Romans 11 and The Future of The Nation o
Romans 11 and The Future of The Nation o
Romans 11 and The Future of The Nation o
Introduction
Beginning in Romans 11, the apostle Paul teaches the Roman church about the
future salvation of the nation of Israel. The single basic theme throughout Romans
chapter eleven is stated at the beginning of the chapter, namely that God has not
rejected the nation of Israel. If this is the case, then God is surely not employing
the church to replace Israel.
Romans chapter eleven completes the fifth major section in the book of
Romans, which began with chapter nine. This section is a defense of God’s
righteousness in His dealings with the nation of Israel since the question arises that
if God is for the elect and that nothing can separate them from God’s love as Paul
says in chapter 8, then why has He set aside His chosen people, the Jews, the
nation of Israel.
In this section, Paul attempts to explain God’s dealings with the Jews as a
vindication of His righteousness. Paul does it by demonstrating through the Old
Testament Scriptures that Israel’s rejection is related to the spiritual pride of the
Jews (9,10), that Israel’s rejection is not complete because some are being saved
(11), and that Israel’s rejection is not final because it will be reversed before the
coming of the Lord (the end of chapter 11). Therefore, in Romans 9-11, the apostle
defends the righteousness of God in His dealings with the nation of Israel in the
past (9), present (10) and future (11). It appears that these chapters are an
interruption or a parenthesis but rather they are a continuation of Paul’s argument
for justification by faith. In Romans 1-8, Paul presents the great spiritual truths or
doctrines of the Christian faith and then in Romans 9-11, he demonstrates how
these doctrines or spiritual truths apply to God’s dealings with Israel in the past,
present and future.
In Romans 11, he instructs his readers that all God’s promises to the patriarchs
of Israel and the nation itself will be fulfilled. This chapter makes clear that even
though the nation of Israel has rejected Jesus Christ as Savior, God is not through
with the nation since He has set aside a remnant of believers in the nation in the
future. That God has not rejected the nation of Israel altogether is also due to
God’s faithfulness in fulfilling the four unconditional covenants that He made to
the patriarchs of Israel and the nation itself. Thus, Paul makes clear that God has
not totally abandoned the nation of Israel and that in the future she will be restored.
The four great unconditional covenants to Israel: (1) Abrahamic deals with the
race of Israel (Genesis 12:1-3; 13:16; 22:15-18). (2) Palestinian is the promise of
land to Israel (Gn. 13:15; Numbers 34:1-12). (3) Davidic deals with the aristocracy
Romans 11:1
Romans 11:2
Romans 11:3
Next, in Romans 11:3, he cites 1 Kings 19:10 to demonstrate that God has not
rejected Israel. In this passage, Elijah pleaded with the Father against Israel when
he was the lone surviving prophet in Israel who was alone in the desert because he
was fleeing Jezebel who sought to murder him.
Romans 11:3 Lord, they have murdered Your prophets. They have
destroyed Your altars. I myself alone am left. Also, they are making it a top
priority to diligently, earnestly and tenaciously seek my life, sparing no
expense to do so because it is of great value to them! (Author’s translation)
Paul is citing 1 Kings 19:10 and Elijah’s prayer that is recorded in this passage
is repeated by him in 1 Kings 19:14. In context, Elijah offered this prayer to the
Father after two great victories. The first is recorded in 1 Kings 18:1-40 where he
defeated the prophets of Baal with the power of the Lord. The second is found in 1
Kings 18:41-46 where he prayed for rain to fall in Israel and it did.
After these two great victories, Jezebel, Ahab’s wife got wind of Elijah’s
victory over the prophets of Baal and his execution of them and sends a threatening
letter to the prophet and seeks to assassinate him. Elijah in turn, out of despair for
his life, flees to the desert and prays to God against Israel but God responds by
telling Elijah that He has set aside for Himself a remnant of believers who will not
bow to Baal.
Romans 11:4
Romans 11:5
Then, in Romans 11:5, the apostle teaches that in the same way that God set
aside a remnant for Himself in a Elijah’s day so He had done so in Paul’s day in
the mid first century according to His sovereign grace.
Romans 11:5 Therefore, in the same way also, there is in existence at this
particular moment in history, a remnant in accordance with election by
means of grace. (Author’s translation)
“A remnant” is the noun leimma, which appears in Romans 9:27 is related to
the noun leimma, “remnant,” which in turn is related to the verb leipo, “to leave”
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and speaks of “that which is left, remnant.” In Romans 9:27, Paul cites Isaiah
10:22 to teach that only a remnant of Jews throughout history will be saved.
Romans 9:27 However, Isaiah cries out over Israel, “Though the number
which is the posterity descended from Israel is like the sand, which is by the
sea only the remnant will be delivered.” (Author’s translation)
In Romans 9:27, hupoleimma speaks of those Jews in Paul’s day who had
trusted in Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah in contrast to the majority of Jews who did
not. The Septuagint translation of Isaiah 10:22 uses the noun kataleimma,
“remnant.” This is insignificant since they are synonymous terms (Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament volume 4, page 195).
In the Old Testament, in relation to the nation of Israel, a “remnant” referred to
a small percentage of the population of the nation of Israel who survived divine
judgment in the form of the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions and deportations.
The concept has its roots in Deuteronomy 4:27-31; 28:62-68; 30:1-10.
In these passages, Moses warns Israel that they would be dispersed throughout
the nations for their disobedience but would be brought back to the land based
upon God’s grace and covenantal faithfulness. The prophets subsequent to Moses
continued this doctrine when teaching the nation of Israel during the time each
lived.
The Septuagint uses the noun leimma of a remnant in Israel during the days of
King Hezekiah when Sennacherib invaded Israel and threatened to destroy
Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:13-2 Kings 19:37). The prophet Jeremiah uses the word
often of the remnant in his day (Jeremiah 40:11, 15; 41:10, 16; 42:2, 15, 19; 43:5;
44:7, 12, 14, 28; 44:28; 47:4, 5; 50:20). In Jeremiah 42:2 and 50:20 the remnant
refers to those Israelites returning from the Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah uses the
remnant of those Israelites who will experience the millennial reign of Christ
(Jeremiah 23:3; 31:7).
Zechariah also speaks of a remnant of Israelites during the millennial reign of
Christ (Zechariah 8:6, 11, 12). The prophet Micah also speaks of a future remnant
of Israelites during the millennium (Micah 2:12; 4:7; 5:7-8; 7:18) and so does
Zephaniah (3:13).
The remnant doctrine appears in the writings of Isaiah (Isaiah 10:20-22; 11:11,
16; 15:9; 16:14; 17:3; 28:5; 37:4, 31, 32; 46:3). It is used in Nehemiah (1:3) and in
the writings of Ezra of the returning Israelites from Babylon (Ezra 9:8, 13, 14, 15).
Haggai speaks of this remnant that returned from Babylon (1:12, 14; 2:2).
The noun leimma appears only once in the Greek New Testament, Romans
11:5, where it refers to the “remnant” of believers in Israel in Paul’s day, in the
first century. Paul first mentions this remnant doctrine in Romans 9:6 and then
develops it further in Romans 9:27-29.
Romans 11:6
Paul in Romans 11:6 argues with his readers that if you agree with me that God
had set aside for Himself a remnant in Israel on the basis of grace, then it follows
logically that this election of the remnant is never at any time on the basis of
meritorious actions otherwise grace never at any time exists as grace.
Romans 11:6 For you see if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of
argument that it is, as an eternal spiritual truth on the basis of grace. And we
agree that it is true! Then, it is never at any time on the basis of meritorious
actions as constituting its source, otherwise grace never at any time exists as
grace. (Author’s translation)
Paul teaches in this verse that in the same way God set aside a remnant for
Himself in Elijah’s day so He had done so in Paul’s day in the mid first century
according to His sovereign grace. Now, in Romans 11:6, Paul provides additional
information with regards to the election by grace of the remnant in Israel. In this
passage, the additional information is that because the remnant in Israel was
elected by grace, then this would exclude their selection by God on the basis of
meritorious actions otherwise grace no longer exists as grace. Romans 11:6 is
therefore giving us additional information with regards to the remnant’s election by
means of grace. It tells us what it does not mean, namely that the remnant was
never selected by God on the basis of meritorious actions. The passage is
explaining more about the election of the remnant by grace, namely that it excludes
meritorious actions.
The statement in Romans 11:6 is a first class condition that indicates the
assumption of truth for the sake of argument. It is designed to encourage Paul’s
audience to respond and come to the conclusion of the apodosis since they already
Romans 11:7
In Romans 11:7, we have the second paragraph in the chapter and in this verse,
Paul poses a question that is the result of an inference from his teaching in Romans
9:6-11:6.
Romans 11:7 What shall we conclude then? That which Israel has in the
past diligently sought after and continues to do so up to the present moment,
this they never obtained. However, the elect obtained it but the rest were
hardened. (Author’s translation)
His statement in Romans 11:7 teaches that Israel never obtained the
righteousness that they diligently sought after in the past and continued to do so up
to the time he wrote this epistle. He then says that in contrast with this group that
sought after righteousness through obedience to the Law, the elect remnant
obtained righteousness through faith in Christ and the majority were hardened by
God for their unbelief.
