What Is Romans 9-11 About? Part Four
The main question Paul is answering in Romans 9-11 is: Has God’s word failed concerning Israel, since they rejected Jesus as the Christ (Romans 9:6)?
The word of God is the prophecies of God in the Hebrew Bible concerning Israel.
In Romans 9-11, Paul shows from the Hebrew Bible that the word of God concerning Israel had not failed but was being fulfilled in the first-century.
To do this, Paul asks and answers a series of questions in Romans 9-11.
One of these questions is:
I ask, then, have they [the non-elect in Israel] stumbled [over the stone, Jesus] in order to [for the purpose of] fall [falling into judgment]? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling [rejection of Jesus as the Christ], salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.
Romans 11:11 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
This question goes back to Romans 11:9 where Paul quotes Psalm 69:22 which reads,
May their [unbelieving Israel who rejected Jesus] table become
a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
In Romans 11:9, Paul states that Israel’s stumbling over Jesus, the stone (Daniel 2:34; 44-45; Psalm 118:22-23; Matthew 21:42-44; Luke 20:17-18; 1 Peter 2:4-8; Acts 4:11; 1 Corinthians 1:33; Romans 9:32-33), was not for the purpose of bringing judgment on them but was so salvation would go to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.
Israel becoming jealous of the Gentile’s relationship with God was foretold by God in Deuteronomy 32:21.
They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God [the idols of the nations];
they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those
who are not a people [Gentiles]; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding.
(Berean Standard Bible)
We see Israel’s jealousy of the Gentiles in Acts (Acts 13:46; 18:6; 28:28).
Paul’s Goal Was For Some In Israel To Be Saved
Paul was sent by Jesus to proclaim his message of grace to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 13:46-47; 22:21; 26:16-18; Romans 1:5; Galatians 2:8; Ephesians 3:7-8; 1 Timothy 2:7).
Paul’s goal was that some in Israel would become jealous of the Gentiles’ faith in Jesus, and, as a result, would place their faith in Jesus and be saved.
Paul writes in Romans 11:13-14,
I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles,
I take pride in my ministry [to the Gentiles] in the hope that I may somehow arouse
my own people to envy and save some of them.
The Riches Of Grace Brought To The World/Gentiles
Israel’s initial rejection of Jesus as the Christ resulted in the riches of God’s grace being brought to the world/Gentiles.
But if their trespass [Israel’s rejection of Jesus as the Christ] means riches for the world,
and their failure [to receive Jesus as the Christ] means riches for the Gentiles,
how much greater riches will their fullness [Israel’s receiving Jesus as the Christ] bring!
Romans 11:12
The riches brought to the world…to the Gentiles…are the riches of God’s grace that he has fully given to all people through Jesus but are received by faith in Jesus (Ephesians 1:6-7; 1:18; 2:6-7; 3:8, 16; Colossians 1:27; 2:2).
These riches came to the world/Gentiles through the rejection of Jesus by Israel.
However, if the riches of God’s grace came to the world/Gentiles though Israel’s rejection of Jesus, how much more will the riches of God’s grace go to the world/Gentiles through Israel’s acceptance of Jesus?
Paul writes in Romans 11:15,
For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
In this verse, we learn that Israel’s rejection of Jesus as the Christ resulted in the death of Jesus, which brought reconciliation of the world to God.
Paul explains reconciliation in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
God Reconciled The World To Himself
God reconciled the world to himself when Jesus took upon himself the sins of the world (see also 1 John 2:2).
Reconciliation means that people’s sins have been removed and cannot prevent anyone from being in relationship with God.
All sins for all people were counted against Jesus at the cross.
Those who place their faith in Jesus receive forgiveness and righteousness, bringing them into relationship with God.
Paul, as an ambassador of Christ, took this message to the world/Gentiles (2 Corinthians 4:15; 5:20).
Israel’s Acceptance Of Jesus Is Life
Paul writes in Romans 11:15 that Israel’s acceptance of Jesus as the Christ is life from the dead.
Jesus referred to Israel as dead (read John 5:21-47).
They were spiritually dead, separated from God.
They were judicially dead under the Law of Moses.
However, those who believed in Jesus as the Christ crossed over from death to life (John 5:24).
Those who rejected him would be condemned in judgment (John 5:29).
The people of Israel lived under the condemnation of the old covenant of law.
It was a ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7-8).
The final old covenant judgment of Israel was near when Paul wrote Romans.
It is the same judgment Jesus said was coming on Israel’s land, cities, and people (Luke 10:13-15; 21:5-24).
