Romans 11

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. Romans 11:16

Firstfruit… lump… root… branches? Paul was just talking about Israel’s being cast away and then returned to favor. What is the connection?

“For” – This is a different conjunction than verse 15. It is actually two words which carry the idea of “if moreover.” He is adding to his previous thought and expanding on it. The imagery he will use is meant to show, with all certainty, that even though Israel was cast away, their return is assured; they are not utterly rejected.

And so, in order to substantiate this in a metaphorical way, Paul goes directly to the law which established Israel in the first place and he pulls out examples which actually verify that this is how God works. First he says, “if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy.” The concept of the “firstfruit” is a portion of something, such as grain or fruit, being offered to God. This portion then represents the whole. In the case of “the lump” a portion of the first dough which was made into bread after the harvest was cut off and offered to God. This is found in Numbers 15:18-21 –

“When you come into the land to which I bring you, then it will be, when you eat of the bread of the land, that you shall offer up a heave offering to the Lord. You shall offer up a cake of the first of your ground meal as a heave offering; as a heave offering of the threshing floor, so shall you offer it up. Of the first of your ground meal you shall give to the Lord a heave offering throughout your generations.”

This “heave offering” is comparable to the “firstfruits.” If a portion of the lump is cut off and offered to God, which is then accepted as “holy,” then the whole offering becomes sanctified and is holy as well; the sacred portion makes the whole sacred. Bread is bread, but when a portion of a lump is deemed holy, then the whole lump is holy.

The second thought from Paul is that “if the root is holy, so are the branches.” Again, he has gone to the law to use a real precept to make a connection in how things work in spiritual matters. In Leviticus 19:23-25, the following is found –

“When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. It shall not be eaten. But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the Lord. And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase: I am the Lord your God.”

A sapling may be planted anytime by anybody and in any location and it is just a sapling like any other. But in the land of Israel, a sapling is made holy when it is dedicated to God. If it is holy in its roots, which receive the water and nutrients from God’s land and His provision, then it is holy in its trunk, in its branches, in its sap, and in its fruit. The holiness permeates the plant.

In these two examples, which follow directly after his note concerning Israel, the intent is to tell us that the Jewish people, as a whole, have been set apart to God. If a portion of them has been sanctified as holy, then the whole is holy. This does not in any way imply that they are all saved, as he will note in the coming verses, but that the people, as a whole, are used for God’s purposes.

In support of this, Paul will use Jeremiah 11:6 as a basis for verses 16-24 –

“The Lord called your name, Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit. With the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, And its branches are broken.”

The dough and the tree are that which is holy. Each received its holiness from God. When a portion was deemed holy, the whole became holy. Psalm 105:6-15 shows this process. Abraham was selected and set apart by God. From him, that line went through Isaac and then to Jacob. From Jacob, all twelve sons received the sanctification; a collective group of people set apart by God for His service. As Christ is the fulfillment of the promises through this line, then those who are brought into Christ by faith are thus sanctified and made holy also.

Life application: 1 Corinthians 6:11 says that, in Christ you were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. If you are thus made holy, it is incumbent on you to act in a manner worthy of this sacred calling and state.

Heavenly Father, I cherish Your word because it is the gift You have given to instruct me on who You are and what You have done for us. Without it, I would be a ship tossed about on scary waters, but with it I know that I have a sure foundation in my knowledge of and obedience to Your wondrous Son. As Your child, I desire to be pleasing to You and so I’ll keep my nose in Your word and my eyes on Jesus. Amen.

Sunday, 13 October 2013

…if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.  Romans 11:14

The process of how salvation occurs is debated over and strange views have arisen throughout the years concerning it. In Genesis 5 it says, “So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” This verse says little about the process which elicited this favored status, but what it does say is sufficient, “Enoch walked with God.” It is apparent that this was a volitional act of his free will.

Likewise, in the very next chapter the Bible says, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This was a voluntary turning away from God and it is highlighted by the contrasting fact that “Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” Noah voluntarily chose the right path.

Here in Romans 11:14, we see this concept fully supported by Paul’s zeal for his own people, his “countrymen according to the flesh.” He just stated in the previous verse that as the apostle to the Gentiles, he magnified his ministry. This was so that, “if by any means” he might “provoke to jealousy those who are” of the Jewish race. Paul’s efforts would be utterly futile if free-will wasn’t a consideration in our salvation, but it is.

