III. DISPENSATIONAL (JUDICIAL RIGHTEOUSNESS)--9:1-11:36 (Part III)
C. God's Future Purpose in Israel--11:1-36
1. Remnant of Israel finding salvation--vv. 1-6
a. Has God cast away His people?--v. 1
(I) The Amillennialist
says, "yes."
(II) Paul's answer
(A)
Far be the thought
(1) "Here Paul rejects with horror" the idea "that God had finally
abandoned, 'cast off ' His people Israel.
Let every Christian reject the suggestion with
equal horror." (Newell, 410)
(2) Yet an intellligent Bible believer such as Philip Mauro,
an amillennialist states: "The Last word of
prophecy concerning this people Israel as a nation
was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem by
the Roman armies." "Those who insist upon
what they call 'literal fulfillment' of the promised
blessings that were to come to Israel through
Christ, have completely missed, the mark!" (quoted by
Newell, 410, footnote)
(3) NOTE: THE ONE WHO HAS MISSED THE MARK IS PHILIP MAURO
AND OTHER
AMILLENNIALISTS. THEY ARE MORE INTERESTED
IN MAINTAINING A SYSTEM OF
THEOLOGY THAN IN SUBMITTING TO THE PLAIN TEACHING
OF THE WORD OF
GOD!
(B)
Paul is proof.
(1) An Israelite
(a) Not a proselyte
(b) Of the seed of Abraham
(c) Tribe of Benjamin--i. e.,
not of the ten tribes that broke away from Judah.
(2) Why does Paul set himself forth as an example?
(a) He is representative of Israelites
who have not been rejected, but is still one of God's people.
((I)) Most of the
commentaries hold this view
((II)) Would not bring one
example
((III)) Inconsistent with
the humbleness displayed in Paul
((IV)) The phrase "Far be
the thought" goes beyond the mere denial of a hypothetical fact.
(b) He is implying "How can I say such a thing
who am myself an Israelite"?--this idea is not
consistent with the Greek.
(c) If such a idea was to be conceded, it would
exclude from God's kingdom, Paul himself, as an
Israelite.
((I)) This view agrees with
"Far be the thought" as deprecating the consequences of the
assertion.
((II)) Furthermore, this
view assumes in the hypothesis, a national rejection, which further shows
that the
amillennialist is wrong.
b. God has not cast away His people--v.
2
(I) God foreknew Israel.
(A)
"He is not speaking of knowing about them or their affairs, but of
the fact that to them only had He
made Himself known; because they were foreknown of Him;
that is, acquainted with beforehand,--
before their earthly history began!" (Newell, 410)
(B)
Scripture
(1) Psalm 94:1-14
(2) Isaiah 11:10-16
(3) Amos 9:11-15
(II) The verse here
has to do with Israel as a nation, not "to the elect Christian people
of God from among
the
Jews, with Paul as their representative." Otherwise "the question
of ver. 1 would be self-contradictory,
and
this negation a truism." (Alford, 424-425; italics are his.)
c. A remnant called out--vv. 2-6
(I) Paul again lets
the Scripture speak.
(A)
Quotes 1 Kings 19:10-18
(B)
Elijah was not alone; 7,000 had not bowed to Baal.
(C)
Paul cites this story in a free manner.
(D)
Newell, 411-412 (Italics are his.)--"Here is Divine sovereignty marvelously
illustrated! The nation is
apostate under Ahab and Jezebel; Baal's prophets number hundreds;
and Elijah had fled the land.--back
to Horeb, where the Law was given! Now comes the revelation
that Divine sovereign intervention has
been timely,ample, definite and perfect. God has preserved
seven thousand. This reminds us
immediately of the sealing of 144,000 of Israel
in Revelation Seven. Unbelief or shallow interpretation
would say this merely indicates some indefinite number. Well,
then, go on to say, the 7000 of Elijah's
day were an 'indefinite number,'--and see where your false wisdom
(which is really unbelief) will bring
you!"
(II) Grace's election--v.
5
(A)
At the present time there is a remnant of Israel according to election
of grace.
(1) The present time--the time of Israel's national rejection
(2) Can be rendered "even in the present time"
(B)
A remnant--only a few Jews have abandoned their "Israelitish hope and believed
on Christ as a
common sinner!" (Newell, 412; italics are his.)
