v.1-6
1. R.W. rejected His people? x2, plead against Israel v.2
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew even when Elijah plead against them
R.W. I have kept for myself v.4, a remnant chosen by grace v.5, not by work
They were not rejected because of God. He decided to give grace, not depending on their work.
2. Reflection: Yes, Israel had killed the prophets, they have demolished God's altar, and sought the life of Elijah, but He did not wipe them off. Instead, He still chose people out of Israel because of His grace. Can I look at people from this angle? What is the heart of God and the will of God? Yes, I dont like troublemaker comes to our midst, but what is God's will and God's heart? Not just to sweep them away but how to help them.
v.7-16
1. v.7-10 the result of the Israelites that were not saved by grace: they were hardened v.7. What does being harden mean?
- v.8 they were punished by God by being stupor, even they have eyes but would not be able to see, ears but would not hear.
- v.9 their source of blessings would become a source of punishment to the point that their backs being bend in grief (BKC) and this will go on continually.
(BKC) which predicts that the very things which should have been the source of nourishment and blessing to Israel (table means their blessings from the hand of God, which should have led them to Christ; cf. Gal. 3:24) became the occasion for their rejection of God (a snare and a trap, a stumbling block; cf. Rom. 9:32–33) and God’s judgment (retribution) on them. Because they refused to receive God’s truth (cf. Isa. 6:9–10; John 5:40) their backs will be bent under the weight of guilt and punishment forever.
Reflection: Not only we will be punished by God if we reject His righteousness, being rebellion, and stubborn, but God's punishment will make our continue searching in vain. No more blessings from God but grief. From the history of Israel, we know this is true until today. How dare that we do not learn from this bloody truth?
2. v.11-16 Will their punishment be final or is it an irrevocable fall v.11 (BDAG-fall in a transcendent or moral sense, be completely ruined=fall from a state of grace? No.
- We are in a process: Their transgression...salvation has come to the Gentile...Israel will be jealous v.11. We are in step 2.
- From this process (the unintentional spreading of the blessings from Jews to Gentile), we can see the magnitude of the result, i.e. the future restoration v.12. Therefore, for Paul he was working on making step 3 (To provoke his people to jealousy to save them). Therefore he takes pride in his ministry (Magnify-BDAG-δοξάζω I take pride in my ministry or I take my assignment seriously)
Reflection: Do we see where we are in the salvation plan of God and therefore we can take pride of what we do? If yes, do it with all our heart, soul, and might.
Questions:
1. Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The rest were hardened
2. the elect, because I'm saved by grace with faith
3. The state of harden is explained by v.8, 9
4. eyes to see, ears to hear, feast as a source of blessing to enjoy.
5. Eyes would not see, ears would not hear, feast turned into judgment, for the Jews who harden their hearts
6. They rejected his message of the Gospel (Jesus is Christ)
Acts 13:14-52: Paul's sermon in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, where he uses Scripture to argue for Jesus' identity. [2] Response: v.44-45
- Acts 17:2-4: Paul's three Sabbath discourses in Thessalonica, where he reasoned with the Jews from the Scriptures. [3]
- Acts 18:4: Paul's daily reasoning in the synagogue at Corinth, attempting to persuade both Jews and Greeks. [3]
- Acts 19:8-10: Paul's boldness and effectiveness in preaching the Kingdom of God in the synagogue at Ephesus for three months. [3]
- Acts 28:23: Paul's continued testimony about the Kingdom of God and Jesus to the chief men of the Jews in Rome. [1, 5]
7. Their transgression...salvation has come to the Gentile...Israel will be jealous v.11.
8?
9. To save them
10. the patriarchs of Israel or Abraham personally (BKC)
11. No
12. He gave people group a second chance.
v.17-24
1. Gentiles as the wild olive shoot being grafted in the cultivated olive tree should not boast over the branches v.18 that were broken off v.17-18:
a. Arrogant is not appropriate for us
- We participated in the richness of the olive root v.17 and are being supported by the root v.18 (BKC) The root of the tree is the source of life and nourishment to all the branches, and Abraham is “the father of all who believe” (4:11–12, 16–17). So Gentile believers are linked to Abraham; in one sense they owe their salvation to him, not vice versa
- We stand by faith. Therefore, no arrogant, but fear (perhaps God will not spare you) v.20-21.