What would be the point of God directing the salvation of people, as the Bible records, if free-will is excluded from the process? If free-will is excluded, why have prophets continuously called out for repentance year after year for millennia? Why meticulously record the generations of humanity, the dispensations of time, and the covenants made between God and man? Why would the prophetic word be issued that a Messiah was coming and then provide countless pictures and patterns for us to study so that we could be sure of who He was when He arrived? And why send apostles and prophets after His coming who then called out and begged for people to hear and receive the truth if God is going to exclude free-will in the process? Not only does it make no sense, it makes the entire process out to be a sham. It would be the most ineffective manner one could think of.

If God excludes man’s free will, none of this would have been necessary. But man bears God’s image and he has been given a choice to accept or reject the good news which God has prepared in the sending of His Son. For Paul’s broken heart, his people, Israel, had all but rejected this good news and so he was selected by the Lord to be the apostle to the gentiles. The message would continue on and the banner would be passed from Israel to the gentile nations. Paul knew this, but he also knew that his message could still have an effect on his people. It could provoke them to jealousy “and save some of them.”

The free will of man isn’t excluded in the process of salvation; it is highlighted. The fact that there is a Bible at all shows us that this is so. God hasn’t wasted His time. Instead, He has used the most effective way of all to call His creatures back to Himself. It serves the greatest good for the greatest number and it demonstrates wisdom and love for the creatures who have voluntarily turned from Him and whom He desires to voluntarily turn back to Him.

Life application: Salvation is an offer from God and a choice by each person. After salvation, the choices don’t stop. Will we choose to grow in Christ or stagnate? Will we worship God at church or sit at home and watch football? Will we read our Bible or play on the computer? Use your post-salvation choices wisely; heavenly rewards and losses await.

O God, there was a moment in my life when I received Jesus, but since that time, I’ve not honored that choice as I could have. I’ve spent less time in Your word than I have at my computer. I’ve skipped my times of worship in order to watch sports. I’ve turned down offers to help others in order to do the things I like to do. Lord, today I ask for a new direction and a new heart; a greater desire to honor You. Help me to honor that precious moment when I received Jesus. Amen.

Saturday, 12 October 2013

For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,… Romans 11:13

The context of what is being said in Romans 11:13 is important. Paul has been speaking about the Jewish nation’s rejection of Christ which resulted in the message going to gentiles. They in turn readily accepted it. Paul’s ministry to the gentiles is a ministry for their benefit, but which is ultimately intended to lead back to the conversion of Jews.

In other words, his work should be taken as an interim ministry (albeit of unknown duration). The church has it’s role during this dispensation, but it is not the end of the story concerning God’s kingdom on earth; the restoration of Israel will initiate that. Only when Israel as a nation calls on the Lord will the kingdom age come. This was explained in some detail in the Romans 1:1 commentary.

Paul here first notes his ministry to the gentiles, “I speak to you Gentiles…” He was personally commissioned by Jesus in Acts 9:15. This ministry was to bear the name of Jesus “before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” In his usual custom, when he arrived at a new city, he would first go to the synagogues and speak to the Jewish believers. However, his ministry was unique in that it was intended for gentile instruction. He explicitly states it here… “inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles.” This same thought is conveyed time and again in the New Testament, such as in Acts 15:12, Galatians 1:16, Galatians 2:7-8, Ephesians 3:8, 1 Timothy 1:7, 2 Timothy 1:11 and elsewhere.

All of his personal letters are written to gentile churches and gentile peoples – Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Hebrews, which is unnamed, is an explanatory and  transitional letter between Paul’s church-age letters and those to follow. Its title, “Hebrews”, shows that it is intended for a Jewish audience. It is intended to wake them up and show them that the Old Testament is only pointing to the greater work of Christ. The letters by James and Peter, are directed specifically to Jewish believers. John’s letters, like his gospel and Revelation, follow a unique path which combine a message to both Jews and Gentiles. Jude follows the example of John.

By noting the structure and layout of the New Testament, Paul’s statement becomes quite clear. The message went first to the Jews. After that, Paul was introduced to transition the message to the gentiles, but his writings have the final intent of leading back to the Jews (as will be noted in the coming verses). Because of this astonishing pattern which is beautifully laid out in the structure of the Bible and lived out through Paul, he states, “I magnify my ministry.”

His ministry is a turning point in redemptive history which ushered in (so far) 2000 years of gentile conversions. And yet, his writings are intended to have a profound effect on the Jewish people as well, turning their hearts to the knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ. How is that possible when what he writes is directed to the gentiles? Because eventually it will be understood that the gentiles had it right. How and when the nation of Israel will realize this is yet unknown, but as noted in the Romans 11:12 commentary, it may be the rapture of the church, a tenet taught by Paul. Whatever it is, when it occurs, Israel will finally open their eyes concerning their Messiah, Jesus.