(C)
An election of grace
(1) Looks at both grace and election
(2) Election
(a) One must keep in mind that the words "election"
and "elect" vary with the context.
(b) Here the election
((I)) "Selection; choice
of a few out of many"--Alford, 426
((II)) Of grace
(c) This election is, of course, for salvation
unto eternal life.
(3) Grace
(a) Newell, 412--"Only sovereign grace will do
here."
(b) "God's free unmerited favour"--Alford, 426
(III) Grace and works
mutually exclusive--v. 6
(A)
A very important verse
(B)
"Nothing short of the entire exclusion of all human work from
the question"-- Alford, 426
(C)
Two principles are contrasted.
(1) The principle of "grace is God acting sovereignty
according to Himself."--Newell, 412; italics are
his.
(2) The principle of works--"works is man seeking to present
to God a human ground for blessing."--
Newell, 412
(D)
The word "but" directs attention to the consequence of the admission
"if by grace" (Note: the word
"and" is better rendered here as "but.")
(E)
Some commentators say the second clause is spurious and unnecessary, but
Alford. 426 well points out
that Paul would use both clauses
with its parallelism in order to be more precise.
(F)
A clarifying of rendering--"But . . . if by grace
(the selection has been made), it is no longer (when
we have conceded that, we have excluded its being) of
(rising out of, as it source) works: for (in that
case) grace no longer becomes (loses its efficacy
and character as) grace." (Alford, 426; bold type
and italics are his.)
(G)
"If so earned [i. e., by works], there can be no admixture
of divine favour in-the matter; it must be all
earned, or none: none conferred by free grace, or
all." (Alford, 426; italics are his.)
(H)
"These cautions of the Apostle are decisive against all attempts at
compromise between the two great
antagonist hypotheses, of salvation by God's free grace,
and salvation by man's meritorious works. The
two cannot be combined without destroying the plain meaning
of words." (Alford, 426; italics are his.
(I)
Scriptural proof of this contention
(1) Romans 3:20, 28
(2) Romans 4:4, 5
(3) Galatians 2:16
(4) Galatians 3:10-13
(5) Ephesians 2:8-10
(6) 2 Timothy 1:9
(7) Titus 3:5, 6
(8) 1 Peter 1:18, 19
2. Remainder of Israel blinded--vv. 7-12
a. The Scripture states it--vv. 7-10.
(I) The blindness
(A)
Actually means "hardened"
(B)
Paul is drawing a conclusion here as seen by the words, "What then."
(C)
The word "hardened" is passive and implies God as being agent, which further
sets forth Divine
sovereignty.
(D)
"That which he seeketh for" refers, of course, to righteousness.
(E)
National Israel did not obtain righteousness, but the election did, the rest
being hardened.
(II) The quotations
(A)
Verse 8
(1) Isaiah 29:10; 6:9, 10
(2) Spirit of stupor, or numbness
(3) This spirit leads to blind eyes and deaf ears.
(B)
Verses 9, 10
(1) Psalm 69:22, 23
(2) Their table
(a) To be a
((I)) Snare
((II)) Trap--better a net
((III)) Stumbling block
((IV)) Recompense, or retribution
(b) The table was that "at which the Israelites
were privileged to eat with Jehovah." "We know the
priests 'ate before God':
Leviticus 6:16; 7:18,20. But not only was this true of the
priests, but of
the people, in their peace
offerings (Lev. 7:18,19; 23:6) and in their feasts, as in Leviticus 23:6
and Numbers 15:17-21; 18:26,
30, 31; Deuteronomy 12:7,18; 14:23; 27:7." "For the 'table' of
the Israelites was connected
by Jehovah with Himself. Certain things the Israelite might eat,
others not; because he was
one of a holy nation unto Jehovah. But the Israelite quickly
began to
trust not in Jehovah', but
in His manner of eating. . . ." "Without true faith, therefore,
their very
table of privilege
became a snare." (Newell, 414)
(c) The same can be said of much of
Christendom, for note that "hearts harden most quickly when
men are trusting in their
place of special privilege, without fellowship with the God, who gives
it."
Therefore, "with thousands
in Christendom, and even among those who have the Lord's table
most frequently before them.
