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INDEX
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COLLECTIONS
Commentaries, Word Studies, Devotionals, Sermons, Illustrations
Old and New Testament |
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Summary of
Romans
9-11 |
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Romans 9 |
Romans 10 |
Romans 11 |
Past
Election |
Present
Rejection |
Future
Reception |
God's Sovereignty
Israel's Election by God |
Man's responsibility
Israel's Rejection of God |
God's Ways Higher
God Not Rejecting Israel |
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11:28 From
the
standpoint of the
gospel they are
enemies for your
sake, but from the
standpoint of God's
choice they are
beloved for the
sake of the
fathers; |
Greek:
kata
men
to
euaggelion
ecthroi
di'
humas
kata
de
ten
eklogen
agapetoi
dia
tous
pateras;
Amplified: From the point of view of the Gospel (good news),
they [the Jews, at present] are enemies [of God], which is for your
advantage and benefit. But from the point of view of God's choice (of
election, of divine selection), they are still the beloved (dear to
Him) for the sake of their forefathers.
ESV: As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God
for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake
of their forefathers.
ICB: The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so they are God's
enemies. This has happened to help you non-Jews. But the Jews are
still God's chosen people, and God loves them very much. He loves them
because of the promises he made to their ancestors.
NIV: As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies
on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved
on account of the patriarchs,
NKJV: Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but
concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
NLT: Many of the Jews are now enemies of the Good News. But
this has been to your benefit, for God has given his gifts to you
Gentiles. Yet the Jews are still his chosen people because of his
promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Phillips: As far as the Gospel goes, they are at present God's
enemies - which is to your advantage. But as far as God's purpose in
choosing is concerned, they are still beloved for their fathers'
sakes.
Wuest: On the one hand, with reference to the gospel they
are enemies for your sakes; on the other hand, with reference to the
selected-out ones they are beloved ones for the fathers’ sake;
Young's Literal: As regards, indeed, the good tidings, they are
enemies on your account; and as regards the choice -- beloved on
account of the fathers; |
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11:29 for the
gifts and the
calling of
God are
irrevocable. |
Greek:
ametameleta
gar
ta
charismata
kai
e
klesis
tou
theou.
Amplified: For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He
never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change
His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends
His call.]
ESV: For the gifts and the calling of God are
irrevocable.
ICB: God never changes his mind about the people he calls and
the things he gives them.
NIV: for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.
NKJV: For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
NLT: For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
Phillips: For once they are made, God does not withdraw his
gifts of his calling.
Wuest: for the gifts in grace and the calling of God are
with respect to a change of mind irrevocable.
Young's Literal: for unrepented of are the gifts and the
calling of God; |
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FOR THE GIFTS
AND THE CALLING OF GOD ARE IRREVOCABLE: ametameleta gar ta charismata kai e klesis tou
theou: (Hosea 13:14)
Note that this verse begins with
"for" which explains why they are still beloved of God. The answer is of
course that God does not take back His gifts. Once He has made an
unconditional promise, He never goes back on it. He gave Israel the
special privileges as we studied in Romans 9:4, 5. He called Israel to
be His earthly people, separate from the rest of the nations. Nothing
can change His purposes.
Gifts (5486)
(charisma
from charis = grace + the ending --ma which
indicates the result of something, in this case the result of grace) means “gift of grace” or
“free gift”.
Calling (2821)
(klesis)
(Click
in depth study) means
a call and was used for an invitation
to a banquet. In the NT the word is used metaphorically of the call or
invitation to come into the kingdom of God with all its privileges. In
the present context "klesis" refers to the divine call by which
elect Jews are introduced into the privileges of the gospel. God’s
invitation (klesis) to man to accept the benefits of His
salvation is what this calling is all about.
Louw Nida defines klesis as
an
"urgent invitation to someone to
accept responsibilities for a particular task, implying a new
relationship to the one who does the calling; the station in life or
social role which one has."
Vine defines klesis as
"a calling, is always used in NT of
that calling the origin, nature and destiny of which are heavenly (the
idea of invitation being implied); it is used especially of God's
invitation to man to accept the benefits of salvation."