Romans 11:7 teaches that the majority of Israelites sought after righteousness
but never obtained it but the elect remnant did through faith but the majority of
Israelites were hardened because of unbelief in Christ.
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Some like Cranfield believe the inference is from Romans 11:1-6 and some like
Moo contend the inference is from Romans 11:2b-6. However, Paul’s statement in
verse 7 makes clear that the inference is from his teaching in Romans 9:6-11:6
since his statement in this verse gathers up everything he has taught in Romans
9:6-11:6. His statement in Romans 11:7 supports his major premise in Romans 9:6
that not all Israelites are considered by God to be His covenant people Israel since
he states in Romans 11:7 that the elect obtain righteousness and the rest in Israel
did not. He also speaks in Romans 11:7 of God hardening the majority in Israel,
which goes right back to his teaching in Romans 9:6-29.
Furthermore, in this verse, Paul speaks of the elect obtaining righteousness,
which echoes Romans 9:6-29, which speaks of election. In Romans 11:7, he speaks
of Israel not obtaining righteousness, which they were seeking, which echoes his
teaching in Romans 9:30-10:21. Therefore, Paul’s statement in Romans 11:7
summarizes his teaching from Romans 9:6-11:6 in that he is summing up the
situation in Israel in his day. This verse makes clear that God draws a distinction
between Israelites, those who are elect have exercised faith in Christ whereas the
non-elect are hardened by God for not exercising faith in Christ.
The majority in Israel in Paul’s day were non-elect and therefore hardened by
God as a result of not exercising faith in Christ. The minority in Israel was the
remnant who were elected by God as manifested by the fact that they had faith in
Christ.
“Israel” refers to the unsaved citizens of the nation of Israel who are
descendants racially of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose name was changed by
the Lord to Israel. This is indicated in that Paul in Romans 11:7 speaks of Israel not
obtaining the righteousness they were seeking, which echoes Paul’s statements in
Romans 9:30-10:3.
The majority in Israel attempted to obtain righteousness by being justified
through obedience to the Law rather than receive the gift divine righteousness
through faith alone in Christ alone.
“The elect” is the noun ekloge, which appeared in Romans 9:11 and 11:5. It is a
compound word composed of the preposition ek, “out from” and the verb lego, “to
select, choose,” thus the word literally means, “to choose out from” something.
In classical Greek, the term is used for the simple act of choosing and as it
developed in use from military to political vocabulary it came to be used
exclusively for “the process of electing, selecting or a choice.” The word does not
appear in the canonical portion in the Septuagint and appears only seven times in
the Greek New Testament (Acts 9:15; Romans 9:11; 11:5, 7, 28; 1 Thessalonians
1:14; 2 Peter 1:10). It is always used of believers and never unbelievers in the
Greek New Testament.
3
Leon Morris, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, The Epistle to the Romans, page 361; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand
Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K., 1996
Romans 11:8
In Romans 11:8, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 to support his
contention that Israel was hardened because of unbelief.
Romans 11:8 As it stands written for all of eternity, “God the Father
caused them to experience an insensitive attitude, eyes that never see as well
as ears that never hear up to and during this very day and period of history.”
(Author’s translation)
In this passage, he teaches that as a result of their rejection of Christ, the Father
caused unregenerate Israel to experience an insensitive attitude towards spiritual
truth. He then explains this by pointing out that unregenerate Israel did not have
the capacity to receive and understand spiritual truth as a result of their rejection of
Christ. He also teaches that this was continuing to take place up to and during the
very day when Paul wrote this epistle.
Romans 11:8 presents a comparison between Paul’s statement at the end of
Romans 11:7 that the majority of Israelites were hardened by God because of their
rejection of Jesus Christ and the quotations from Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah
29:10 that appear after this statement.
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The apostle uses these Old Testament passages to support his argument that
God hardened the majority of Israelites in his day because of their rejection of
Jesus Christ. So to validate his assertion that the majority of Israelites were
hardened by God because of their rejection of Jesus Christ, Paul quotes from
Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10.
In Romans 11:8, Paul combines the words that appear in the Septuagint
translation of Deuteronomy 29:4 (in the Septuagint, it is 29:3) and Isaiah 29:10. He
uses primarily the words from Deuteronomy 29:4 and a phrase from Isaiah 29:10,
which appears to be Paul’s own creation under the inspiration of the Spirit. Paul is
using the wording and basic structure of Deuteronomy 29:4.
Deuteronomy 29:4 is one of the final exhortations that Moses gave to Israel
before they crossed the Jordan to take possession of the land of Canaan. Moses
reminds Israel of the great acts that God has performed for them on their behalf but
he recognizes that they can’t fully appreciate this as indicated by his statement in
Deuteronomy 29:4.
Now, Paul changes the original negative statement of Moses, namely “the Lord
has not given” to a positive one “God has given.” He does this since it better suits
the purpose for which he cites this verse because he is attempting to support his
teaching in Romans 11:7 that God hardened the majority in Israel for their
rejection of Christ. The change from negative to positive and the modification of
words does not altar the sense.
Isaiah 29:10 speaks of the spiritual insensitivity in the prophet Isaiah’s day,
which was in itself a judgment from God. The fact that the prophets and seers in
Isaiah’s day did not see and understand clearly was part of God’s judgment. They
did not understand God’s revelation about His judgment on the Assyrians that
Isaiah recorded in Isaiah 29:11-12. No one, either people who could read or those
who couldn’t, could understand this truth. In Romans 11:8, Paul cites Isaiah 29:10
to describe God’s judgment upon Israel in the prophet Isaiah’s day since this is
exactly what God was doing in Paul’s day.
So in Romans 11:8, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 to support
his contention that Israel was hardened because of unbelief. In this passage, he
teaches that as a result of their rejection of Christ, the Father caused unregenerate
Israel to experience an insensitive attitude towards spiritual truth.
He then explains this by pointing out that unregenerate Israel did not have the
capacity to receive and understand spiritual truth as a result of their rejection of
Christ. He also teaches that this was continuing to take place up to and during the
very day when Paul wrote this epistle. The Lord Jesus Christ used the same
language when denouncing Israel’s rejection of His teaching in Matthew 13:1-17
and John 12:27-43.
Then, in Romans 11:9, the apostle quotes Psalm 69:22 as further support for his
contention that Israel was hardened because of their rejection of Jesus Christ.
Romans 11:9 Also, David says, “May their table become as a snare and as a
trap and as a bait stick of a trap and as a retribution against them.” (Author’s
translation)
In this passage, Paul quotes Psalm 69:22 as further support for his contention
that Israel was hardened because of their rejection of Jesus Christ. He also teaches
that the righteousness produced by unsaved Israel in his day through obedience to
the Law in an attempt to be justified would be equivalent to judgment (snare),
prepare them for judgment (trap), trigger judgment upon them (stumbling block)
and retribution.
Paul presents an additional witness from the Old Testament Scriptures, namely,
David who in addition to Moses and Isaiah also predicted that unsaved Israel in his
day would be judged for their rejection of Christ.
“David” is the proper name Dabid, whose name in the Hebrew means,
“beloved.” God called David a man after his own heart according to Acts 13:22.
David was the second and greatest King of Israel whose reign over Israel 40
years, seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem, and whose dynasty ruled in
Judah for over four hundred years (2 Samuel 5:5; 1 Kings 2:11). He was born in
the town of Bethlehem (House of Bread) (1 Samuel 16:1; 17:12; Luke 2:4). David
was the youngest of seven sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10; 1 Chronicles 2:13-15)
and has two sisters (1 Chronicles 2:16; 2 Samuel 17:25). He was from the tribe of
Judah (Ruth 4:18-22).
David was a direct descendant of Judah, Perez, Hezron, Ram, Amminadab,
Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz (the husband of Ruth), Obed, (the son of Boaz and Ruth)
and Jesse his father (1 Chronicles 2:5-16; Matthew 1:3-6; Luke 3:31-33). He was a
shepherd by trade before being anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel (1
Samuel 16:1-13). David was an outstanding military commander, a masterful
statesman and administrator, a skilled musician witnessed by the fact that he
organized the temple music and wrote many of the Psalms (See 1 Samuel 16:17-
18). He made his debut in Israelite history when he killed the Philistine champion
Goliath which resulted in the rout of the Philistine armies (See 1 Samuel 17).
Consequently, King Saul adopted David into his court (1 Samuel 17:55-18:2).
David struck up a great friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan and it lasted till
Jonathan’s death on the battlefield with his father (1 Samuel 18:1-4). Saul
persecuted David out of jealousy for David’s great talents and his tremendous
popularity among the citizens of Israel and even attempted to assassinate David (1
Samuel 16:14-23; 1 Samuel 18:5-9).
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The next several years of David’s life were as a fugitive and an outlaw as a
result of Saul’s repeated attempts to assassinate him. During his years of exile, he
became an ally with the Philistines (1 Samuel 27). His years of exile ended with
the death of Saul and his son Jonathan (1 Samuel 28:1-2; 1 Chronicles 12:19-22).