What but a deadly snare to the soul is the table of the Lord,
without real communion with
the Lord of the table!" (Newell, 413, 414)
(3) Darkened eyes and bowed backs
(a) The Hebrew "speaks of making the loins
to tremble," thus signifying great terror. (Alford, 427)
(b) The darkened eyes "betokens in the Psalm,
a weakened, humbled, servile condition, just as in
Deut. 28:65-67." (Alford,
427-428)
(c) This condition will prevail until Israel
looks unto Him whom they have pierced--Zechariah 12:10.
b. Have they fallen?--vv. 11, 12
(I) Far be the thought
(II) Individuals do stumble
and fall, i. e., are offended and turn away forever.
(III) However, he is talking
about national Israel.
(A) Nationally
they stumbled.
(B) Their
stumbling was not a permanent fall.
(IV) Through their fall
(Authorized Version--some say it should be rendered “trespass”
which apparently
the Greek
term means; however, a trespass is the same as a fall.), salvation has come
to the Gentiles, to
provoke the
Jews to jealousy.
(A) "Two gracious
purposes of God are here stated." (Alford, 428; also the following
statements)
(1) "By this stumble of the Jews out of their national
place in God's favour, and the admission of the
Gentiles into it, the very people thus excluded are
to be stirred up to set themselves in the end
effectually to regain, as a nation, that pre-eminence
from which they are now degraded."
(2) The first purpose--salvation to the Gentiles
(3) The second purpose--restoration of the nation Israel
(B) "God’s
manifest blessing to Gentiles causes the careless, self-satisfied Jew to
awake,-- first to ridicule
Gentile testimony; then,--seeing the reality of Divine visitation
to the despised Gentile, to arouse to a
deep jealousy:" so that they would say, "They have what
we ought to have; but we have lost God's
favor!" (Newell, 417; italics are his.)
(V) Their fall is the riches
of the world and their diminishing, the riches of the Gentiles
(v. 12)
(A) Riches
here are, of course, spiritual.
(B) NOTE:
"Before they fell, if a Gentile wanted to know the true God,
he must become a 'proselyte.' He
must journey up to Jerusalem three times a year; and even then he could
not worship directly. He must
have Levitical priests and forms."--Newell, 417
(C) Now:
the Gentile, or Jew ( since now there is no difference), can come directly
to God in Heaven
through the blood of Christ.
(D) By their
fall and diminishing, spiritual riches have come to us Gentiles.
(1) Cf. Ephesians 2:11-18
(2) Cf. Ephesians 3:1-8
(VI) If the fall of
Israel is the riches of the world and the diminishing of
Israel the riches of the Gentiles, how
much more
Israel's fulness?
(A) The
implication of this latter phrase is that when Israel is restored,
the world and the Gentiles will be
much more spiritually enriched.
(B) Again
in view is the national restoration of Israel, and when that occurs
just before the millennium, then
the world will again experience spiritual blessing unknown even in
this day.
3. Reason for setting aside of Israel--vv. 13-21
a. Seen in Paul's ministry to the
Gentiles--vv. 13-15
(I) NOTE: Paul
is not addressing believers as such here, for in Christ there is neither
Jew nor Gentile. He is
speaking
to Gentiles as opposed to Jews.
(II) He seems to be
boasting here, but not in the light of v. 14 (NOTE: also Paul
had to constantly defend his
apostleship.).
(III) The reason why
he, as apostle to the Gentiles, gloried in his ministry
(A)
Verse 14
(B)
Provoke the Jews to jealousy
(C)
This provoking was to the end that some might be saved.
(IV) Why Paul is so
concerned with Israel
(A)
Verse 15
(B)
The "for" shows a reason why Paul is concerned for Israel.
(1) His desire repeatedly state was that his own kinsmen might
be saved.
(a) Romans 9:1-3
(b) Romans 10:1
(2) His desire also is for Israel's national recovery, .for
it "will bring about the blessed consummation of
all believers."--Alford, 429
(C)
By their being cast away, the world was reconciled.
(1) 2 corinthians 5:19
(2) Newell, 419-420--"As long as God held fellowship with Israel
on the ground of the old legal
covenant, Gentiles were out of His direct
favor, unless they became Jewish proselytes. Upon
Israel's rejection of their Messiah and
not until then (for Christ came first to Israel"--as seen in
Matthew 10:5) "could God 'reconcile' the world
to Himself."
