Chapter 11
Israel is not permanently cast away. In verse one, Paul says I am also an Israelite. He’s even a Roman citizen. There are some Jews who have been chosen by God and who have embraced the gospel. There is still a remnant. As a whole Israel had rejected their Messiah but a substantial remnant embraces the gospel of Christ and God has often worked through a faithful remnant (even with Noah and the ark).
6-10 Grace is a free gift of God. It is not given with any eye to the performance or potential in the one receiving, but only given out of the kindness of the giver.
11-14
Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.
- Certainly not! Paul has shown that God is still working through a remnant of Israel today, but wants to make it clear that the sinning majority of Israel is not lost forever.
- Through their fall … salvation has come to the Gentiles: We should not forget that in many instances the gospel only went out to the Gentiles after the Jewish people rejected it (Acts 13:46, 18:5-6, 28:25-28). In this sense, the rejection of the gospel by the Jews was riches for the Gentiles.
It wasn’t that the Jewish rejection of Jesus was Messiah caused Gentiles to be saved. It merely gave more opportunity for the gospel to go to the Gentiles, and many Gentiles took advantage of this opportunity.
- If by any means I may provoke to jealousy: Yet, Paul’s desire isn’t only that these riches would be enjoyed by the Gentiles only, but that the Jews would be provoked to a good kind of jealousy, motivating them to receive some of the blessings the Gentiles enjoyed.
25-27 God’s plan for Israel includes their eventual restoration. This is a plan for ethnic Israel, not spiritual Israel. Proof that this is not spiritual Israel is that Paul says this is a mystery – and it is no mystery that spiritual Israel will be saved.
All Israel will be saved: This does not mean there will be a time when every last person of Jewish descent will be saved. Instead, this is a time when Israel as a whole will be a saved people, and when the nation as a whole (especially its leadership) embraces Jesus Christ as Messiah. I don’t claim to understand all that God has planned for Israel so this represents my best attempt to wrap my head around it.
28-29
God’s love and calling for Israel still endures.
hitherbygraceblog 