David was anointed king over the house of Judah at Hebron and reigned 7 and a
half years over that tribe (2 Samuel 2:1-11). The long civil war between the house
of David and the house of Saul eventuated in the extermination of the house of
Saul and David being anointed king over all Israel (2 Samuel 2:8-5:5).
As king over Israel, David defeated the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1
Chronicles 18:1; 2 Samuel 21:15-22). He conquered the Moabites, Aramaeans,
Ammonites, Edomites and Amalekites (2 Samuel 8:10; 12:26-31). David built up a
substantial empire for his son Solomon, which reached from Ezion-geber on the
gulf of Aqabah in the south to the region of Hums bordering on the city-state of
Hamath in the north.4 He demonstrated his great administrative talents by the
extensive kingdom he left behind and the preservation of accounts of efficient
organization (1 Chronicles 22:17-27:34).
David also reestablished Levitical cities and cities of refuge. He captured
Jerusalem from the Jebusites and established his capital there (2 Samuel 5:6-8; 1
Chronicles 11:4-8). He brought back the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:12-15)
but only after several failed attempts (2 Samuel 6:11-15; 1 Chronicles 15:13). He
was responsible for the organization of the temple music and made plans for the
rebuilding of the temple, which he was not allow to do by the Lord who assigned
David’s son Solomon with the task (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17:1).
David received the tremendous promise from God that his throne would be
established forever (2 Sam. 7:16), namely that the Messiah would descend from
him. This promise is called the “Davidic” covenant, which was given to David
through the prophet Nathan and was an unconditional covenant, which was based
upon the faithfulness of God rather than the faithfulness of Israel.
The “Davidic” covenant deals with the dynasty that will rule the nation of Israel
as indicated in 2 Samuel 7:16 where God promised David that a descendant of his
would sit on his throne forever.
The Davidic covenant is also confirmed in the following passages: Isa. 9:6-7;
Jer. 23:5-6; 30:8-9; 33:14-17, 20-21; Ezek. 37:24-25; Dan. 7:13-14; Hos. 3:4-5;
Amos 9:11; Zech. 14:4, 9.
The Davidic Covenant contains four promises: (1) A Davidic House: Posterity
of David will never be destroyed. (2) A Davidic Throne: Kingdom of David shall
never be destroyed. (3) A Davidic Kingdom: David’s Son (Christ) will have an
earthly sphere of rule. (4) It Shall Be Unending. The “sign” of the Davidic
Covenant is a Son (Lord Jesus Christ).
4
See W.F. Albright, page 131
In Romans 11:10, Paul quotes from Psalm 69:23 to again further support for his
contention that Israel was hardened because of their rejection of Jesus Christ.
Romans 11:10 “May their eyes be darkened so that they never see. Also,
bend their back forever.” (Author’s translation)
“May their eyes be darkened so that they never see” is used of unregenerate
Israel in the sense of preventing unsaved Israel to have the capacity to understand
spiritual truth as a result of their rejection of the truth, Jesus Christ. The word
speaks of judgment from God for rejection of Christ.
David is addressing the Father in prayer making a request to judge his enemies
since he is His anointed. Paul applies this to Israel in the sense that they will be
judged by God for their rejection of the “Anointed One,” Jesus Christ.
“Bend their back forever” is presenting a picture of one who is carrying a
heavy load, which is an accurate picture of the unsaved Jew in Paul’s day who
sought to be justified by keeping the Law, which demanded perfection and was
thus was impossible for the Jew to accomplish. It paints a picture in our context of
the unsaved Jew under the burden of the Law, which demanded perfection and the
Jew was unable to meet its demands. This is why the Lord Jesus Christ made the
following appeal to the Jews:
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I
will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR
SOULS. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (NASB95)
Some expositors contend that the translation “forever” is incorrect but rather
should be translated “continually” meaning that is long as Israel is under this
judgment, it is to be continuous and sustained. This would indicate that this
judgment upon Israel would not last indefinitely. They use as support Paul’s
statement in Romans 11:26 that all Israel will be saved. However, in context,
David is prophetically speaking of unsaved Israel in his day. This judgment is
directed towards the unsaved. It is true that the nation of Israel is not rejected by
God and that all Israel will be saved but in context in Romans 11:10, Paul is
describing the judgment upon those in Israel in Paul’s day who rejected Christ. In
fact, in Romans 11:8-10, Paul is supporting his statement at the end of Romans
11:7 that the majority in Israel was hardened by God for their rejection of Christ.
In verses 8-10, Paul is describing this judgment upon unsaved Israel. Therefore, the
prepositional phrase does mean “forever” since the unsaved will receive eternal
condemnation, thus God will bend their backs forever this is a part of the judgment
of the unsaved in Israel.
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Chapter Three: Gentiles Are Blessed With Salvation Because Of Israel’s Failure
Romans 11:11
Romans 11:11 begins the third paragraph in the chapter and in this passage Paul
argues that Israel’s fall as a nation is by no means final but was to save the Gentiles
so as to make them jealous.
Romans 11:11 Therefore, I ask, did they stumble so as to fall down in
complete in ruin? Absolutely not! On the contrary because of their
transgression salvation is experienced by the Gentiles in order to provoke
them to jealousy. (Author’s translation)
The rhetorical question that in Romans 11:11 is the result of an inference that
could be implied from Paul’s teaching in Romans 11:8-10, namely that Israel’s
rejection of Christ as a nation is the end of her as a national entity.
“May it never be!” is the strongest negative Greek expression emphatically
denying any possibility or thought of the nation of Israel being in complete ruin as
a result of rejecting Christ.
The statement “On the contrary because of their transgression salvation is
experienced by the Gentiles in order to provoke them to jealousy” stands in
direct contrast with the idea that Israel stumbled by rejecting Christ so as to fall in
complete ruin as a nation. It indicates that salvation is experienced by the Gentiles
because of Israel’s transgression in rejecting Christ in order to provoke Israel to
jealousy.
Paul is saying in Romans 11:11 that even though the majority in Israel had
rejected Christ as Savior and only a remnant have believed. This does not imply
that God is through with Israel as a national entity. He is teaching in Romans 11:11
among other things that God is not through with Israel as a nation even though the
majority of Israelites have rejected their Messiah and only a remnant has believed
in the Savior. So in this verse he is making clear in emphatic terms that Israel as a
nation has a future despite the fact that the majority has rejected Christ and only a
remnant has believed. The unsaved Israelites are lost forever but God still has a
plan for the nation as a whole despite the fact that the majority of Israelites will
suffer eternal condemnation for their rejection of Christ.
“Did they stumble” is composed of the negative particle me, “not,” which is
negating the verb ptaio, “they did stumble.” The verb ptaio in classical Greek
meant “to stumble against something” or “to cause someone to stumble.” The idea
of making a mistake or committing an error is expressed by this word. It is used in
a figurative sense of “suffering misfortune or ruin.” In Romans 11:11, the verb
ptaio is used in an intransitive and figurative sense meaning “to stumble” in the
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sense of committing a sin and is used to describe the nation of Israel’s rejection of
Jesus Christ as Messiah. In Romans 9:32, Paul used the verb proskopto, which
meant “stumbling” and was used in a metaphorical sense of the “spiritual
stumbling” of the nation of Israel.
The verb proskopto is composed of the preposition pros, “toward, against” and
the verb kopto, “to strike, beat,” thus the word literally means “to strike against”
while on the other hand, the verb ptaio also means “to stumble” over an obstacle.
The difference between ptaio and proskopto is that the latter is of a violent nature
of striking against an object whereas the former does not have that sense.
Proskopto was used in the Septuagint of military defeat and striking a foot
against a stone and of a defeated nation. It is used in Romans 9:32 to convey the
violent nature of Israel’s spiritual stumbling in that they not only rejected Christ
but were violent towards Him in that they crucified Him. The verb ptaio does not
have a violent connotation attached to it at all but simply presents the image of a
person stumbling over an obstacle much like when walking into a dark room and
tripping over a child’s toy. In Romans 11:11, ptaio is used in a figurative sense of
Israel stumbling in the sense of committing the sin or failing to believe in Christ as
Savior. Therefore, proskopto in Romans 9:32 describes the violent nature of
Israel’s rejection of Christ whereas ptaio in Romans 11:11 views Israel’s rejection
of Christ from the perspective of it being a moral failure or sin on their part. The
meaning of the verb ptaio in Romans 11:11 is negated by the negative particle me,
which denies any idea of Israel as a nation never being able to recover from their
rejection of Christ.
“By their transgression” refers to the majority of Jews in Israel who rejected
Christ. The Father’s intention for saving those Gentiles who trusted in His Son as
Savior was so that Israel might respond in faith as well to the gospel. God saved
the Gentile so that He might save the Jew. Thus, God had not rejected the Jews
altogether but still had them in mind by turning to the Gentiles.
By God turning from the Jews for their rejection of the gospel of Jesus Christ
and turning to the Gentiles and offering salvation to them indicates that Israel did
in fact understand the gospel since the Gentiles who the Jews thought they were
superior to, understood the gospel and obeyed it!