Irrevocable (278)
(ametameletos from a = without + metamélomai =
change one's mind) means not feeling regret as result of what one has
done. It means that God will not change His mind about what He has
promised Israel through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
When God calls it is an effectual call
and
when He gives you a gift it can never be taken back or annulled. The
Sovereign
God guarantees these things to the elect.
John MacArthur sums up this
verse writing that...
God’s sovereign election of Israel,
like that of individual believers, is unconditional and unchangeable,
because it is rooted in His immutable nature and expressed in the
unilateral, eternal Abrahamic Covenant (MacArthur, J. J. The MacArthur
Study Bible Nashville: Word Pub)
Moses testifies that...
"God is not a man, that He should
lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He
not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Numbers
23:19) (See related
topic:
Truth)
In Malachi God testifies...
"For I, the LORD, do not change;
therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed" (Malachi 3:6)
(See related topic:
Immutable)
In Isaiah God says...
Shall I bring to the point of birth,
and not give delivery?" says the LORD. "Or shall I who gives delivery
shut the womb?" says your God (Isaiah 66:9)
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UNCHANGING GOD,
HEAR FROM ETERNAL HEAV’N
by Samuel J. Stone |
Unchanging
God, hear from eternal Heav’n:
We plead Thy gifts of grace, forever given,
Thy call, without repentance, calling still,
The sure election of Thy sovereign will.
Out of our faith in Thee, Who canst not lie,
Out of our heart’s desire, goes up our cry,
From hope’s sweet vision of the thing to be,
From love to those who still are loved by Thee.
Bring Thy beloved back, Thine Israel,
Thine own elect who from Thy favor fell,
But not from Thine election! O forgive,
Speak but the word, and lo! the dead shall live.
Father of mercies! these the long astray,
These in soul blindness now the far away,
These are not aliens, but Thy sons of yore,
Oh, by Thy Fatherhood, restore, restore!
Triune Jehovah, Thine the grace and power,
Thine all the work, its past, its future hour,
O Thou, Who failest not, Thy gifts fulfill,
And crown the calling of Thy changeless will.
(Play
hymn) |
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11:30 For
just as you
once were
disobedient to
God, but
now have been
shown
mercy because of their
disobedience, |
Greek:
hosper
gar
humeis
pote
epeithesate (2PAAI)
to
theo
nun
de
eleethete (2PAPI)
te
touton
apeitheia
Amplified: Just as you were once disobedient and rebellious toward God
but now have obtained [His] mercy, through their disobedience,
ESV: Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have
received mercy because of their disobedience,
ICB: At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received
mercy, because those people refused to obey.
NIV: Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now
received mercy as a result of their disobedience,
NKJV: For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained
mercy through their disobedience,
NLT: Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the Jews
refused his mercy, God was merciful to you instead.
Phillips: Just as in the past you were disobedient to God but
have found that mercy which might have been theirs but for their
disobedience,
Wuest: For, even as you formerly disbelieved God, yet now
have been made recipients of mercy through the occasion of the
unbelief of these,
Young's Literal: for as ye also once did not believe in God, and now did find
kindness by the unbelief of these: |
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FOR JUST AS YOU (Gentiles)
ONCE WERE DISOBEDIENT TO GOD
: hosper gar humeis pote epeithesate
(2PAAI) to theo: (1 Corinthians
6:9-11;
Ephesians 2:1,2,12,13,19-21;
Colossians 3:7;
Titus 3:3-7) (31;
1 Corinthians 7:25;
2 Corinthians 4:1;
1 Timothy 1:18;
1 Peter 2:10)
BUT NOW HAVE BEEN SHOWN MERCY BECAUSE OF THEIR (the Jew's) DISOBEDIENCE:
nun de eleethete (2PAPI) te touton apeitheia:
MacDonald comments that...