This judgment included the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (Matthew 23:33-24:1).
This judgment occurred from AD 66-70 when the Roman armies marched through Israel, eventually surrounding and destroying Jerusalem and the temple.
Over a million Israelites were killed and nearly 100,000 were taken captive to the nations.
The Israelites who believed in Jesus as the Christ were not included in this judgment because they crossed over from death to life when they believed in Jesus.
Through belief in Jesus, they were brought from spiritual and judicial death to spiritual and judicial life.
Let’s Return To Romans 11:15
For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
Paul’s point is that if Israel’s rejection of Jesus resulted in the forgiveness of the world’s sins, how much greater would their acceptance be for themselves…life from the dead.
Israel was dead under the old covenant of law.
But through faith in Jesus, they would be spiritually resurrected from the dead (John 11:25).
Let’s now examine Romans 11:16-24.
Dough, Firstfruits and Batch, Root and Branches
Paul writes in Romans 11:16,
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy,
then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
The dough is Israel.
The firstfruits of Israel were the patriarchs of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The whole batch is all of Israel - all twelve tribes.
Paul emphasizes this in Romans 11:28.
…but as far as election [of Israel as a nation] is concerned, they [the whole batch
of dough, meaning all twelve tribes of Israel, even those who rejected Jesus] are loved on
account of the patriarchs [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]…
The world holy means set apart for a special purpose.
Israel had been set apart (elect) as a nation from all the other nations to shine the light of God to the nations and to be the nation through whom the Christ would come (Exodus 19:6; Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18-19; Leviticus 20:26).
Through Jesus, the Christ, the nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 4; Galatians 3).
Let’s go back to Romans 11:16,
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy,
then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
The root is the patriarchs of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The branches are all of Israel - all twelve tribes.
The root and branches are holy, meaning they were set apart by God as a nation (Exodus 19:6; Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18-19; Leviticus 20:26).
Broken Off Branches, Grafted In Branches
Paul writes in Romans 11:17, 20,
If some of the branches [Israelite people] have been broken off [Israelite people who were broken off of Israel because they rejected Jesus as the Christ; they did not believe he was the Christ], and you [Gentiles], though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted [into Israel] in among the others [those in Israel who did believe] and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root [the spiritual blessings of grace that came through Jesus to Israel and the nations - Romans 4; Ephesians 1-3; Galatians 3;]…they [unbelieving Israel] were broken off [of the nation of Israel] because of unbelief [in Jesus as the Christ] and you [believing Gentiles] stand [were placed into the olive tree of Israel] by faith [in Jesus].
Paul continues to make his point concerning all of Israel: though some of the Israelite people (branches) were broken off of Israel (the olive tree) because of unbelief in Jesus as the Christ, they are still holy (set apart by God) and loved by God.
Again, this is what Paul emphasizes in Romans 11:28.
…but as far as election [of Israel as a nation] is concerned, they [the whole batch
of dough, meaning all twelve tribes of Israel, even those who rejected Jesus] are loved on
account of the patriarchs [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]…
Don’t Be Arrogant, You Are Not Superior
We must remember that Paul is writing in real time to real people addressing real issues.
Two of the issues he is addressing in the above verses concern those in Israel who did not believe and those among the Gentiles who did believe.
During the time Paul was writing, the Gentile believers were feeling superior to the believing Jews (the other branches who were not broken off), resulting in an attitude of arrogance toward them.
Paul cautions the believing Gentiles to avoid feelings of superiority and attitudes of arrogance by warning them they also could be broken off of believing Israel just as the unbelieving branches were broken off.
Paul reminds the believing Gentiles that the root (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) of the olive tree of Israel supports them (the believing Gentile branches); therefore, they should not have a feeling of superiority to the believing or unbelieving Israelite people.
Paul asks the believing Gentiles to consider the kindness of God in grafting believing Gentiles into the olive tree and to consider the sternness of God to unbelieving Israel by breaking them off the olive tree.
Paul warns the believing Gentiles that God can also break them off of the olive tree of believing Israel should they not continue in his kindness.
Discontinuing in God’s kindness would occur if the believing Gentiles turned away from Jesus in unbelief.
Paul declares to the believing Gentiles that God could graft unbelieving Israel (natural branches broken off because of unbelief in Jesus) back into the olive tree of believing Israel should they believe in Jesus.
In Romans 11:25-26, Paul continues to speak directly to the believing Gentiles so they would not become conceited in their attitudes toward unbelieving Israel.
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may
not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number
of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.
We will examine these verses in Part Five (available soon).