Also, just as God used other Gentile nations as His instruments to execute
judgment upon Israel so He also uses Gentile nations as His instruments to provoke
Israel to jealousy so that they would turn to Christ and have faith in Him so as to
be saved.
So Romans 11:11 Paul is teaching that the Father was attempting to provoke
Israel to jealousy by offering salvation to the Gentiles and saving them so that the
Jews would respond in faith to the offer as well.
In Romans 11:12, the apostle Paul argues that if Israel’s transgression and
failure meant riches for the Gentiles, how much more then will Israel’s full
restoration bring to the Gentiles.
Romans 11:12 But, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of
argument that their transgression, as an eternal spiritual truth does mean
infinite wealth possessed by the world’s inhabitants. Specifically, their failure,
as an eternal spiritual truth does mean infinite wealth possessed by the
Gentiles. And of course, we agree that this is a fact of history! Then how much
more will their full restoration bring? (Author’s translation)
In Romans 11:12, Paul is contrasting the infinite spiritual benefits that the
Gentiles received through Israel’s rejection of Christ with that of the infinite
spiritual benefits they will receive in the future when the nation of Israel is fully
restored at the Second Advent of Christ and His subsequent millennial reign.
This passage is a first class conditional statement. The protasis expresses the
fact that Paul and his readers would agree that this is a fact of history that salvation
has come to the world’s inhabitants, the Gentiles because of Israel’s rejection of
Christ. It would persuade his reader to agree with his apodosis that Israel’s
restoration in the future at the Second Advent of Christ will result in greater
blessings for the world’s inhabitants, the Gentiles.
Now remember Paul statement “their failure, as an eternal spiritual truth
does mean infinite wealth possessed by the Gentiles” “explains” in specific
terms the previous statement that Israel’s transgression meant infinite wealth
possessed by the world’s inhabitants.
In both statements, Paul is speaking of the same individuals, the Gentiles even
though identifies them in the previous clause with the noun kosmos, which is a
reference to the world’s inhabitants. This is indicated in that the noun paraptoma,
“transgression” in the previous statement and the noun hettema, “failure” both
refer to Israel’s sin in rejecting Jesus Christ.
Paul again is writing rhetorically in that he is using parallelism meaning that
paraptoma and hettema are both speaking of Israel’s rejection of Christ but from
different perspectives. It is further indicated in that both statements use the noun
ploutos to describe what was received by these individuals because Israel’s
rejection of Christ.
This question “Then how much more will their full restoration bring?”
emphasizes that Israel’s full restoration at Christ’s Second Advent and subsequent
millennial reign will bring even greater blessings to the Gentiles than when Israel
rejected Christ. It emphasizes the certainty that if Israel’s rejection of Christ meant
infinite spiritual wealthy possessed by the Gentiles, how much more will blessing
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will come to the Gentile when Israel is fully restored in the future at Christ’s
Second Advent and subsequent millennial reign.
Therefore, Paul’s statement in Romans 11:15 explains his statement in Romans
11:12 in that it provides additional information with regards to the latter. His
statement in Romans 11:12 that Israel’s transgression in rejecting Christ meant
infinite wealth (unmerited blessings) for the Gentiles is explained from in Romans
11:15 as God rejecting Israel.
The infinite wealth (unmerited blessings from salvation) for the Gentiles is
explained as the Gentiles being reconciled to God. Paul’s reference to the
restoration of Israel at the Second Advent of Christ in Romans 11:12 is further
explained as a national regeneration. That Romans 11:15 is explaining Romans
11:12 is indicated also by the fact that Paul is writing once again rhetorically,
which is indicated by the parallelism.
Chapter Four: Paul Explains His Ministry To The Gentiles In Relation To Israel
Romans 11:13-14
Now, in Romans 11:13, Paul addresses his Gentile Christian readers in Rome
specifically and expresses the fact that he takes great pride in his ministry as an
apostle to the Gentiles.
Romans 11:13 Now, I am at this particular time speaking to and for the
benefit of all of you Gentiles. Contrary to what you might be inclined to
conclude, to the very extent that I myself am sent to the Gentiles, I take pride
in my ministry. (Author’s translation)
Romans 11:13-14 forms a parenthesis that explains how Paul’s ministry
indirectly impacted the nation of Israel. In this parenthesis, Paul corrects any
possible misunderstanding among his Gentile Christian readers regarding the
implications for Israel when he is an apostle to the Gentiles. He doesn’t want his
readers to erroneously conclude that because his ministry is mainly directed
towards the Gentiles that he himself is through with the Jews.
Paul teaches his Gentile Christian readers in verses 13-14 that even though I am
indeed an apostle to the Gentiles and serve them by proclaiming the gospel to
them, I perform this service in the hopes that this ministry to you might provoke
my fellow Jewish countrymen to jealousy so as to save some of them. All of this
was to protect his Gentile Christian readers from racial prejudice towards the Jews.
He wants them to have the same attitude that he and God Himself has towards the
Jews, a desire to see Jews saved.
In Romans 11:14, Paul completes the thought that he began in Romans 11:13
by relating to his Gentile Christian readers in Rome that he takes great pride in this
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ministry to the Gentiles because he hopes that it would perhaps provoke his fellow
Jews to jealousy so as to save some of them.
Romans 11:14 If, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument
that I take pride in my ministry and of course I do because I already told you
that, then perhaps (by this ministry) I will provoke to jealousy my nation and
thus deliver some from among them. (Author’s translation)
The protasis in this verse reiterates the fact that Paul established from his
statement in Romans 11:13 that he took pride in his ministry to the Gentiles. The
protasis would then persuade them to respond to the apodosis that perhaps by his
ministry to the Gentiles he hopes to provoke his fellow Jewish countrymen to
jealousy so as to save some of them.
Here the protasis is “if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument I take
pride in my ministry to the Gentiles.” The responsive condition would say: “Of
course I do because I just told you that in the previous sentence.” The apodosis is
“then perhaps (by honoring my ministry to the Gentiles) I might provoke my
fellow Jews to jealousy so as to save some of them.”
Paul is not attempting to prove that his protasis is true rather he is saying with
the first class condition that this is a fact I already established from the previous
statement in Romans 11:13 that I take pride in my ministry to the Gentiles. His
work with the Gentiles was well-known and so of course they would agree with
Paul’s protasis.
The first class condition would then persuade them to respond to the conclusion
that perhaps by his ministry to the Gentiles he hopes to provoke his fellow Jewish
countrymen to jealousy so as to save some of them. Therefore, Paul’s audience
would have to come to his conclusion if they submit to this line of argumentation.
He wants them to come to his line of argumentation because he does not want them
to have a bad attitude towards the Jews because of their rejection of Christ. He
wants them to follow his example of proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles so as to
provoke the Jews to jealousy so as to save some of them. Therefore, it is essential
that they agree with him on this point since it will help them to have the proper
attitude towards the Jews as well as understand that Israel has a future in the plan
of God and that God has not rejected her as a national entity.
The basic relation that the protasis has to the apodosis is “evidence-inference.”
The “evidence” is that Paul takes great pride in his ministry to the Gentiles. The
“inference” is that he honors his ministry to the Gentiles so that perhaps it would
provoke his fellow Jews to jealousy so as to save some of them.
Here in Romans 11:14, the enclitic (no accent of its own and is thus pronounced
as part of the word preceding it) particle pos should be translated “perhaps” rather
than “by any means” or “somehow.” This is indicated in that the means by which
Paul hopes to provoke his Jewish countrymen so as to save of them is already
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implied in the protasis, which is omitted but supplied from Romans 11:13 with the
statement “I take pride in my ministry.” Therefore, the word does not refer to an
unspecified means of provoking the Jews to jealousy so as to save some of them
but rather it is expressing an expectation or possibility.
So Paul is saying the following with pos: “If and let us assume that it is true of
the sake of argument that I take pride in my ministry and of course I do because I
already told you that-then ‘perhaps’ (by honoring my ministry to the Gentiles) I
might provoke my fellow Jews to jealousy so as to save some of them.” Therefore,
as we can see pos is actually in the apodosis rather than the protasis of the first
class condition.
The apostle Paul is imitating God the Father and carrying out His purpose to
provoke Israel to jealousy by offering salvation to the Gentiles.
Romans 11:15
Romans 11:16
The apostle Paul in Romans 11:16 employs two metaphors to illustrate his
assertion in Romans 11:2 that God has by no means rejected Israel forever and his
assertion in Romans 11:11-15 that there will be a future national regeneration of
Israel.
Romans 11:16 Now, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of
argument that the first portion is, as an eternal spiritual truth holy and of
course, we agree it is because it is taught in the Scriptures, then the lump is, as
an eternal spiritual truth also. Furthermore, if, and let us assume that it is
true for the sake of argument that the root is, as an eternal spiritual truth holy
and of course, we agree it is because it is taught in the Scriptures, then the
branches are, as an eternal spiritual truth, also. (Author’s translation)
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This passage contains two metaphors to further illustrate Paul’s assertion in
Romans 11:2-6 that God has by no means rejected the nation of Israel forever and
his assertion in Romans 11:11-15 that Israel’s rejection by God is not final but
there will be a future regeneration and restoration of the nation.
