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Romans Chapter
Eleven
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Wisdom of the Counsel of God’s Salvation
A. There has been a remnant of
B. God has made the rest be blinded (v.7-10).
C. God provokes the
D. The parable of the olive tree:
1. The new branches (the Gentiles) should not
boast (v.16-22).
2. The old branches (the
E. God predestinates salvation to all Israel
(v.25-27).
F. God’s perfect mercy (v.28-32);
G. God’s full wisdom (v.33-36);
II.
Verse by Verse commentary
Rom. 11:1 “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly
not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin.”
YLT: “I say, then, Did God cast
away His people? let it not be! for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of
Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin:”
Literal
Meaning: “has God cast away
His people”? ---- “Cast away”, totally reject; “His people” refers to the Israelites.
Such sentence pattern in the original shows that the answer is negative.
“For I also am an Israelite”, Paul took him as an
example, proving that God had not totally cast away the Israelites. In the past
history, though the Israelites were stubborn and refused the dispensation of
God’s salvation, there was still a remnant (Rom.9:27) who believed the Lord.
“Of the seed of Abraham”, when the
“Of the tribe of Benjamin”, “Benjamin” is one of
the twelve tribes of
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Paul is a best witness, testifying that a
faithful Jew can also be a Christian who devotes himself to the Lord.
2) The Lord likes us to bear witness to Him by
our social status. We should not be ashamed of being a Chinese Christian.
Rom. 11:2 “God has not cast away His
people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah,
how he pleads with God against
YLT: “God did not cast away His people
whom He knew before; have ye not known -- in Elijah -- what the Writing saith?
how he doth plead with God concerning
The
Background: in the times of the
prophet Elijah, the king of Israel Ahab took the gentile woman Jezebel as wife
and reared up an altar for the gentile idol of Baal in the house of Baal (1King
16:29-32). Jezebel even cut off the prophets of Jehovah, but the steward of his
house Obadiah who feared God hid a hundred prophets privately (1King 18:4, 13).
Later, the prophet Elijah on the
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
“God
has not cast away His people whom He foreknew”. ---- What consolation the gracious word
brings to us! We are preordained according to the foreknowledge of God (Rom.
8:29). Therefore, no matter how weak we are, God will not cast away us ----
just like the fact that He never casts away the
2)
Even though man may
fall into a certain condition that seems to “have to be rejected”, we will also
find that God has no idea of “rejection” if we see from His sight. God may show
His anger at man’s fall and may even give “government”, but He will not cast
away those whom He has chosen.
3)
Even the great
prophet Elijah had the possibility of misunderstanding the will of God and
pleading the people of God. Who we are? How can we think that only we (or the
group we are in) are preserved by God and all the rest Christians have departed
from God?
Rom. 11:3 “"LORD, they have
killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they
seek my life"?”
YLT: “`Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and
Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;'”
Meaning
of Words: “life”: soul;
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Satan may prevail when the people of God
feel lonely in the life of Christians.
2) We should not think that others do not love
the Lord and I alone love the Lord. There is a great number of those who love
the Lord. We just do not know them.
Rom. 11:4 “But what does the divine
response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who
have not bowed the knee to Baal." ”
YLT: “but what saith the divine answer to
him? `I left to Myself seven thousand men, who did not bow a knee to Baal.'”
Meaning of
Words: “Baal”: owner and master (Baal is the name
of the main idol among the Phoenician and the Canaanite);
Literal Meaning: “I have reserved for Myself
seven thousand men”, “seven thousand men”, they could be regard the remnant who
feared God in the
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The divine response tells us that: 1) God does not like us to plead
our brothers; 2) no matter how weak our conditions are, God will never forget
our faithfulness to Him.
2) Even in the generation that men universally
departed from the truth, God always had men who kept faithful to Him.
3) God always works according to His will, “I …
for Myself” ---- He reserves us for Himself, not for us.
4) We believers should not always focus on our
weakness, failure or smallness, but on the greatness of our God. If we only see
the circumstance and ourselves, we will feel that “I am alone”. However, if we
turn to see our God, we will know that God has
reserved for Himself “seven thousand men”.
