Romans 11:25-26 Romans 11:25-Paul Reveals The Mystery Of Israel s Partial Hardening Until The Full Number Of Gentiles Have Been Saved The apostle Paul in Romans 11:25 attempts to protect his Gentile Christian readers from arrogance by revealing to them the mystery that a partial hardening has occurred in Israel until the full number of Gentiles who will be saved has come to pass. Romans 11:25, For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation -- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. For is the emphatic or intensifying use of the post-positive conjunction gar (gavr), which introduces a statement that confirms and then advances upon Paul s statements in Romans 11:11-24 and intensifies them. This word indicates that Paul s statement in Romans 11:25 not only summarizes what he has taught in Romans 11:11-24 but also advances upon these statements and goes beyond that which he has said in these statements. Paul s statement in Romans 11:25 confirms what he taught in Romans 11:11-24 where he spoke of salvation being experienced by the Gentiles and the Jews temporary rejection of Christ. It advances upon his statements in Romans 11:11-24 because it reveals something to his readers that he had not related earlier and was not known by the Old Testament prophets. Romans 11:11 begins the third paragraph in the chapter and in this passage Paul argues that Israel s fall as a nation is by no means final but was to save the Gentiles so as to make them jealous. Romans 11:11, Therefore, I ask, did they stumble so as to fall down in complete in ruin? Absolutely not! On the contrary because of their transgression salvation is experienced by the Gentiles in order to provoke them to jealousy. The rhetorical question that in Romans 11:11 is the result of an inference that could be implied from Paul s teaching in Romans 11:8-10, namely that Israel s rejection of Christ as a nation is the end of her as a national entity. May it never be! is the strongest negative Greek expression emphatically denying any possibility or thought of the nation of Israel being in complete ruin as a result of rejecting Christ. The statement On the contrary because of their transgression salvation is experienced by the Gentiles in order to provoke them to jealousy stands in direct contrast with the idea that Israel stumbled by rejecting Christ so as to fall in 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1
complete ruin as a nation. It indicates that salvation is experienced by the Gentiles because of Israel s transgression in rejecting Christ in order to provoke Israel to jealousy. The apostle Paul in Romans 11:12 argues that if Israel s transgression and failure meant riches for the Gentiles, how much more then will Israel s full restoration bring to the Gentiles. Romans 11:12, But, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that their transgression, as an eternal spiritual truth does mean infinite wealth possessed by the world s inhabitants. Specifically, their failure, as an eternal spiritual truth does mean infinite wealth possessed by the Gentiles. And of course, we agree that this is a fact of history! Then how much more will their full restoration bring? In Romans 11:12, Paul is contrasting the infinite spiritual benefits that the Gentiles received through Israel s rejection of Christ with that of the infinite spiritual benefits they will receive in the future when the nation of Israel is fully restored at the Second Advent of Christ and His subsequent millennial reign. This passage is a first class conditional statement. The protasis expresses the fact that Paul and his readers would agree that this is a fact of history that salvation has come to the world s inhabitants, the Gentiles because of Israel s rejection of Christ. It would persuade his reader to agree with his apodasis that Israel s restoration in the future at the Second Advent of Christ will result in greater blessings for the world s inhabitants, the Gentiles. Now remember Paul statement their failure, as an eternal spiritual truth does mean infinite wealth possessed by the Gentiles explains in specific terms the previous statement that Israel s transgression meant infinite wealth possessed by the world s inhabitants. In both statements, Paul is speaking of the same individuals, the Gentiles even though identifies them in the previous clause with the noun kosmos, which is a reference to the world s inhabitants. This is indicated in that the noun paraptoma, transgression in the previous statement and the noun hettema, failure both refer to Israel s sin in rejecting Jesus Christ. Paul again is writing rhetorically in that he is using parallelism meaning that paraptoma and hettema are both speaking of Israel s rejection of Christ but from different perspectives. It is further indicated in that both statements use the noun ploutos to describe what was received by these individuals because Israel s rejection of Christ. This question Then how much more will their full restoration bring? emphasizes that Israel s full restoration at Christ s Second Advent and subsequent millennial reign will bring even greater blessings to the Gentiles than when Israel rejected Christ. It emphasizes the certainty that if Israel s rejection of Christ meant infinite spiritual wealthy possessed by the Gentiles, how much more will blessing 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2
will come to the Gentile when Israel is fully restored in the future at Christ s Second Advent and subsequent millennial reign. Therefore, Paul s statement in Romans 11:15 explains his statement in Romans 11:12 in that it provides additional information with regards to the latter. His statement in Romans 11:12 that Israel s transgression in rejecting Christ meant infinite wealth (unmerited blessings) for the Gentiles is explained from in Romans 11:15 as God rejecting Israel. The infinite wealth (unmerited blessings from salvation) for the Gentiles is explained as the Gentiles being reconciled to God. Paul s reference to the restoration of Israel at the Second Advent of Christ in Romans 11:12 is further explained as a national regeneration. That Romans 11:15 is explaining Romans 11:12 is indicated also by the fact that Paul is writing once again rhetorically, which is indicated by the parallelism. Now, in Romans 11:13, Paul addresses his Gentile Christian