Another perspective on Romans 11
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:50 am
After many years of being somewhat unconvinced of the various interpretations I have heard of Romans 11 (pertaining mainly to Israel) I have come up with a few thoughts of my own. Let me know what you think.
Another perspective on Romans 11
-Romans 11 continues a theme found earlier in the epistle (Romans 9:6) of Israel divided into two parts, believing (the remnant) and blinded/unbelieving.
-The remnant are those whom God foreknew (v2) according to the election of grace (v5)
-The remainder of Israel (not the remnant) has not attained what it seeks, the elect have, the rest (of Israel) were blinded (v7)
-Although Israel has not attained what it seeks and is blinded, it has not fallen beyond recovery (v11)
-Blinded Israel will be provoked because salvation has come to the Gentiles (v11)
-The intent of this provocation is to bring salvation to the blinded part of Israel (v11)
-Branches being grafted on the olive tree are parallel to and synonymous with salvation as mentioned in v11b (of Gentiles) and v14 (of Jews/Israel)
-The olive tree is Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant, the father of the Jews and the father of faith (Romans 4:16). To Abraham and his seed were the promises made, that “seed” is one person, Christ (Galatians 3:16). It’s not the children of the flesh, but the children of the promise who are counted as seed (Romans 9:8). You are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26 & 29)
-Natural branches are ethnic Jewish individuals. Some, like Paul, are saved (v1) and are attached to the olive tree but others have been blinded (v7) and cut off (v19). Wild olive tree branches that have been grafted in are Gentile individuals who belong to Christ by faith and therefore are Abraham’s “seed”.
-Blindness in part has come upon Israel until the full number of the Gentiles come in. And so/in this way all Israel will be saved. As more Gentiles “come in” to the olive tree, the blinded part of Israel becomes provoked to jealousy and some are saved. So the way in which “All Israel is saved” is just as has been explained in verses 11-24. Blinded Israel will be provoked by Gentiles coming to the Messiah. It seems that Paul expected a critical mass to be reached where so many Gentiles come to faith that the blinded part of Israel would be provoked to salvation. I would understand this to be of limited scope (meaning, I don’t think Paul expected every unbelieving Jew to convert). I think Paul’s message of verses 25-26 is this straightforward. The hardening of Israel is broken by jealousy. The mechanism of this jealousy is Gentile converts to the Jewish Messiah. The more converts, the greater the effect. At least to a certain point.
-This does not appear to be an “end of the church age” event due to the language of verses 30-32. Just as they were once disobedient they too may now obtain mercy. Seems like Paul is trying to reach out to his Jewish brothers in his own lifetime (v14). This wouldn’t make much sense if Paul had understood this hardening to continue until the end of the church age.
-Romans 11:28-29 options:
Concerning the gospel “they” are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election “they” are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. “They” who are enemies of the gospel may be one group and “they” who are beloved may be a separate group, specifically “the election” (the elect within Israel from v7). This would split “they” of Romans 11:28 into two groups which could be argued as remaining consistent with the rest of Romans on this matter. But this my not be the best option
Another option could be that “they” are the same group. Speaking of Israel (the unsaved/blinded part) Paul has just been greatly concerned about this group for most of chapter 11. Israel may be enemies of the gospel and beloved. If not, why would Paul be laboring so hard to save the unredeemable? They are beloved because, I believe, “the election” is in reference to the fathers. They are beloved for the sake of the fathers (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob). They are not saved because of this, but rather the offer still extends to them even though they have been disobedient. I believe this is why the next verse (v29) reads: for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. This makes sense if Paul is speaking about blinded Israel being an enemy of the gospel but still beloved enough to be provoked to jealousy and possibly saved. The two groups of Israel: the faithful remnant combined with those who have overcome their blindness constitute “all Israel”.
Consider these verses:
30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
It sounds as if this is an explanation of why the gifts and calling of God to unbelieving Israel are irrevocable and how it is that they can be grafted back in. There were Jews who were disobedient at the time of Paul’s writing Romans. They would see the mercy obtained by the Gentiles and through what was already explained in verse 11, may also obtain mercy.
