Romans 11:34-36

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Romans 11:33-36

The apostle having insisted so largely, through the greatest part of this chapter, upon reconciling the rejection of the Jews with the divine goodness, he concludes here with the acknowledgment and admiration of the divine wisdom and sovereignty in all this. Here the apostle does with great affection and awe adore, I. The secrecy of the divine counsels: O the depth! in these proceedings towards the Jews and Gentiles; or, in general, the whole mystery of the gospel, which we cannot fully... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Romans 11:33-36

11:33-36 O the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How his decisions are beyond the mind of man to trace! How mysterious are his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or, who has become his counsellor? Who has first given anything to him, so that he is due any repayment from God? For all things come from him, and exist through him, and end in him. To him be glory for ever! Amen. Paul never wrote a more characteristic passage than this. Here theology turns... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:34

For who hath known the mind of the Lord ,.... The intentions of his mind, the thoughts of his heart, and the counsels of his will: these could never have been known, if he had not revealed them; nor can the doctrines relating to them, though externally revealed, be known by the natural man, or by the mere dint of nature, but only by the light of the Spirit of God; who searches them, and makes them known in a spiritual manner to spiritual men, who have a spiritual discerning of them; and yet... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:35

Or who hath first given to him ,.... See Job 41:11 ; no man can give God anything, which he has not first given him, or which he has not a prior right to, or a claim upon him for; Adam, in innocence, was not able to give God anything, nor are the angels in heaven, much less sinful men on earth; their bodies and souls, and all their enjoyments, all that is good in them, or done by them, are from the Lord; men by all their good works, best duties and services, give nothing to God, nor lay... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 11:36

For of him, and through him, and to him are all things ,.... Not only all things in nature and providence, he being the Maker and efficient cause of things, and the preserver and supporter of them their beings, and to whose glory they are all designed and directed; but all things in grace owe their original to him, as their first cause; they are produced by him, and make for his glory; they all spring from his sovereign will, are brought about by his almighty power, and tend to the glory of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 11:34

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? - Who can pretend to penetrate the counsels of God, or fathom the reasons of his conduct? His designs and his counsels are like himself, infinite; and, consequently, inscrutable. It is strange that, with such a scripture as this before their eyes, men should sit down and coolly and positively write about counsels and decrees of God formed from all eternity, of which they speak with as much confidence and decision as if they had formed a part of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 11:35

Or, who hath first given to him - Who can pretend to have any demands upon God? To whom is he indebted? Have either Jews or Gentiles any right to his blessings? May not he bestow his favors as he pleases, and to whom he pleases? Does he do any injustice to the Jews in choosing the Gentiles! And was it because he was under obligation to the Gentiles that he has chosen them in the place of the Jews? Let him who has any claim on God prefer it; and he shall be compensated. But how can the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 11:36

For of him, etc. - This is so far from being the case, for εξ αυτου , of him, as the original designer and author; and δι ' αυτου , By him, as the prime and efficient cause; and εις αυτον , To him, as the ultimate end for the manifestation of his eternal glory and goodness, are all things in universal nature, through the whole compass of time and eternity. The Emperor Marcus Antoninus ( εις ἑαυτον , lib. iv.) has a saying very much like this of St. Paul, which it is very... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 11:34

Verse 34 34.Who has known the mind of the Lord? He begins here to extend as it were his hand to restrain the audacity of men, lest they should clamor against God’s judgments, and this he does by stating two reasons: the first is, that all mortals are too blind to take a view of God’s predestination by their own understanding, and to reason on a thing unknown is presumptuous and absurd; the other is, that we can have no cause of complaint against God, since no mortal can boast that God is a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 11:35

Verse 35 35.Who has first given to him, etc. Another reason, by which God’s righteousness is most effectually defended against all the accusations of the ungodly: for if no one retains him bound to himself by his own merits, no one can justly expostulate with him for not having received his reward; as he, who would constrain another to do him good, must necessarily adduce those deeds by which he has deserved a reward. The import then of Paul’s words is this — “God cannot be charged with... read more

Group of Brands