Christ. Reconciliation for the Gentile. New Life for the Jew.

This  study in Romans 9-11 has unfortunately had to take a backseat for a couple weeks.  So let's do a little re-cap. Previous to chapter 11, Paul has clearly indicted Israel in their rejection of the Messiah and disobedience to the Gospel.  He did this in light of God's clear promises (in Romans 8) to the people of God.  This has begged the question, "Has God been unfaithful?"   Clearly the answer is no.  Paul has clarified two things: One, Israel according to the promise is not ethnic Israel.  The Israel that received the promises is the elect seed.  And this elect seed not only exists within Israel but also extends to the Gentile world.  Paul is talking about the Church, the Body and the Bride of Christ. It is the Church that is the fullness of His glorious plan.  Those who did not believe the Gospel; those who were not chosen by grace, are hardened in their rebellion.

Paul himself is an example of God's gracious election and salvation.  Thus God's promises are true.  In fact the mercy of God is expressed also in the fact that through the rebellion of Israel, even now Gentiles are being saved.   Chapter 11 is essentially showing the reader how God has been working in both the Jewish and the Gentile communities to accomplish His purposes:

Verse	Jew	Gentile	Purpose Statement
11	Jewish transgression	Salvation has come to Gentiles	To make Israel jealous
12	Jewish transgression	Riches for the world (Gentiles)	How much more "their" fullness mean ?
	Jewish loss	Riches for the Gentiles
13-15	Jewish rejection	Reconciliation of the world
	Jewish acceptance	Life from the dead
16-24	Jewish branches broken off	Wild olive  grafted in	God able to graft in Jews again
25-27	Israel hardened in part	Full Gentiles come in	All "Israel" saved.
28-31	Jewish disobedience	You who were disobedient received mercy

As I ended the study in verses 11-12, I previously concluded: "I am convinced that a suitable paraphrase of verse 12 would go something like this: "If Israel’s failure resulted in some Gentiles coming into the kingdom, how much more is the glory of this relationship evidenced as some Jews come into the kingdom?"  So Paul progresses: “Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?" (Romans 11:13–15, ESV)

Paul, as he addresses the Gentiles – the people-group to whom the Lord called him to minister, reminds them that God's wise plan is deeply entrenched in his thinking.  All the while that he is preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, he is well aware of the fact that some Jews may be envious of his ministry.  He trusts this will enable him to explain the plan of God and the Gospel of Christ to his Jewish friends.   All this "magnifies" his ministry.  The more Gentiles that are saved can result in more Jews being saved! So again he recounts this amazing plan of God: For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

Certainly Paul is keeping the same line of reasoning that Israel's rejection of the Messiah has granted opportunity for the message of reconciliation to into the world – specifically the Gentile world.  And then we have this unique phrase: what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?   Again Paul is showing this relationship between Jew/Gentile.  "Their acceptance" means Jewish acceptance of the Messiah – the Gospel.  This, according to Paul, will bring life from the dead. 

 

There is some debate over this, even envisioning a huge end-time revival.  Note: "The ultimate reception of a repentant Israel will bring revival on an unprecedented scale. We may expect to see a mighty evangelistic movement in the last days which will be characterized by large numbers of Jews coming to receive Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Saviour."^[1]  This would break faith with the context, though.  Paul has already set the interpretive key.  The salvation he has in mind for both Jew and Gentile is "some" of each in accordance with God's elective purposes.  Also, Paul has been speaking in the past/present tense.  He is talking about what is happening now.  This is not a new phenomenon. The Old Testament always pointed toward that fact that the Gospel preached in the power of the Spirit would bring the dead to life (see Ezekiel 37). 

I am convinced that Paul simply  saying that those in Israel who believe and obey the Gospel, will become spiritually alive.  They will experience the New Birth.  They will know and be part of His New Covenant as the prophets foretold. “I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.” (Jeremiah 32:39–40, ESV) (cf: Jeremiah 31:31ff, etc.).

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Previous Blogs on this topic:

1	God Will Never Reject Those He Has Chosen	Romans 11:1-6
2	The Cooperation of God in the Choice to Reject Him	Romans 11:7-10
3	Proof That Israel is Not Condemned	Romans 11:11
4	When Fullness Doesn't Mean Full and All Doesn't Mean All	Romans 11:12
5	Christ.  Reconciliation for the Gentile. New Life for the Jew.	Romans 13-15

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^[1] Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2255). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.