5) Man only see “him alone” (v.3), but has not
seen “seven
thousand men”. God does not
respond to what man has seen, but points what man has not seen to him. May God
open our eyes that we can see the spiritual things that God likes us to
see.
Rom. 11:5 “Even so then, at this
present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
YLT: “So then also in the present time a
remnant according to the choice of grace there hath been;”
Meaning of
Words: “remnant”: the rest;
The
Background: “remnant” has a
background concerning the Old Testament. The
Literal
Meaning: “according to the election
of grace”, that the remnant
who believed the Lord among the
“At this present time there is a remnant”, the original of the word “remnant” only
appears one time in the New Testament. It is a different from the word
“remnant” (Rom. 9:27) or “seed” (Rom. 9:29) in chapter nine, but all the three
words have the meaning of “remnant”. Just like the age of Elijah, though the
backsliding condition was common, there was still a faithful Jewish remnant
living in the world.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Throughout the
generations, God always works in His people according to the principle of
“remnant”, e.g. when the whole world was corrupted, God only chose Noah the
eighth person (Gen. 7:1); moreover, after the event of the
2)
The principle of the
world is ---- “minority obeys to majority”. The principle of the assembly is
---- “many are they who enter in through the way that leads to destruction, and
they are few who find the way that leads to life” (Matt. 7:13-14); “For many
are called ones, but few chosen ones (Matt. 22:14).”
3)
Believers should not
choose the position according to the number of people, for it often tends to be
a “remnant” that clearly knows the will of God and stands on right position.
Therefore, when we have to decide one thing, we should not see men, but the
Lord in us.
4)
We shall not seek
worldly enjoyment with those who lead a befuddled life, but seek righteousness,
faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart
(2Tim. 2:22).
5)
Since it is called
“remnant”, it shows that God has still not given up the rest. Therefore, we who
are of God should be in the bowel of God and preach the gospel zealously and
perform the ministrations and pray for all in the hope of retrieve the whole
situation.
6)
There is a fact in
grace ---- the number of those who have enjoyed the grace is small.
7)
In fact, only a
minority of the Christians shall be overcomers, who are personally responsible
to God and receive their position. If someone teaches, “as long as one joints a
certain group, he will automatically become an overcomer ---- it does not agree
with the truth of the Scriptures”.
Rom. 11:6 “And if by grace, then it
is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of
works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. ”
YLT: “and if by grace, no more of works,
otherwise the grace becometh no more grace; and if of works, it is no more
grace, otherwise the work is no more work.”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
God remembers man
according to his inner condition, not his outer works.
2)
The mystery of
enjoying grace continually after we are saved is standing in the favor firmly (
YLT: “What then? What
Meaning of
Words: “blind”: harden, petrify, a hardened (the
layer of thick skin for the sake of repeatedly resisting against the outward
irritation);
Literal Meaning: “
“
“But
the elect have obtained it”, “the
elect”, it refers to the
remnant among the
“And
the rest were blinded”, “were blinded”, it refers to the
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) If we do not obey the Spirit once or twice,
we will be hardened and be insensitive to the guidance of the Spirit.
2) Those who refuse the guidance of God
repeatedly, we will be blinded and even can not respond to God.
Rom. 11:8 “Just as it is written:
"God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And
ears that they should not hear, To this very day." ”
YLT: “according as it hath been written,
`God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to
hear,' -- unto this very day,”
Meaning of
Words: “stupor”: a prickling,
slumber;
Literal Meaning: “just as it is written”, the following words are quoted from the
Book of Isaiah (6:10; 29:10; Deut. 29:4).
“To this very day”, the Jews are dull in spirit, from the
generation of Elijah to the times of the New Testament.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Whenever we have confidence in ourselves and
seek by our works, not grace, we will be blinded (v.6-7). Once we fall into
such condition, God will give us a spirit of stupor that we cannot receive new
revelation or enlightenment.
2) Darkness is the greatest difficulty of us.
The worst work of Satan is blinding the thoughts of men so that the light of
the Christ should not shine forth (2Cor. 4:4).
Rom. 11:9 “And David says: "Let their table become a
snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them”.
