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Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:11-24

2. Israel’s rejection not final 11:11-24Now Paul put the remnant aside and dealt with Israel as a whole. Even while Israel resists God’s plan centered in Messiah, the Lord is at work bringing Gentiles to salvation. Gentile salvation really depends on Israel’s covenant relationship with God, as Paul illustrated with the olive tree. The salvation of Gentiles in the present age not only magnifies the grace of God, but it will also provoke Israel to jealousy and lead her ultimately to return to the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:24

Here is another of Paul’s "much more" comparisons (Romans 5:9; Romans 5:19; Romans 5:15; Romans 5:17; cf. Luke 11:13). If God did the difficult thing, namely, grafting wild branches (believing Gentiles) onto the trunk (Israel), it should not be hard to believe that He will do the easier thing. The easier thing is restoring the pruned branches of the cultivated tree (unbelieving Jews who will come to faith in Christ) to their former position (as members of Israel)."The restoration of converted... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:25

A "mystery" in the New Testament refers to a truth previously unknown but now revealed. In the "mystery religions" of the Greco-Roman world, initiates received secret information that was unknown to non-initiates. A modern counterpart is the "secret societies" (e.g., the Masons, the Eastern Star, et al.). That revelation in this case was that Israel (ethnic Jews) would experience a partial hardening from God until the full number of elect Gentiles would be saved. God’s plan to put the nation of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:25-32

3. Israel’s restoration assured 11:25-32Paul previously laid the groundwork for this section. His point so far was that God is able to restore Israel. That is, He can restore the nation of Israel, which now has many natural branches (unbelieving Jews) broken off, to its former condition as a fruitful nation in the world. Now we learn that He is not only able to do it, but He will do it. This section is the climax of everything Paul wrote in chapters 9-11."The same mercy that has overtaken the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:26

"The first clause of Romans 11:26 is the storm center in the interpretation of Romans 9-11 and of NT teaching about the Jews and their future." [Note: Moo, p. 719. See H. Wayne House, "The Future of National Israel," Bibliotheca Sacra 166:664 (October-December 2009):643-81, for a discussion of the major views.] "It is impossible to entertain an exegesis which understands ’Israel’ here in a different sense from ’Israel’ in Romans 11:25 ([that is, it is impossible to understand "Israel" in Romans... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:27

Isaiah 27:9 also predicted a great removal of Israel’s sins (the sins of believing Jews when Christ returns) and connected it with the bestowal of the New Covenant blessings on Israel (cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34).". . . the history of God’s dealings with ethnic Israel as set out in Romans 11:1-10, the logic of Israel’s reversal of fortune in Romans 11:11-15, supported by the illustration of the olive tree and the regrafting of the natural branches of ethnic Israel into it ’again’ in Romans 11:16-24,... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:28

Under the present economy God views Israel’s physical descendants as a whole as His enemies because of their unbelief. They are "enemies" of His, however, for the sake of the Gentiles to whom He extends grace in this period of Jewish unbelief. However from the standpoint of their national election for a special purpose, they are the objects of His love because of the patriarchs. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:29

The special privileges that God gave Israel are probably what Paul intended by his reference to God’s gifts (cf. Romans 9:4-5). They have intimate connection with God’s calling of Israel for a special purpose. God will not withdraw these from Israel. He did not choose Israel for her goodness, and He will not abandon her for her badness. Paul said virtually the same thing about the security of individual Christians in Romans 8:31-39. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:30-31

These verses are a warning to Gentile believers. Gentiles should beware of becoming critical of God for planning to bless the Jews in the future. We should also beware of becoming proud because we are presently the special objects of God’s favor. We need to remember that God chose Israel so we Gentiles could enjoy salvation (Genesis 12:1-3). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 11:32

The conclusion of the matter is this. As everyone has been disobedient, Gentiles and Jews alike, so God will show mercy to all as well (cf. Romans 3:9; Galatians 3:22). That is, He will show mercy to all without distinction, not all without exception (cf. Romans 9:17). This is a great ground of assurance."A critical frame of reference in Paul’s treatment of Israel’s salvation is a distinction between corporate and individual election." [Note: Moo, p. 737.] This concludes the argument of... read more

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