Another perspective on Romans 11
-Romans 11 continues a theme found earlier in the epistle (Romans 9:6) of Israel divided into two parts, believing (the remnant) and blinded/unbelieving.
-The remnant are those whom God foreknew (v2) according to the election of grace (v5)
-The remainder of Israel (not the remnant) has not attained what it seeks, the elect have, the rest (of Israel) were blinded (v7)
-Although Israel has not attained what it seeks and is blinded, it has not fallen beyond recovery (v11)
-Blinded Israel will be provoked because salvation has come to the Gentiles (v11)
-The intent of this provocation is to bring salvation to the blinded part of Israel (v11)
-Branches being grafted on the olive tree are parallel to and synonymous with salvation as mentioned in v11b (of Gentiles) and v14 (of Jews/Israel)
-The olive tree is Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant, the father of the Jews and the father of faith (Romans 4:16). To Abraham and his seed were the promises made, that “seed” is one person, Christ (Galatians 3:16). It’s not the children of the flesh, but the children of the promise who are counted as seed (Romans 9:8). You are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26 & 29)
-Natural branches are ethnic Jewish individuals. Some, like Paul, are saved (v1) and are attached to the olive tree but others have been blinded (v7) and cut off (v19). Wild olive tree branches that have been grafted in are Gentile individuals who belong to Christ by faith and therefore are Abraham’s “seed”.
-Blindness in part has come upon Israel until the full number of the Gentiles come in. And so/in this way all Israel will be saved. As more Gentiles “come in” to the olive tree, the blinded part of Israel becomes provoked to jealousy and some are saved. So the way in which “All Israel is saved” is just as has been explained in verses 11-24. Blinded Israel will be provoked by Gentiles coming to the Messiah. It seems that Paul expected a critical mass to be reached where so many Gentiles come to faith that the blinded part of Israel would be provoked to salvation. I would understand this to be of limited scope (meaning, I don’t think Paul expected every unbelieving Jew to convert). I think Paul’s message of verses 25-26 is this straightforward. The hardening of Israel is broken by jealousy. The mechanism of this jealousy is Gentile converts to the Jewish Messiah. The more converts, the greater the effect. At least to a certain point.
-This does not appear to be an “end of the church age” event due to the language of verses 30-32. Just as they were once disobedient they too may now obtain mercy. Seems like Paul is trying to reach out to his Jewish brothers in his own lifetime (v14). This wouldn’t make much sense if Paul had understood this hardening to continue until the end of the church age.
-Romans 11:28-29 options:
Concerning the gospel “they” are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election “they” are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. “They” who are enemies of the gospel may be one group and “they” who are beloved may be a separate group, specifically “the election” (the elect within Israel from v7). This would split “they” of Romans 11:28 into two groups which could be argued as remaining consistent with the rest of Romans on this matter. But this my not be the best option
Another option could be that “they” are the same group. Speaking of Israel (the unsaved/blinded part) Paul has just been greatly concerned about this group for most of chapter 11. Israel may be enemies of the gospel and beloved. If not, why would Paul be laboring so hard to save the unredeemable? They are beloved because, I believe, “the election” is in reference to the fathers. They are beloved for the sake of the fathers (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob). They are not saved because of this, but rather the offer still extends to them even though they have been disobedient. I believe this is why the next verse (v29) reads: for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. This makes sense if Paul is speaking about blinded Israel being an enemy of the gospel but still beloved enough to be provoked to jealousy and possibly saved. The two groups of Israel: the faithful remnant combined with those who have overcome their blindness constitute “all Israel”.
Consider these verses:
30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
It sounds as if this is an explanation of why the gifts and calling of God to unbelieving Israel are irrevocable and how it is that they can be grafted back in. There were Jews who were disobedient at the time of Paul’s writing Romans. They would see the mercy obtained by the Gentiles and through what was already explained in verse 11, may also obtain mercy.