The first metaphor, the first piece of dough and the lump is taken from Numbers
15:17-21. The first piece of dough is analogous to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob who were the progenitors of the nation of Israel because they accepted
by faith the promises that God made to them.
The second metaphor, the root and the branches parallels the first. The root
parallels the first piece of dough in that it is analogous to the patriarchs whereas the
branches are analogous to the lump in that they are analogous to the saved
biological descendants of Abraham, Israel.
Let’s take a look at the first metaphor, which is taken from Numbers 15:17-21.
Numbers 15:17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to the
sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land where I bring you, 19
then it shall be, that when you eat of the food of the land, you shall lift up an
offering to the LORD. 20 Of the first of your dough you shall lift up a cake as
an offering; as the offering of the threshing floor, so you shall lift it up. 21
From the first of your dough you shall give to the LORD an offering
throughout your generations.’” (NASB95)
In this passage, the Lord instructs Moses to instruct Israel to take a cake from
the first of their ground meal and present it as an offering to Him after they entered
the land of Canaan and reaped their first wheat harvest and this was to be repeated
every year. The cake made from the first ground meal of the wheat harvest was
sanctified or set apart for God by being offered to God. So the first part of the
dough was to be offered up to God as a symbol that the entire lump belonged to
Him.
Numbers 15:17-21 implicitly teaches the principle that what is considered first
contributes its character to what is related to it. 5 In other words, as Wiersbe states,
“when God accepts the part He sanctifies the whole.”6
Numbers 15:17-21 does not explicitly state that the first piece of dough offered
to the Lord sanctified the rest of the lump. However, it does imply this since the
Lord explicitly tells Israel when they eat of the food of the land that they shall
present the offering of the first of their dough to the Lord, which implies that the
food of the land they eat is sanctified by that first piece of dough they offered to
the Lord.
In Romans 11:16, Paul takes the principle taught in Numbers 15:17-25 to teach
that if Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are holy, then their descendants who compose the
5
The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament; page 484; Walvoord and Zuck Victor Books; SP Publications, 1985
6
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, volume 1, page 551; Victor Books, SP Publications, 1989
Romans 11:17
7
Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, volume 2, page 559; United Bible Societies, New
York, 1988, 1989
8
Liddell-Scott, page 1406
9
Danker, Frederick William, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature; page 814; Third Edition;
University of Chicago Press; Chicago and London
The apodosis of this first class condition appears in Romans 11:18, which infers
from the protasis a warning, namely his Gentile Christian readers were not to be
arrogant towards either saved Jews or unsaved Jews.
Romans 11:18 Do not assume arrogant superiority over the branches.
However, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that you
are assuming arrogant superiority then remember that you, as an eternal
spiritual truth, by no means sustain the root. But rather on the contrary, the
root, as an eternal spiritual truth, sustains you. (Author’s translation)
This passage not only contains the apodosis from the first class condition in
Romans 11:17 but also a first class condition, which presents a contrast. The
contrast is between Paul’s Gentile Christian readers obeying his prohibition in the
apodosis of the previous first class condition with that of disobeying the
prohibition, which is assumed for the sake of argument in the protasis of the next
first class condition in Romans 11:18.
The protasis presents a hypothetical situation for the sake of argument. In it
Paul says that “if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument some of you
do assume arrogant superiority over the branches.” The apodosis of the first class
condition is “Remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root
supports you.”
The first class condition is indicating the assumption of truth for the sake of
argument. The force of the indicative has the idea of the presentation of reality and
in the first class condition the conditional particle turns such a presentation into a
supposition. However, this does not mean that the condition is true. It does mean
that as far as the portrayal is concerned, the point of the argument is based on the
assumption of reality. The context does not indicate that Paul is affirming the truth
of the protasis that Paul’s Gentile Christians were arrogant towards the Jews.
Rather Paul is using the first class condition in Romans 11:18 in a rhetorical sense,
which has the idea of a polite command, couched in indirect language.
There is nothing in Romans 11:1-17 or Romans 11:19-24, which indicates that
Paul’s Gentile readers were assuming arrogant superiority over the Jews. This first
class condition is preventive maintenance or as a simple reminder to supplement
the teaching they were already receiving from their pastors. This passage and the
fact that Paul had not yet met face to face the Christians in Rome makes it more
likely that the Gentile Christians in Rome were not assuming arrogant superiority
over the Jews and that Paul was only attempting to remind them of what they had
already been taught. Thus, the first class condition in Romans 11:18 indicates that
Paul is speaking of a hypothetical situation that could possibly take place among
the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome.
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In contrast with the apodosis, Paul teaches his Gentile Christian readers in
Rome that they by no means sustain in a spiritual sense Abraham. But rather on the
contrary, Abraham sustains them since God established a covenant with Abraham,
which provided salvation for Gentiles through Abraham and his descendants, the
Jews and in particular his greatest descendant, Jesus Christ. So the apodosis of this
first class condition appears in Romans 11:18, which infers from the protasis a
warning, namely his Gentile Christian readers were not to be arrogant towards
either saved Jews or unsaved Jews.
The prohibition “Do not assume arrogant superiority over the branches” is
addressing the Gentile Christians’ attitude towards both saved and unsaved Jews.
This is indicated in that he reminds his readers in the apodosis of the first class
condition in Romans 11:18, that the root, Abraham supports them, implying that
these branches are referring to saved Jews since saved Jews are on the olive tree
due to their faith in Christ and are thus connected to the root.
That this prohibition is also to prevent arrogance towards unsaved Jews is
indicated by Paul’s statements in Romans 11:19-20 where he reminds his readers
that these branches were broken off because of their unbelief and that his Gentile
Christians are grafted in because of their faith in Christ.
The reason why Paul does not want his Gentile Christian readers to assume
arrogant superiority over the saved Jews is that they are on equal footing with the
saved Jews since both are on the olive tree and connected to the root because of
their faith, which is non-meritorious.
They are both in union with Christ because of the grace of God and the merits
of Jesus Christ and His substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths. Thus, with
regards to salvation there are no racial distinctions (Galatians 3:26-28). So this
prohibition is designed to maintain and build unity among Jew and Gentile
Christians in Rome.
The reason why Paul does not want his Gentile Christian readers to assume
arrogant superiority over the unsaved Jews is so that they might continue to
evangelize the unsaved Jew so as to save some of them. Furthermore, salvation is
of the Jews, thus the Gentile Christians owe much to the Jews.
The Gentile Christians are joint-partakers of the divine promises given to
Abraham and the Savior Jesus Christ is a Jew. The Old Testament Scriptures were
given to the Jews. Therefore, Paul is reminding his Gentile Christian readers in
Rome that they owe much to the Jews and that there is no place for anti-Jewish
sentiment in the Christian way of life.
“However, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that
you are assuming arrogant superiority” stands in contrast with Paul’s Gentile
Christian readers obeying his prohibition in the apodosis of the previous first class
Romans 11:19
Next, in Romans 11:19, Paul once again employs a diatribe style by presenting
an argument of a hypothetical Gentile Christian who seeks to justify assuming
arrogant superiority over both saved and unsaved Jews.
Romans 11:19 Therefore, you will contend, Branches were broken off in
order that I myself could be grafted in.” (Author’s translation)
In this passage, Paul is assuming the position of a hypothetical Gentile Christian
who seeks to justify assuming arrogant superiority over both saved and unsaved
Jews. The statement that appears in Romans 11:19 is the result of an inference that
could be implied from Paul’s teaching in Romans 11:17. Paul taught in Romans
11:17 that branches (Jews) were broken off (rejected by God) and Gentiles (wild
olive) were grafted into the olive tree in their place.
“Branches were broken off” describes God’s rejection of those Jews who
rejected His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior by not exercising faith in Him.
“So that I might be grafted in” refers to the perspective of a hypothetical
Gentile Christian and emphasizes that they arrogantly assume that God’s purpose
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in rejecting the Jews was to graft Gentiles in, with the implication that God prefers
the Gentiles to the Jews, which is false.
In Romans 11:19-21, Paul is seeking to prevent what took place among his
fellow Jews, namely, they erroneously and presumptuously believed that they
merited being the covenant people of God, and inheriting the promises made to the
patriarchs.
They erroneously and presumptuously thought that they merited receiving the
Temple service, the Shekinah glory, the giving of the Law, the adoption as sons,
the covenants, Old Testament Scriptures and being descendants of the patriarchs.
They erroneously and presumptuously thought that they merited the fact that the
Messiah would be like them, Jewish.
Therefore, Paul in Romans 11:19-21 is seeking to prevent this type of arrogance
that was in the Jew from taking place among Gentile Christians. Paul does not
want his Gentile Christians to assume arrogant superiority over the Jews just as the
Jews assumed arrogant superiority over the Gentiles because of their many
privileges bestowed upon them. He also does not want to the Gentile Christians to
have a racial prejudice towards the Jews just as the Jews had towards the Gentiles.
In Romans 11:19-21, Paul is also emphasizing with his Gentile Christian
readers in Rome that they do not merit their salvation and thus there is no room for
arrogance to the either unsaved r saved Jews since they were saved based on the
merits of Christ!
