The Book of Romans Chapter 11 Romans 11

The Book of Romans Chapter 11

Romans 11: 1 1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

REPUDIATION OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY • • • THE QUESTION “ Has God. . repudiated His people. . ? ” THE ANSWER Paul: “Heaven Forbid!” Paul says the proof is that he is an Israelite, seed of Abraham, tribe of Benjamin • Meaning: Paul is a blood descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

REPUDIATION OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY • The debate between Paul and his straw man is crucial • God promised to never reject Israel • 1 Sam 12: 22; Psalm 94: 14 Jeremiah 33: 23 – 26 • Has God transferred His covenants with the Hebrews to gentiles? • If God broke His promise to Israel, why would He keep it with Christians?

THE SAME PROMISE GOD MADE TO ISRAEL ! • Romans 8: 35 – 39 • Is God’s promise to Christians a better promise than to Israel? • Christians claim Jews rejected as a group • Not all Jews rejected Yeshua • Not all gentiles have accepted Christ • So why isn’t the gentile group in danger? • Praise God! He did NOT reject Israel, He keeps His promises!

UNLEARNING & RELEARNING • Jewish Christian seen as an oxymoron • In the Church’s eyes, Christians are gentiles • The natural opposite of Jew is NOT Christian; it is gentile • All of this misunderstanding has been caused by some of the early Church Fathers (all gentiles) • Paul is trying to help us unlearn wrong doctrine, so we can relearn right doctrine

Romans 11: 2 -3 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

A MOST PERPLEXING TRADITION • The bulk of the Church believes that it has replaced Israel as God’s chosen (Replacement Theology) • Cannot be biblically supported • Is the result of manmade doctrines, political agendas, and anti-Jewish bigotry • It is thievery to try and take Israel’s spiritual heritage from them

LISTEN CAREFULLY !! • The entire New Testament supports Israel as God’s chosen people • Romans 11 sums up the “how” and “why” of God’s plan of redemption • Overriding message is in Romans 11: 2 “God has not repudiated His people, whom He chose in advance”

Romans 11: 4 -5 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

PAUL CALLS UPON ELIJAH • 1 Kings 19 Elijah running from Queen Jezebel In reality, he was running from God and his mission • Elijah complains that he is probably the only faithful YHWH worshipper left • 7, 000 remnant is to be compared to Paul’s day as to the number of Jewish Christ Believers • 7, 000 is a representative number; it is not exact or even an approximate

Romans 11: 6 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

IS IT REALLY EITHER / OR ? • Grace, not merit, decides who is true seed of Abraham • Paul turns the question of Romans 9: 30 into a statement in 11: 7 • Free will and predestination seem to be opposites • However they are like food and air; we need both • We need to be aware of both, and know that we only have control over our own free will

IS IT REALLY EITHER / OR ? • Seems unfair to Westerners that God can offer a choice, but then harden us to choose wrongly. . . and then punish us! But. . . GOD IS SOVEREIGN! • The Good News: This is not God’s final word • Redemption and change are still possible for the hardened because of God’s great mercy • Because of God’s circular plan of redemption, Christians owe the hardened Jews a debt of gratitude

Romans 11: 7 -8 7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; ) unto this day.

IS IT REALLY EITHER / OR ?

Romans 11: 9 -10 9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them: 10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

THE OBVIOUS QUESTION • Romans 11: 9 uses part of Psalm 69 • Paul uses the Remez method of interpreting Psalm 69 to make his case • Paul’s point: those Jews who are now stonelike are that way partly at their own fault, and partly due to God’s hardening • In Romans 11: 1, God is said to actively reject His people • In Romans 11: 11, it is the people suffering the natural consequences of their refusal to accept Messiah

Romans 11: 11 -12 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

LISTEN CAREFULLY - Why !! • Why God does what He does is rarely given in the Bible • A circular endeavor: from the Jews, to the gentiles, back to the Jews • What have Christians done that would attract Jews to Christ? • David Stern, Messianic Jew • “. . . Provoke them to jealousy. . a command. . ”

WHAT SHOULD WE DO? • Treating Israel and their enemies “even -handedly” does not make Israel “jealous” for Christ • For us to be silent when we are wronged is one thing; to be silent about pain and injustice for others is another • We are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and stand up for Israel!

CHRIST AT THE CHECKPOINT • Christ at the Checkpoint: Pro. Palestinian, anti-Israel, and also anti. Zionist • John Piper is its primary leader • Underlying belief: God is done with Israel; Palestinians have equal right to Israel’s land since they are gentiles • We must stand against this ministry and any other like it

HAS GOD REJECTED ISRAEL? “HEAVEN FORBID !” • The hardening of the Jews against Messiah is part of God’s plan • Because of that hardening salvation was brought to the Gentiles • And the purpose of the Gentiles is to make the hardened Jews jealous • And jealousy leads to the salvation of the stone-like Jews • Why this strange route? • Genesis 12: 1 - 3

JEWS’ SINNING IS IRRELEVANT • Despite the Jews’ unfaithfulness, God did not reject His people • Whatever the Jews have done, good or bad, has no bearing on God’s promise through Abraham • This bogus claim of “the Jews killed Jesus” is a red herring; it has led to rampant anti-Semitism

• • • HARDENING HEARTS Jews who had hearts hardened against accepting Yeshua: was partially their own choice, and partially an act of God Deuteronomy 29 proves that God hardening hearts is nothing new Isaiah prophesies that God will continue intervening Predestination & predetermination VS. free will and prescience Paul does not explain or defend this characteristic of God

