04.33. LESSON 33

LESSON 33

Over against the warning to Gentiles, "Be not high-minded, but fear" lest you fall also, Paul sets the hope of Jewish restoration—fear for Gentiles and hope for Jews. Having already shown that the recovery of Israel is desirable (Romans 11:12-15) and scriptural (Romans 11:16), he now shows that it harmonizes with nature: "And they also, if they continue not in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again... into their own olive tree" (Romans 11:23-24). In this Scripture, Paul, illustrating by a general use of the principle of grafting, teaches that, since the immutable covenant was made primarily with Israel, it is more natural and reasonable that Israel be restored to it than that pagan Gentiles be brought into it. He is asking why, inasmuch as Gentiles from Cornelius onward have "contrary to nature" been grafted into the Jewish olive tree, should grafting Jews hack into it be thought unnatural and improbable.

Paul As Prophet

After arguing that the restoration of Israel is desirable, scriptural, and natural, Paul is ready to prophesy that God’s keeping his promise to Abraham involves as a coming event the recovery of Israel: "For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in; and so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion a Deliverer... and this is my covenant unto them... for the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of" (Romans 11:25-29). Surely, this prophecy means that now, while Israel is broken off, God’s field of operation is in particular with Gentiles until his work among them is done; at which time the generation of Jews then living will be ready to choose the Christ, whom their ancestors crucified, as their Lord and God (cp. Luke 21:24). The adverb "so" compactly condenses the quotation as the manner of Israel’s restoration. "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken" (Christ). That the history of Christendom since Paul’s prophecy was made vindicates him as a true prophet of God should lead us to expect the fulfillment of the rest of his prophecy. Time works no change in God. But has Paul’s warning that Gentiles be not conceited and high-minded, but fear, been heeded? How much truer to God in Christ have they been than Jews were true to God in Moses? Do not many think that the present Christian age can never be superseded by a more mature age, much as the Jews refused, despite the utmost efforts of Christ and Paul to convince them of their deadly error, to go on with God into Christianity, because they blindly thought the Mosaic age was God’s best and final economy? As Jews were anciently and still are in their new Palestinian state, may not Gentiles now be "Found even to be fighting against God?" Is not the present Gentile age, as the Jewish age before it ended, to end in partial failure (Luke 17:22-27), but not until Israel is ready by choice to come back into God’s program of mercy? The Holy Spirit gives in Romans but a very general outline of God’s manner of working out the Abrahamic covenant. Details found elsewhere in the Bible, of course when we understand them, fit perfectly into this basic outline. In our study of this complicated subject further than an exposition of Romans requires, we must remember that, while God never works above or beyond Christ, he may work in and through Christ now and "in the ages to come" (Ephesians 2:7) very much that far transcends our present knowledge and even "All that we ask or think."

Differing views about the future which do not directly effect primary, essential things, such as Christ’s lordship and the worship and work of the church, may not involve matters irreconcilable to Christian doctrine, and hence need not disrupt Christian fellowship. Of course, to mark and turn away from any one who teaches anything "contrary to the doctrine" (Romans 16:17), is a plain duty. But to mismanage differences about secondary, non-essential things in such a loveless, un-Christian manner as to disrupt fellowship is very definitely contrary to the whole doctrine and spirit of Christianity. Let us, brethren, in brotherly kindness, love, unbiased study of God’s work, and friendly exchange of ideas, re-examine our differences about things that are not of vital importance to the life and work of the church. We, then, "Speaking truth in love may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15).

Paul’s Worshipful Doxology
(Romans 11:33-36) From the summit of the lofty range of divine revelation to which he has been climbing in Romans, Paul writes: "For God hath shut up all unto disobedience that he might show mercy unto all" (Romans 11:32). This verse is the conclusion to both Paul’s exposition of the philosophy of Christianity (Romans 1:1-32, Romans 2:1-29, Romans 3:1-31, Romans 4:1-25, Romans 5:1-21, Romans 6:1-23, Romans 7:1-25, Romans 8:1-39, Romans 9:1-33, Romans 10:1-21, Romans 11:1-36) and to his setting forth Israel’s place in human history (Romans 9:1-33, Romans 10:1-21, Romans 11:1-36). This historic division of Romans begins with Paul’s profound sorrow over Israel’s temporarily losing her place in God’s perpetually unfolding plan for the ages and ends with his sublime panegyric upon God who makes possible the hope of her restoration. It seems that men who feel deepest also think highest. This doxology is both retrospective and prospective. When Paul views the past, he sees Jews and Gentiles alike condemned; when he turns to the future, he sees God’s mercy poured out on both alike. God’s mercy given gratis to men who have no merit in the grand climax of Romans. Upon contemplating God’s unified policy, which admits no piece work, of making the wrath of both Jew and Gentile praise him by having them alternatively aid each other until they come to see that they have only common interests and become one in Christ; at last Jews, with zeal according to knowledge, and Gentiles knit together, by faith, forever in the Abrahamic covenant that all the earth may be blessed, Paul’s joy knows no bounds, and this ecstatic laudation of God, whose character is the basis of all profound reverence and devout worship, praising his sole proprietorship, inscrutable wisdom, invisible might and infinite goodness, leaps from his pen. Can the heart of any man who considers God’s strategy of letting the black plague of sin work its horrors until mankind in desperation comes to him for cure, fail to beat in sympathy with this beatific vision? Surely, Christian men who love both God and men can, with Paul, wonder, worship, work, and wait for God to finish his glorious work of redemption. May I pray you, my dear brethren, to study Romans reverently, take it at face value, and grant others the same Christian freedom.

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