The Gentiles were once an untamed,
disobedient people, but when Israel spurned the Messiah and the gospel
of salvation, God turned to the Gentiles in mercy. (MacDonald, W., &
Farstad, A. . Believer's Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
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11:31
so
these
also
now have been
disobedient,
that because of the
mercy shown to
you they
also may
now be
shown
mercy. |
Greek:
houtos
kai
houtoi
nun
epeithesan (3PAAI)
to
humetero
eleei
hina
kai
autoi
[nun]
eleethosin; (3PAPS)
Amplified: So they also now are being disobedient [when you are
receiving mercy], that they in turn may one day, through the mercy you
are enjoying, also receive mercy [that they may share the mercy which
has been shown to you--through you as messengers of the Gospel to
them].
ESV: so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the
mercy shown to you they also may now[4] receive mercy.
ICB: And now the Jews refuse to obey, because God showed mercy to you.
But this happened so that they also can receive mercy from God.
NIV: so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may
now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you.
NKJV: even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the
mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.
NLT: And now, in the same way, the Jews are the rebels, and God's mercy
has come to you. But someday they, too, will share in God's mercy.
Phillips: so they, who at the present moment are disobedient,
will eventually share the mercy which has been extended to you.
Wuest: thus also these now have disbelieved in order that
through the occasion of the mercy which is yours, they themselves also
might now become the recipients of mercy,
Young's Literal: so also these now did not believe, that in your kindness they also
may find kindness; |
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SO THESE
(Jews) ALSO NOW HAVE BEEN DISOBEDIENT: houtos kai houtoi nun
epeithesan (3PAAI) to humetero eleei:
(10:16;
11:15,25) Disobedient (544)
(apeitheo from a = without + peítho = persuade)
means literally not to allow one’s self to be persuaded. It describes
one who refuses to be persuaded and so to willfully and perversely
disbelieve. It conveys an attitude of unbelief and involves deliberate
disobedience or conscious resistance to authority. Men, Jews or
Gentiles, do not avoid Christ because of insufficient facts but because
of proud and unrepentant hearts.
IN ORDER THAT BECAUSE OF THE MERCY SHOWN TO YOU (Gentiles) THEY (Jews)
ALSO MAY NOW BE SHOWN MERCY: hina kai autoi (nun) eleethosin (3PAPS):
Israel’s disobedience will be followed by mercy, when they are provoked
to jealousy through the mercy shown to the Gentiles.
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11:32 For
God has
shut up
all in
disobedience
so that He may
show
mercy to
all. |
Greek:
sunekleisen (3SAAI)
gar
o
theos
tous
pantas
eis
apeitheian
hina
tous
pantas
eleese. (3SAAS)
Amplified: For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience,
only that He may have mercy on them all [alike].
ESV: For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have
mercy on all.
ICB: All people have refused to obey God. God has given them all over to
their stubborn ways, so that God can show mercy to all.
NIV: For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have
mercy on them all.
NKJV: For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have
mercy on all.
NLT: For God has imprisoned all people in their own disobedience so he
could have mercy on everyone.
Phillips: God has all
men penned together in the prison of disobedience, that he may have
mercy upon them all.
Wuest: for God included all within
the state of unbelief in order that He might have mercy upon all.
Young's Literal: for God did shut up together the whole to unbelief, that to the
whole He might do kindness. |
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FOR GOD HAS SHUT UP ALL IN
DISOBEDIENCE: sunekleisen (3SAAI) gar o theos tous pantas eis apeitheian:
(3:9,22;
)
Disobedience (543)
(apeitheo from a = without + peítho = persuade)
describes an unwillingness to be persuaded. It is a willful unbelief (so
not ignorance but obstinacy!). It is interesting that apeitheo is
a stronger term than syn. apistía (570),
disbelief, unbelief, faithlessness or distrust.
Shut up (4788) (sugkleio
from sun = with + kleio = shut, close) means to shut
together with, to shut in on all sides, or to close up together.
Sugkleio was used to describe enclosing of fish in a net in (as in Lu 5:6).
All mankind is like those entrapped fish for all are caught in God's net
which demands perfect righteousness. This truth is similar to Paul's
statement in Galatians regarding the effect of the Scripture (Law)
(Gal 3:22-23, see study of
Galatians 3).
