Romans chapter 11 verses 25 through 36: "All Israel will be saved; God's mercy on Jews and Gentiles." Romans chapter 11 verses 25 through 27: "All Israel will be saved." Verse 25: "For brothers, I would not desire that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own estimation; that blindness has happened to part of Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." Verse 26: "And so all Israel will be saved." As it is written: "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he
will turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Blindness has happened to part of Israel.
Virtually all English translations render this clause as "blindness in part has happened to Israel." This implies that Israel suffers from only partial blindness. However, nearly all the early Christian commentators, who were native speakers of koine Greek, understand Paul to be saying that the blindness is complete. Nevertheless, it affects only part of Israel, for the remnant do not suffer from this blindness.
Theodoret comments: Paul uses the words "in part" to show that not all Jews had disbelieved, for many among them had believed. Origen writes: "God allowed a part"—that is, some, but not all—of the Israelites to be blinded. Chrysostom adds: Paul's meaning is essentially this: that their unbelief is not universal, but it is only "in part." In fact, Paul had said this previously. So he also says it again here.
In other words, it is not the whole people who are pulled up from the roots; rather, many have already believed, and more are likely to believe. The conversion of the Jews: "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Paul says that most of the Jewish nation will remain blind until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Once these Gentiles are all in, then there will be a major reawakening among the ethnic Jews: Christ will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
This will occur in the very last days. Origen writes: "There will be a time when the people of the Jews will say, 'Whatever we have heard was done in Capernaum'—that is, signs and wonders among the Gentiles—also do among us in your native territory.
What you have shown to the whole world, show to us as well; preach your word to the people of Israel.'" Hilary of Poitiers writes: Paul shows that the Gentiles were going to believe in the apostolic preaching, while the rest of Israel would believe only at the occurrence of his second Advent. This truly will be a time of rejoicing for all Christians and will be a clear sign that the return of Christ is imminent. Chrysostom adds: "God has not even now cut short the calling of the Jews.
Rather, he waits for all the Gentiles that are to believe to come in, and then the Jews also shall come." Constantius writes: Here Paul shows that, as the fullness of the Gentiles comes to faith in Christ, the rest of the Jewish people will be stirred by jealousy and a desire to "follow suit." And believing in Christ? They will be saved. And so all Israel will be saved. Christians have speculated over this statement ever since the days of the early Church.
If Paul's words are taken in a literal, fleshly sense, it would mean that every Jew or Israelite that has ever lived will be saved. However, this cannot be correct. Jesus himself told the Jews of his day: "But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." Matthew chapter 11 verse 24. If those Jews are going to automatically be saved because they are Jews, then it is not true that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on Judgment Day than for them.
Similarly, if every Jew who has ever lived will inevitably be saved, then the following words of Jesus are not true either: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." Matthew chapter 23 verse 15: "And, you serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of hell?" Matthew chapter 23 verse 33.
If God is going to save every Jew who has ever lived, this means he will save Judas as well, for he was a Jew. For this reason, most of the early Christians understood this prophecy to be talking about the Israel of God, made up of both believing Jews and Gentiles. It is all of the Israel of God who will be saved. For Paul had already stated: "They are not all Israel who are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children." Romans chapter 9 verses 6 through 7.
So Paul is apparently talking about the inward Jews, who have been circumcised in their hearts Romans chapter 2 verses 28 through 29. Theodoret writes: "By 'all Israel' Paul means all those who believe, whether they are of the Jews as having a natural descent from Jacob or of the Gentiles, as connected with Jacob by the relationship of faith.
So all Israel after the flesh will not be saved." Tertullian observes: "Jerusalem is to be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled," meaning, of course, those who are to be chosen by God and gathered in with the remnant of Israel. Even Augustine agreed on this matter, writing: "Not all the Jews were blind; some of them recognized Christ.
But the fullness of the Gentiles comes in among those who have been called according to the plan, and there arises a truer Israel of God, the chosen from both the Jews and the Gentiles." Of course, history has shown that prophecy is best understood only after it has been fulfilled. Not a single Jew correctly interpreted the numerous Old Testament prophecies about Christ before he died and was resurrected. Even then, they were only understood once Christ explained them to his disciples.
So this wonderful prophecy about Israel may yet be fulfilled in a way that no one presently anticipates. Verse 27: "For this is my covenant with them when I will take away their sins." For this is my covenant with them. The covenant of which Paul speaks is the new covenant, which promises forgiveness of sins through Christ Jesus, when I will take away their sins.