Romans 11: 13 -14 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

PAUL SPEAKS TO GENTILES • Starting in Vs. 13 Paul turns his attention to gentiles • God’s motive for saving gentiles? So that all Israel would be saved. • Although Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, he remains full a Jew • Phil. 3: 4 – 5 circumcised on 8 th day, • Israelite by birth, tribe of Benjamin, speaks Hebrew, a Pharisee

Romans 11: 15 -16 15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

THE WORLD • Paul also hopes to provoke fellow Jews to jealousy • For Paul, the word “the world” usually means the unsaved gentiles: pagans • A gentile who is saved graduates from “the world” to God’s Kingdom • John 17: 1 – 18 • “The World” carries a double meaning • 1) everyone on planet Earth • 2) The unsaved

THE FIRST METAPHOR • First metaphor of “holy lump” is taken from Numbers 15: 18 – 21 • Likely an issue of using terms as commonly used by Jews, and not meant to be precise

THE FIRST METAPHOR • In NT, often Passover or Matzah is used to label the entire 3 festival period of time • In NT, “unclean” often not used technically, but rather as simply meaning something can’t be used • In NT, “holy” also often not used technically, but rather as giving something a religious connotation or indicates an informal dedication to God

THE SECOND METAPHOR • The Olive Tree Metaphore • If roots are holy, then also are the branches • Roots, trunk, branches are part of a whole • Unclean roots will produce unclean branches

Romans 11: 17 -18 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

THE JEWISH OLIVE TREE • Cultivated Olive Tree = Jewish people (Hebrews) • Wild Olive = SAVED gentiles • Wild Olive derives benefit from the cultivated olive tree • Therefore the Wild Olive should not boast! • Wild Olive will never be better than the cultivated olive tree

THE ROOT IS THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT • Cultivated tree branches removed due to lack of trust • Grafted-in branches should not expect different treatment • What makes the Patriarchs is the Covenant of Abraham

Romans 11: 19 -21 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Romans 11: 22 -23 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

“Don’t be arrogant; be terrified!” • It is God’s gift of mercy that foreign branches were grafted-in to the natural tree • Is the warning to Believers that if we stop trusting we’ll be removed from the tree an impossible hypothetical? • Paul says hardened Jews CAN be grafted back in to their own tree • Ezekiel 36: 24 - 28

Romans 11: 24 24 For if thou wert cut of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Romans 11: 25 -26 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

PAUL’S TROUBLING CONCERN • Paul fears that gentiles may misunderstand or exaggerate their place in the Kingdom of God • Gods were attached to specific nations • Asshur = Founding god of Assyria • Sometimes the name of a nation and its god are interchangeable • Hebrew viewpoint: why would a gentile want to worship the Hebrew God? • Until Christ came, it seemed to both sides that conversion from gentile to Jew was the proper protocol

PAUL IS THE NEW SCHOOL MASTER • Paul had to teach that nationality, ethnicity, race and gender did not matter for worshipping the true God • Gentiles were more receptive to this idea • Humans view everything through the lens of our own interests and experiences • A gentile receiving forgiveness of sins without converting to a Jew was seen by Hebrews as heresy and treason • Paul told Jews to accept gentiles as gentiles • He also told gentiles not to get big-headed about it!

MYSTERY IS TRUTH REVEALED • Early 400’s A. D. a schism in the Church over the place of Jews and The Law • Vs. 25 “For” tells readers Paul is going to give his readers the reason for his Olive Tree analogy • Musterion = A God-held secret, which will be revealed • Romans 1: 16 “. . to the Jew especially. . . ”

A 3 STEP PROCESS • Romans 11: 25, 26 • Step 1: Israel has been divinely hardened because they freely chose NOT to accept Messiah Yeshua • Step 2: Israel will remain hardened until the gentile world enters its fullness, and makes Israel jealous • Step 3: Because of the love and mercy of Believing gentiles All Israel will be saved

ALL ISRAEL IS BOTH HOUSES • All Israel = The Whole House of Israel = Judah and Ephraim • Two groups of tribes: one led by Judah, the other led by Ephraim • Paul is revealing the “how” of what Ezekiel reveals in Ezekiel 37 • Ezekiel 37: 15 – 28 • The two houses come after, or coincidentally with, the fullness of the gentiles • “David” is referring to Yeshua

Romans 11: 27 -28 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.

EARLY CHURCH FATHERS • Early Church Fathers not often in agreement • A trend from 100 A. D. to late 700 A. D. was to see Christianity as more and more an exclusively gentile faith • Gennadius essentially declared war between Christianity and the Jews

THE END OF DAYS • Romans 11: 26, 27 are Isaiah 50: 20, 21 and Isaiah 27: 9 • The context for the end to the hardening of Israel is the End of Days • Vs. 28: the ONLY reason God hardened Israel was for the sake of the gentiles • Still, Israel is loved by God • Israel is God’s tool for redemption • God’s election of Israel is irrevocable • For “the sake of the Patriarchs” is referring to the Abrahamic Covenant

Romans 11: 29 -30 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Romans 11: 31 -32 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

IMPRISONED IN DISOBEDIENCE • The twin themes of all of Romans: 1) disobedience by ALL humans 2) God’s mercy to ALL humans • God does NOT cause disobedience • Because all humanity falls short, then all humanity is imprisoned in disobedience • So, God makes His mercy through Yeshua available to all imprisoned humanity • Romans 1: 20 – 22 • Vss. 33 & 34 are from Isaiah 40 and Job 41

Romans 11: 33 -34 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Romans 11: 35 -36 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Romans End Chapter 11