(D)
Their being received again will be considered life from the dead.
(1) Refers metaphorically to a general conversion of the
world, some say.
(a) God has reconciled the world to Himself,
so this statement here would be unnecessary.
(b) Such a general conversion of Gentiles
at the Jews return is contrary to Scriptural teaching.
(2) Refers to a literal resurrection following Jewish restoration
in the form of the general resurrection at
the great consummation of all things, some
say.
(a) Again no such teaching is in the Scriptures.
(b) This phrase only occurs here, and is never
used in connection with bodily resurrection.
(3) Refers to the blessings of the millennium
(a) This may not be a literal interpretation
of the phrase, but it fits the context.
(b) It also fits the figurative language that
follows.
(c) Newell, 420--In view of the fact that
the casting away of the Jew is the reconciling of the world,
"then judge what blessing
will come when God 'receives' them! It will indeed be 'life from
the
dead'! For this world
has never seen what shall then be seen:" "Not ever in Eden, before
man's
sin, was" the knowledge of
the Lord filling the earth as waters fill the sea seen. "And all this
waits
the receiving of God's
earthly people, elect Israel! God must have them back in their land,
to
become 'a joy to the whole
earth.'"
(d) See
((I)) Isaiah 11:9
((II)) Isaiah 40:1-5
(e) If this phrase refers to anything else,
it is still immediately tied in with the restoration of the nation
Israel--perhaps Paul had
before his mind, Ezekiel 37:1-14.
b. The olive tree figure--vv. 16-21
(I) First fruit and
lump--v. 16a
(A)
The first fruit
(1) Not the first fruits of the field which were to be
offered to the Lord--cf. Leviticus 23:10
(2) The first portion of the kneaded dough offered unto
the Lord--Numbers 15:19, 20
(3) It refers to"believing Israel of the old days"--Jeremiah
2:2, 3. (Newell, 420)
(4) It could refer to the same thing as the root.
(B)
The lump
(1) The rest of the kneaded dough
(2) It may refer to the restored Israel in the Millennium.
(3) Israel still God's people --cf. Galatians 6:16
(II) The olive tree--vv.
16b- 21
(A)
The root
(1) Refers to Abraham
(a) Thus, through the promise given to Abraham
both Jew and Gentile are blessed.
((I)) The Jew through the
national promises
((II)) The Gentile through
the universal promise
(b) There is some objections to this in that
Abraham's other children could have a claim.
(2) Refers to the place of blessing
(a) However, this blessing comes to the Jew through
the Abrahamic Covenant.
(b) The blessing to the Gentile also comes via
the same covenant.
(B)
The branches
(1) The natural branches represent National Israel.
(2) The wild olive branches
(a) Represent Gentiles
(b) Some have criticized this passage, because,
they say, it shows agricultural inaccuracy. Farmers
graft good branches into
a wild tree, not the other way around. The answer to this criticism
lies in
verse 24--"grafted contrary
to nature."
(3) Though salvation has come to the Gentiles, because the natural
branches were broken off , the
Gentiles are not to boast lest God spare not
them.
(a) Not to boast because wild branches don't
bear the root, but the root bears them--v. 18
(b) Not to boast because if God did not
spare the natural branches--because of unbelief --He will
not spare the wild branches.
(c) This passage does not teach, as some try
to say, that a believer can lose his salvation, for he is
speaking to Gentiles, not
believers as such--NOTE: IT IS GENTILES IN THE PLACE OF
BLESSING THAT IS IN VIEW
(which blessing, of course, leads to salvation of these who
believe).
(d) Paul is speaking here of Gentiles "as
having at present come into God's general favor--which the
Jews had, but of which
they are at present deprived. Gentiles, not Jews, at present are the
field
of God's operations on earth.
They are favored, as Israel once was. And they have, therefore,
like responsibilities. If
Israel was 'cut off'' through unbelief, Gentiledom must beware lest
not
abiding in that 'goodness' in which
God has set the Gentiles (that is, in that direct Divine favor,--
without law, or religion, in which
God has put Gentiledom), it also shall be cut off! For God did
not give Gentiledom a Law, with
its '10,000 things', as He gave Israel. He gave Gentiledom the
gospel only. He gave them
Paul; and the message of GRACE.