Chrysostom comments about the conversion of these unbelieving Jews: "It is not when they are circumcised, nor when they sacrifice, nor when they do the other works of the law; rather, it is when they obtain the forgiveness of sins." This has been promised, but it has never yet happened in their particular case as a nation. Theodoret explains that this forgiveness does not take place through the law, but when a Jew is converted.
Romans chapter 11 verses 28 through 32: "God's mercy on both Jews and Gentiles." Verse 28: "As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but regarding their choosing, they are beloved for the Father's sakes." The early Christians understood Paul to be speaking here, not of all Jews, but of the unsaved Jews who would become part of the believing remnant at some point in the future.
For, at the beginning of this chapter, Paul had spoken of two classes of Jews: one, the unbelieving Jews who have remained blind, and two, the remnant of Jews who have responded to God's call and have come to faith in Christ. When Paul wrote Romans, there were many Jews who would be joining the remnant of believing Jews at some time in the future. However, those Jews were still enemies of Christ, often persecuting Christ's followers. Paul had been one such Jew; however, he responded to Christ's call.
Paul is now saying there are other Jews who are presently enemies, but who will be converted and become beloved for the Father's sakes. Origen provides these insights. The distinction Paul has previously made must also be made concerning the subject passage. The Israel that is God's enemy are the ones who shouted about Christ: "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" John chapter 19 verse 15. Whether in the past or in the present, how could anyone who says such things not be considered God's enemies?
Paul says they are enemies for your sake. Here he means that the Jews resent the salvation of the Gentiles. In fact, they forbade the apostles to preach to the Gentiles, and they persecute those who proclaim Christ first Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 16. In contrast, the remnant are the ones who will be saved, for they have been selected out of Israel by God's choice.
These are the ones who are "beloved for the sake of the Fathers; for they have followed in the faith of the Fathers." They believe in the God who raised Christ Jesus from the dead Romans chapter 4 verse 24. As to this type of offspring, the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Ambrosiaster writes: "To be sure the Jews have sinned grievously by rejecting the gift of God, and they are worthy of death; yet, because they are sons of honor who have received privileges and benefits from God, they will be received with joy when they return to faith. For God's love for them is awakened by the memory of their forefathers." Verse 29: "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." What are these gifts, and what is the calling Paul is talking about?
Perhaps the passage of Scripture that sheds the most light on the meaning of this calling is Jesus' parable of the wedding feast Matthew chapter 22 verses 1 through 14, of which we have already spoken. Jesus begins this parable by saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who made a wedding feast for his son and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come." Matthew chapter 22 verses 2 through 3.
The first persons invited to the wedding were the fleshly Jews. However, as a nation, they rejected the invitation. Jesus continues: "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore, go to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the wedding feast.'" Matthew chapter 22 verses 8 through 9. When most Jews rejected the kingdom invitation, this invitation was then extended to the Gentiles.
This is the very phenomena Paul talked about earlier in this chapter. Yet, one of the invited wedding guests was later ejected into the outer darkness. So Jesus ends his parable saying: "Many are called, but few chosen." Matthew chapter 22 verse 14. So Jesus makes a clear distinction between being called and being ultimately chosen. The fact that someone is called either individually or as part of a group is no guarantee of his final salvation.
This distinction is important to remember, for Paul says that God's gifts and calling are without repentance. In other words, God has never changed his mind about calling or inviting the Jews to receive his gifts of justification and salvation. However, just because he has called them does not mean that they will finally be chosen. From the tone of Jesus' parable about the wedding feast, one might think that God quit extending the invitation to the Jews after their leaders had called for Jesus' death.
However, that was not the case. In fact, during the first few years after the resurrection, God extended the invitation of the gospel exclusively to Jews and Samaritans. So God did not change his mind about calling the Jews. Even when the invitation was extended to the Gentiles, the invitation continued to be extended to the Jews as well. As we have noted, Paul himself, the apostle to the Gentiles, preached to the Jews whenever he could Acts 13:14, 14:1, 17:1, 10:17, 18:4.
So God never revoked or repented of his call to the Jews. The fact that God has not withdrawn his invitation explains why there was a remnant of Jewish believers when Paul wrote Romans. It helps us to see why Jews have continued to be converted to Christianity from the first century until now. It further explains why a significant number of Jews will come to Christ shortly before his return. If God had withdrawn his calling altogether, there would be no Jewish remnant, either in Paul's day or at the end of the age.