YLT: “and
David saith, `Let their table become for a snare, and for a trap, and for a
stumbling-block, and for a recompense to them;”
Literal
Meaning: “and David says”, verse nine and ten are
quoted from the Book of Psalm (69:22-23), where David referred to his enemies.
Paul used it here to relate to the result that God let men be blinded.
“Let
their table”, “table” refers to the place where men have enjoyment and
pleasure.
“Become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block”,
“snare” is used for catching birds; “trap” is set for catching beasts;
“stumbling block” is the stone that stumbles others. Here, it means that joy is
changed into disaster.
“And a recompense to them”, the Jews only focused
on the appearance only, but did not believe God in heart, so the recompense of
rejection befell them.
Enlightenment
in the Word: joyful
and enjoyable table even became disaster. Just the
YLT: “let
their eyes be darkened -- not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow
down.'”
Literal
Meaning: “and bow down their
back always”, “bow down their back”, it indicates that their eyes can only see
the earth and themselves, but cannot see the front and the heavens.
Enlightenment
in the Word: if
man opposes against the plan of God, his eyes will continually be darkened and
his back crooked.
Rom. 11:11 “I say then, have they stumbled that they should
fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy,
salvation has come to the Gentiles”.
YLT: “I
say, then, Did they stumble that they might fall? let it not be! but by their
fall the salvation to the nations, to arouse them to jealousy;”
Literal
Meaning: “have they stumbled
that they should fall”? “stumble”, one could stand up again; “fall”, it
contains the meaning of eternal destruction; both of the words are different.
The
Jews stumbled at the stumbling-stone of Christ (Rom. 9:32), but they did not
fall.
“Their fall”, it meant that the Jews had rejected
the gospel and missed the chance of receiving salvation.
“To provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to
the Gentiles”, “provoke … jealousy”, it is only one word in the original and
means provoking one to jealousy and angering one (Rom. 10:19) and arousing
one’s envy. However, it does not use the word negatively, for it means that
that salvation comes to the Gentiles will encourage the Jews to imitate the
Gentiles.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) According to the principle of God’s working,
if any people of God do not obey the will of God, God will temporarily set them
aside and raise another group of people to keep His will. Therefore, we should
take heed today, and keep walking in the will of God, lest we be rejected.
2) If Christians have really enjoyed the
spiritual blessings on account of faith, it may even provoke those who do not
believe to jealousy.
Rom. 11:12 “Now if their fall is riches for the world, and
their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!”
YLT: “and
if the fall of them the riches of a world, and the diminution of them the
riches of nations, how much more the fullness of them?”
Meaning of
Words: “failure”:
shortness, faults;
Literal
Meaning: “riches for the
world”: the “riches for the Gentiles” mentioned above. The Gentiles who believe
the Lord have obtained the full grace. Since te Jews rejected the gospel, it
caused that the apostle turn to the Gentiles to preach the gospel (see Acts
13:46-48; 18:6).
“And their failure”, it amounts to “their fall”
(see v.11) in the first half of the verse, and moreover, it refers to the loss
brought by the fall.
“How much more their fullness”, “how much”, it
shows that the gospel must bring greater satisfaction to the Gentiles.
“Fullness” is the same word as “the fullness” (v.25) of the Gentiles has come
in. therefore, “their fullness” shows that all
Rom. 11:13 “For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an
apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,”.
YLT: “For
to you I speak -- to the nations -- inasmuch as I am indeed an apostle of
nations, my ministration I do glorify;”
Literal
Meaning: “I speak to you Gentiles”,
this epistle was written to the assembly in
“Inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles”, when
Paul was saved, the Lord had declared that “to bear my name before nations …”
(Acts 9:15; Gal. 1:16). Later the pillars of the assembly in Jerusalem James,
Cephas and John saw the mission that the Lord had entrusted to Paul and
encouraged him to go to work among the Gentiles (Gal. 2:7, 9). Therefore, Paul
called him “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom 1:5; Gal. 2:8; 1Tim. 2:7).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) No matter the service that the Lord has
entrusted to us in the assembly is small or big, we should fear and do our best
to serve.