readers in Rome specifically and expresses the fact that he takes great pride in his ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. Romans 11:13, Now, I am at this particular time speaking to and for the benefit of all of you Gentiles. Contrary to what you might be inclined to conclude, to the very extent that I myself am sent to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry. In Romans 11:14, Paul completes the thought that he began in Romans 11:13 by relating to his Gentile Christian readers in Rome that he takes great pride in this ministry to the Gentiles because he hopes that it would perhaps provoke his fellow Jews to jealousy so as to save some of them. Romans 11:14, If, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that I take pride in my ministry and of course I do because I already told you that, then perhaps (by this ministry) I will provoke to jealousy my nation and thus deliver some from among them. The protasis in this verse reiterates the fact that Paul established from his statement in Romans 11:13 that he took pride in his ministry to the Gentiles. The protasis would then persuade them to respond to the apodasis that perhaps by his ministry to the Gentiles he hopes to provoke his fellow Jewish countrymen to jealousy so as to save some of them. In our study of Romans 11:15, we noted that Paul employed a first class conditional statement that explains his statements in Romans 11:12-14. Romans 11:15, For you see, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that their rejection reconciled the world s inhabitants and of course, we agree that this is a fact of history, then what will their acceptance bring about but life out from the spiritually dead ones. His statement in Romans 11:15 explains his statement in Romans 11:12 in the sense that Israel s transgression in rejecting Christ meant infinite wealth for the 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3
Gentiles is explained as God rejecting Israel and the infinite wealth for the Gentiles is explained as the Gentiles being reconciled to God. The statement in Romans 11:15 explains Paul s statements in Romans 11:13-14 in the sense that his desire to provoke his fellow unsaved Jews to jealousy through the function of his ministry to the Gentiles so as to save some of them has reconciled the Gentiles to God. The inference from this protasis teaches that if God s rejection of Israel for their rejection of His Son reconciled the Gentiles to Himself, then how much more will result from God accepting Israel when they have faith in His Son at His Second Advent. The protasis in Romans 11:15 reiterates and explains further his statement in Romans 11:12 by establishing the historical fact that God s rejection of Israel because of their rejection of Christ reconciled those Gentiles who trusted in Christ. From this protasis, Paul infers in the apodasis assuring his readers that when God accepts the nation of Israel for having faith in His Son at His Second Advent there will be a national regeneration. Therefore, Paul is teaching that if God rejected the nation of Israel for rejecting His Son Jesus Christ during His First Advent, there will certainly be a national regeneration of the nation of Israel when they have faith in Christ at His Second Advent. The apostle Paul in Romans 11:16 uses two metaphors to illustrate his assertion in Romans 11:2 that God has by no means rejected Israel forever and his assertion in Romans 11:11-15 that there will be a future national regeneration of Israel. Romans 11:16, Now, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that the first portion is, as an eternal spiritual truth holy and of course, we agree it is because it is taught in the Scriptures, then the lump is, as an eternal spiritual truth also. Furthermore, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that the root is, as an eternal spiritual truth holy and of course, we agree it is because it is taught in the Scriptures, then the branches are, as an eternal spiritual truth, also. The first is the first piece of dough/lump metaphor and the second is the root/branches metaphor. The first piece of dough and the root parallel each other and are analogous to the patriarchs and in particular Abraham. The lump and the branches also parallel each other and are analogous to the saved biological descendants of Abraham through Sarah. In the protasis of the first, Paul s readers would agree that that the first piece of dough is holy because this principle is implicitly taught in Numbers 15:17-21. Paul takes the principle implicitly taught in Numbers 15:17-21 and applies it to Israel in the sense that if God had accepted the progenitors of the nation of Israel, especially, Abraham, He has then sanctified or set apart his saved descendants as well. He is not attempting to prove that his protasis is true rather he is saying with the first class condition that we agree that it is taught in the Old Testament 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4
Scriptures that the first piece of dough is holy. The first class condition would then persuade them to respond to the conclusion that the whole lump of dough is as well. Therefore, Paul s audience would have to come to his conclusion if they submit to this line of argumentation. In the protasis of the second first class condition, Paul s readers would agree that it is taught in the Scriptures that the root, which is analogous to Abraham, is holy. Again, the first class condition would then persuade them to respond to the conclusion in the apodasis that the branches, which are analogous to saved Israelites, are as well. Therefore, Paul s audience would have to come to his conclusion if they submit to this line of argumentation. In both of these first class conditional statements, he wants them to come to his line of argumentation because he does not want them to prejudice against the Jews because of their rejection of Christ and to think that they are superior to the Jews. Therefore, it is essential that they agree with him on this point since it will help them to understand that God has a future with the nation of Israel and has not rejected her as a national entity. Again, he is also attempting to build unity between Jew and Gentile Christians. In Romans 11:17, Paul presents the protasis of a first class conditional statement. In this protasis, he