Romans 11:13

But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry; If by any means I may provoke to jealousy them that are my flesh, and may save some of them.

What a brickbat this verse is to the air castles sometimes built on the preceding verse! Instead of Paul's thought having to do with some vast ingathering of fleshly Israel at some future time, it is concerned with the near impossibility of saving any of them at all. As Barrett noted,

Paul's hope here seems surprisingly limited ... "and so save some of them" ... Out of the provocation of Israel as a whole ("my flesh and blood"), there may come a few conversions.[17]

This verse certainly does not envision any wholesale conversion of Jews in Paul's day or at any other time.

Provoke to jealousy ... should still be viewed not as productive of emulation but as producing enraged opposition. Even that, Paul was prepared to endure in the hope of saving a few of them. This ascription of the meaning of "jealousy" derives from the connotation of "provocation" here associated with it, and also from the fact of its being produced, not in Paul's brethren, else he would have used that word, but in his "flesh," which is a plain reference to the fleshly Israel. Whether or not it was Paul's intention to arouse bitter opposition, that was surely what resulted from the jealousy of the fleshly Israel. Another reason for this understanding of "jealousy" is that it hardly seems a proper motive for becoming a child of God.

I am an apostle of Gentiles ... Lard suggested this meaning of these words:

As I am your apostle, I make bold to tell you (Gentiles) that both the fall and loss of Israel have proved blessings to you. Whatever they are to Israel, to you they are gain.[18]

Perhaps Lard's thought should be expanded to include the mention of "fullness" thus: "And if even their loss is your gain, think what the conversion of a few of them can mean; and, with that in view, I am ready to provoke all of them in the hopes of saving some."

[17] C. K. Barrett, op. cit., p. 215.

[18] Moses E. Lard, op. cit., p. 359.