2) We should learn the example of the Lord. He
spoke with boldness what should be spoken. And he spoke out the will of God
according to his status and ministry for his glorious ministry. We should not
speak to please men outwardly or only consider men’s feeling.
Rom. 11:14 “if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who
are my flesh and save some of them.”
YLT: “if
by any means I shall arouse to jealousy mine own flesh, and shall save some of
them,”
Rom. 11:15 “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of
the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”
YLT: “for
if the casting away of them a reconciliation of the world, what the reception
-- if not life out of the dead?”
Literal
Meaning: “for if their being cast away”, “be cast away”
is different from the word “cast away” in verse one and two; “be cast away (in
this verse)” means being put aside temporarily; “cast away (in verse one)”
means being rejected by God. Here, it indicates that God put most of the Jews
aside temporarily for the purpose of making salvation come to the Gentiles.
“The reconciling of the world”, its meaning is
similar to “riches for the world” (v.12).
“What will their acceptance be”, its meaning is
similar to “their fullness” (v.12).
“But life from the dead?” when Paul wrote this paragraph, the story of the
prodigal’s repentance in the Gospel of
Luke might float in his mind “for this my son was dead and has come to
life, was lost and has been found. It was right to make merry and rejoice (Luke
15:24, 32)”. He used it to express that the joy of the returning of the Jews in
the heart of our Father in the heavens is as great as the joy of life from the
dead.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1)
“Life from the
dead”, the
source of spiritual riches, makes us enjoy all the fullness in Christ.
2)
It
is also making one obtain life from dead of retrieving
a lost man that has lost in his way, isn’t it?
Rom. 11:16 “For if the firstfruit is
holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.”
YLT: “and if the first-fruit holy, the
lump also; and if the root holy, the branches also.”
Literal Meaning: “for if the firstfruit is
holy, the lump is also holy”, this sentence is
quoted from the Book of Numbers (15:17-21). Every year in harvest the
“The firstfruit”, here it refers to the fathers of
the
“The
lump is also holy”, not all the Jews were
righteous (namely, having received salvation), but God would keep the promise
to them (see
“And
if the root is holy, so are the branches”, it is in parallel with the first half verse, so
the “root” is synonymous with “firstfruit”, so the “branch” with “lump”.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) When drinking water think of its source. The
fathers of the
2) If we Christians have some spiritual
fulfillments, we have more or less inherited some help of predecessors (e.g.
their examples or their sound words), and we have not got the achievements by
ourselves. Godly parents may have great influence on their children.
3) “And if the root is holy, so are the branches”, we were filthy, but Christ is holy. Once
we have believed the Lord, our branches were grafted in the tree, so we are holy. Therefore, the holiness
of Christians does not come from our own labor, but from the union with Christ.
Rom. 11:17 “And if some of the
branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in
among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the
olive tree, ”
YLT: “And if certain of the branches were
broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wast graffed in among them, and
a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree didst become
--”
Literal Meaning: “and if some of the branches
were broken off”, “the
branches” refer to the Jews
who do not believe the Lord.
“And
you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them”, “a wild olive tree” relates to the Gentile believers.
“Were grafted in”, the husbandmen often graft the
green branches to common trees or wild trees. However, in the parable from
verse 17 to 24, it was a graft “contrary to nature” (v.24) ---- the wild olive tree (the Gentiles) was
grafted into a cultivated olive tree.
Such practice was contrary
to nature, and it was just
what Paul focused on. Generally, such graft would not bear fruit.
“And with them became a
partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree”, “the root of the olive tree” refers to the father of the
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) We believers will be partakers of the fatness
(Christ) ---- namely, the unsearchable riches of God in Christ ---- with the
Israel’s fathers (the root of the olive tree) through believing into Jesus
Christ and dying with Christ (be cut) and living with Christ (be planted
together).
2) Now, all the believers of us (including the
3) Branches live for bearing fruit. Every
branch that does not bear fruit will be taken away (John 5:2; see v.22).
Therefore, we should abide in the Lord (John 15:4-5) and enjoy the fatness of
the root.
4) The new lump is to satisfy God and the
fatness of the root is to satisfy us. The counsel of God’s salvation is on one
hand to gain men to be His satisfaction and on the other to make Christ our
satisfaction.