Life application: Paul magnified his ministry, not himself. Everyone has something which can be done for the Lord, but it shouldn’t become a point of boasting except in how it glorifies Him.

Glorious Lord, surely every child’s face is unique and is a reflection of Your work. Every sunrise is a constantly changing painting which adorns the sky with color and beauty. The stars are aligned by Your wisdom and the motion of the universe is timed in perfection. Everything I see around me tells me that You are wise, loving, and awesome. How I love to ponder Your majesty. Amen.

Friday, 11 October 2013

Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! Romans 11:12

Again, Paul’s words to us in this verse show brightly and clearly, even to the doubter, that there was a plan for the return of the Jewish people – as a collective whole – to a right standing with the Lord. He just got done telling the gentiles (to whom he is the apostle) that Israel certainly hadn’t stumbled to a permanent fall. Instead, their stumbling is what allowed the gentiles to be a part of God’s plan of salvation. And in turn, the gentile’s salvation would “provoke them to jealousy.”

This obviously hasn’t happened yet, and the state of such a national conversion even now seems unlikely. So what is it that would bring an entire nation to such a point? A good guess would be the rapture of the church. This is an event which is very precisely laid out by Paul in his writings, and which is actually prefigured in the Old Testament. If this occurs, the mindset of Israel may quickly change. A host of gentiles and a remnant of Jewish Christians suddenly disappearing would certainly be a strong impetus for self-reflection. Regardless of whether this is what happens or not, something will awaken Israel to the truth of their long-rejected Messiah. When they turned their back on Him, it resulted in a fall which has meant “riches for the world.” Their loss meant Gentile gain in two ways. First, as God’s plan of salvation moved from them to the church. The abundant blessings of Christ have been lavishly poured out upon a people who were not a people.

Secondly, while the land of Israel lay in ruins, the Jews have been scattered about the world. Those nations who received them and tended to them certainly were lavished with God’s blessing in accordance with the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Those who blessed them, in turn have been blessed.

In both earthly and spiritual matters, their fall has certainly meant riches for the world. It has truly received wealth and abundance during this dispensation. But it is, in fact, only a dispensation, not a permanent arrangement. This is seen in Paul’s next words, “…and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!” Two contrasting words are used. The first, “failure” is the word hēttēma. It indicates a diminishing or a degradation; a removal of their special privileged status. And “fullness” is the word pleroma.  This is a filling, such as a cup.

What is being relayed is that the current arrangement is temporary. Regardless of how the church perceives itself, there is currently a lack in what should be without the state of Israel being in favor with God. Thus without them, the cup isn’t full. Albert Barnes (1798-1870) lived long before the re-establishment of Israel, but he took this passage at face value. Not knowing what God would do after his lifetime, his comments on this verse state, “In what way, or when, this shall be, we know not. But it is easy to see, that if the Jewish people should be converted to the Christian faith, they would have facilities for spreading the truth, which the church has never had without them.”

After this, he listed four major reasons why this is so. With relatively few changes in his thoughts, the truth of his comments still hold true. His insights, without realizing there would be a re-gathering of the people to Israel, are worth noting:

“(1) they are scattered in all nations, and have access to all people.

(2) their conversion, after so long unbelief, would have all the power and influence of a miracle performed in view of all nations. It would be seen why they had been preserved, and their conversion would be a most striking fulfillment of the prophecies.

(3) they are familiar with the languages of the world, and their conversion would at once establish many Christian missionaries in the heart of all the kingdoms of the world. It would be kindling at once a thousand lights in all the dark parts of the earth.

(4) the Jews have shown that they are eminently suited to spread the true religion. It was by Jews converted to Christianity, that the gospel was first spread. Each of the apostles was a Jew; and they have lost none of the ardor, enterprise, and zeal that always characterized their nation. Their conversion would be, therefore, to give to the church a host of missionaries prepared for their work, familiar with all customs, languages, and climes, and already in the heart of all kingdoms, and with facilities for their work in advance, which others must gain only by the slow toil of many years.”

Life application: If great scholars of the past could anticipate the Jewish conversion to the true faith of Christ, how much more should we who now see the marvel of the re-established nation? Ezekiel 37 shows that Israel would first become a united people again and only after that would they receive the Spirit (verses 11-14). Have faith that God is readying this select group for spiritual re-birth. Pray for them – to see what for so long they have been blinded to.

Heavenly Father, it’s true that You have established the nations. You build them up and tear them down according to Your purposes. For those who honor You, there is the expectation of blessing and abundance. But for those who turn away, there is the expectation of wrath and judgment. I sense that it is the time to pray for my nation; we have certainly turned from You. Help us to turn back before it’s too late. Amen.