- Continue in His kindness. Otherwise you also will be cut off because God is both kind and harsh v.22 (BKC) This does not suggest that a Christian can lose his salvation; it refers to Gentiles as a whole (suggested by the sing. you) turning from the gospel much as Israel as a nation had done.
b. Do no boast against the broken branches because they might be grafted back again v.23
- because God is able v.23
- they are by nature more adaptative to the olive tree than we are v.24 (Natural, x3 and owe in v.24)
2. Reflection:
Arrogant person do not see who they are in front of God. Privileges are given by grace in faith. We do not deserve it. Proper fear is appropriate, we should not have just one-time-faith in Him, but continue. When do I being arrogant? When do I stop having faith and think I deserve it?
On the other hand, do not see God who gave us grace as an object of our manipulation. He is sovereign and He is able to make his choice. He can give the privileges again to Israel, His kindness is not exclusive to us. Therefore, do not boast against anyone who is not presently in the grace of God, including the Israelites. Whom do I assume they are excluded from the grace of God?
Questions
1. Olive tree, branches broken off, and the root
2. Natural branches-Israel, root-Blessings from God by faith. Some branches were broken off because of unbelief
3, Gentiles, grafted among them because we stand by faith
4. No arrogant (but thankful), and fear
5. the broken branches can be grafted in again when they believed (as predicted in the End time)
6. harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, if they do not continue in their unbelief—will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again
7. Thankful and fear because I do not deserve to be in the olive tree and blessed by God.
v.25-36
1. (BKC) Israel’s corporate stumbling, which is temporary, not permanent, is called a mystery. In Scripture a mystery is not a truth difficult to understand, but a truth previously unrevealed...God’s purpose was so that you may not be conceited (lit., “wise in yourselves”). God’s sovereign plan to put Israel aside temporarily in order to show grace to Gentiles is no basis for conceit on the part of the Gentiles; it is designed to display further the glory of God.
The ignorance of the Gentiles v.25a might make them wise in their own eyes (conceited=BDAG wise in your own estimation = relying on your own wisdom). This probably reflect in their arrogant and not fearing God v.20.
2. Therefore, Paul gave them the knowledge here in v.25b-32.
a. The hardening of Israel are partial or temporal until a certain time. It will change in the future.
- until the full number of the Gentiles come in v.25c, formerly you were disobedient...so they too have now been disobedient...they too may now receive mercy
- Hardening” is pōrōsis (“hardening, dulling”); it differs from the verb sklērynei (“hardens”) used of Pharaoh (9:18) and the noun sklērotēta (“stubbornness,” lit., “hardening,” 2:5). The first noun (pōrōsis) refers to dullness, the second suggests stubbornness
- The salvation of Israel were well supported by the OT v.26-27 the Deliverer will remove ungodliness and take away their sins. (BKC) The statement, “All Israel will be saved” does not mean that every Jew living at Christ’s return will be regenerated. Many of them will not be saved, as seen by the fact that the judgment of Israel, to follow soon after the Lord’s return, will include the removal of Jewish rebels (Ezek. 20:34–38). Following this judgment God will then remove godlessness and sins from the nation as He establishes His New Covenant with regenerate Israel (cf. Jer. 31:33–34).
29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable (BKC) for not repented of are the grace-gifts and the calling of God”). He does not revoke what He has given or whom He has chosen (“call” means election and salvation; cf. 1:6; 8:30). (irrevocable-BDAG irrevocable, of someth. one does not take back)
c. Be fair-how you changed from disobedient to receiving mercy should be extended to others as well v.30-32
32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.
Corporately, God wants all people to be saved, and all people at one one were given over to disobedience. (BDAG-he has imprisoned them all in disobedience, i.e. put them under compulsion to be disobedient or given them over to disobedience)
Reflection: Am I wise in my own eyes because of my ignorance? Be always aware that I do not know the whole truth.
Do I let my emotion to confuse myself and not seeing the truth? I see people as enemies and cannot see the plan of God on them.
Am I fair to other people and not seeing that I myself was one time disobedient to God?
Green Olive Bible study
I.
Introduction
A.
