Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (10.5)

The Epistle to the Romans

Romans 11:25-36 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

v.25 Paul arouses the attention of the reader by saying "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant.... " Paul was speaking of a mystery. A mystery (in the Bible) is a truth that could not be known other than by God's revelation. The entry of the Gentiles into the church was a mystery (EPH 1:9,10, 3:3-6) to the Jews. The Gentile Christians tended to be wise in their own conceits – thinking that they were better than the Jews who were rejected. The spiritual blindness of the Jews in the N.T. age was in part (ie, partial) both in extent (many Jews were converted) and in the period of time.  This blindness of the Jews would end when "the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Exactly what this phrase means is not clear. It does not mean that every Gentile will be saved before the blindness is removed. It does not mean that all those elect Gentiles will be saved (because after the conversion of the nation of Israel, the Jews would be instrumental to save other Gentiles). Prophecy is different from history (where the details of the event are recorded). Because of our spiritual blindness, many of the details of prophecy can only be learnt by the event itself, ie, the miraculous predictions of prophecy are only fully appreciated after the event has occurred.

v.26 When the "fulness of the Gentiles be come in," then all Israel shall be saved, ie, as a nation: In other words, they were to restored in the manner that they were rejected - as a nation (see v.11,15). As the rejection of the Jews is not total, neither will the salvation of the Jews be total. In this whole context Paul is not speaking of individuals but of Israel as a nation. Just as we often deal with organisations according to their collective responsibility, so God often deals with us as communities. Therefore, we must be prayerful for the communities that we are in. If God cast off the Jewish nation because of unfaithfulness, so we must expect Him to cast any unfaithful church.

v.27 God covenanted (ie, made a promise) with the Jews to send them a Deliverer.

v.28 In this and the following verses, Paul summarises what he had previously taught, ie, in order that the Gospel might be given to the Gentiles, God treated the Jews as enemies. But as touching (ie, regarding) God's election of Israel as His people, as promised to the fathers (ie, the patriachs), the Jews would always be God's people.

v.29 Just as the election to eternal life of individuals (ie, calling of God) is eternal and unchangeable (ie, without repentance), so the election of Israel as God's nation is eternal and unchangeable.

v.30 This is repeated, to teach the Gentiles to be grateful to the Jews for their salvation. In fact we should pray for the restoration of Israel because it would be a blessing for the world. The unbelief of the Jews was a blessing to the Gentiles (v.12), and the salvation of the Gentile would eventually be a blessing to the Jews (v.31).

v.31 Through the mercy of the Gentiles who preach to the Jews, the Jews will obtain mercy.

v.32 God has concluded (ie, shut up, delivered) all in unbelief, as a punishment for their unbelief. Both Gentile and Jew were such hardened unbelievers, that except for God's mercy upon them all they would never be saved.

v.33 Paul having explained the plan of redemption pours out this tribute to God. Indeed, how inexhaustible and unimagianble (ie, unsearchable) are His judgements, and His ways.

v.34 Since His ways are so unsearchable, who has known His mind, or who can advice Him (ie, be his counsellor).

v.35 God is all-sufficient, and all that we have is from Him, so who hath done anything for Him, so that God is obliged to repay?

v.36 God is under no obligation because He is the source (ie, of him), the means (ie, through him) and the object (ie, to him) of all things. All things are for His glory - because He is our All-in-all. This is a befitting ending for the doctrinal portion of this epistle - leaving us with this vital principle - that God is the source of all good, and that in fallen men there is no merit nor ability.