Romans: The Glory of the Gospelಮಾದರಿ

Mystery Made Known

Why would anyone prefer to pay for something rather than accept it as a gift? It just makes no sense, yet it’s what so many seem to prefer when it comes to God’s gift of salvation. They want to be able to say, “I’m going to heaven someday because I’m a good person.” Being “good” is a kind of payment, a way of earning eternal life. The apostle continues to appeal to people who think that way, particularly his Jewish kinsmen who were rejecting the gospel. They wanted their own righteousness to count rather than the righteousness of someone else, Jesus Christ. They lacked the faith that gives spiritual sight. But even faith is God’s gift, and Paul shows here that it’s received in the heart as God’s word is proclaimed. This is why evangelism matters. It’s why biblical preaching matters. These are the means, the instruments, the Holy Spirit uses to tenderize hardened hearts. Although the majority of the Jews refused to hear, we’re reminded this week of God’s promise that a remnant of these hard-hearted Jews would come to embrace the Savior. Paul speaks directly to the Gentiles in this passage as well. It seems they needed a humbling reminder that their inclusion in God’s family is all by grace. Most of all, on display is the mind-boggling power and wisdom of God that works to fulfill every detail of his plans and purposes.

For centuries, Israel had been given every opportunity to hear, yet they didn’t believe the word they heard. Paul quotes Isaiah 53:1 and Psalm 19:4 to make this tragic point. Israel can’t excuse their unbelief by claiming they hadn’t heard God’s promise. So maybe a failure to understand can be blamed:

But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. (Romans 10:19–21, ESV)

Drawing from Deuteronomy 32:21, Paul reminds the Jews of God’s warning back in the nation’s early days. Israel hadn’t listened. They wanted to believe that God’s blessings were reserved exclusively for them. So as the Gentiles are added in and given these blessings, Israel is indignant—jealous—that the Lord would share Israel’s special privileges with those they see as “foolish” (idol worshiping) outsiders.

Paul recounts something that happened to Elijah the prophet back in a day when Israel was particularly unfaithful to God’s covenant (you can read the exciting story in 1 Kings 19). Elijah demonstrated the Lord’s power in a mighty way, only to have his life threatened by Israel’s power-hungry leadership. Elijah ran away to hide from the threat, but the Lord met him there and called him to return to his people. Elijah complained that he was the only one left in Israel to uphold the Lord’s honor, but the Lord told him, “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Baal was an idol, a false god, and at the time of Elijah, Israel had been participating in Baal worship. So God was saying to Elijah that from among all the apostate Israelites, he had set apart a very large number—too many to count— (which is what “seven thousand” represents) to save.

Yes, much of Israel has been lost, but that’s not the end of the story—for the Jews and for everyone. God has always had a plan for Israel:

So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! (Romans 11:11–12, ESV)

As we learned earlier, Israel’s rejection of Christ opened the door for those of other nations to come in. This, in turn, makes the Jews jealous—they resent sharing God’s blessings with non-Jews. If, as a result, the Jews turn and embrace the Savior, it’s nothing short of the dead coming back to life.

In verses 25–32, Paul continues his efforts to keep the Gentiles humble. It’s important to note that when Paul writes that “all Israel will be saved” (11:26), he is speaking not about ethnic Israel but about spiritual Israel. In other words, all the Jews whom God has chosen to save will be saved. They are “enemies” of the gospel at present because that’s part of God’s plan for gathering in believers from other nations.

The final verses of Romans 11 are a doxology, a pouring out of praise. This praise here in the letter shows us that Paul has finished setting out the details of God’s magnificent plan for salvation. And praise is absolutely fitting in light of all we’ve learned in these eleven chapters:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?”

“Or who has given a gift to him

that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33–36, ESV)

Reflection: Paul warned the Gentile believers against arrogance, believing their embrace of the gospel made them superior to the Jews who were stuck in the old-covenant system. What spiritual privileges have you received that tempt you to feel superior to others? Consider things like growing up in a Christian home, attending seminary, belonging to a certain denomination, or sitting under the preaching of a “celebrity” pastor.