reminds his Gentile Christian readers that branches were broken off, i.e. unsaved Israelites and they as a wild olive tree have been grafted in among the branches, i.e. born-again Israelites. He also reminds them in this protasis that they have become partakers of the rich root of the olive tree, Abraham and in particular the divine promises given to him contained in the Abrahamic covenant. Romans 11:17, However, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that some, which are a part of the branches were broken off but because you are a wild olive, you were grafted in among them so that you became joint-partakers of the olive tree s root, which produces abundant oil and of course, we agree that this is a fact of history. The apodasis of this first class condition appears in Romans 11:18, which infers from the protasis a warning, namely his Gentile Christian readers were not to be arrogant towards either saved Jews or unsaved Jews. Romans 11:18, Do not assume arrogant superiority over the branches. However, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that you are assuming arrogant superiority then remember that you, as an eternal spiritual truth, by no means sustain the root. But rather on the contrary, the root, as an eternal spiritual truth, sustains you. This passage not only contains the apodasis from the first class condition in Romans 11:17 but also a first class condition, which presents a contrast. The contrast is between Paul s Gentile Christian readers obeying his prohibition in the 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5
apodasis of the previous first class condition with that of disobeying the prohibition, which is assumed for the sake of argument in the protasis of the next first class condition in Romans 11:18. The protasis presents a hypothetical situation for the sake of argument. In it Paul says that if and let assume that it is true for the sake argument some of you do assume arrogant superiority over the branches. The apodasis of the first class condition is Remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. The first class condition is indicating the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. The force of the indicative has the idea of the presentation of reality and in the first class condition the conditional particle turns such a presentation into a supposition. However, this does not mean that the condition is true. It does mean that as far as the portrayal is concerned, the point of the argument is based on the assumption of reality. The context does not indicate that Paul is affirming the truth of the protasis that Paul s Gentile Christians were arrogant towards the Jews. Rather Paul is using the first class condition in Romans 11:18 in a rhetorical sense, which has the idea of a polite command, couched in indirect language. There is nothing in Romans 11:1-17 or Romans 11:19-24, which indicates that Paul s Gentile readers were assuming arrogant superiority over the Jews. This first class condition is preventive maintenance or as a simple reminder to supplement the teaching they were already receiving from their pastors. This passage and the fact that Paul had not yet met face to face the Christians in Rome makes it more likely that the Gentile Christians in Rome were not assuming arrogant superiority over the Jews and that Paul was only attempting to remind them of what they had already been taught. Thus, the first class condition in Romans 11:18 indicates that Paul is speaking of a hypothetical situation that could possibly take place among the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome. In contrast with the apodasis, Paul teaches his Gentile Christian readers in Rome that they by no means sustain in a spiritual sense Abraham. But rather on the contrary, Abraham sustains them since God established a covenant with Abraham, which provide salvation for Gentiles through Abraham and his descendants, the Jews and in particular his greatest descendant, Jesus Christ. So the apodasis of this first class condition appears in Romans 11:18, which infers from the protasis a warning, namely his Gentile Christian readers were not to be arrogant towards either saved Jews or unsaved Jews. Next, in Romans 11:19, Paul once again employs a diatribe style by presenting an argument of a hypothetical Gentile Christian who seeks to justify assuming arrogant superiority over both saved and unsaved Jews. Romans 11:19, Therefore, you will contend, Branches were broken off in order that I myself could be grafted in. 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 6
In this passage, Paul is assuming the position of a hypothetical Gentile Christian who seeks to justify assuming arrogant superiority over both saved and unsaved Jews. The statement that appears in Romans 11:19 is the result of an inference that could be implied from Paul s teaching in Romans 11:17. Paul taught in Romans 11:17 that branches (Jews) were broken off (rejected by God) and Gentiles (wild olive) were grafted into the olive tree in their place. Branches were broken off describes God s rejection of those Jews who rejected His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior by not exercising faith in Him. So that I might be grafted in refers to the perspective of a hypothetical Gentile Christian and emphasizes that they arrogantly assume that God s purpose in rejecting the Jews was to graft Gentiles in, with the implication that God prefers the Gentiles to the Jews, which is false. In Romans 11:19-21, Paul is seeking to prevent what took place among his fellow Jews, namely, they erroneously and presumptuously believed that they merited being the covenant people of God, and inheriting the promises made to the patriarchs. They erroneously and presumptuously thought that they merited receiving the Temple service, the Shekinah glory, the giving of the Law, the adoption as sons, the covenants, Old Testament Scriptures and being descendants of the patriarchs. They erroneously and presumptuously thought that they merited the fact that the Messiah would be like them, Jewish. Therefore, Paul in Romans 11:19-21 is seeking to prevent this type of arrogance that was in the Jew from taking place among Gentile Christians. Paul does not want his Gentile Christians to assume arrogant superiority over the Jews just as the Jews assumed arrogant superiority over