CHAPTER 11

(A.D. 60)

GODS PURPOSE

¹I say then, Has God cast away His People? (This is phrased in the Greek Text so that it requires a negative answer.) God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the Tribe of Benjamin (Israelite is the most august title of the three names).

²God has not cast away His People which He foreknew (refers to Israel as a Nation, and the many Promises made respecting the future of these ancient people). Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah? (I Ki. 19:10, 14) how he makes intercession to God against Israel, saying (carries the thought that the Prophet should have pleaded for Israel, not against Israel),

³Lord, they have killed your Prophets, and dug down your Altars (the true worship of God at that time was forsaken, and in its place idols were substituted [I Ki. 12:28-33]); and I am left alone, and they seek my life (in fact, Elijah was not alone, even as we shall see).

⁴But what was the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal (this tells us that True Faith always has the attachment of spiritual action).

A REMNANT

⁵Even so then at this present time (Pauls day) also there is a Remnant according to the election of Grace (definitely speaks of Predestination, but not as many think; it is the Remnant that is elected or predestined, not who will be in the Remnant).

⁶And if by Grace (the Goodness of God, all made possible by the Cross), then is it no more of works (no one can point to their works as grounds for Salvation): otherwise Grace is no more Grace (if works are mixed with Grace, they nullify Grace). But if it be of works, then is it no more Grace (works can never produce Grace): otherwise work is no more work (for example, Water Baptism, if acted upon wrongly, nullifies its true meaning; this holds true as well for all other great Ordinances of the Lord).

REBELLION AND UNBELIEF

⁷What then? (This was asked regarding Israel, but can also apply to the Church as well!) Israel has not obtained that for which he seeks (emphatically states that Salvation cannot be obtained in any manner or way other than Gods Way, which is the Cross); but the election has obtained it (refers to the Jews who did not attempt to claim Salvation by Merit, but rather by Grace), and the rest were blinded (refers to a judicial blindness).

⁸(According as it is written (Isa. 29:10), God has given them the spirit of slumber (thats what they wanted, so thats what they got!), eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) (This refers to not being able to see even though the evidence is plainly visible, or to hear even though the words are plainly spoken.) unto this day (refers to a condition that will not correct itself, but will actually grow worse).

⁹And David said (Ps. 69:22), Let their table be made a snare (refers to their prosperity), and a trap (pertains to the end result of the snare), and a stumblingblock (Israel stumbled over the very blessings which were intended for her betterment), and a recompence unto them (a negative end result):

¹⁰Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see (they didnt want to see, so the Lord gave them what they wanted), and bow down their back always (refers to them coming under the burden of captivity, which is exactly what happened).

GENTILES

¹¹I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? (Never to rise again?) God forbid: but rather through their fall Salvation is come unto the Gentiles (is another manner of expressing the formation or building of the Church), for to provoke them to jealousy (harks back to the Prophecy of Noah after the flood, God shall enlarge Japheth [Gentiles], and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, i.e., Israel; Japheth will receive the blessings intended for Shem, which is exactly what has happened [Gen. 9:26-27]).

¹²Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world (the idea is that their Fall did not stop the Gospel from coming to the world; the manner of the translation makes it seem as if the world has been greatly enriched by the Fall of Israel; however, that is not the case!), and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles (the Blessings that were supposed to go to Israel came to the Gentiles, and we speak of the Church, i.e., The True Church); how much more their fulness? (In this one question, Paul implies Israels rightful place in the Kingdom of God yet to come, which will then bring everything into line, with Israel being the great Blessing that God always intended.)

¹³For I speak to you Gentiles (it speaks of nations which are distinct from Israel), inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles (speaks of Pauls special Calling by the Lord), I magnify my office (the Office of the Apostle, which refers to the Message of Grace that would affect every Believer):

¹⁴If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them (Paul hoped Israel might see the Blessings of the Lord on the Gentiles, and, desiring those Blessings, accept Christ and, thereby, be saved).

¹⁵For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world (refers to the Act of God in setting Israel aside temporarily as a channel through which to bring the Good News of Salvation to the world, and in their place the substitution of the Church), what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (All of this is with a view to bringing Israel back into fellowship with Himself and service in the coming Millennium. Their conversion is likened to a Resurrection.)

¹⁶For if the Firstfruit be Holy (refers to the Patriarchs of Israel, who were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), the lump is also Holy(does not refer to personal attributes, but simply that Israel has been Called of God, and set apart by God for a special task which will ultimately be performed): and if the root be Holy, so are the branches (this pertains to their work, their reason for being; they are evennowin the beginning stages of being brought back from the dead).