But the Scripture has shut up
all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be
given to those who believe (Galatians 3:22)
The picture also reminds one of (Romans 3:9-10) where "all" (both Jews &
Gentiles) are backed into a corner and shown their totally inadequacy for
holiness and righteousness before a holy God, Paul recording...
What then? Are we better than they?
Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are
all under sin; as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
(see notes )
THAT HE MIGHT
SHOW MERCY TO ALL: hina tous pantas eleese (3SAAS):
Not all will be saved. Paul is not teaching the heresy of "universalism"
but is clearly teaching that God's infinite mercies are
available to all who would seek them from Him. Yes, most of mankind will reject God's mercies
in the process of fitting or preparing themselves for destruction (Ro
9:22, cp Ro 9:17-18) and they are without excuse.
MacDonald explains that...
When we first read this verse, we
might get the idea that God arbitrarily condemned both Jews and Gentiles
to unbelief, and that there was nothing they could do about it. But that
is not the thought. The unbelief was their own doing. What the verse is
saying is this: having found both Jews and Gentiles disobedient, God is
pictured as imprisoning them both in that condition, so that there would
be no way out for them except on His terms.
This disobedience provided scope for
God to have mercy on all, both Jews and Gentiles. There is no suggestion
here of universal salvation. God has shown mercy to the Gentiles and
will yet show mercy to the Jews also, but this does not insure the
salvation of everyone. Here it is mercy shown along national lines.
George Williams says:
God having tested both the Hebrew and
the Gentile nations, and both having broken down under the test, He shut
them up in unbelief so that, being manifestly without merit, and having
by demonstration forfeited all claims and all rights to divine favor, He
might, in the unsearchable riches of His grace, have mercy upon them
all. (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
Do you recall Paul's
declaration in Romans 9:6
But it is not as though the word of
God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from
Israel; God had been trying
to reach the Jews but for the most part they rejected His Son, the
Messiah. Does that mean that God has failed? In this present section of
Romans 11, the answer is a categorical "No, God has not failed." Quite
to the contrary, He has used Israel's rejection of the Messiah as
a means to reach the Gentile world, which He had intended to reach all
along. After having shown mercy to the Gentiles, God now uses the very
same mercies He has shown to the Gentiles to make the Jews jealous and
aware of their rebellion against His Son that they, too, might receive
mercy. What keeps anyone from receiving mercy from God? It is a
self-righteous, self-confident attitude. "I don't need help. I can
handle it myself. I am able to handle all the problems of life on my
own. I don't need God." Any individual or nation with that attitude has
cut himself off from receiving the mercy of God. So God "has shut up
all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all."
Ray Stedman
gives us "an
outstanding illustration of this in the fact that... two prominent
national figures have remained etched in the public mind as an aftermath
of Watergate: Richard Nixon and Charles Colson".
Stedman writes that...
Charles Colson came to the
place where he saw his own rebellion and disobedience to God. He finally
came to a place where he was driven to his knees, where he saw that
without recognizing it or knowing it, he had been involved in evil
things. He began to recognize the extent of it and the control it had in
his life. At last he was driven to the place where he openly committed
himself to the mercy of God. God changed him. In his book
Born Again
he tells how God changed him, healed him, delivered him from prison, and
sent him out again to have a new life. He is traveling across the
country now, telling his story, involved deeply in a great and helpful
ministry to prisoners. He is alive (Ed note: Obviously this was written
prior to his death on April 22, 1994) and enjoying life to the full.
Richard Nixon, on the other hand, has isolated himself in a
self-imposed exile in which he refuses to admit he has ever done
anything wrong. Tormented with the past, he has become a national
pariah, and his life is limited and narrow, crabbed, because he does not
yet know of the mercy of God that is available to one who admits
disobedience. That is the way God works in history. He is constantly
moving in many ways in our individual lives to bring us to an awareness
of our self-righteousness and dependence on ourselves. Paul says the
Jewish nation has not availed themselves of the righteousness of God.
Because they are so determined to establish their own righteousness,
they cannot accept the righteousness that comes by faith. That is their
problem. |
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