the Gentiles because of their many privileges bestowed upon them. He also does not want to the Gentile Christians to have a racial prejudice towards the Jews just as the Jews had towards the Gentiles. In Romans 11:19-21, Paul is also emphasizing with his Gentile Christian readers in Rome that they do not merit their salvation and thus there is no room for arrogance to the either unsaved or saved Jews since they were saved based on the merits of Christ! Also, Paul does not want his Gentile Christian readers in Rome to erroneously assume that they merit their salvation since God s faithfulness to the promises of the Abrahamic covenant made it possible for them to get saved in the first place. In Romans 11:20, Paul answers the argument of his hypothetical Gentile Christian by first acknowledging the fact that unsaved Jews were rejected by God for their unbelief in His Son Jesus Christ. However, he then reminds his hypothetical Gentile Christian that he stands by his faith in Christ. Also, in this passage, Paul issues a prohibition to those Gentile Christians who might think they are superior to the Jews to stop thinking arrogantly about themselves but to have reverence for God. 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7
Romans 11:20, Absolutely! They were broken off because of their unbelief but you are inserted because of your faith. Do not think arrogantly but rather make it a habit to reverence God the Father. In this passage, Paul is affirming the statement by his hypothetical Gentile Christian in Romans 11:19 that branches were broken off, which refers to God s rejection of those Jews who rejected His Son Jesus Christ as Savior. He does not affirm that these branches were broken off in order to graft Gentile Christians in but only that branches were broken off. This implies that Paul s hypothetical Gentile Christian was correct in saying that branches were broken off because this is an historical fact but they were incorrect and arrogant to say that they were broken off in order to graft them in. Paul corrects them in verse 20 by stating that they were broken off because of their unbelief and not in order to graft Gentiles in. In fact, he reminds his Gentile Christian readers who might hold this presumptuous and erroneous viewpoint that they stand by their faith not because they merited their salvation. They stand by their faith in the sense that they are accepted by God based on the merits of His Son Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. They were broken off because of their unbelief indicates that the nation of Israel was rejected by God because of unbelief or in other words failure to accept by faith Jesus Christ as their Savior. But you are inserted because of your faith presents a contrast between the Jews rejection by God because of their unbelief and the Gentiles acceptance by God because of their faith in Christ and indicates that Gentile Christians were accepted by God because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Their faith in Christ is nonmeritorious, thus they have no business thinking themselves better than the Jews. Do not think arrogantly prohibits Paul s Gentile Christian readers in Rome of thinking arrogantly by thinking that they merited their salvation or that God thought that they merited their salvation more than the Jews. In Romans 11:20, Paul is prohibiting the Gentile Christians from thinking arrogantly about themselves in the sense of thinking they are superior to the Jews because God accepted them and rejected the Jews for their unbelief in Christ. In this command But rather make it a habit to reverence God the Father Paul is saying instead of thinking yourself superior to the Jews I command you to have reverence and respect for God so that you worship Him for saving you through faith in His Son! Paul is commanding Gentile Christians who might think themselves superior to Jews to stop thinking that but rather they are have an attitude of deep respect and awe for the Lord since He saved them through faith in His Son and not based upon their own merits. He is commanding his Gentile Christian readers who might think themselves superior to the Jews to stop thinking arrogantly and instead be in awe 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8
of God in the sense of possessing an overwhelming feeling of reverence and admiration for Him for saving them by faith in Christ. The apostle is commanding his Gentile Christian readers who might think themselves superior to the Jews to stop thinking arrogantly and instead be filled with admiration, amazement and awe of God for saving them not based upon their own merits but on the merits of Christ. He wants them instead of thinking themselves superior to the Jews to have mixture of gratitude, adoration, reverence, fear and love for God because He did not save them on their own merits but because of their faith in Christ meaning that they were saved based upon the merits of the object of their faith, Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul is commanding his Gentile Christian readers in Rome who might think themselves superior to the Jews to stop thinking arrogantly and commands them to worship Him in the sense of contemplate how He has dealt with them in grace. They are to lovingly ascribe praise to Him for what He is, both in Himself, His Son s Finished Work on the Cross and in His ways because He did not save them based upon their own merits but based upon His grace policy and faith in His Son. They are to bow their souls and spirits in deep humility and reverence before Him because He did not save them because they were better than the Jews but rather He saved them based upon His grace policy and faith in His Son. Paul is commanding his Gentile Christians readers who might think they are superior to the Jews to stop thinking arrogantly and instead respond in the minds, emotions and body to who and what the Father is and what He has accomplished for them at the Cross. Next, the apostle teaches in Romans 11:21 that the reason why Gentile Christians should never think arrogantly but rather reverence God is that God did not spare the natural branches, unsaved Jews because of their unbelief and He will not spare unsaved Gentiles either for their unbelief. Romans 11:21, Because, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that God the Father by no means spared some of the natural branches and of course, we agree that He didn t, then, neither will He spare you. This passage teaches Paul s Gentile Christian readers in Rome that the reason why they should never think that they are superior to the Jews as a race but rather reverence God is that God did not spare the unsaved Jews because of their unbelief and He will not spare unsaved Gentiles either for their unbelief. Thus, Paul is instructing his readers that you are not saved based upon the fact that your race has more merit with God than the Jewish race because God will not spare Gentiles who reject His Son like He did not spare Jews who rejected His Son. He is saying to his Gentile Christian readers in Rome in Romans 11:20-21 that you are saved based 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9