Also, Paul does not want his Gentile Christian readers in Rome to erroneously
assume that they merit their salvation since God’s faithfulness to the promises of
the Abrahamic covenant made it possible for them to get saved in the first place.
Romans 11:20
Romans 11:21
Next, the apostle teaches in Romans 11:21 that the reason why Gentile
Christians should never think arrogantly but rather reverence God is that God did
not spare the natural branches, unsaved Jews because of their unbelief and He will
not spare unsaved Gentiles either for their unbelief.
Romans 11:21 Because, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of
argument that God the Father by no means spared some of the natural
branches and of course, we agree that He didn’t, then, neither will He spare
you. (Author’s translation)
This passage teaches Paul’s Gentile Christian readers in Rome that the reason
why they should never think that they are superior to the Jews as a race but rather
reverence God is that God did not spare the unsaved Jews because of their unbelief
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and He will not spare unsaved Gentiles either for their unbelief. Thus, Paul is
instructing his readers that you are not saved based upon the fact that your race has
more merit with God than the Jewish race because God will not spare Gentiles who
reject His Son like He did not spare Jews who rejected His Son. He is saying to his
Gentile Christian readers in Rome in Romans 11:20-21 that you are saved based
upon your faith in Christ and not because your race has more merit than the Jewish
race.
In Romans 11:21, we must address a textual problem. After the protasis and
before the adverb oude some manuscripts contain the negative particle me, which
is followed by the enclitic particle of indefinite manner pos and together they mean
“perhaps.” Both the NIV and NASB Updated Version do not translate the word.
However, the NET Bible does. The following witnesses do not contain this
expression: a A B C P 6 81 365 630 1506 1739 1881 pc lat co. These witnesses
indicate that the omission of the expression has very strong support in the
Alexandrian textual family (the primary uncials a and B, the secondary MSS C, 81
and 1739). The following witnesses do contain the clause: P46 D F G Ψ 33,
Majority Text, latt syr; Irlat. We can see also that there is widespread textual
support for including this expression in the text. The 27th edition of Nestle-Aland’s
Novum Testamentum Graece puts the preposition in brackets to indicate the
conjecture with regard to this word.
If we include the expression me pos, then Paul is saying, “If and let assume that
it is true for the sake of argument that God did not spare the natural branches and
we agree that He didn’t, then perhaps He will not spare you (Gentiles) either.”
This would indicate some doubt as to whether or not God will not spare Gentiles. It
would indicate that God did not spare the Jews who rejected His Son and He
“might not” spare the Gentiles or “He might” spare the Gentiles. However, Paul is
not teaching that God might or might not reject the Gentiles when He did not spare
the Jews who rejected His Son since when he is speaking of the Gentiles he is
referring to those Gentiles who reject His Son. Thus he is saying God did not spare
those Jews who rejected His Son and He will not spare Gentiles as well who reject
His Son. If we omit the expression me pos, then Paul is saying “If and let us
assume for the sake of argument God did not spare the natural branches, i.e. those
Jews who rejected His Son Jesus Christ and we agree that He didn’t, then, He will
certainly not spare the Gentiles who do so as well.” He is paralleling the Jews who
rejected His Son with those Gentiles who do the same.
The personal pronoun su, “you” is not referring to saved Gentiles since God
does not judge those whom He justifies through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. It
refers to Gentiles who do not have faith in Christ.
The expression me pos appears to have been added by some copyists because
they were confused about whether Paul is speaking of saved or unsaved Gentiles or
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both when he uses the personal pronoun su, “you.” Or more than likely, many
copyists added the expression because they interpreted Paul used it to convey that
maybe some of his Gentile readers would not be spared by God because of
unbelief and maybe some would because they had faith in Christ. This can be
rejected because he is addressing Gentile Christians in Rome regarding Gentiles
who reject Christ like most of the Jews did. That Paul is addressing Gentile
Christians is indicated in that in Romans 11:20 he reminded his readers that they
should never think that they are superior to the Jews because they were never
accepted by God on their own merits but because of their faith in Christ. That he is
addressing Gentile Christians about Gentiles who reject Christ is indicated in that
in Romans 11:21 Paul is teaching that God did not spare those Jews who rejected
His Son and He will not spare Gentiles who do the same. He is paralleling unsaved
Jews with unsaved Gentiles in Romans 11:21.
Romans 11:22
In Romans 11:23, Paul teaches his Gentile Christians readers in Rome that the
Jews will be accepted by God if they do not continue in their unbelief.
Romans 11:23 However, if they also, as an eternal spiritual truth, do not
continue in the sphere of unbelief then they will be grafted in because God the
Father is, as an eternal spiritual truth able to graft them in again. (Author’s
translation)
In this passage, Paul presents a contrast between God rejecting Gentiles for
rejecting His Son Jesus Christ with His accepting Jews if they have faith in His
Son. Paul teaches his Gentile Christian readers that if the Jews do not continue in
unbelief by having faith in Christ, then God will unite them with born-again Jews
and Gentiles. He also instructs them that God can do this because He is
omnipotent.
All of this is to instill humility in Paul’s Gentile readers in the sense of
understanding that they are accepted by God because of the merits of the object of
their faith, His Son Jesus Christ and not based upon the fact that they have more
merit than the Jews. This is to protect them being anti-Jewish and to motivate them
to evangelize the Jews along with their fellow Gentiles. This statement is also
designed to build unity among Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome and the
churches throughout the Roman Empire.
Now, many expositors of this passage stumble over the fact that Paul uses an
unlikely bit of horticulture by stating that God can engraft the branches broken
back onto the olive tree. However, they fail to recognize that Paul is not talking
about orchardists but rather He is instructing His readers regarding the power of
God. The engrafting of the Jews back onto the olive tree because of their faith in
Christ is nothing more than an illustration that speaks of the power and grace of
God.
In Romans 11:17, Paul teaches his Gentile Christian readers in Rome that they
were analogous to a wild olive shoot of a wild olive tree that has been engrafted
onto a cultivated olive tree, which is analogous to born-again Israel.
Now the usual procedure was to insert a shoot or slip of a cultivated tree into a
wild one. However, in Romans 11:24 Paul makes clear that the metaphor he is
using is “contrary to nature” of grafting a wild olive branch (a Gentile) into a
cultivated olive tree.
The normal procedure was to take a shoot from an olive tree that bears good
fruit and graft it onto a wild olive stock whose fruit is poor. The result is a tree with
vigorous growth, which bears good olives. However, Paul reverses the procedure
and speaks of grafting a wild olive onto the stock of a good olive and then later he
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speaks of grafting back some of the good olive branches that have been cut out.
Such a procedure was unnatural and would be unfruitful, which is precisely Paul’s
point with his Gentile Christian readers. He wishes to underscore the miraculous
nature of their new relationship with God and other Jewish Christians.
Now here in Romans 11:23, Paul again uses a horticultural analogy, which
again speaks of an unlikely procedure of regrafting a branch that has been broken
off to illustrate that God will accept those Jews who do not persist in unbelief by
exercising faith in Christ. What the orchardist would never do, namely regrafting a
broken off branch, God, with respect to salvation can and will do, namely accept
those Jews who do not persist in unbelief by exercising faith in Christ.
Romans 11:24
Next, in Romans 11:24, the apostle Paul teaches his Gentile Christians readers
in Rome that if they were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree and
grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, then how much more will the
natural branches will be grafted into their own olive tree. This illustration
emphasizes with Paul’s Gentile Christian readers in Rome that if God accepted
Gentiles who had faith in His Son who did not belong to born-again Israel (olive
tree) then He will certainly accept those Jews who were broken off the olive tree
because of their unbelief if they have faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 11:24 Because if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of
argument that you were cut off from that which is by nature a wild olive tree
and in addition were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree
and of course, we agree that this is true then how much more will these which
are natural be grafted into their own olive tree? (Author’s translation)
Romans 11:24 presents the reason why God will accept unsaved Jews if they
repent in believe in His Son Jesus Christ. This passage is composed of a first class
conditional statement. In the protasis, Paul establishes by way of analogy the fact
with his Gentile Christian readers that God accepted them through faith in His Son
Jesus Christ even though they were not racially related to regenerate Israel, which
is depicted by him as an olive tree. In the apodosis, he employs the logical
argument of a fortiori to emphasize with his Gentile Christian readers that God
will certainly accept Jews who are biologically related to regenerate Israel if they
repent and believe in Christ.
The logical argument of a fortiori in the apodosis of Romans 11:24 argues that
if God can do the greater and accept Gentiles through faith in Christ, then He
certainly can do the lesser and accept Jews who do so as well. If God accepted
Gentiles with whom He never established an unconditional covenant with like He
did the Jews with the patriarchs, then certainly He will accept the Jews if they have
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faith in Christ. If God can save Gentiles with whom He is not in covenant relation
with, then certainly He will save Jews who are in covenant relation with. If God
can graft branches (Gentiles) into the cultivated olive tree (saved Israel) that do not
naturally belong to the cultivated olive tree by nature, then certainly God can graft
branches (Jews) into the cultivated olive tree which belong by nature to it.