Context: salvation plan of God repeated from ch
10b to 11
10:19 我要用那不成子民的，惹動你們的憤恨； God’s turning to the Gentiles[1]when
Israel sees what is happening among the Gentiles she will be provoked into
securing some of that blessing for herself[2]
我要用那無知的民，觸動你們的怒氣。”
11:11 我且說，他們失腳是要他們跌倒嗎？斷乎不是！反倒因他們的過失，救恩便臨到外邦人，要激動他們發憤 to arouse in Israel a passionate desire for the same good gift. When they saw the wonder of the messianic salvation, the Jews would want it for themselves
15 若他們被丟棄，天下就得與神和好，他們被收納，豈不是死而復生嗎？
23 而且他們若不是長久不信，仍要被接上，因為神能夠把他們從新接上。
Current status of Israel:
10:21 至於以色列人，他說：我整天伸手招呼那悖逆頂嘴的百姓。”
11: 5 如今也是這樣，照著揀選的恩典，還有所留的餘數…7b 其餘的就成了頑梗不化的
B.
Immediate context from v.1-24
evidently some Gentile believers were tempted to think that there was no
future for Israel v.19你若說：“那枝子被折下來是特為叫我接上。”. She had rejected the gospel
and it had now passed to the Gentiles; Israel was finished, rejected, cast off.
God had chosen them instead.
It is this kind of pride that
Paul is opposing. V.20你不可自高, v.18你就不可向舊枝子誇口
II.
Reason
#1 for gentile Christian not to be arrogant V.25-27
1. “For” is omitted in CUV, but it is important; it links this verse closely with verse 1-24
自高=自以為聰明
Therefore, Paul
told them 這奧秘=something that required a revelation before Christians could understand it
2.
What
is described about the hardening (a
closed mind) of Israel in
v.25-26?
Repeated: 有幾分 25, 數目添滿 25, 全家 26
Timing: 等到
about Israel’s hardening (cf. vv. 7–8): (a) it is partial, “in part”
(because throughout this time “there is a remnant chosen by grace,” v. 5), and
(b) it is temporary (because it will end when God’s sovereignly chosen number
of Gentiles has been saved). 25-26等到外邦人的數目添滿了，26 於是以色列全家都要得救
3.
How did
Paul describe about 得救 in v.26-27? 有一位救主 26, 消除一切罪惡 26, 除去他們罪 27
(same as us)
Conclusion: 你不可自高 because Israel’s hardening is only in part and temporary. In the
future they will all be saved like us.
Reflection: Am I wise in my own eyes自以為聰明
because of my ignorance? Be always aware that I do not know the whole
truth.
Israel
had killed the prophets, they have
demolished God's altar, and sought the life of
Elijah, but He did not wipe them off. BC salvation is based on grace not by
work. Instead, He still chose people out of Israel because of His grace. Can I
look at people from this angle? What is the heart of God and the will of God?
Brother Andrew’s criteria to select co-worker, you cannot hate communist if you
are going to evangelize to them.
III.
Reason
#2 V.28-32
1. What is in contrast in v.28? 仇敵 28, 蒙愛 28 . In order for God to bring the gospel to Gentiles He had to deal with Israel corporately as enemies. But in relation to God’s choice (election) of Abraham and His covenant with him and the patriarchs, Israel is beloved.
Therefore, do not be confused with the wrong emotion
towards them.
2.
What
is in contrast in v.30-31? 你們從前不順服神…如今…蒙了憐恤 30, 他們也是不順服…現在也就蒙憐恤 31
32 因為神將眾人都圈在不順服之中，特意要憐恤眾人。圈在=all people at one one
were given over to disobedience. (BDAG-he has imprisoned them all in
disobedience, i.e. put them under compulsion to be disobedient or given them
over to disobedience)
Therefore, be fair to the Israelite and share the heart
of God to give mercy to others.
Conclusion:
Do not be arrogant because at one time I was just like them. Only God give me
mercy and I was saved. I should have mercy to others as well. Am I fair to other people
and not seeing that I myself was one time disobedient to God?
IV.
V.33-36
The plan of God for the salvation of all people demonstrates God’s
infinite knowledge and His ability to use it wisely
Therefore, Paul gave God the praise. Why does God deserve the praise?
34 “誰知道主的心？ 誰作過他的謀士呢？”God is the sole Designer of His wise plan. No one knows His mind or gives Him advice
35 “誰是先給了他， 使他後來償還呢？” He is under no obligation to repay anyone, for no one has ever given Him
anything
36 因為萬有都是本於他，
倚靠他，歸於他。
願榮耀歸給他，直到永遠。阿們！
The all-sovereign God deserves the praise of all His creatures.
[1]
Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans.
In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The
Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p.
482). Victor Books.
[2]
Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (p. 394).
W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
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