upon your faith in Christ and not because your race has more merit than the Jewish race. In Romans 11:22, Paul commands his Gentile Christian readers in Rome to consider God s kindness and uncompromising justice. In this passage, he teaches that those Jews who rejected Christ experience God s uncompromising justice but those Gentiles who had faith in Christ experience God s kindness. He also warns them that the Gentiles will continue to experience God s kindness if they continue to respond to His kindness as expressed in the gospel by exercising faith in Christ but if they don t, God will reject them just as He rejected those Jews who rejected Christ. Romans 11:22, Therefore, I solemnly charge you now to consider God s kindness and uncompromising justice! On the one hand towards those who fell into complete ruin-uncompromising justice while on the other hand towards you-god s kindness, if you continue to respond to His kindness otherwise you too will be cut off. The command in Romans 11:22 is the result of an inference from Paul s argument recorded in Romans 11:17-21. He commands his Gentile Christian readers in Rome to consider God s kindness and uncompromising justice. In the correlative clause he contrasts unsaved Jews with saved Gentiles and teaches that those Jews who rejected Christ experience God s uncompromising justice whereas those Gentiles who had faith in Christ experience His kindness. In the third class condition, he also warns his Gentile readers that Gentiles will continue to experience God s kindness if they continue to respond to God s kindness as expressed in the gospel by exercising faith in Christ. In the causal clause he presents the reason why they must continue to respond to the gospel by exercising faith in Christ, namely they too like the unsaved Jews will be rejected forever by God. In Romans 11:23, Paul teaches his Gentile Christians readers in Rome that the Jews will be accepted by God if they do not continue in their unbelief. Romans 11:23, However, if they also, as an eternal spiritual truth, do not continue in the sphere of unbelief then they will be grafted in because God the Father is, as an eternal spiritual truth able to graft them in again. So in Romans 11:23 Paul presents a contrast between God rejecting Gentiles for rejecting His Son Jesus Christ with His accepting Jews if they have faith in His Son. In this passage, Paul teaches his Gentile Christian readers that if the Jews do not continue in unbelief by having faith in Christ, then God will unite them with born-again Jews and Gentiles. He also instructs them that God can do this because He is omnipotent. All of this is to instill humility in Paul s Gentile readers in the sense of understanding that they are accepted by God because of the merits of the object of 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10
their faith, His Son Jesus Christ and not based upon the fact that they have more merit than the Jews. This is to protect them being anti-jewish and to motivate them to evangelize the Jews along with their fellow Gentiles. This statement is also designed to build unity among Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome and the churches throughout the Roman Empire. Now, many expositors of this passage stumble over the fact that Paul uses an unlikely bit of horticulture by stating that God can engraft the branches broken back onto the olive tree. However, they fail to recognize that Paul is not talking about orchardists but rather He is instructing His readers regarding the power of God. The engrafting of the Jews back onto the olive tree because of their faith in Christ is nothing more than an illustration that speaks of the power and grace of God. In Romans 11:17, Paul teaches his Gentile Christian readers in Rome that they were analogous to a wild olive shoot of a wild olive tree that has been engrafted onto a cultivated olive tree, which is analogous to born-again Israel. Now the usual procedure was to insert a shoot or slip of a cultivated tree into a wild one. However, in Romans 11:24 Paul makes clear that the metaphor he is using is contrary to nature of grafting a wild olive branch (a Gentile) into a cultivated olive tree. The normal procedure was to take a shoot from an olive tree that bears good fruit and graft it onto a wild olive stock whose fruit is poor. The result is a tree with vigorous growth, which bears good olives. However, Paul reverses the procedure and speaks of grafting a wild olive onto the stock of a good olive and then later he speaks of grafting back some of the good olive branches that have been cut out. Such a procedure was unnatural and would be unfruitful, which is precisely Paul s point with his Gentile Christian readers. He wishes to underscore the miraculous nature of their new relationship with God and other Jewish Christians. Now here in Romans 11:23, Paul again uses a horticultural analogy, which again speaks of an unlikely procedure of regrafting a branch that has been broken off to illustrate that God will accept those Jews who do not persist in unbelief by exercising faith in Christ. What the orchardist would never do, namely regrafting a broken off branch, God, with respect to salvation can and will do, namely accept those Jews who do not persist in unbelief by exercising faith in Christ. Next, in Romans 11:24, the apostle Paul teaches his Gentile Christians readers in Rome that if they were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, then how much more will the natural branches will be grafted into their own olive tree. This illustration emphasizes with Paul s Gentile Christian readers in Rome that if God accepted Gentiles who had faith in His Son who did not belong to born-again Israel (olive 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11
