Romans 11:1-16

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: Romans (Acts)

Rusty's Notes

In chapters 9 and 10 Paul looked more at the negative; that is Israel itself is responsible for her state, failing to respond to the grace of God and to recognize Christ as the culmination of God’s plan in the history of salvation.[1]
 
ISRAEL’S REJECTION NOT TOTAL
Romans 11:1-10
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not!

• The suggestion is unthinkable.
• To some it may seem the logical result of what Paul has been saying, but to the apostle it is an utter impossibility.
• God is thoroughly reliable, and it is impossible to think of him first choosing and then rejecting a people.[2]

For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

• Paul is playing for the Gentiles but he is actually a Jew.
• Ian Kinsler, a major league baseball player, born in Tuscan, AZ
• His family heritage is Jewish
• He played baseball for Israel team in the Olympics
• 8 NBA players were on France’s basketball team.
• Paul is reminding both the Christian Gentiles and Christian Jews that he is a Jew.

2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

• The verb has the sense of God entering into relationship with people ahead of time.[3]

Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life! (1 Kings 19:10, 14) 4 But what was God’s answer to him? I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal. (1 Kings 19:18)

• These are men who made a choice to follow the God of Abraham.

5 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.

• At both times the nation as a whole was not obedient to God, but in both also a minority did obey.
• And in both the minority was a standing witness to the truth that God has not cast away his people.[4]

6 Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.

• The divider here is whether one is determining that belief is a “work”.
• If belief is a work, then God alone chooses who receives grace.
• If belief is not a work, then grace is purely a way that has been made for salvation.

7 What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,
God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that cannot see
and ears that cannot hear,
to this day. (Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 29:10. Matthew 12-13)
9 And David says,
Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a pitfall and a retribution to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually. (Psalm 69:22-23)

• What Paul wants to say here is very simple, “Don’t forget, you Roman Christians, that God is continuing to choose Jews to belong to His people.”
• In other words, there are quite a few Jewish Christians in Paul’s day.
• Paul himself is one of them, of course.[5]

 
ISRAEL’S REJECTION NOT FINAL
11 I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

• God’s purpose is to let salvation come to Gentiles, in turn provoking Israel to repentance.
• That way, representatives from all peoples, Jewish and Gentile, could have the opportunity for salvation.[6]

12 Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring!
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if I might somehow make my own people, jealous and save some of them.

• Don’t become so arrogant as to believe that God has rejected the Jews and turned only to the Gentiles.
• How does that attitude help reach Paul’s own people?
• Have respect for the Jews.
• Don’t despise their customs.

15 For if their rejection brings reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

• Paul’s statement here compares to what Jesus did.
• Jesus’ death brought salvation to the world, but even greater was Jesus’ resurrection from the dead because He brought life to believers.

16 Now if the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.[7]

• In reference to the patriarchs of faith (Abraham).
• All those who believe in the coming Messiah and Jesus would be considered the whole batch or the branches.
• The remnant of Jews and believing Gentiles. (grace)

Not those who have made the Law their point of salvation. (works).

[1] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (p. 398). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
[3] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (p. 401). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
[5] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[6] Keener, C. S. (2009). Romans (p. 132). Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 11:1–16). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.