CHAPTER 11
I ask
then,
did God
reject
His
people?
Absolutely not!
I
am
an Israelite
myself,
a descendant
of Abraham,
from the tribe
of Benjamin.
God
did not reject
His
people,
whom
He foreknew.
Do you not know
what
the
Scripture
says
about
Elijah,
how
he appealed
to God
against
Israel:
“Lord,
they have killed
Your
prophets
and torn down
Your
altars.
I
am the only one
left,
and
they are seeking
my
life as well ”?
And
what was
the
divine reply
to him?
“I have reserved
for Myself
seven thousand
men
who
have not
bowed
the knee
to Baal.”
What
then?
What
Israel
was seeking,
it failed to obtain,
but
the
elect
did.
The
others
were hardened,
as
it is written:
“God
gave
them
a spirit
of stupor,
eyes
that
could not see,
and
ears
that
could not hear,
to
this very day.”
And
David
says:
“May their
table
become
a snare
and
a trap,
a stumbling block
and
a retribution
to them.
I ask
then,
did they stumble
so as
to lose their share?
Absolutely not!
However,
because of
their
trespass,
salvation has come
to the
Gentiles
to
make Israel jealous.
But
if
their
trespass
means riches
for the world,
and
their
failure
means riches
for the Gentiles,
how much
greater riches
will their
fullness bring!
I am speaking
to you
Gentiles.
Inasmuch
as I
am
the apostle
to the Gentiles,
I magnify
my
ministry,
For
if
their
rejection
is the reconciliation
of the world,
what
will their
acceptance be
but
life
from
the dead?
If
the
first part of the dough
is holy,
so is
the
whole batch;
if
the
root
is holy,
so are
the
branches.
Now
if
some
branches
have been broken off,
and
you,
a wild olive shoot,
have been grafted in
among
the others
to share
in the
nourishment
of the
olive
root,
do not
boast over
those
branches.
If
you do, remember this:
You
do not
support
the
root,
but
the
root supports
you.
That is correct:
They were broken off
because of
unbelief,
but
you
stand
by faith.
Do not
be arrogant,
but
be afraid.
Take notice,
therefore,
of the kindness
and
severity
of God:
severity
to
those who
fell,
but
kindness
to
you,
if
you continue in
His
kindness.
Otherwise
you
also
will be cut off.
And
if
they
do not persist
in unbelief,
they will be grafted in,
for
God
is
able
to graft
them in
again.
For
if
you
were cut
from
a wild olive tree,
and
contrary to
nature
were grafted
into
one that is cultivated,
how much
more readily
will these,
the
natural branches,
be grafted into
their
own
olive tree!
I do not want
you
to be ignorant
of this
mystery,
brothers,
so that
you will not be
conceited:
A hardening
in
part
has come
to Israel,
until
the
full number
of the
Gentiles
has come in.
And
so
all
Israel
will be saved,
as
it is written:
“The
Deliverer
will come
from
Zion;
He will remove
godlessness
from
Jacob.
Regarding
the
gospel,
they are enemies
on your account;
but
regarding
election,
they are loved
on account of
the
patriarchs.
so
they
too
have now disobeyed,
in order that
they
too
may now receive mercy
through the
mercy
shown to you.
O,
the depth
of the riches
of the wisdom
and
knowledge
of God!
How
unsearchable
His
judgments,
and
untraceable
His
ways!