"Now, if they go back to
'religion', or if they forget or neglect God's great salvation, it
is to desert
God's 'goodness'; and thus to be
shortly 'cut off.'
"And they have done just that,--as
we know too well! If Gentiledom has 'continued' in God's
uncaused grace and goodness, what
meaneth then this bleating in our ears of liturgies, masses,
holy days, even prayers for the
dead? What meaneth all this buzz of 'administering sacraments',
of
'vestments', of holy orders,'
of priestcraft? Why these vast cathedrals? This lavish
outpouring for
great 'religious' establishments?
The apostles had none of this! God commanded none of it.
Nay,
He forbade it! 'The most High
dwelleth not in temples made with hands'! The Jews stoned
Stephen, who dared to say so! And
see the Popes burning like witnesses! And 'Modern'
Denominations turning faithful preachers
out of churches! [even installing immoral bishops]
"No; Gentiledom has deserted the
'goodness' of God, for a Judao-pagan system with 'Christian'
names. And Gentiledom will
be cut off." (Newell, 419, footnote; all capitals and italics are his.)
(e) Verses 20, 21 strongly warn Gentiles of boasting
and pride, against the Jews.
((I)) Boasting is excluded by the
very nature of salvation --Ephesians 2:8, 9
((II)) "The Gentile 'stands' by
his faith,-- not by his superiority to the Jews! 'High-mindedness'
is
the contrary
of the 'fear' here enjoined (the root of which is humility,
consciousness of
unworthiness)."--Newell,
423
((III)) Verse 21 tells why fear.
4. Restoration of Israel--vv .22-32
a. Their partial blindness...~vv. 22-21
(I) Continuation of
olive branch figure--vv. 22-24
(A)
The goodness and severity of God--v. 22
(1) The severity of God
(a) Sharpness or rigor
(b) "towards them who fell," i.
e., national Israel who "fell into self-righteousness, pride, and
rejection
of their Messiah."
(Newell, 423)
(2) The goodness of God
(a) Moral goodness, integrity
(b) "towards thee," i. e.,
Gentiles
(c) "If thou continue in His goodness."
((I)) Salvation through Christ
Jesus by Faith alone
((II)) Has the Gentile so
continued?--The record "is ghastly!
"First. as
to sending out the gospel: After nearly 2000 years, much of the
human race knows
nothing of
Christ.
"Then, as
to salvation by grace preached to lost men, apart from law and from ordinances,
we
see, instead,
'good character' preached up as the way of acceptance; the simple supper
of the
Lord called
'these holy mysteries, and baptism, instead of a glad confession of
a known
Savior, relied
on as a means of regeneration.'
"Instead of
simple gatherings (as at the first), of believers unto the name
of Christ their Lord,
relying on
the presence of the Holy Spirit solely, (as at the first), we see great
Judao-pagan
temples, and
an elaborate service. And would this were in Rome only!
"Instead
of the free, general common priesthood of believers in the fellowship
of prayer and
faith (as
in apostolic days) we see thousands upon thousands of professing Christians
that
have never
prayed or praised openly in the assembly of His saints; myriads who
do not have
even the assurance
of salvation (though Christ, who bore sin for them, has been received
up
on High).
Contrast with this Acts 2:42."
"We see open,
general, horrible idolatry, in both the Greek and Roman cathedrals;
and a
growing tendency
to put up 'crosses' instead of preaching 'the word of the
cross,' in
so-called
'protestant' places!
"We see
great state Churches, a thing unknown and impossible in scripture; and we
see
professing
Christians divided into 'denominations,' each with its own 'program'--ignoring
wholly Paul's
words in 1 Cor. 1:12, 13 and 3:2-4; and not at all walking in the consciousness
of the
One body. Indeed, instead of the unity of the Spirit, they
are ready to establish
horrible outward
earthly union of all 'professing Christians,' 'modernists,' and Jews--in
short,all
'religionists.'"--Newell 425, 426; italics are his.
(d) Therefore, God say of Gentiles, "THOU
SHALT BE CUT OFF."
((I)) What fearful words
((II)) God is about to write,
"Ichabod" over the Gentiles--cf. I Samuel 4:21
((III)) Revelation 3:14-22
((IV)) "Instead of
continuing in God's goodness, Gentile 'Christendom' has set up the
'Christian
religion';
and has settled down upon earth as if the Church belonged here; and
as if Christ
might not
come at any moment! If you dream Christendom has continued in
the humble
gospel of
grace, and the goodness of God in giving His Son
to shed His blood for lost
sinners, just
examine the 'religious' pronouncements in the press!"--Newell, 427; italics
are his.