Rom. 11:18 “do not boast against the
branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but
the root supports you. ”
YLT: “do not boast against the branches;
and if thou dost boast, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee!”
Literal Meaning: “remember that you do not
support the root, but the root supports you”, “the root supports you”, the Gentiles shall be saved by the Jews (see
John 4:22), especially by the fathers (e.g. the covenant of Abraham).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) We should not boast of ourselves before
others. If we boast, we should boast of our weakness (2Cor. 12:5).
2) We are sinners saved by the Lord and have
nothing to boast of. If we boast, we should boast of the Lord. We have only one
mission, namely, glorifying God.
Rom. 11:19 “You will say then,
"Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." ”
YLT: “Thou wilt say, then, `The branches
were broken off, that I might be graffed in;' right!”
Literal Meaning: “branches were broken off”, “branches” refer to the unbelieving Jews.
Rom. 11:20 “Well said. Because of
unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but
fear. ”
YLT: “by unbelief they were broken off,
and thou hast stood by faith; be not high-minded, but be fearing;”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God can “graft” and also “break off” (see
v.23) according to the His sovereignty. It makes us fear God and dare not
“boast” (v.18) or “be haughty”, but rely on the loving-kindness of God.
2) Experience tells us that whenever we do not
trust in Him but rely on ourselves, our fellowship with God had been cut off.
Whenever we do not rely on ourselves but on God closely and appropriate what He
has done for us, we can remain standing.
Rom. 11:21 “For if God did not spare
the natural branches, He may not spare you either.”
YLT: “for if God the natural branches did
not spare -- lest perhaps He also shall not spare thee.”
Rom. 11:22 “Therefore consider the
goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you,
goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
”
YLT: “Lo, then, goodness and severity of
God -- upon those indeed who fell, severity; and upon thee, goodness, if thou
mayest remain in the goodness, otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off.”
Literal Meaning: “therefore consider the
goodness and severity of God”, the heart of God
is love and His works are righteous. Love produces goodness and righteousness
manifests severity. God treats the world with grace and severity together ----
severity manifests in goodness, and goodness reveals in severity. We should
have balanced view toward God. If we ignore His goodness, God looks like a
merciless tyrant. If we neglect His severity, He looks like a father who spoils
his children.
“On
those who fell, severity”, God is severe to
the Jews who do not believe.
“But
toward you, goodness”, “you” refers to
the Gentiles who believe the Lord.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The attitude of God toward men is totally
decided by men’s attitude toward Christ. God is kind to those who rely on Christ
and love Christ, and is severe to those who refuse Christ and hate Christ and
fall.
2) God never makes compromises or cares for
anything that is not according to the will of the Lord or is unworthy of the
Lord. Oh! What a real severe Lord!
Rom. 11:23 “And they also, if they do
not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in
again.”
YLT: “And those also, if they may not
remain in unbelief, shall be graffed in, for God is able again to graff them
in;”
Literal Meaning: “and they also, if they do
not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in”,
“do not continue in unbelief”, it means to repent and believe that Jesus is
Messiah (see v.26; Zech. 12:10) ---- it will happens when the Lord comes again.
“For God is able to graft them in again”, with men
this is impossible; but with God all things are possible (Matt. 19:26; Mark.
10:27; Luke 18:27).
Rom. 11:24 “For if you were cut out
of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature
into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural
branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? ”
YLT: “for if thou, out of the olive tree,
wild by nature, wast cut out, and, contrary to nature, wast graffed into a good
olive tree, how much rather shall they, who according to nature, be graffed
into their own olive tree?”
Literal Meaning: “and were grafted contrary
to nature into a cultivated olive tree”,
“contrary to nature”, it shows that Paul knows that such way of graft is
uncommon (see v.17). It is uncommon that the Gentiles have become the household
of God (see Eph. 2:19).
Rom. 11:25 “For I do not desire,
brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise
in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the
fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ”
YLT: “For I do not wish you to be
ignorant, brethren, of this secret -- that ye may not be wise in your own
conceits -- that hardness in part to Israel hath happened till the fulness of
the nations may come in;”
Literal Meaning: “for I do not desire,
brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery”,
“mystery” indicates what is hidden in the
past is revealed publicly now that all men can understand (see Rom. 16:25;
1Cor. 2:7; 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; 15:15; Eph. 1:9; 3:3-4, 9; 5:32; 6:19; Col.