tree) then He will certainly accept those Jews who were broken off the olive tree because of their unbelief if they have faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 11:24, Because if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that you were cut off from that which is by nature a wild olive tree and in addition were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree and of course, we agree that this is true then how much more will these which are natural be grafted into their own olive tree? Romans 11:24 presents the reason why God will accept unsaved Jews if they repent in believe in His Son Jesus Christ. This passage is composed of a first class conditional statement. In the protasis, Paul establishes by way of analogy the fact with his Gentile Christian readers that God accepted them through faith in His Son Jesus Christ even though they were not racially related to regenerate Israel, which is depicted by him as an olive tree. In the apodasis, he employs the logical argument of a fortiori to emphasize with his Gentile Christian readers that God will certainly accept Jews who are biologically related to regenerate Israel if they repent and believe in Christ. The logical argument of a fortiori in the apodasis of Romans 11:24 argues that if God can do the greater and accept Gentiles through faith in Christ, then He certainly can do the lesser and accept Jews who do so as well. If God accepted Gentiles with whom He never established an unconditional covenant with like He did the Jews with the patriarchs, then certainly He will accept the Jews if they have faith in Christ. If God can save Gentiles with whom He is not in covenant relation with, then certainly He will save Jews who are in covenant relation with. If God can graft branches (Gentiles) into the cultivated olive tree (saved Israel) that do not naturally belong to the cultivated olive tree by nature, then certainly God can graft branches (Jews) into the cultivated olive tree which belong by nature to it. Paul uses the a fortiori argument to emphasize with his Gentile Christian readers that they are not superior to the Jews. This first class condition is to promote unity in the churches between Jewish and Gentile Christians. He also wants to protect his Gentile Christian readers from getting arrogant towards unsaved Israel because of their rejection of Christ. He wants them to continue to evangelize the Jews. Therefore, in Romans 11:25, the apostle Paul employs the emphatic or intensifying use of the conjunction gar in order to introduce a statement that not only confirms but also advances upon his statements in Romans 11:11-24 and intensifies them. This word indicates that Paul s statement in Romans 11:25 not only summarizes what he has taught in Romans 11:11-24 but also advances upon 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12
these statements and intensifies them and goes beyond that which he has said in them. We will translate gar, In fact. Romans 11:25, For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation -- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. I do not want you is composed of the first person singular present active indicative form of the verb thelo (qevlw) (thel-o), I do want, which is negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou (ou)) (oo), not, which is followed accusative second person plural form of the personal pronoun humeis (u(mei~$) (hoo-mice), you. This expression is a standard formula that Paul used in his letters to the churches when he wanted to emphasize that what he was about to say was especially important (See Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:13) and it is always followed by the vocative adelphoi (a)delfoiv), brethren. By using this expression, Paul is emphasizing to his readers that God has not rejected Israel and that Israel s rejection of His Son was a part of His plan from eternity past. The verb thelo means to desire something. Its meaning is emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou, which emphatically negates the idea that Paul wants his Gentile Christians readers to be uninformed regarding the mystery of Israel s partial hardening in order that the fullness of the Gentiles might take place. The verb thelo and the emphatic negative adverb ou denote Paul s desire that his Gentile Christian readers would by no means be ignorant of the mystery of Israel s partial hardening until the fullness of the Gentiles has taken place. The first person singular form of the verb means, I and refers to the apostle Paul. The present tense of the verb is an instantaneous or aoristic present used to indicate that an action is completed at the moment of speaking. The verb thelo introduces a statement and its time frame is concluded once the statement has been made. The active voice means that the subject performs the action of the verb. The subject in our present context is the apostle Paul. Therefore, the active voice form of the verb thelo denotes that Paul performed the action of desiring that his Gentile Christian readers would not be ignorant of the mystery concerning Israel s partial hardening in order that the fullness of the Gentiles might take place. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this assertion as an unqualified statement of fact. 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13
