Romans 11:15, commentary and pictures

Though Israel stumbled, fell and was diminished through rejecting Christ, God did not cast them away beyond recovery, but their casting away in unbelief became the reconciling of the world as salvation came to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy, and their receiving again in their fulness when they no longer persist in unbelief will be far greater riches, a renewal like life from the dead. The unbelieving natural branches were broken off yet can be grafted back into their own stock which is Christ if they do not remain in unbelief, while the Gentiles grafted in as a wild olive stand only by faith and must not be highminded or boast against the branches but fear, lest they also be cut off for not continuing in His goodness. Blindness in part rests on Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles comes in, then all Israel shall be saved when the Deliverer turns ungodliness from Jacob, for as concerning the gospel they are enemies for the Gentiles' sakes but as touching election they are beloved and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, and a remnant according to the election of grace remains as seen in those who received Christ and formed the early church. The verse forbids despising the Jews, for the Lord has mighty men among them and many will be converted, share in salvation and proclaim the truth with power including the enduring law, so God has outlined a work for the Jews that must not be ignored but be carried out with special wisdom in giving them every opportunity to come to the light. Gentile believers are to magnify their office to provoke Israel to emulation and save some, leading many of the seed of Israel to Christ by patient labor that will succeed, and those Jews who accept Christ though cut off from their people must be given a refuge and home where they are sheltered, supported and taught to work for their own people.

Context and Plain Meaning

The verse stands in Paul's unfolding of the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge, and His unsearchable judgments and ways past finding out. That unfolding leads directly into the appeal to present the body a living sacrifice, to be transformed and not conformed to the world, and to think soberly according to the measure of faith. It shows the religious duty of the church, where every member grows in faith and righteousness in Christ by doing his own fitted work, with different capabilities blended into a complete whole.

The rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles is one of the deep things of God and a mystery that finite beings understand only a little and that few even try to ascertain. Its truth belongs among the deep mysteries and doctrines of the Bible that require deep thought to understand. Its meaning grows clearer as God opens His Word to the understanding, for the Bible is progressive and the communication of intelligence increases with that opening.

God did not cast Israel away even though Israel rejected His Son. Israel stumbled and fell and was diminished, but not so as to fall beyond recovery, so that rising again remains possible. That stumbling, fall, diminishing, casting away in unbelief became the reconciling of the world and riches to the world and to the Gentiles, by salvation coming to the Gentiles in order to provoke Israel to jealousy and emulation.

The receiving of the Jews when they no longer persist in unbelief but accept Christ in their fulness will be far greater than their fall. It will be a greater renewal, described as life from the dead. If their fall is the riches of the world and the riches of the Gentiles, their fulness and receiving will be much more.

Grafting, Warning, and Hope

Unbelieving natural branches were broken off by unbelief, yet they can be grafted back into their own olive tree if they do not remain in unbelief, for God is able to graft them in again. That own tree is Israel's true stock, which is Christ, and the receiving of the Jews when they accept Him in their fulness will be a far greater renewal, as life from the dead. Gentiles have been grafted in as a wild olive tree, standing only by faith and partaking of the root, so they must not be highminded nor boast against the branches nor despise the Jews, but fear. If they do not continue in His goodness they also shall be cut off.

Blindness in part rests upon Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles comes in, and then all Israel shall be saved when the Deliverer out of Sion turns ungodliness from Jacob and takes away their sins. As concerning the gospel they are enemies for the Gentiles' sakes, but as touching election they are beloved for the fathers' sakes, and the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Even in rejection a remnant according to the election of grace remains, seen in the faithful men and women who received John the Baptist and recognized Jesus and formed the early Christian church. That remnant proves grace is revealed among Gentiles as well as among Israelites.

The verse forbids despising the Jews, because the Lord has mighty men among them who will proclaim the truth with power. Many Jews will be converted and share in God's salvation and proclaim the truth with power, including the enduring law of God.

Work for Jews Today

Romans 11:15 belongs to the Bible's outline for work among the Jews, and the work it outlines must not be ignored. The Jews are to be given every opportunity to come to the light, and believers are to clear the King's highway for them. That labor is to be carried out in all wisdom and righteousness, and treated with special wisdom, for God's people need God's wisdom for this task.

Gentile believers are called to magnify their office in order to provoke Israel to emulation and save some of them, expecting many of the seed of Israel to be grafted into Christ Jesus as the true stock. There is therefore a continuing great work to lead many of the seed of Israel to accept Christ, and patient labor for them will be successful. Jews who accept Christ are cut off from their people, so they must be given a refuge and home where they are sheltered, helped, supported, and taught to work for their own people.

The life from the dead in the verse also describes the blessing and revival that rewards caring for the widow, the fatherless, and the needy, suffering poor. For those who are now indolent, selfish, and self-centered, placing themselves in the channel of God's providence with zeal for Christ's honor brings this life from the dead. Then heavenly messengers impart new spiritual power to meet difficulties and triumph over obstacles, producing a revival of heavenly charity and wisdom and zeal. Persistent rejection of the advanced truth sent to a generation brings divine rejection, as with the Jews who persistently rejected truth and with those who rejected the heaven-sent warning. In that setting, life from the dead pictures the renewed hope and zeal that followed the discovery of the third angel's message, which revived believers as the disciples' hopes revived when they saw the risen Lord.