1:26-27; 2:2; 4:3; 2Thess.2:7; 1Tim. 3:9, 16).
“That
blindness in part has happened to
“Until
the fullness of the Gentiles has come
in”, it means that the number of the Gentiles is fulfilled, which is different
from “the fulfillment of times of nations” (Luke 21:24), which means that the
times during which
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God accepts us, Gentiles, into the great
counsel of His salvation. It should make us humbler, not haughty or intelligent
in our own sight.
2) The Lord will not come again (or all
3) If the assembly can undertake the great
mission more faithfully ---- “make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19),
she can accelerate the fullness of the Gentiles.
Rom. 11:26 “And so all
YLT: “and so all
Literal Meaning: “and so all
“As
it is written”, the following
words are quoted from the Book of Isaiah
(19:20) according to the general meanings.
“The
Deliverer will come out of
“And
He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob”, “Jacob” is
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) All
2) It seems that God has rejected them because
of their rebellion and saved the Gentiles. Finally, their sins are remitted and
they are saved through the Deliverer
who comes out of
Rom. 11:27 “For this is My covenant
with them, When I take away their sins." ”
YLT: “and this to them the covenant from
Me, when I may take away their sins.'”
Literal Meaning: “for”,
the following words are quoted from the Book of Jeremiah (31:34) and the Book of
Zechariah (19:20) according to the general meanings.
“When
I take away their sins”, “take away their
sins”, namely, the remission of sins; their sins are forgiven because of their
repentance and faith (see v.23; Zech. 12:10-13:1).
“This
is My covenant with them”, “covenant” is the New Covenant that God has established with all
Enlightenment in the Word: man himself is tainted with sins, but it is the
Lord that cleanses the sins. Once we leave the Lord, we will sin. Whenever we
turn to the Lord, He will forgive us (1John 1:9).
Rom. 11:28 “Concerning the gospel
they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved
for the sake of the fathers.”
YLT: “As regards, indeed, the good
tidings, enemies on your account; and as regards the choice -- beloved on
account of the fathers;”
Literal Meaning: “they are enemies for your
sake”, “you” refers to the
Gentile believers; “enemies”, it is a provisional state: the
“They
are beloved for the sake of the fathers”, “for the sake of the fathers”, God chose the fathers of
Rom. 11:29 “For the gifts and the
calling of God are irrevocable.”
YLT: “for unrepented of the gifts and the
calling of God;”
Literal Meaning: “irrevocable”, it unveils that God will not change His
will. Though the
Enlightenment in the Word: since God has chosen called the
Rom. 11:30 “For as you were once
disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience,”
YLT: “for as ye also once did not believe
in God, and now did find kindness by the unbelief of these:”
Rom. 11:31 “even so these also have
now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain
mercy.”
YLT: “so also these now did not believe,
that in your kindness they also may find kindness;”
Rom. 11:32 “For God has committed
them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.”
YLT: “for God did shut up together the
whole to unbelief, that to the whole He might do kindness.”
Literal Meaning: “for God has committed them
all to disobedience”, “all” refers to the
“That
He might have mercy on all”, God’s mercy came
to the
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) Man’s disobedience has perfected God’s mercy. God’s “merciful” nature
makes Him show mercy to those who are unworthy. How amazing!
2) God treats believers who are temporarily
weak still “with mercy” and always brings them back to the enjoyment of grace.
YLT: “O depth of riches, and wisdom and
knowledge of God! how unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!”
Literal Meaning: “the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” after Paul has declared the counsel of God’s salvation
in chapter nine to eleven, and he praises at the end of the three chapters in
verse 33 to 36 ---- Paul’s praise unto God is naturally revealed here. God’s
riches, wisdom and knowledge bring about the great counsel that makes both the
“Wisdom”
and “knowledge” are slightly
different. “Wisdom” relates to the creative or original idea
of things, focusing on the principle and counsel; “knowledge” is the practical application of the creative
thing created by wisdom, focusing on detailed rules and ways.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God shows mercy to the Gentiles because of
the disobedience of the
2) The grace of God’s election is totally
according to His mercy, sovereignty, wisdom, faithfulness and etc. ---- all
these are the fullness of God’s nature. And God’s full nature is fully
manifested in His dealings with His people
.