(B)
Israel regrafted --vv. 23, 24
(1) Israel will yet cease their unbelief and look upon Him in
faith Whom they pierced.
(2) Then God will regraft them to the good olive tree--the place
of blessing.
(3) Many are the prophecies that show that Israel will not remain
in unbelief.
(a) Zechariah 12:10
(b) Zechariah 13
(c) Jeremiah 31:23-40
(4) Paul's argument here is that if God broke off the
natural branches to graft in wild branches, then
one must not think it unreasonable if God
sees fit to break off the wild branches to regraft the
natural ones.
(II) The partial blinding
of Israel until the fulness of Gentiles comes in--vv. 25-27
(A)
Now Paul speaks to believers.
(1) Brethren
(2) Note: "God" has "certain secrets which He tells His
saints,--and of which they do not well to be
ignorant,--as, alas, so many of them are!
Here then, is stated to us one of these Divine mysteries,
or secrets, and it will protect us from Gentile
pride, in these days of the dazzling greatness of the
Gentile times depicted in Daniel" 2 and 3.--Newell,
431
(B)
Wise in your own conceits--"that ye do not take to yourselves the credit
for wisdom superior to that of
the Jews, in having acknowledged and accepted Jesus as the Son
of God."--Alford, 434
(C)
The partial .blindness
(1) Actually "hardening in part"
(2) Cf. v. 7
(3) "is happened"
(a) A perfect tense
(b) Past event with present results
(4) Ends with the fulness of the Gentiles is come in
(5) Hardening is partial because there is an election of
grace--cf. v. 5.
(D)
The fulness of the Gentiles
(1) NOTE: Keep in mind that nations are in view--Gentile
versus Israel.
(2) Therefore, as Alford points out: This passage has
"no regard for the time to the individual
destinies of Gentiles or Jews."
(page 435; italics are his.)
(3) Newell neglects this fact in stating there is a definite
number of people to be saved, of which only
God knows.
(4) The fulness, then, refers not to number of Gentile
individuals, but to nations. This fulness will be
reached when every nation has had the gospel--cf.
Revelation 5:9.
(5) Many commentators in order to avoid the plain implication
of these verses have mangled the word
"until." Some, like Calvin render it as
"that."
(6) However, the verb "come" is in the aorist subjunctive.
(a) Note 1: Dana and Mantey (page 170)
point out that the future and aorist subjunctive were used
interchangeably, and also
the fact that "the idea of futurity is almost invariably connected
with the
subjunctive."
(b) Note 2: Alford states: "But with
a subj. of the aorist, a possible future event is indicated,
which when it enters puts
an end to the former:" in this case the partial blindness of Israel.
(page 435; italics are his.)
(E)
All Israel shall be saved--vv. 26, 27
(1) "This is the real, elect, spared nation of the
future"--Newell, 432.
(2) What is meant by "all Israel"
(a) Any interpretation that takes Israel to mean
anything but Israel must be wrong.
(b) Some take it to mean the elect believers
of Israel in the Church.
((I)) Objection 1: The
church is not in view in the passage, but rather Gentile nations versus
national Israel.
((II)) Objection 2: In
the church there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile.
(c) It means the remnant of Israel remaining
after the Divine judgments of the Great Tribulation.
((I)) This accords with our
verse.
((II)) Accords with Zechariah
13:8, 9
((III)) Accords with the
possibility of the Antichrist being a Jew, whose end is the lake of
fire--
Revelation
19:20.
(3) Scriptural proof--v. 26b, 27
(a) Probably a combination of several
prophecies
((I)) Cf. Isaiah 59:20
((II)) Continues with Isaiah
59:2
((III)) The rest may be from
another part of Isaiah or from Jeremiah.
(b) Alford (page 436) may be right when he implies
that Paul was giving the general sense of the Old
Testament prophets rather
than specifically quoting any passage.
(c) Undoubted the covenant refered to is the
New covenant for Israel given in Jeremiah 31 and other
passages.
b. The election of Israel--vv.
