Jews and Gentiles in Romans 11

by koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungbook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

18 July 2010

The apostle Paul knew the scriptures very well. In Romans 1-8 he focused on Jews, Gentiles and Christians. In Romans 9-11 he focused on Jews and in Romans 12-16 he switched back to the Jews, Gentiles and Christians.

We know that he was talking about the Jews in 11:11 because "they" did not stumble so as to fall did they?

To make sure we understood what he meant by talking about they, Paul said: "By their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles". This means he was talking about the Jews. It is a seesaw, one side Jews, the other side Gentiles.

Then in 11:13 Paul switched to the Gentiles directly: "But I am speaking to you who are the Gentiles". There is no doubt that he wants to have some words with the Gentiles.

What appears from this verse is that Paul is explaining why he focused on the Jews in his ministry. He intended to save some of the Jews (11:14) "my fellow countrymen and save some of them".

Paul had a habit of focusing on Jews firstly, godfearers secondly and anyone who were interested. One can see that in the description of Luke in Acts 17 with the church of Thessalonika, Berea and Athens.

For Paul to bring one Jew to faith is like bringing one person from the dead (11:15).

Modern Jews will be very quick to scorn the writing here. But a number of things need to be said: firstly, modern Jews do not know their scriptures. They do not read it. Secondly, if they have something to ask, they ask the Rabbi and the Rabbis are educated in Germany with higher-criticism of the Scripture. Not all the Rabbis but many of them today does not believe what they read. There are built in messages in the Old Testament that very able rabbis of the Middle Ages recognized as Messianic that points to the Life of Jesus Christ [recognized by Christians including ourselves] but modern Jews will reject that. The Trinity is implicit in many places in the Old Testament and even explicitly so in their Targums but the still deny the Trinity and insist it is monotheism. But this just as a footnote.

Paul talked about the Jews as a piece of dough and if he convert a part it may change the whole dough. If the root is holy [and it is since it is Jesus Christ], then the branches will be holy too (11:16).

The olive branches were cut off and the wild branches were grafted in. The rich root of Jesus Christ as the Olive Tree's root, then help the branches too.

Paul asks anyone not to be arrogant toward the branches. It is the root which supports the branches not the branches the root (11:18).

Jews should not scorn the Gentiles who are now grafted in on the rich wealth of the Old Testament scriptures and neither should Gentiles scorn the Jews who had the root in the first place.

In fact, the Gentiles, whom Paul is speaking to here, actually were arrogant, as we can see in 11:19 "you will say then, branches were broken off so that I [Gentiles] might be grafted in".

Paul admit the change, namely that due to the Jews unbelief the Gentiles were grafted in (11:20).

But Paul warns about arrogance since the point is that if God did not spare the natural branches He may not spare them [Gentiles] either (11:21).

God is kind and severe. Kind to those who believe and severe to those who do not believe. What is needed is to continue in His kindness, continue to believe otherwise the person will also be cut off (11:22).

In 11:23 Paul is speaking of the Jews but to Gentiles and saying that they too, if they believe will be grafted in again into the root Jesus Christ.

Gentiles were cut off from a wild olive tree and crafted into a cultivated olive tree and it is possible for Jews to be grafted in back into the root Jesus Christ, the Messiah first to come in shame and then in glory (11:24). Modern Jews know also of two Messiah's one a priest and the second one a king. That is their problem, they did not realize it is the same person in two separate appearances and secondly, divine not human, of course the incarnation was human-divine combination in order to die as the sacrificial lamb of the Old Testament type.

Paul explained that the severity of the hardening of their hearts in his days were only partial. Many Jews since then became Christians and great theologians of Christianity. And that is what Paul is saying here, it is a hardening that is only partial, since at a later time many of them will be converted (11:25).

In 11:26 Paul is saying that when these Jews are converted also, all Israel will be saved. What does Paul mean? Simply this: not a mass conversion of the Jews in future as the Futurists were trying to teach. What is going to happen is that when Jews are also converted then Jews and Gentiles comprise together all Israel. It is not partial Israel with Gentiles only, or partial Israel with Jews only but all Israel, Jews and Gentiles.

God had a covenant with Old Testament Israel that they will be made perfect in future when He take away their sins. He took it away on the cross in 31 CE but still have to deal with it in heaven in the heavenly sanctuary that is the space of the heavenly court. There are about five phases to the Atonement or removal of sin. When Hell happens, that is when Satan and all evil be eliminated. That is the time that sin is eradicated and that is the fifth Atonement phase. That is the time He took away their sins (11:27). It is in the eschaton.

From the standpoint of the gospel of Jesus Christ, continued Judaism is an enemy of God but from the standpoint of the Old Testament period covenant, they were the beloved since this was the gospel in the Tabernacle message of the Old Testament (11:28). God called them in the Old Testament and that stands honored by God and God gave gifts to the Gentiles because of their belief in the New Testament period until today, and that is mercy from Him (11:29).

Paul then asked the Gentiles to remember that just as they were once disobedient but found favor by God for their belief therefore Jews can also find favor with God again when they return to faith and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ (11:30-31).

All have a chance, says Paul in 11:32. Not only Jews and not only Gentiles. All.

Then Paul started to pray and almost sing about the glory of God to them.

The book of Romans was not just written over two days. Paul did not say one day, I want to write a book to Romans and he finished it in two days. It is a composite book of Paulinica, meaning that it is bits and pieces written on different velums with different genres: songs, diary, meditations, dialogue, disputes, exhortations, which were then pieced together to form one cohesive book by Paul. This was all done by Paul himself and not by others after him. The reader has to carefully read and see the shifts from one block to another.