Nothing that happened to Israel was God's fault. Israel brought it upon itself the same as Pharaoh did, as we saw in our study on Ro 9:14-18 (cp Jn 1:11;5:39-40; Ac 13:44-47; 28:23-28; Ro 9:30-33; 10:17-21; 11:13-24; 2Cor 3:12-16). See also comments on Mt 11:28-30, 13:10-11, 20:16; Jn 3:15-16, 3:36, 6:37, 12:37-40,Ac 2:37-38, 13:48, 28:23-29, Ro 3:24-26 (A), Ro 8:28-30, 9:7, 9:10-13, 9:14-18, 9:19-21, 10:14-17, 11:2, 11:4, Eph 1:3-6, 1:11-14, 2:8-10, 1Th 1:4; 2Ti 1:8-9; 1Pe 1:2,

11:13 Are Apostles still in the church today?

Apostles, from the Greek word Apostoloi, means ones sent, messengers. In the New Testament church apostles are placed first in the divine order of ministry gifts Christ gave to the church to prepare and equip it for God's service (cp Eph 4:11; 1Cor 12:28). Yet there is much teaching in the contemporary church that apostles and prophets ceased with the first century church, but that is not what scriptures teach (cp Mt 24:14; Jn 17:18-21; Eph 3:1-12; 4:7-16; 5:25-27). It is plainly evident from these scriptures that Christ has ordained the ministry gifts He gave to the church to remain there while ever the church exists. They are all essential to God's purpose for the church - "for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry" (cp Eph 4:11-12).

Perfecting means "to make fully ready", which defines the completed process outlined in Ro 11:13-16 (cp Eph 4:13-16). This confirms that all the ministry gifts Christ gave to the church will remain there until God's purpose for the church is accomplished, which can only ever be when it has fulfilled its mission on earth and is taken up to heaven by Jesus (cp Eph 2:19-20). This further emphasises the continuing importance of apostles and prophets in God's purpose for the church and underlines the reason why they are placed first and second in the divine order of ministry gifts for the church. God includes them with Jesus as the foundation of the church. Foundation in this context is used metaphorically of the ministry of the gospel and the doctrines of faith - the church is built upon the teachings of the apostles and prophets. It is their responsibility to bring clarification and illumination concerning God's word to those they are establishing in the faith.

In the primary sense Eph 2:20 applies to the original twelve apostles Christ called before Pentecost and in the secondary sense to all those God has called since Pentecost (cp Ac 2:42; Eph 3:1-12). Apostles have two main tasks to perform in the ministry: to bring into being properly ordered churches and to set, and maintain in order, and continue to build churches that already exist. Apostles not only pioneer new works, but continue building on foundations others have laid (cp Ac 8:14-17, 25;1Cor 3:10). Apostles can function in either an itinerant ministry or be domiciled in a local church. There is nothing in scripture to indicate that the apostle James, the Lord's brother ever left the church at Jerusalem and the same thing happens in the contemporary church. There are many men who either pioneer a church or continue building on foundations others have laid and stay there. Sadly however, in the contemporary church these men are not designated apostles as they should be but "pastors", although nowhere in scripture is the term "pastor" ever used to define rank, authority or title of anyone - man or woman - in the New Testament church. There are men designated apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers in scripture but there is no man (or woman) designated a pastor. There are at least 28 men named as apostles in scripture. Apart from the thirteen - including Matthias - before Pentecost, at least fifteen others have been designated apostles since then: Paul and Barnabas (cp Ac 13:1-5,50, 14:4, 14; 15:22-25, 35-39); Silas and Timothy (cp 1Th 1:1; 2:6); Apollos (cp 1Cor 4:6-9); Titus (cp 2Cor 8:23); James, Joses, Simon and Jude, the brothers of Jesus (cp Mt 13:55; 1Cor 9:5); Andronicus and Junias (cp Ro 16:7); Epaphroditus (cp Php 2:25), and there were at least two others with Titus (cp 2Cor 8:23).

Most Christians believe that the ministry gift of apostle in the contemporary church has been fulfilled in the ministry of the missionary, and there are doubtless many missionaries who do function as apostles and should be recognised as such. The ministries of apostles and missionaries are similar - they both evangelise, plant churches, instruct, correct, and establish them in the faith, but whereas every apostle is a missionary, not every missionary is an apostle. Furthermore every apostle is a qualified elder in the New Testament church, but not every missionary is. It is ludicrous to suggest that apostles and prophets were only needed for the first century church and not since, when the church Jesus Christ is building is not yet complete, nor will it be until its mission in the earth is fulfilled and Christ takes it up to heaven with him. Until then all the ministry gifts Christ gave to the church to prepare and equip it for God's service will remain there while ever the church exists.