¹⁷And if some of the branches be broken off (not all the branches, but some; referring to the fact that Israel will ultimately be brought back), and you (refers to the Church, i.e., the Gentiles), being a wild olive tree (inferior), were grafted in among them (presents the inferior being grafted into the superior, which is totally against nature), and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree (means that the Church derives its life from the common Root that was originally given to Israel of long ago);

¹⁸Boast not against the branches (the Church has not replaced Israel in the Plan of God, even though the Church is included in the Plan of God due to Israels rejection of Christ). But if you boast, you bear not the root, but the root you (as stated, the Church was grafted in, and is built upon the Promises originally given to Israel, which still apply to Israel and one day will be fulfilled).

¹⁹You will say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in (the Church must ever know and understand that it was and is second choice).

²⁰Well; because of unbelief they (Israel) were broken off (unbelief respecting Christ and the Cross), and you stand by Faith (proclaims that the Church was brought in because of Faith and not merit, and stands in its present position by Faith and not merit). Be not highminded, but fear (the reason is given in the next Verse):

²¹For if God spared not the natural branches (Israel), take heed lest He also spare not you (again refers to the Church, as is obvious).

²²Behold therefore the Goodness and Severity of God (dont mistake the Goodness of God for license): on them which fell, severity (speaks of Judgment which came on Israel, Gods chosen People); but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His Goodness (proclaims the condition; the continuing of that Goodness pertains to continued Faith in Christ and the Cross): otherwise you also shall be cut off (is the modern Church on the edge of that even now? Rev. 3:15-22 tells us this is the case!).

²³And they also (Israel), if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in (Israels unbelief will end at the Second Coming): for God is able to graft them in again (and that He will do!).

²⁴For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature (refers to the Gentile world, and in this case the Church), and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree (the inferior into the superior): how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? (Israel failed, but the Plan did not fail. Israel will ultimately be brought back and will Evangelize the world as originally planned. This will take place in the coming Kingdom Age [Isa. 66:19].)

RESTORATION

²⁵For I would not, Brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery (what has happened to Israel), lest you should be wise in your own conceits (the Gentiles were not pulled in because of any merit or Righteousness on their part, but strictly because of the Grace of God); that blindness in part is happened to Israel (is the mystery of which Paul speaks), until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in (refers to the Church; in fact, the Church Age is even now coming to a close).

²⁶And so all Israel shall be saved (when the Church Age ends, and the Second Coming commences; then Israel will accept Christ and be saved): as it is written (Isa. 27:9; 59:20-21), There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer (Jesus Christ will be the Deliverer), and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Christ will deliver Israel from the Antichrist, and more importantly will deliver them from their sins):

²⁷For this is My Covenant unto them (a Promise), when I shall take away their sins (as stated, it will be done at the Second Coming [Zech. 13:1]).

²⁸As concerning the Gospel, theyare enemies for your sakes (refers to the Gospel of Jesus Christ): but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes (speaks of their Calling).

²⁹For the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance (the Gifts and Calling of God are not subject to a change of mind on Gods Part).

³⁰For as you in times past have not believed God (concerns the Gentile world which lived outside of the Promises of God for about 4,000 years), yet have now obtained Mercy through their unbelief (refers to the unbelief of Israel, but their unbelief did not stop Mercy being granted to the Gentiles, which God had planned all along):

³¹Even so have these also now not believed (pertains once again to Israel, and the fact that even though they are now in unbelief; this will ultimately change), that through your Mercy (the Church) they also may obtain Mercy (the Mercy which was extended to the Gentiles will ultimately bring Israel back as well, with the entirety of the Plan of God now coming full circle).

³²For God has concluded them all in unbelief (both Jews and Gentiles; the Jews were loathe to accept this conclusion), that He might have Mercy upon all (proclaims Gods condition of dealing with the entirety of the human family, both Jew and Gentile).

GREATNESS OF GOD

³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! (This depth is beyond our comprehension.) how unsearchable are His Judgments, and His Ways past finding out! (They cannot be found out by the intellect, only by Revelation which comes by the Spirit.)

³⁴For who has known the Mind of the Lord? (As stated, the only way the Mind of the Lord can be known is for it to be revealed by the Holy Spirit.) or who has been His counsellor? (It would have to be, no one.)

³⁵Or who has first given to Him (Job 41:11), and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (What we sow, we reap!)

³⁶For of Him (refers to Creation), and through Him (refers to His Perfect Knowledge), and to Him (His Presence is everywhere), are all things (He Alone is the First Cause): to Whom be Glory forever (He Alone deserves the Glory). Amen (Truth).