28-32
(I) Now enemies in
view of the gospel, but beloved in view of the election--v. 28
(A)
Enemies concerning the gospel for our sakes
(B)
Beloved concerning the election for the fathers' sake (Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob)
(C)
"Gentile believers are so prone to forget both of these things, especially
if they behold a poor
wretched son of Israel, or a proud and self-vaunting one,
or even a wealthy one! Anti-Semitism, or
Jew-hatred, arises, first, from Gentile rebellion against the
Divine national election of Israel; and second,
from envy toward them because of their wealth and power.
Let no Christian give way to anti-Semitism."
--Newell, 438
(II) God does not
repent of His promises--v. 29.
(A)
"For the gifts and calling of God are irretractable." (Alford, 436)
(B}
If He did, what assurance would we have that God would not repent of
saving us?
(C)
Praise God, His promises stand sure!
(D)
Therefore. "We may trust a God Who refuses to allow the utter failure of
Israel--nay , the idolatrous
wickedness and apostasy of Israel--to alter His 'determination
of blessing.'" "And He will see that"
these blessings will be given to Israel, "not only in the coming
.kingdom, the millennium; but in the new
creation," even as He repeatedly promised them. (Newell,
438-439)
(III) Mercy on all--vv.
30-32
(A)
Gentiles obtained mercy through Israel's unbelief--v. 30
(1) In times past unbelievers--cf . Ephesians 2:1-3
(2) Israel's unbelief was the rejecting of the way of
salvation by faith apart from works and faith in
God's message concerning the Christ whom their
nation had rejected and crucified."--Newell, 439,
footnote
(B)
The Jew now and in the future will obtain mercy--vv. 31, 32.
(1) The Jew in this present time must obtain mercy in the same
way as the Gentile for there is no
difference.
(2) In the future, national Israel, "Having proved utterly
disobedient, having lost all claim on God, they
will at last be met by God on the same great
principle of mercy, and mercy alone." "They will
be
brokenly conscious forever
of being the objects of the absolute uncaused mercy of
Jehovah their
God! Thus they will be able to trust and
rejoice in Jehovah, as the true Church-saint now trusts and
rejoices and glories in God as the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ who associated with His own Son
in the same sovereign mercy!" (Newell, 440, 441;
italics are his.)
(3) God has shut all up together that He might have mercy on
all.
(a) Cf. Romans 3:23 (also v. 9 and 19)
(b) Possibly Paul is anticipating "the mercies
of God" of 12:1; Newell, 441(Italics are his.)--"It is not
only that God has dealt with
us in grace--unearned favor; but that He has shown mercy when
all
was hopeless! We may
venture to say that it is only in those who learn to regard themselves as
the objects of the
Divine mercy, of uncaused Divine compassion, that the deepest foundation
for
godliness of life will
be, or can be, laid."
5. Reason for restoring Israel--vv. 33-36
a. The riches of the wisdom of
God--vv. 33- 35
(I) The nature of
these riches--v. 33
(A)
Deep
(1) Greek--bathos from which we get bathysphere
(2) Here connotes "immense amount or "inexhaustible
abundance."
(3) Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10
(4) Psalm 36:6
(B)
Consists of
(1) Two things, not three
(a) Some commentators say it is "depth of
riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God."
(b) Greek allows it, but context implies Authorized
Version..
((I)) See 10:12
((II)) See.11:12
(2) Wisdom
(a) Sophia
(b) Basically means "broad and full
intelligence"
(c) Here refers to "supreme intelligence"
(3) Knowledge
(a) Gnosis--from which is our English
word "gnostic"
(b) "General intelligence, understanding"
(c) "When gnosis and sophia are
used together as here the former [gnosis] seems to be knowledge
regarded by itself , the
latter [sophia] wisdom as exhibited in action."--Thayer, 119
(C)
Unsearchable
(1) His judgments
(a) The determination of His wisdom, regarded
as in the Divine mind
(b) Probably answers to "knowledge"
(2) His ways
(a) "His ways unable to be traced out" (Alford,
438)
(b) His methods of proceeding
(c) Answers to"wisdom"
(3) God's judgments and ways are not learned by searching, but
by God given revelation which is the
Word of God, the Bible.
(a) Do you want to know God's judgments and
ways?