Now let us look at some of the characteristics of false apostles before moving on. Scriptures warn against them and we need to be able to correctly discern them. It is very easy to be deceived by them because they are so charismatic (cp 2Cor 11:4 ,12-15) see also comments on Acts 11:27, 13:1-4, 20:17, Eph 4:11-12, 1Tim 3:1-7and 1Pet 5:1-3 False apostles are counterfeits of the devil the same as all other false teachers, and the only sure way to guard against being taken in by them is to test their teaching according to God's word (cp Ac 17:10 11; 2Pe 1:16 19). In 2Pe 1:16 19 Peter teaches us that scripture is the only proof text we have with which to measure any teaching in the church against, and even though we may also be eyewitness to a truly great spiritual experience as Peter himself was at the transfiguration of Jesus, if any teaching does not have its authority in scripture, then we must disregard it completely, the same as the church at Ephesus did (cp Rev 2:1 7). Christians are commanded to test every teaching that comes into the church (cp Ac 17:10-11; 1Th 5:21; 2Pe 1:16-19; 1Jn 4:1). See also comments on Acts 11:27, 13:1-4, 20:17,Eph 4:11-12, 1Tim 3:1-7 and 1Pet 5:1-3,

11:16 Who does "the first fruit" refer to here?

Some Bible scholars believe that the first fruit and the root referred to here represent the Jews who have already accepted Christ as their Saviour, and that the lump and the branches apply to the rest of Israel who are yet to accept Him (cp Ro 11:11-16). Other commentators believe that while the lump and the branches refers to as yet unsaved Israel, the firstfruit and the root refers to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the fathers of the Jewish nation, and this is the correct view in light of what Paul says in V28 (cp Ro 11:25-28). It was because of God's covenant promises to Abraham and the others that He has only temporarily set Israel aside and not rejected it completely (cp Ro 11:1-2, 12, 23, 26-29). V29 here alone is sufficient proof that God has not totally given up on Israel. He has not revoked His calling of Israel to be a part of His eternal kingdom, and will restore it to fellowship with Himself, under Christ as Messiah, at Christ's second coming (cp 1Sam 12:22; Psa 14:7; 94:14; Isa 10:20-27;11:11-16; 27:12-13; 29:22-24; 57:20-21; Jer 23:3-8; 31:7, 31-34; Eze 6:8-10; 37:11-14; Joel 2:32; Mic 2:12-13; 4:6-8, 5:3-8; Zeph 2:7-9; 3:11-13; Zech 8:6-12; 12:8 - 13:1;Mt 24:30-31). See also comments on Ac 13:48, Ro 9:14-18, 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:17-24, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36;Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6

11:17-24 How are we to understand what Paul says here?

Paul uses the analogy here of the branches of a wild olive tree being engrafted to a cultured olive tree which has had some of its branches broken off, to illustrate how apostate Israel has been temporarily set aside by God, and the gospel given to the Gentiles. The Gentiles are represented by the branches of the wild olive tree that have been grafted to the cultured olive tree (cp Eph 3:3-6 with 1Cor 12:12-13 and Ga 3:28-29). Apostate Israel is represented by the branches of the cultured olive tree that have been broken off (cp Jer 11:16-17). In Ro 11:18-22 Paul warns the Gentiles against believing they are superior to the Jews because the gospel has been taken from the Jews and given to them.

This is a solemn warning for Gentiles against being contemptuous of Jews. The Gentiles were not preferred over the Jews, but were given the gospel because they received it by faith. Israel lost it because of unbelief (cp Ac 13:44-47; Ro 9:30-33; 10:1-4). But the fact that the Jews no longer have the gospel does not entitle the Gentiles to brag about it, because the life-source of the Gentiles is rooted in the covenant blessings God bestowed upon Abraham and his descendants (cp Ro 11:13-14; 26-29; Ga 3:13-29). It is the Gentiles who share in the blessings of the Jews, not the Jews who share in the blessings of the Gentiles (cp Isa 2:3; Lk 2:30-32; 24:47;Jn 4:21-22; Ro 3:1-2; 9:4-5). This teaching is also set forth for us under the figure of "the root of the fatness of the olive tree" in Ro 11:17 (cp Ro 11:17-18). Every Christian, Jews and Gentiles alike, draw their life from the common root, which represents the Jews, and it is only in the realm of grace that this grafting process could succeed, because as V24 teaches, it is contrary to nature to graft wild olive tree branches into a cultured olive tree, causing the branches to flourish and bring forth fruit unto everlasting life. Only God could do it, and Gentiles must never credit themselves with doing it, otherwise God will take the gospel from them and restore it to the Jews (cp Ro 11:23-25).