Paul uses the a fortiori argument to emphasize with his Gentile Christian
readers that they are not superior to the Jews. This first class condition is to
promote unity in the churches between Jewish and Gentile Christians. He also
wants to protect his Gentile Christian readers from getting arrogant towards
unsaved Israel because of their rejection of Christ. He wants them to continue to
evangelize the Jews.
Now, Paul is not saying in Romans 11:17-24 that saved Gentiles are members
of the nation of Israel but rather the olive tree metaphor simply illustrates the
importance of Israel in relation to God’s plan of salvation. It also demonstrates to
Paul’s Gentile Christian readers that they owe much to the Jews since salvation is
of the Jews.
With this passage, Paul is attempting to illustrate to his Gentile Christian
readers that they owe their spiritual heritage to the nation of Israel. He is not
teaching that Gentiles are now members of the nation of Israel along with Jewish
believers. Rather, he is attempting to illustrate how Gentile Christians are related to
Jewish Christians through Abraham, the progenitor of the Jews and all believers so
as to produce unity in the churches between both groups and to prevent anti-Jewish
sentiment creeping in among the Gentile believers.
Romans 11:25
The apostle Paul in Romans 11:25 attempts to protect his Gentile Christian
readers from arrogance by revealing to them the mystery that a partial hardening
has occurred in Israel until the full number of Gentiles who will be saved has come
to pass.
Romans 11:25 In fact, I by no means want each and every one of you
spiritual brothers and sisters to be ignorant of this mystery in order that you
will not be arrogant concerning yourselves, namely that a partial hardness is
taking place in Israel until and during which time the full number of Gentiles
has come into existence. (Author’s translation)
Paul’s statement in this verse confirms and advances upon his statements in
Romans 11:11-24 and intensifies them. It not only summarizes what he has taught
in Romans 11:11-24 but also advances upon these statements and goes beyond that
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which he has said in these statements. In this passage, Paul is attempting to protect
his Gentile Christian readers from arrogance by revealing to them a mystery,
namely that a partial hardening has taken place in Israel until the full number of
Gentiles who will be saved has into existence.
The expression “the fullness of the Gentiles” or “the full number of
Gentiles” is not the same as the expression used by our Lord in Luke 21:24,
namely, “the times of the Gentiles.”
“The times of the Gentiles” refers to an extended period of time when the
Gentiles are the dominant world powers and Israel is subject to those powers and
extends from the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (586
B.C.) and continues through the Tribulation (Revelation 11:2). This period of
history includes the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the church age and the
Tribulation period.
This phrase does not rule out temporary Jewish control of Jerusalem as has
occurred in the past during the Maccabean era (164-63 B.C), the first Jewish revolt
against Rome (A.D. 66-70), the second Jewish revolt (A.D. 132-135) and now
since 1967 and the Six-Day War. However, this control is only temporary because
Revelation 11:1-2 predicts at least another three-and-one-half years of Gentile
domination during the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, also known as the
Tribulation.
Therefore, any Jewish takeover of the city of David before the Second Advent
of Christ must be therefore viewed as a temporary one and does not mean that “the
times of the Gentiles” has ended since it can only end with the Second Advent of
Jesus Christ, which will forever stop Gentile powers waging war against Israel.
“The times of the Gentiles” is prophesied in Daniel 2:31-45 and Daniel 7 and
refers to an extended period of time when the Gentiles are the dominant world
powers and Israel is subject to those powers and extends from the Babylonian
capture of Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar (586 B.C.) and continues through the
Tribulation (Revelation 11:2).
So “the fullness of the Gentiles” in Romans 11:25 and the “times of the
Gentiles” in Luke 21:24 both end with the Second Advent of Christ. However, the
former deals with the number of Gentiles who will be saved whereas as the latter is
political dealing with the political control of Jerusalem.
Romans 11:26
The apostle Paul in Romans 11:26 cites Isaiah 59:20 to support his assertion
that there will be a national regeneration of Israel and to teach that it will take
place at Christ’s Second Advent.
Romans 11:27
In Romans 11:27, Paul cites Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 to support his assertion that
there will be a national regeneration of Israel, which will take place at Christ’s
Second Advent.
Romans 11:27 “Furthermore, this is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the
covenant established by Me for their benefit when I act on My promise and
remove their sins.” (Author’s translation)
Paul cites a combination of Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 as further support for his
prediction in Romans 11:26 that there will be a national regeneration of Israel.
These quotations are alluding to the New Covenant recorded in Jeremiah 31:31-34,
which refers to this national regeneration of Israel at Christ’s Second Advent. Paul
in Romans 11:27 quotes Isaiah 59:21 and 27:9 to teach that this national
regeneration of Israel will involve the Lord fulfilling one of His promises in this
Romans 11:28
Romans 11:28 summarizes God’s dealings with the nation of Israel and the
Gentiles. The first part of the verse teaches that from the standpoint of the gospel,
the nation of Israel corporately is God’s enemy for the sake of evangelizing the
Gentiles. The second half of the verse teaches that from the standpoint of God
electing them in a national sense, the nation of Israel is the object of God’s love
because of unconditional promises to the patriarchs.
Romans 11:28 On the one hand, from the perspective of the gospel, they
are, as an eternal spiritual truth, enemies on behalf of all of you while on the
other hand from the perspective of their election, they are, as an eternal
spiritual truth, divinely loved because of the promises to the fathers. (Author’s
translation)
This passage is a correlative clause. The declarative statement in this correlative
clause teaches that the Gentiles benefited from the fact that the nation of Israel at
the present time is God’s enemy. However, the adversative clause teaches that
from the standpoint of God electing them as a nation, Israel is the object of God’s
love because of His unconditional promises He made to the patriarchs.
Romans 11:28 is composed of the correlative clause that is composed of the
particle of affirmation men, which is not translated and combined with the
adversative use of the conjunction de. This clause contrasts the nation of Israel’s
relationship to God from two different perspectives.
The first perspective is their present relationship to the gospel in which they are
presently enemies of God, which has led to the evangelization and subsequent
salvation of innumerable Gentiles. The second is their past relationship with God
in the sense of His electing them in a national sense and are the objects of God’s
unconditional love for the sake of His promises to the patriarchs. The latter
provides irrefutable evidence that God has by no means rejected the nation of
Israel forever for the sake of His unconditional promises to the patriarchs of Israel,
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which guarantee a future for the nation. It presents further evidence and support
that in the future there will be a national regeneration and restoration of the nation
of Israel.
The particle of affirmation men sets up a contrast presenting a concept, which
Paul seeks to contrast. The word presents Israel’s present relationship to God in
which they are His enemies, which God used to evangelize the Gentiles. On the
other hand, de introduces a statement that presents Israel’s past relationship with
God in which they were elected in a national sense by God and are the objects of
His unconditional love for the sake of the promises He made to the patriarchs.
Therefore, this correlative clause teaches that on one hand with respect to the
gospel, Israel corporately is God’s enemy for the sake of evangelizing the Gentiles.
While on the other hand, they were elected in a national sense making them the
objects of God’s unconditional love for the sake of the unconditional promises God
made to the patriarchs of the nation with the obvious implication that God has not
rejected Israel forever but rather that she has a future in the plan of God.
“From the perspective of the gospel” is composed of the preposition kata and
the articular accusative neuter singular form of the noun euangelion which means
“good news” and refers to the gospel in relation to the unsaved since Paul is
speaking in the context of the nation of Israel’s rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as
Messiah. It refers to the gospel in the sense of the good news message to sinners
that they can receive divine righteousness as a gift through imputation as a result of
faith alone in Christ alone, which in turn results in the Father declaring them
justified.
The noun is in the accusative case and functions as the object of the preposition
kata, which itself functions as a marker of a specific element bearing a relation to
something else. Here the preposition denotes the relationship between the nation of
Israel and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The articular construction of the euangelion indicates that the noun is in a class
by itself, thus indicating that the Christian gospel was the only gospel worth
mentioning.
“Enemies” is the nominative masculine plural form of the adjective echthros,
which is used in the passive sense to describe unregenerate Israel as being regarded
by God as His enemy. This is indicated by the fact that the word stands in contrast
with the adjective agapetos, “beloved,” which refers to Israel being the objects of
God’s unconditional love for the sake of His unconditional promises to the
patriarchs. Further indicating the passive sense is that Paul is speaking of Israel’s
relationship to the gospel. Therefore, the adjective echthros is used to describe
unsaved Israel as being God’s enemies because they rejected His Son Jesus Christ
as Savior.
Romans 11:29-32
10
Robertson, Grammar, 776
11
International Critical Commentary, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, volume 2, pages 582-586; T and T
Clark, A Continuum imprint, London, New York, 1975
12
The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Epistle to the Romans, page 735; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand
Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K., 1988
13
Word Biblical Commentary, volume 38a, Romans 1-8 and 38b, Romans 9-16; Thomas Nelson, 1988
14
A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament; second edition. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft: 1994, page 465
15
The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Epistle to the Romans, page 711; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand
Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K., 1988
16
Liddell-Scott, page 1665
17
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament volume 7, page 744
18
Moulton-Milligan, page 609
Romans 11:33-36
In Romans 11:33, Paul praises the Father for His infinite wealth, wisdom and
knowledge as well as His unsearchable decrees and incomprehensible ways.