Just as the calling has not been revoked, the gifts have not been revoked either. These include the gift of salvation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and the numerous blessings God showers on believers. Verse 30: "For as you, in times past, did not believe God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief." Verse 31: "Even so, they similarly have not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy." Once again, Paul points to God's benevolent superintendence over mankind.
God used the disbelief of the Jews to benefit the Gentiles. Likewise, he will use the jealousy of the Jews towards the Gentile Christians to try to bring the Jews back to himself. The Gentiles had rejected God's teachings in past centuries when the Jews believed those teachings. Now it is the Gentiles who have received mercy. This is not because of anything meritorious on their part, but because of God's grace.
How much more so should the Jews be shown mercy and received back with joy if they repent and are converted? Theodoret told his Gentile readers: "Remember indeed that for such a long period all you Gentiles lived in sin; yet the merciful Lord did not look at that lengthy and intense ungodliness. Rather, he blessed with his unspeakable grace all those Gentiles who were willing to receive it.
And when the Jews would not believe, he called you in their place." So there is nothing inconsistent in the fact that even though the Jews now oppose him, God will accept them whenever they are willing to believe. For in this manner, they can inherit the divine loving-kindness too. God has never repented of his call to the Jews, just as he will never repent of his call to the Gentiles.
Verse 32: "For God has shut them all up in disobedience, such that he might have mercy upon all." The Greek word used here "cyniclies" has been translated in various ways: consigned, imprisoned, or shut up. God could have simply destroyed all mankind because of their disobedience. Instead, he let humanity remain shut up in their own disobedience so that he would have the opportunity to extend mercy to all instead of punishing them.
Origen comments: "It is not that God injected unbelief into everyone; rather, he used the unbelief of some to open the way of belief to others who had previously been unbelieving." Romans chapter 11 verses 33 through 36: "Praise to our all-wise Lord." Verse 33: "Oh, the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments and his ways beyond comprehension!" Verse 34: "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" The human mind is simply unable to comprehend how God can preserve each person's freedom of will and yet use the unbelief of one group of people to bring about the salvation of another group. God uses all types of events and circumstances to bring the gospel to various persons at just the right time.
Origen writes: "Listen to Paul's own words, how unsearchable his judgments and his ways beyond comprehension." Paul does not say that God's judgments are merely difficult to discover. He says they are altogether beyond our comprehension. No created mind can ever fully comprehend the things of God. Rather, after finding answers to some of our questions, we discover even more things to look into. Ambrosiaster adds: "Obviously, God alone possesses all counsel and alone needs nothing because all things come from God.
For this reason, God's plan can be neither comprehended nor judged by anyone else, since the lower mind cannot contain the higher." Consequently, Jewish believers thought it impossible that God's plan and will was for the redemption of the Gentiles. Likewise, the Gentiles judged it improbable and unbelievable that Jews who had not believed could be converted or, if they did believe, would be accepted for salvation. This, among other things, is the plan of God which was hidden and could not be understood.
Verse 35: "Or who has first given to him that it should be repaid to him? No one has bestowed anything on God that he should be indebted to us. Not only is salvation a gift from God, but life itself is his gift." Theodoret writes: "The riches of his goodness are so immense that he has given existence to those who were not. Likewise, as to those who are, he has bestowed blessings out of his free grace, and none of this is owed us for something we have first given to him.
Rather, it is out of his own free kindness." After marveling at the wisdom of God, Paul now fittingly closes this passage with a doxology. Verse 36: "For from him, and through him, and unto him are all things, to whom be glory through the ages." Amen. From him, and through him, and unto him are all things. Origen explains that the phrase "from him" refers to our very existence and salvation. All these come from God. "Through him" points to God's providence that directs and sustains our lives.
"Unto him" points to the time of perfection and completion that Paul speaks of in First Corinthians. Then the end comes, when Christ will deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subject to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.
First Corinthians chapter 15 verses 24 through 28: "To whom be glory through the ages." Chrysostom writes: "Let us imitate Paul and glorify God in all things by an obedient way of life. And let us not place confidence in the virtues of our ancestry, knowing the lesson we can learn from the Jews." Theodoret adds: "For he created all things, and he continues to govern all whom he created. We ought to look to him, confessing our gratitude for all the things we have enjoyed already.
We should implore his future providence and offer up all praise and honor due to him."
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