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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Romans 11:1-32

The apostle proposes here a plausible objection, which might be urged against the divine conduct in casting off the Jewish nation (Rom. 11:1): ?Hath God cast away his people? Isa. the rejection total and final? Are they all abandoned to wrath and ruin, and that eternal? Isa. the extent of the sentence so large as to be without reserve, or the continuance of it so long as to be without repeal? Will he have no more a peculiar people to himself?? In opposition to this, he shows that there was a... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Romans 11:13-24

11:13-24 Now I speak to you Gentiles. You well know that in so far as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my office, for somehow I want to find a way to move my own flesh and blood to envy of the Gentiles, so that I may save some of them; for, if the fact that they are cast away has resulted in the reconciliation of the world to God, what will their reception mean? It can only be like life from the dead! If the first part of the dough is consecrated to God, so is the whole lump; if... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:13

For I speak to you Gentiles ,.... The church at Rome, as the primitive churches for the most part did, consisted of Jews and Gentiles; hence the apostle sometimes addresses the one, as in Romans 2:17 , and sometimes the other, as here; and this he does to observe unto them the grace and goodness of God, in enriching them with the Gospel of salvation; and that they might not despise the Jews, from whom it first came out, and through whose fall it came to them, and was preached among them by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:14

If by any means I may provoke to emulation ,.... What he had in view, even in discharging his office among the Gentiles with so much labour, assiduity, and indefatigableness, was, that if possible he might stir up the Jews to emulate and imitate the Gentiles, in seeking after Christ; for these he means when he says, them which are my flesh ; they being his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, for it was common with the eastern nations to call such persons their flesh; see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:15

For if the casting away of them ,.... This argument, as before, in Romans 11:12 , is from the lesser to the greater, showing that as the Gentiles received present advantage through the rejection of the Jews, they would receive far greater at their future recovery, and which proves that their rejection is not final; for by "the casting away of them", is meant the rejection of the Jews, and refers to God's writing a "Lo-ammi", Hosea 1:9 , upon them, and his taking away the Gospel from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:16

For if the firstfruit be holy ,.... Some by "the firstfruit" and "root" understand Christ, who is sometimes called, "the firstfruits of them that slept", 1 Corinthians 15:20 , and "the root of Jesse and David", Isaiah 11:10 , and indeed of all the righteous; and certain it is, that since he is holy, has all the holiness of his people in him, and is sanctification unto them, they shall be holy likewise; have it imparted to them in this life, and perfected in them in another: but this does... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:17

And if some of the branches be broken ,.... This is to be understood, not of the exclusion of the Jews from their national church; for the persons designed by the "branches", were the principal members of it, as the civil and ecclesiastical rulers, the priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, and the far greater part of the people; and on the other hand, the apostles and followers of Christ were put out of their synagogues, and deemed by them heretics and apostates: nor of the destruction of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:18

Boast not against the branches ,.... Those that were broken off: the apostle would not have them vaunt it over them, despise them, and trample upon them; but pity them, and pray for and be abundantly thankful and humbled before God, under a sense of Ida sovereign and distinguishing grace, who had settled them in a Gospel church state, who were before comparable to a wild olive tree; and much less should they glory over the believing Jews, among whom they were, there being no difference... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:19

Thou wilt say then ,.... This is an objection which the apostle foresaw the Gentiles would make against what he had said, and in favour of their boasting; the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in . The sense of which is, that the Jews were rejected and left out of the Gospel church, on purpose to make way for the Gentiles, that they might be put in their room; and consequently the Jews must be more vile and unworthy, and the Gentiles more deserving of such favours and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:20

Well ,.... To this the apostle answers, by approving and granting in, part what was said, that the unbelieving Jews were broken off and rejected, and that the Gentiles that believed in Christ were grafted in among the Jews that professed his name; but then he tacitly denies that it was for their sakes, and their account, they were broken off, but for their own incredulity: because of unbelief they were broken off ; because of their unbelief and contempt of the Messiah, they were rejected... read more

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