We will translate thelo, I want and the emphatic negative adverb ou, by no means. The second person plural form of the personal pronoun humeis is a reference to Paul s Gentile Christian readers. This form of the personal pronoun humeis is used in a distributive sense indicating that Paul is addressing each and every one of his Gentile Christian readers. This sense emphasizes God s concern for each and every one of his Gentile Christian readers. The word functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb thelo indicating that Paul is informing his Gentile Christian readers of the mystery of Israel s partial hardening until the fullness of the Gentiles has taken place. We will translate humeis each and every one of you. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 11:25: In fact, I by no means want each and every one of you Romans 11:25, For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation -- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Brethren is the vocative masculine plural form of the noun adelphos (a)delfov$), which refers to members of the royal family of God who are related to each other and the Lord Jesus Christ through spiritual birth, i.e., regeneration, thus, the word refers to a fellow-believer, fellow-christian, spiritual brother or sister. This word emphasizes the fact that the Roman Christians and all believers in the church age are sons of God (cf. Jn. 1:12-13; Gal. 3:26-28). Therefore, if church age believers are all sons of God, then they must all be spiritual brothers and sisters and members of the royal family of God. The anarthrous construction of the noun adelphos is qualitative emphasizing the qualitative aspect of the word, thus it emphasizes Paul s brothers in Rome, but in the spiritual sense who are of all genders, races and social classes. This is a vocative of direct simple address indicating Paul is directly addressing in writing his spiritual brothers and sisters who were located in the city of Rome. We will translate adelphos, spiritual brothers. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 11:25: In fact, I by no means want each and every one of you spiritual brothers and sisters Romans 11:25, For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation -- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. To be uninformed is the present active infinitive form of the verb agnoeo (a)gnoevw) (ag-no-eh-o), which is composed of the alpha prefix, not and the verb noeo, to perceive, understand, thus the word literally means, to not understand. 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14
The verb agnoeo is used in relation to Paul s desire that the Roman believers would not be ignorant of the mystery of Israel s partial hardening in order that the fullness of the Gentiles might take place. The verb functions as a complementary infinitive meaning that it is completing the thought of the verb thelo, I want whose meaning is emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou, by no means. Since the verb agnoeo complements the verb thelo, its present tense is also an instantaneous or aoristic present like the present tense of thelo. This type of present tense is used to indicate that an action is completed at the moment of speaking. The active voice means that the subject performs the action of the verb. The subject in our present context is the apostle Paul. Therefore, the active voice form of the verb agnoeo denotes that Paul performed the action of informing his readers of the mystery concerning Israel s partial hardening in order that the fullness of the Gentiles might take place. We will translate the verb to be ignorant. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 11:25: In fact, I by no means want each and every one of you spiritual brothers and sisters to be ignorant Romans 11:25, For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -- so that you will not be wise in your own estimation -- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Of this mystery is composed of the articular accusative neuter singular form of the noun musterion (musthvrion) (moos-tay-ree-on), mystery and the accusative neuter singular form of the demonstrative pronoun houtos (ou!to$), this. The precise origin of the noun musterion is itself a mystery according to Bornkamm (Kittel 4:803). The word is found from the time of the Tragic Poets onwards and comes from the verb muo, to shut, to close. The noun means that which must not or cannot be said. It was a term for the many ancient mystery cults, which developed from the seventh century B.C. to the fourth century A.D. The basic features of these mysteries were the guarding of secrets and the initiation process where the participants share through a ritual act in the life of the god. Another feature was the promise of cosmic salvation. Finkernath states The mystery celebration gave a ceremonial and dramatic representation of the deity suffering and overcoming death and the initiated attained salvation and deification by sharing in the deity s fortunes through resurrection. (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, General Editor, volume 3, page 501; Regency, Reference Library, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1967, 1969, 1971) 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15
Over time, these mystery cults infiltrated philosophical circles with terminology, concepts and speculation. Magic was influenced as well. Mysteries were secrets that were disclosed to the Gnostic practitioner. Liddell-Scott lists the following meanings for the noun musterion: (1) mystery or secret rite (2) mystic implements and ornaments (3) of the military sacrmentum (4) secret revealed by God, i.e. religious or mystical truth (Page 1156). The majority of the documents containing the noun musterion are noncanonical intertestamental writings that do not have Hebrew behind them. However, it appears that the concept of musterion appears in Daniel which is reflected in the Aramaic word raz, secret, mystery. This word describes the mystery revealed to Daniel as the interpreter of Nebuchadnezzar s dream. Both the Septuagint and Theodotion s version render musterion with the raz. In Daniel, the meaning of musterion went from secret to revealed secret. Bornkamm writes, In Daniel musterion takes on for the first time a sense which is important for the further development of the word, namely that of an eschatological mystery, a concealed intimation of divinely ordained future events whose disclosure and interpretation is reserved for God alone and for those inspired by His Spirit. (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 4, page 814-815; Gerhard Kittel, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1964) The noun musterion appears twenty-seven times in the Greek New Testament, twenty are attributed to Paul. Of the remaining seven, three occur in the Synoptic Gospels in parallel texts (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10). The other four appear in Revelation (1:20; 10:7; 17:5, 7). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature-Third Edition commenting on this word musterion, writes, Secret, secret rite, secret teaching, mystery, a technical term applied in the Greco-Roman world mostly to the mysteries with their secret teachings, religious and political in nature, concealed within many strange customs and ceremonies. The principal rites remain unknown because of a reluctance in antiquity to divulge them. (Page 661). They list the following meanings for the word: (1) the unmanifested or private counsel of God, (God s) secret, the secret thoughts, plans and dispensations of God, which are hidden from human reason, as well as from all other comprehension below the divine level and await either fulfillment or revelation to those for whom they are intended (2) that which transcends normal understanding, transcendent/ultimate reality, secret, with focus on Israelite/Christian experience (Page 662). 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16
The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, a matter to the knowledge of which initiation is necessary; a secret which would remain such but for revelation; a concealed power or principle; a hidden meaning of a symbol (Page 273). Vine commenting on musterion, writes, Musterion, primarily that which is known to the mustes, the initiated (from mueo, to initiate into the mysteries ; cf. Phil 4:12, mueomai, I have learned the secret, RV). In the NT it denotes, not the mysterious (as with the Eng. word), but that which, being outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known only by divine revelation, and is made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God, and to those only who are illumined by His Spirit. In the ordinary sense a mystery implies knowledge withheld; its Scriptural significance is truth revealed. Hence the terms especially associated with the subject are made known, manifested, revealed, preached, understand, dispensation. The definition given above may be best illustrated by the following passage: the mystery which hath been hid from all ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to His saints Col 1:26, RV. It is used of: (a) spiritual truth generally, as revealed in the gospel, 1 Cor 13:2; 14:2 [cf. 1 Tim 3:9]. Among the ancient Greeks the mysteries were religious rites and ceremonies practiced by secret societies into which any one who so desired might be received. Those who were initiated into these mysteries became possessors of certain knowledge, which was not imparted to the uninitiated, and were called 'the perfected,' cf. 1 Cor 2:6-16 where the Apostle has these mysteries in mind and presents the gospel in contrast thereto; here the perfected are, of course the believers, who alone can perceive the things revealed; (b) Christ, who is God Himself revealed under the conditions of human life, Col 2:2; 4:3, and submitting even to death, 1 Cor 2:1 [in some mss., for marturion, testimony], 7, but raised from among the dead, 1 Tim 3:16, that the will of God to coordinate the universe in Him, and subject it to Him, might in due time be accomplished, Eph 1:9 (cf. Rev 10:7), as is declared in the gospel Rom 16:25; Eph 6:19; (c) the Church, which is Christ's Body, i. e., the union of redeemed men with God in Christ, Eph 5:32 [cf. Col 1:27]; (d) the rapture into the presence of Christ of those members of the Church which is His Body who shall be alive on the earth at His Parousia, 1 Cor 15:51; (e) the operation of those hidden forces that either retard or accelerate the Kingdom of Heaven (i. e., of God), Matt 13:11; Mark 4:11; (f) the cause of the present condition of Israel, Rom 11:25; (g) the spirit of disobedience to God, 2 Thess 2:7; Rev 17:5,7, cf. Eph 2:2. From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine pp. 256. 257. To these may be added (h) the seven local churches, and their angels, seen in symbolism, Rev 1:20; (i) the ways of God in grace, Eph 3:9. The word is used in a comprehensive way in 1 Cor 4:1. See The Twelve Mysteries of Scripture, by Vine. (Vine s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers) 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains defines the word the content of that which has not been known before but which has been revealed to an in-group or restricted constituency secret, mystery (volume 2, page 345). The New Thayer s Greek-English Lexicon: (1) a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding (2) a hidden purpose or counsel (3) Denotes the mystic or hidden sense (Page 420). In relation to the Greek New Testament, the noun musterion referred to Bible doctrine that was never revealed to Old Testament saints but was revealed through the Spirit to the church. It referred to God s set of instructions for the church age believer, which were not known to Old Testament saints. Romans 16:25-27, Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen. The noun musterion was used by the Greeks of the content of the doctrines and the actual principles and points that had to be learned by the initiated. It was used in the ancient fraternities of Athens, Greece. These ancient fraternities had secret doctrines, which they called mystery doctrines and only those initiated into those fraternities knew the mystery doctrines or the secrets. Every Greek fraternity had its own secret doctrines and cultic rites. The mystery doctrine that the Apostle Paul taught and is found in the New Testament is truth. Paul took the noun musterion away from the secrets of the ancient mystery cults and used it in technical theological language. He did this to indicate that the doctrine that he was teaching was totally unknown in Old Testament times. Musterion is something that is hidden from those outside the fraternity. The fraternity is the royal family of God formed by the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. Only members of the royal family of God have received the mystery doctrine of the church age. Our Lord taught this principle to us disciples and employed it Himself (Matt. 13:10-11). Only the initiated or within our Lord s circle of students were given the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 13:10-11, And the disciples came and said to Him, Why do You speak to them in parables? Jesus answered them, To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. The Person of Christ is called the mystery of godliness (1 Tim. 3:16). 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18