(b) Stop your reasoning and idle speculation
and read and search the Bible. Then believe it!
(4) Scripture
(a) Deuteronomy 29:29
(b) Job 11:7
(c) Psalm 139:6
(d) Ecclesiastes 3:1
(e) Ecclesiastes 8:17
(II) The possessor
of these riches--v. 34
(A)
Mankind generally?
(1) Appears to be quoting freely Isaiah 40:13
(2) Never!
(3) "Know the mind of the Lord" may again refer to the
"knowledge of God" in v. 33.
(4) The phrase "hath been His counselor" may be refering to
the "wisdom" of v. 33.
(5) See
(a) Jeremiah 23:18
(b) 1 Corinthians 2:14, 16a
(B)
The believer
(1) Not explicit or implied in this verse
(2) True by virtual of being in Christ
(3) Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:15,16b; also see 1:24, 2:6, 7, 9, 10
(III) God the perfect
Giver--35
(A)
Certainly puts us in our place.--cf. 1 Corinthians 4:7
(B)
You can't outgive God.
(C)
Newell, 443--"Men love to think of themselves as 'creators' of this
and of that. But man has created
nothing. He is the user, for a few days, of this
present creation of God. He may even 'discover' some
substance or force that God long since created. Man must
needs boast of his 'inventions,' his
'creations,' his greatness, and especially his 'progress.'
But alack, the undertaker comes along and hauls
him away! "Yes, says Paul, if somebody has actually
supplied something to God, God will quickly
recompense him! He will be in no creature's debt!"
(D)
Cf. Job 35:7
b. The Theocentric universe--v. 36
(I) The Center of
the universe
(A)
Not the earth
(B)
Not the sun
(C)
GOD
(II) All things are
of Him.
(A)
Literally, "out from Him are all things"
(B)
Cf. 1 Corinthians 8:6
(C)
Repeatedly the Scriptures teach that God is the source of "all
things."
(D)
Cf. Colossians 1:16a; Hebrews 1:2b; and John 1:3
(III) All things are
through Him.
(A)
"Through" in the sense that He is the Agent by which all thing come into
being.
(B)
Cf. Colossians 1:16b--Created "by Him", say some, should read "through
Him."
(1) The Greek preposition is dia rendered in Romans 11:36
as "through"; Colossians 1:16b also has the
word dia.
(2) However, according to Dana and Mantey, 102, dia has
the remote meaning of "by" as an
intermediate agency.
(3) Thus, the King James Version is perfectly correct.
(4) Note also that all things are created by Him as the
intermediate agent as well as created through
Him.
(IV) All things are
unto Him or for Him.
(A)
Hebrews 2:10a
(B)
Colossians 1:16b
(V) All things are
held together by Him.
(A)
Not explicit in v. 36, but implied
(B)
Cf. Colossians 1:17
(C)
Cf. Hebrews 1:.3
(VI) A veiled reference
to the Trinity
(A)
All things from God the Father as source
(B)
All things through God the Son as instrument
(C)
All things unto or in God the Spirit as the power
(VII) NOTE: "All
things"
(A)
Include
(1) The sun, moon, and stars
(2) The earth, and planets
(3) Plants and animals
(4) Our
(a) Bodies--Psalm 139:14
(b) Souls--Job .38:36
(c) Spirits
(B)
Newell, 444--"Against this the serpent and his seed constantly fight and
war. If Satan cannot get
himself worshipped, he will beget in man's wicked mind a philosophy
of 'evolution'--a theory that all
things came about by blind uncaused 'development.' But
men, professing themselves to be wise,
become 'fools.'"
(VIII) The doxology
.
(A)
"To Him be the glory for ever. Amen."
(B)
The rendering that some give "the glory unto the ages. Amen." is an
equally valid.
(C)
"What a prospect for a redeemed sinner! In the ages to come--ages of
worship without end, in which
glory will be ascribed to God, --and that with ever-increasing
delight!" (Newell, 444)
(D)
Amen
(1) Comes from a Hebrew word meaning, "to be firm"
(2) Metaphorically means "faithful," or "So be it," or "May
it be fulfilled."
(3) May we ever praise the Lord for His faithfulness to the
nation Israel--particularly in the light of what
is occurring in the Middle East, and thus to
us who are believers in this present age as we await the
appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ in the
air to receive us unto Himself!