Rom. 11:34 “"For who has known
the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?" ”
YLT: “for who did know the mind of the
Lord? or who did become His counsellor?”
Literal Meaning: “who has known the mind of
the LORD?” ---- It is quoted
from the Book of Isaiah (40:13).
Rom. 11:35 “"Or who has first
given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" ”
YLT: “or who did first give to Him, and it
shall be given back to him again?”
Literal Meaning: “who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?” ---- It is quoted
from the Book of Job (41:11).
Enlightenment in the Word: it is not man can work for God, but God gives
everything to man in Christ.
Rom. 11:36 “For of Him and through
Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. ”
YLT: “because of Him, and through Him, and
to Him the all things; to Him the glory -- to the ages. Amen.”
Literal Meaning: “of Him and through Him and
to Him are all things”, some Bible
exegetes hold that “of
Him” and “through
Him” and “to Him” are parallel to the three kinds of nature
of God in verse 33 ---- “riches”, “wisdom” and “knowledge”. Paul’s excellent
writing techniques are thus clearly manifested here.
Some other Bible exegetes
think that “of Him” here echoes to God’s election in the past in chapter nine,
and “through Him” responds to God’s ways today stated in chapter ten and “to
Him” echoes to God’s dispensation in the future stated in chapter eleven. Glory
should always be given unto God in the past, at present and in the future.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God’s works are not easy to understand. We
should receive them with a grateful and praising heart.
2) God Himself plans and reigns. No one can
dominate Him. Only God knows how to be the best. God has sovereignty and rules
all.
3) The ways of God’s works are beyond our
knowledge. Therefore, we should trust in Him and give glory unto Him.
4) The whole universe and human beings are “of
Him”. He is the Creator and He is the origin. All is of Him.
5) “Through Him”, the universe can work and man
can live. Without Him, we are nothing and can do nothing (John 15:5b).
6) The purpose of our life is “to Him”, and all
lives for Him.
7) All is “of Him” ---- it unveils that all is
created by Christ, who is the only origin of all. All is “through Him” ---- it
reveals that all is established by Christ, who is the only One, through Whom
all is upheld and maintained and jointed. All is “to” Him ---- it indicates
that all is inherited by Christ, who is the significance of the existence of
all as well as the ultimate goal (see Heb. 1:2-3;
III. Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
The Interaction
Between the Israel and the Gentiles
A. The “stumbling” and “fall” of
B. That salvation comes to the Gentiles provokes them to jealousy (v.11);
C. The “fall” and “shortage” of
D. The fullness of
The Gentiles Should
Be Warned Because of the Israel
A. The Gentile believers should not boast
(v.17-18):
1. The Jews have not been totally rejected;
2. The Gentiles were a wild olive tree, and the
branches were grafted
contrary to nature. We are inferior to
the Jews who believe the Lord.
B. The Gentile believers should not be haughty
(v.19-21):
1. Believers should believe ----- we should
firmly keep the position of believing;
2. Believers should fear ---- if we do not
believe, we will be broken off;
3. Believers should take heed of salvation that
they have received (v.22): God cannot be mocked.
4. If the Jews believe, they can be grafted in at any time (v.23-24).
Three Points
Concerning God
A. God’s goodness ---- He is gracious (v.22);
B. God’s authority ---- He is severe to those
who fall (v.22);
C. God’s omnipotence ---- for He is able to graft them in again (v.23);
Praising God From
Three Aspects
A. God’s fullness (v.33) ---- who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him (v.35) ---- all is
to Him (v.36);
B. God’s wisdom (v.33) ---- How unsearchable are His
judgments and His ways past finding out (v.33) ---- all is of Him (v.36);
C. God’s knowledge (v.33) ---- who has known the mind of
the LORD Or who has become His counselor (v.34) ---- all is through Him (v.36);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou