Romanos 11
Theophylact of Ohrid
Romanos 11:1-2
Having called the Jews a disobedient people, he presents himself as doubting, saying: have the promises of God not been fulfilled because the people of Israel became disobedient? No, he answers. God has not rejected His people, "whom He foreknew," that is, whom He knew to be capable of receiving the faith. "For I also am an Israelite." Then, lest anyone object: are you alone the people? he adds: God has not rejected His people, that is, others besides me—there are three thousand, there are five thousand, there is a great multitude from the people who believed, as the Acts of the Apostles show (Acts 2:41, 4:4, 5:14). — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:3-4
The Apostle could have been objected to: what are you saying, Paul? Do you really consider the people who are likened to sand and stars to consist of three thousand, five thousand, a great multitude of people? Therefore he says: even in the time of Elijah no more than seven thousand were saved; and even Elijah did not know them. And now, probably, there are many who have believed. If you do not know them, this is nothing new: Elijah too did not know those. At the same time, imperceptibly touching upon another subject with his words, he shows that the murder they committed was long ago foretold from above. Namely: lest they should say, we killed Christ as a deceiver, he asks: then how did your forefathers kill the Old Testament prophets? Were they too deceivers? They boldly caused grief? But how then did your forefathers dig up the altars? Did the altars too give offense? And how did they seek to kill Elijah himself, who was zealous for the Jews and renowned for his miracles? But if in those times, when there were so many wicked people, the Lord chose for Himself only seven thousand, as Scripture shows, that is, the revelation and word of God, then there is nothing at all new if He now too chooses only the worthy. He explains this further as well. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:5
A remnant exists even now, he says, that is, the best. When winnowed grain is fanned, what remains is the kernel. Just so God too, rejecting the wicked, keeps the worthy for Himself. When he said "by election," he showed the diligence of those being saved, because they became worthy of election through their diligence; and when he said "of grace," he indicated the gift of God. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:6
Here he shows that the Jews who did not believe have no excuse whatsoever. You cannot, he says, say that God demanded deeds and labors from you. Everything is a matter of grace. Why then do you not wish to be saved, when such a good is offered to you without demanding labors from you? Therefore, those who wished were saved. These are the ones who constitute the people of God. So God did not reject His people who were worthy of salvation. If we were pleasing God by works, then grace would already be out of place; but if there is room for grace, then there is no longer any work, and work is not work. For where there is grace, no work is required; and where there is work, there is no grace. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:7
Having explained what grace is, that is, that it is a gift of God apart from works, he says that the Israelites, seeking righteousness, did not obtain it, because they sought it poorly and from works, by which it is impossible to obtain it. "But the elect obtained it." By the word "obtained" he shows the greatness of the blessings and that everything is the work of God's grace. And in ordinary conversation we too say: he obtained a profit, that is, he acquired a gain without labor. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:8
He brings forth Isaiah as a witness of their blindness, so that he would not appear to be speaking on his own. The words "God gave" are said in place of "granted," that is, He allowed, He permitted them to have "a spirit of slumber." By insensibility he means such a habit of the soul toward evil that is incorrigible and unchangeable; for to be pricked (κατανύσσεσθαι) means to be attached or to cling to something. Having eyes to see the miracles and ears to hear the Lord's teaching, they made use of neither as they ought. They did this not only in relation to Christ alone, but also in relation to the apostles. "Even to this day," it says. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:9
Since they, he says, are unchangeable in their wickedness, they will be subjected to the utmost punishment. "Their table," that is, all their goods and pleasures will be turned into the opposite; they will be caught in a net and captured, having become easily taken captive and overcome by all, and always having stumbling blocks and obstacles in their life. And so that it would be evident that they will suffer this for their sins, he said: "for a recompense." Moreover, from their calamities their eyes were darkened, both spiritual and bodily. And their back is bent, for they are in such slavery to the Romans, which will never end. This is the meaning of the word "forever," that is, they will never be freed from that slavery. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:10
Moreover, from their calamities their eyes were darkened, both spiritual and bodily. And their back is bent, for they are in such slavery to the Romans, which will never end. This is the meaning of the word "forever," that is, they will never be freed from that slavery. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:11
Having sufficiently rebuked the Jews, he now devises consolation for them and asks: "Have they stumbled so as to fall completely?" — that is, have they sinned in such a way that it is no longer possible to heal them in any way? They stumbled, yet their fall was not such that there was no means of setting things right. At the time of the end of the world, as will be said further on, they too will be saved. Here he wishes to accomplish two tasks: first, to console the Jews, and second, to curb the pride of the Gentiles. He says: salvation became the possession of the Gentiles when the Jews stumbled and did not believe. In order, the Jews should have been saved first, and then the Gentiles; but since the Jews proved to be unbelieving, the Gentiles were chosen. This is also indicated in many places in the Gospel. And the Gentiles were saved "to provoke them to jealousy," that is, so that the Jews would be stung by the honor shown to the Gentiles and would be persuaded to come to Christ, at least out of rivalry with them. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:12
If, he says, the Jews, having stumbled, prepared salvation for the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were accepted when the Jews were rejected, and the fall of the Jews became the riches of the Gentiles, then how much more their "fullness," that is, when they, having turned back, shall all be saved. He says this to please the Jews and to console them. For although the Jews fell, the Gentiles would not have been saved if they had not had faith. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:13-14
Again consoling the Jews, he humbles the pride of the Gentiles, saying: I commend you for two reasons: first, because having been appointed as a teacher to you, I have need to glorify "my ministry," that is, you; and second, because I have in view to provoke to jealousy "my kinsmen according to the flesh" — the Jews. By the word "flesh" he showed his kinship with the Jews and his tender love for them. "And might not save" — he did not say: all, but: "some of them." For he subtly reveals their hardheartedness; because it could happen that some, being kindled by emulation, would imitate the Gentiles and believe. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:15
If, he says, having been angered at them, He granted so much to others and made enemies into friends, what will He not grant when He receives them? Then there will be "life from the dead," that is, unending blessings; for He indicates these by the word "life." At the same time, he also hints at something more exalted, namely that just as the resurrection from the dead will not depend on the acceptance of the Jews, so too the salvation of others will not depend on them either, if they do not have faith. All of this he says seemingly in favor of the Jews, offering them a refreshing drink, as physicians often do with the gravely ill. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:16
He calls the patriarchs the "firstfruit" and the "root," and those of their descendants who believed the "lump" and the "branches." So he comforts the unbelieving Jews, saying: you too will be holy if you believe. For it is necessary that the lump and the branches be like the firstfruit — that is, the former like the firstfruit, and the latter like the root. But if you have not become like them, this is a sign of great wickedness. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:17
He called the unbelieving Jews broken-off branches, for they became unworthy of the holy root. And he well said "were broken off," for God never rejected them in this way, although they sinned in many ways. And in place of them, the broken off, you, the Gentile, he says, were grafted in. He did not say "you were planted," but "you were grafted in," and by this he stings the Jew and shows that the Gentile stands on the tree of the Jew, that is, on the patriarchs, and "became a partaker of the root and the sap," that is, attained from God the same nobility and glory as the Jews. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:18
Therefore, do not be arrogant and do not boast against the branches. What good is this to the branches that were broken off? For it is the root that supports. Do you see how he only praises the Jews in appearance, seeking merely to console them? However, even by this he spurs the Jews to zeal, showing the harm they have suffered and how others have received their possession and hold it. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:19-20
Here he proves that the Gentiles were not chosen in place of the Jews because the Jews sinned, but for the faith which the Gentiles displayed. So where he seems to cast down the Gentile, there he shows that the fall of the Jews was inexcusable. But he corrects both groups. You, Gentile, will say that the branches were broken off so that you might be grafted in? Yes, they were broken off, but by their own unbelief, and not because God owed you that honor: for "you stand by faith," having been grafted into the root. Therefore "be afraid," because the grafting in is not a matter of nature, but of faith. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:21
The Jews were sons of the patriarchs by nature, yet were broken off by unbelief. All the more should you fear, you who are grafted in, whether God will spare you in the case of your fall. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:22
He did not say: "you see" your own merit, but: "the goodness of God"; for all is the work of God's grace. And endeavor to continue — he did not say: in faith, but: "in goodness," that is, to the end of your life do what is worthy of God's love for mankind. If you do not act thus, you will be cut off. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:23
So too the Jews would have been grafted in, if they had not continued to remain in unbelief; for God did not first cut them off, but they themselves fell away of their own accord and were cut off by their unbelief. In saying that "God did not spare," he means that God does not show mercy to the Jews, but considers them unworthy of communion and fellowship with the holy forefathers. Most wisely Paul frightens the Gentile by what happened to the Jews, while to the Jew, by the example of what happened to the Gentiles, he inspires the boldness to be grafted in by faith and encourages him with hope in the power of God. God is able, he says, to graft them in; He does all things that surpass our hopes. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:24
If, he reasons, if you, a Gentile, to whom evil is akin by nature and who has ancestors resembling a wild olive tree, were cut off from them by faith, and, what was not in your nature, were grafted into the good olive tree, that is, into the patriarchs, then how much more will the Jew, to whom good is akin by nature, be returned to his own olive tree, that is, to his own fathers? And when you hear Paul say "by nature," understand it as: naturally and logically — for example: it was natural that the son of holy Abraham would be holy. Conversely, the expression "not by nature" should be understood as: unnaturally and illogically — for example: it is unnatural that the son of a vile pagan would be holy. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:25
He calls a mystery here that which is unknown and hidden. What then does this mystery consist of? In that the Jews did not all disbelieve, but were hardened in part. Many of them believed, whom, as was said above, God foreknew, and many will believe afterward; for the Israelites were hardened until all the Gentiles foreknown by God are saved. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:26
Then all Israel also will be saved, evidently having believed. Again he brings forth Isaiah, who exclaims that one will come from Zion who is able to save and cleanse the sins of the Israelites. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:27
But when will this be? "When I take away their sins," that is, when I deem them worthy of remission through baptism. Therefore, although they have not received the remission of sins now (for they are hardened), this will be fulfilled afterwards. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:28-29
Since, he says, you have submitted to the Gospel and have been accepted by God, they became more stubborn and recoiled further and became enemies; but since their ancestors were chosen by God from the beginning, God will not allow them to perish completely (for they are beloved), but will accept them if they believe. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:30
You, he says, who were formerly called Gentiles, did not wish to obey: therefore the Jews were chosen and received the law. Again, when the Jews were called and did not obey Christ, you were chosen and shown mercy. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:31
But the mercy shown to you will also be their mercy: they will emulate you and believe, and thus will be deemed worthy of your mercy. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:32
That is, He convicted them, declared them disobedient, in order to save some by the stubbornness of others. For previously, when the Gentiles were disobedient, He saved, as was said, the Jews; again, when the Jews did not obey Christ, the Gentiles were saved, and when the Gentiles are saved, the Jews too will be saved, emulating them, and thus all will be shown mercy. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:33
Reflecting on the dispensations of God from the beginning of the world, on how God arranges the opposite through the opposite and by means of some who are disobedient shows others to be obedient, he came to amazement, thereby confirming that He who so arranges our affairs will assuredly also arrange the future salvation of the Jews. By "riches" he means goodness, the depth of which only brings amazement, and the greatness of which is unknown: for to so enrich the Gentiles is a work of riches. Together with goodness he marvels also at "wisdom," by means of which God governs our life and made wise the ignorant Gentiles, and at "knowledge," by means of which He knows what is profitable for each person. Concerning His ways, he did not say "incomprehensible," but "unsearchable," that is, they cannot even be searched out. "His ways," that is, the methods of His dispensation, not only cannot be comprehended, but cannot even be searched out, that is, one cannot even see a trace of them. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:34
He alone, he says, knows His own works, and besides Him no one else. Being all-wise, He does not borrow wisdom from counsel with another, but of Himself was and is self-sufficient. — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:35
He is also the source of all good things, and whatever He gives, He gives not as one obligated to repay, like someone who has received something from another, but out of His own goodness. For "who has first given to Him," that is, to God, that it should be repaid to him? That is, so that the benefaction bestowed by God might be considered a repayment to the one who gave? — Commentary on Romans
Romanos 11:36
He Himself is the source of all things: this means "from Him." He is also the support of all things: this means "by Him." All things have their beginning from Him, and were created by Him, and all things stand and are held together, resting upon Him as upon a certain foundation. It is Paul's custom to end his discourse with thanksgiving when he speaks of something important. He does the same now as well. Since he was filled with amazement at the goodness, wisdom, knowledge, and ways of God's economy, he finally glorifies God, thereby teaching us also to thank God for His great blessings and to glorify Him in word and in life. — Commentary on Romans