For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Gentiles who in times past did not believe God have now obtained mercy through Israel's unbelief. Israel as a nation lost its connection with God through unbelief and rejection of His purpose for her, and through that fall salvation came to the Gentiles. The Gentiles are branches of a wild olive tree grafted contrary to nature into the noble olive tree, partaking of its root and fatness by faith. Mercy shown to the Gentiles opens the way for the broken natural branches to be reunited with the true stock if they do not remain in unbelief, for God is able to graft them in again, and God has concluded all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all, revealing His goodness toward those who continue in His goodness and His severity toward those who fall.
The verse is part of the word given for the privilege of understanding and knowing God's will, for increasing in faith and righteousness and growing up in Christ the living Head. It stands with praise of the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge and His unsearchable judgments and ways beyond finding out. That praise leads into the duty of presenting the body a living sacrifice and serving each in his fitted work in humble measure of faith.
The chapter containing the verse is to be studied carefully because it shows a great work to be done for the Jewish people, that many of the seed of Israel may be grafted into Christ Jesus the true stock. The work for the Jews outlined in the chapter must be carried out with special wisdom and must not be neglected or ignored. Those who do this work need God's wisdom to come to them, and in all wisdom and righteousness they must clear the King's highway so the Jews are given every opportunity to come to the light. Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people for it should be given a place of refuge where they are helped and taught how to work for their own people.
Gentiles who in times past did not believe God have now obtained mercy through Israel's unbelief. Israel as a nation lost its connection with God through unbelief and rejection of His purpose for her, and through that fall salvation came to the Gentiles. The Gentiles are branches of a wild olive tree grafted contrary to nature into the noble olive tree, partaking of its root and fatness by faith. Mercy shown to the Gentiles opens the way for the broken natural branches to be reunited with the true stock if they do not remain in unbelief, for God is able to graft them in again, and God has concluded all in unbelief that He might have mercy upon all, revealing His goodness toward those who continue in His goodness and His severity toward those who fall.
The verse is part of the word given for the privilege of understanding and knowing God's will, for increasing in faith and righteousness and growing up in Christ the living Head. It stands with praise of the depth of the riches of God's wisdom and knowledge and His unsearchable judgments and ways beyond finding out. That praise leads into the duty of presenting the body a living sacrifice and serving each in his fitted work in humble measure of faith.
The chapter containing the verse is to be studied carefully because it shows a great work to be done for the Jewish people, that many of the seed of Israel may be grafted into Christ Jesus the true stock. The work for the Jews outlined in the chapter must be carried out with special wisdom and must not be neglected or ignored. Those who do this work need God's wisdom to come to them, and in all wisdom and righteousness they must clear the King's highway so the Jews are given every opportunity to come to the light. Jews who accept Christ and are cut off from their people for it should be given a place of refuge where they are helped and taught how to work for their own people.