Romans 11:33 Oh, God’s infinite wealth and wisdom and knowledge! How
unsearchable, as an eternal spiritual truth, are His decrees and in addition,
how incomprehensible, as an eternal spiritual truth, are His ways! (Author’s
translation)
Then, in Romans 11:34, Paul cites the two rhetorical questions that demand a
negative response that appear in Isaiah 40:13 to support his exclamation in Romans
11:33.
Romans 11:34 Indeed, who has fully comprehended the Lord’s mind or
who became His advisor? (Author’s translation)
This quotation is related to Paul’s praise of the Father’s infinite wisdom and
knowledge and unsearchable decrees and incomprehensible ways. This rhetorical
question brings out the implication of Paul’s doxology in Romans 11:33, which is
that God is sovereign over His creatures and is transcendent of His creatures and
self-sufficient unlike His creatures. The two rhetorical questions in Romans 11:34
deals with the believer’s knowledge of God’s eternal plan of salvation for
mankind, both Jew and Gentile.
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Lastly, in Romans 11:35, Paul cites the rhetorical question that demands a
negative response that appears in Job 41:11 to support his praise of the Father in
Romans 11:33. Paul teaches that the Father will receive praise and thanksgiving
throughout eternity because all things exist from Him and through Him and for
Him.
Romans 11:36 Because each and every thing, as an eternal spiritual truth,
exists because of Him as their source and through Him and for Him. Glory (in
the sense of adoring praise and worshipful thanksgiving) will be directed
towards Him throughout eternity. Amen! (Author’s translation)
This quotation relates to Paul’s praise of the Father’s infinite wealth. This
rhetorical question in Romans 11:35 deals with the way in which the believer
experiencing God’s eternal plan of salvation for mankind. The quotations from
Isaiah 40:13 and Job 41:11 that appear in Romans 11:34-35 serve to “confirm”
Paul’s doxology or praise of the Father in Romans 11:33.
It is the prayer of this author that this study of Romans chapter 11 will
contribute to the discussion regarding whether or not the church has replaced Israel
or not. This author’s interpretation makes clear that Israel does have a future in the
plan of God and that the church has in no way replaced Israel permanently. The
teaching that the church has replaced Israel is called “replacement theology” or
“supersessionism.”
Walter Kaiser writes, “Replacement theology…declared that the Church,
Abraham’s spiritual seed, had replaced national Israel in that it has transcended and
fulfilled the terms of the covenant given to Israel, which covenant Israel had lost
because of disobedience.”20
Bruce K. Waltke writes that the New Testament teaches the “hard fact that
national Israel and its law have been permanently replaced by the church and the
New Covenant.”21
Replacement theology or a some call it “supersessionism” is based on two
major premises: (1) the nation of Israel has somehow completed or forfeited its
status as the people of God and will never again possess a unique role or function
apart from the church; and (2) the church is now the true Israel that has
permanently replaced or superseded national Israel as the people of God.
Michael J. Vlach writes, “Supersessionism, then, in the context of Israel and the
church, is the view that the New Testament church is the new and/or true Israel
that has forever superseded the nation Israel as the people of God. The result is that
20
Michael J. Vlach; The Master’s Seminary Journal, volume 20, number 1, page 59
21
Michael J. Vlach; The Master’s Seminary Journal, volume 20, number 1, page 59
Conclusion
As we can see from our study of Romans chapter 11, the apostle Paul makes
clear that God has not totally abandoned the nation of Israel and that in the future
she will as a nation accept Jesus Christ as Savior and thus experience a national
regeneration and restoration to the land promised to her by God centuries ago. This
22
The Master’s Seminary Journal, volume 20, number 1, page 60
23
The Master’s Seminary Journal, volume 20, number 1, pages 59-64
The Abrahamic covenant was originally established with Abraham when he left
Haran and is recorded in Genesis 12:1-3. In His covenant promises to Abraham,
the Lord emphasized to Abraham that he would not only be a progenitor
biologically but also one spiritually.
Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country,
and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will
show you. 2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and
make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing. 3 And I will bless those
who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the
families of the earth will be blessed.” (NASB95)
The Abrahamic covenant contained three categories of promises: (1) Personal
(2) National (3) Universal and Spiritual.
(1) Personal: “I will bless you and make your name great” (Gen. 12:2), which
refers to the fact that the Lord would make Abraham a famous character with a
great reputation among men and before God. This fame and reputation is expressed
in that Abraham is called a “father of a multitude” in Genesis 17:5, a prince of
God in Genesis 23:6, the man in God’s confidence in Genesis 18:17-19, a prophet
in Genesis 20:7, the servant of God in Psalm 105:6 and the friend of God in 2
Chronicles 20:7 and James 2:23.
(2) National: “I will make you into a great nation” (Gen. 12:2), which refers
to the nation of Israel.
(3) Spiritual and Universal: “And all the peoples on earth will be blessed
through you” (Gen. 12:3) refers to the fact that through Jesus Christ, Abraham
would be a blessing to all mankind (Deut. 28:8-14; Is. 60:3-5, 11, 16) since it is
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only through Jesus Christ that one becomes Abraham’s seed and heirs of the
promise (Gal. 3:29; Eph. 2:13, 19).
The phrase “and you shall be a blessing” is “not” a promise since the verb
hayah, “you shall be” is in the “imperative” mood expressing a command and
literally means, “so become a blessing” indicating that Abraham had a
responsibility to walk by faith, which is expressed by obedience to the Lord’s
commands.
The promises “I will bless them that bless you and the one who curses you I
will curse” refers to the fact that the Lord is identifying Himself with the cause of
Abraham and guaranteeing protection for Abraham and his descendants.
“Bless” is the verb barakh, which appears five times in Genesis 12:1-3 and
means, “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, etc.”
Therefore, the verb barakh indicates that Abraham and his descendants were
endued with power by the Lord for success, prosperity, fecundity (offspring in
great numbers) and longevity.”
The Lord blessed Abram in the sense that the Lord multiplied his descendants
so that his posterity was great in number both, racially and spiritually. Also, the
Lord blessed Abram in the sense that the Lord multiplied his possessions and
livestock and prospered him financially. The Lord blessed anyone who was
associated with Abraham.
The phrase “I will bless you” was fulfilled “temporally” according to Genesis
13:14-18; 15:18-21; 24:34-35 and it has been fulfilled “spiritually” according to
Genesis 15:6 and John 8:56.
The promise “I will make your name great” refers to the fact that the Lord
would make Abraham a famous character with a great reputation among men and
before God. This fame and reputation is expressed throughout Scripture in that
Abraham is called a “father of a multitude” in Genesis 17:5, a prince of God in
Genesis 23:6, the man in God’s confidence in Genesis 18:17-19, a prophet in
Genesis 20:7, the servant of God in Psalm 105:6 and the friend of God in 2
Chronicles 20:7 and James 2:23.
Again, the phrase “and you shall be a blessing” is “not” a promise since the
verb hayah, “you shall be” is in the “imperative” mood expressing a command
and literally means, “so become a blessing” indicating that Abraham had a
responsibility to walk by faith, which is expressed by obedience to the Lord’s
commands. The imperative mood of the verb hayah indicates that others would be
blessed when Abraham walked by faith and was obedient to the Lord. Therefore,
the imperative mood of hayah teaches us that the Lord wants us to be a blessing to
others and this is accomplished by obedience to the Lord, which expresses our
faith in the Lord.
The millennial reign of Christ will also literally fulfill the Davidic covenant.
God called David a man after his own heart (Acts 13:22). The Lord Jesus Christ
will sit upon the Davidic throne in truth.
Isaiah 16:5 A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, and a
judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek
justice and be prompt in righteousness. (NASB95)
Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I
will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act
wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. (NASB95)
The “Davidic” covenant deals with the dynasty that will rule the nation of Israel
as indicated in 2 Samuel 7:16 where God promised David that a descendant of his
would sit on his throne forever.
The Davidic covenant is also confirmed in the following passages: Isa. 9:6-7;
Jer. 23:5-6; 30:8-9; 33:14-17, 20-21; Ezek. 37:24-25; Dan. 7:13-14; Hos. 3:4-5;
Amos 9:11; Zech. 14:4, 9.
The Davidic covenant contains four promises: (1) A Davidic House: Posterity
of David will never be destroyed. (2) A Davidic Throne: Kingdom of David shall
never be destroyed. (3) A Davidic Kingdom: David’s Son (Christ) will have an
earthly sphere of rule. (4) It Shall Be Unending. The “sign” of the Davidic
Covenant is a Son (Lord Jesus Christ).
Provisions of the Davidic covenant: (1) David is to have a child, yet to be born,
who will succeed him and establish his kingdom (2) This son (Solomon), instead
of David, will build the temple. (3) The throne of his kingdom will be established
forever. (4) The throne will not be taken away from him (Solomon) even though