The "fullness of the Gentiles" in V25 does not mean that every Gentile will be saved, but that in due course God's purpose will have been fulfilled in the Gentiles and He will then restore Israel as a nation to fellowship with Himself under Christ as Messiah, at Christ's second coming (cp Ro 11:1-2, 12, 23, 26-29 with 1Sam 12:22; Psa 14:7;94:14; Isa 10:20-27; 11:11-16; 27:12-13; 29:22-24; 59:20-21; Jer 23:3-8; 31:7, 31-34; Eze 6:8-10; 37:11-14; Joel 2:32; Mic 2:12-13; 4:6-8; 5:3-8; Zeph 2:7-9; 3:11-13;Zech 8:6-12; 12:8 - 13:1; Mt 24:30-31). Paul's assertion in Ro 11:26 that all Israel will be saved also does not mean that every Jew who ever lived will be saved. Only those living at that time who accept Christ as their Saviour will be saved. In the analogy of the olive tree in Ro 11 Paul brings to a close the theme of grace and faith which he has been teaching throughout Romans from chapter 1

(see also comments on Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:29, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6

11:29 Does this mean that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance for all Christians?

No! The gifts and calling of God are without repentance only in relation to Israel as the nation sovereignly chosen by God in order for His purposes in the earth to be fulfilled in Jesus (cp Ro 9:4-5 with Gen 49:10; Mic 5:2; Mt 2:3-6; Lk 2:11). There are many in the contemporary church however who believe that Ro 11:29 applies to all Christians, but that is not correct as scriptures clearly prove (cp Judg 16:20; 1Sam 16:14; 18:12; 28:15-16; Hos 9:12). King David also knew that it was possible to have God's gifts and calling revoked, for he prayed to God not to remove the Holy Spirit from him (cp Psa 51:10-12). Ro 11:29 must be kept in the context in which it was spoken, and the context clearly refers to Israel and God's purposes for her, not the gifts of the Spirit and the calling of God upon Christians in the New Testament church (cp Ro 11:1-2, 12, 23, 26-29 with Isa 59:20-21; Jer 31:31-40; 32:37-42; 33:19-26; Eze 36:22-30; 37:15-28; He 8:8-12). Throughout Romans chapters 9-11 Paul is discussing Israel's relationship with God and his assertion in Ro 11:29 is merely the reason he gives to demonstrate the veracity of V28 (cp V28-29). This teaches simply that Israel's rejection of the gospel and antagonism toward God did not cause God to totally reject Israel. He has merely set Israel aside temporarily and given the gospel to the Gentiles until His purpose has been fulfilled in the Gentiles (cp Ac 13:44-47 with Ro 11:25).

See also comments on Ac 13:48, Ro 9:30-33, 10:4, 10:6-11, 10:12-13, 10:18-21, 11:1-10, 11:2, 11:4, 11:7-10, 11:16, 11:17-24, 11:32, 11:33-36; Rev 12:1-5, and 12:6

11:32 What does it mean that God has concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all?

We learn from this that human disobedience in whatever form does not jeopardize sovereign grace (cp Ro 11:25-32). God wants to save as many sinners as he can. The word concluded in V32 (KJV), means to shut up on all sides, to enclose, to shut up completely. The underlying thought is that God has shut up the entire human race, Jews and Gentiles alike, within the state of their own unbelief and disobedience, so that He might have mercy upon them all, (cp Ro 3:9-12,19-20,23; 5:6-8; 2Cor 5:14; Ga 3:22; 1Jn 5:14). This does not imply as some believe, that everyone who ever lived will be saved, but simply that salvation is offered to all (cp Mt 11;28-30, Jn 3:16-18; 7:37-38; Rev 22:17). Nor does it mean that God ordains sin for the sake of, or with a view to redemption, but that He subordinates sin to His redemptive purpose (cp Ro 1:16-17; 3:21-26; 5:1-2, 8-11, 15-21; 9:27-29; 10:4; 11:1-5,12,23,26-29; 2Cor 5:18-21; Gal 3:22-26; Eph 2:11-18).

See also comments on Ro 3:9, 3:19-23, 3:24-26(A), Ro 5:1 and Eph 2:8-10,

11:33-36 What do we learn from what Paul says here?

This is called a Doxology in the contemporary church - a formula of praise to God in prayer. After outlining God's redemptive plan for both Jews and Gentiles in Ch 9-11, Paul now extols the depth of the richness of God's wisdom and knowledge, and the unsearchability of His ways in devising such a plan. Only the God of all creation, through whom all things came into being, could do it (cp Isa 40:13-14). God's ways are beyond human understanding (cp Job 26:1-14). This now concludes Paul's focus in chapters 9-11 on the righteousness of God applied specifically to Israel's enduring place in God's eternal purpose. Chapter 9 pertains to God's covenant with Israel, and vindicates God in the face of Israel's stubborn resistance to His plan of redemption. The main thrust of chapter 9 is to teach the doctrine of justification by faith. In chapter 10 Israel's guilt and responsibility for excluding itself temporarily from salvation is established beyond doubt. In chapter 11 Paul teaches that Israel's rejection of the gospel advanced God's plan to include the Gentiles in His plan of redemption, which in turn will lead to Israel's salvation.

Back to Romans Study