Romans 11

I'm writing a series of articles on the book of Romans, which, as you know, is one of the more difficult and controversial books of the New Testament. This is not going to be a verse-by-verse analysis by any means, but I will write a lengthy article on each chapter of this sixteen-chapter book. I hope that you find this helpful.

The eleventh chapter of Romans is often perceived as being one of the more difficult chapter of the book, but really, it is not that difficult. The theme of this chapter is nothing new: the Jews who were once God's chosen people were no longer God's chosen people for now salvation was through the Messiah, Jesus Christ and not the old law.

Oddly enough, many religious people interpret this chapter to mean that the Jews are still God's chosen people and that they have a special role in God's future plan. There are those, of course, who view all Jews at all times as automatically saved. In the political realm, these individuals are called Zionists because of their desire to preserve Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. Then there are others who acknowledge the apostasy of Israel but contend that there will one day be a great revival during which the Jewish people will finally embrace the Messiah. Both theories assign a special role to physical Israel in the current and/or future plan of God. I contend that both positions are false, and I hope to explain my reasoning as I commentate on Romans 11.

Romans 11:1 says, "I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not!" Let's stop here for a moment. His people are the Israelites, and at first glance, it may appear that Paul is affirming the ongoing election of the Jews, but he is not. Notice what he says in the latter part of verse one. How was it that God hadn't cast away the Jews? "For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." Had God utterly forsaken the Jews and flippantly cast them off? No! They still had access to salvation, and Paul was a perfect example of this fact. Paul was saved in that he, as a Jewish man, converted to Christ. So Paul is not saying that the Jews were all still saved because, after all, they're Jews and God would never forsake His precious Jews. The apostle is very clearly saying that God had not abandoned the Jewish people to hopelessness...they COULD be saved...through Christ, just as Paul had been saved through Christ. This is the point of the entire chapter.

"God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew" (vv. 2). After all, "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (vv. 4). In other words, despite the faithlessness of Israel, there were some Israelites, like Paul, who were still faithful. They were faithful in that they had converted to Christianity. This "remnant" (vv. 5) was saved according to the "election of grace." The rest of Israel had been "blinded" according to verse seven (also see 2 Cor. 3:14-18).

Paul goes on in Romans 11:11-12 to emphasize one of the benefits of Israel's blindness and apostasy. The fall of Israel led to the salvation of the Gentiles. The salvation of the Gentiles was then intended to provoke the people of Israel to jealousy, that they might seek the Lord.

Notice verses 13-14: "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." Who can argue the fact that the Jews were and are lost? Paul implies as much when he says "...and save some of them." And this is consistent with such passages as Romans 10:1 which says, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved."

The entire middle section of Romans 11 contains a kind of metaphor. The image of a natural olive tree is contrasted with that of a wild olive tree. The natural tree represented salvation and the natural branches were the people of Israel while the wild olive tree represented the Gentiles. Wild olive branches were being grafted into the natural olive tree. In other words, the Gentiles were now partaking of the benefits of salvation which the Jews had long enjoyed. Even though this is great news for the Gentiles, Paul tries to humble and caution them. In verses 20-22, the apostle warned them, "Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 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." This passage simultaneously denies the once saved, always saved theory.

For the sake of time, let's skip ahead to verse 26, another commonly misunderstood text. Paul says here, "And so all Israel will be saved..." As you might imagine, there are many, many people who love this verse simply because, in their mind, it reinforces the concept that physical Israel maintains its lofty place in the plan of God.

Based on this verse, it is argued that all Jews are saved, despite their rejection of Christ. But that is the very opposite of what Paul is saying. The word "so" means in this manner. In this manner, all Israel will be saved. In what manner? Paul answers that question by quoting a prophecy from Isaiah. "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." It is through the Deliverer, Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, that the Jews could be saved. Isn't this wht Paul has been saying all along? It's not that all Jews are literally saved simply because they are Jews. ALL Jews can be saved through Christ. Romans 10 articulates the conditions of salvation in Christ. Belief, confession and obedience through repentance and baptism!

"For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable," Paul adds in verse 29. That's right! After embracing the Jews as His people for thousands of years, God did not suddenly abandon them to hopelessness; He didn't turn His back on them. They still had access to salvation, but it was now through Christ.

It is a simple point and one that we should never forget: whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, black or white, male or female, salvation is ONLY in Christ (Jn. 14:6; Ac. 4:12).