Romans 11:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As he did above, when speaking about the Law and the people, he introduces objections that contained a stronger accusation than was necessary. Then, in resolving the charge, he conceded as much as circumstances allowed, so as not to grieve by his word.

He does the same here, saying, "I ask then: has God rejected His people, whom He foreknew? By no means."

Taking his starting point from what was said, the Apostle presents himself as though in doubt. After uttering these fearful words, he makes acceptable, by denying them, what he had everywhere been striving to prove above and now also explains.

What is this? That although the number of those saved is not great, the promise is unchangeable. Therefore he did not simply say "people," but added, "His people, whom He foreknew."

Having called the Jews a disobedient people, he presents himself as if in doubt, saying, “Have God’s promises failed because the people of Israel became disobedient?” No, he answers.

God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew, that is, those whom He knew to be capable of receiving faith. “For I too am an Israelite.”

Then, lest someone object, “Do you alone constitute the people?” he adds, “God has not rejected His people.” That is, besides me there are others: three thousand, five thousand, and a great multitude from the people who believed, as the Acts of the Apostles shows (Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4; Acts 5:14). See also the interpretation on verse 3.

Paul wisely does not allow Israel, though suffering darkening, to harden itself still more through complete despair. Instead, he skillfully turns to kindly words.

Paul prudently does not allow Israel, though afflicted with darkening, to harden itself still more through utter despair. Rather, he seems skillfully to entreat it with gentle words.

He had just accused Israel as disobedient. Yet he does not deprive it of hope from above, and says that it has not been wholly driven away from nearness to God.

He makes the proof of this clear by offering himself as an example. He was an Israelite and of the seed of Abraham. Very fittingly he still calls Israel God's people, and adds "by no means" to the words about its rejection.

These words relate to what the Apostle said above: “It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all who are of Israel are Israel, nor are all children because they are the seed of Abraham.

But, ‘In Isaac shall your seed be called’” (Rom 9:6-9). Thus among the Jews, those are counted as his seed who believed in the Lord.

After this he opened and explained from the Scriptures their disobedience and rejection, that is, the Jews’ rejection. Then he returns again to the Gentiles with an exhortation not to sin or become proud.

For he himself honors the Hebrews and shows that the door is not closed to them either, if they should wish to turn and do repentance.

“Has God utterly rejected His people?” he says. “By no means.” For am I myself, who was chosen, not from that people? Am I not an Israelite from the least tribe, the tribe of Benjamin? That is, from Rachel’s younger son of Jacob (Gen 49-50).

Since Paul portrayed the people of Israel as unbelieving, he now shows that God did not reject the inheritance He promised to the sons of Abraham, whom He foreknew would believe. Otherwise, people might think he said that all of them were unbelievers.

God would not have promised them the Kingdom if He had known that none of them would believe. By his own example Paul teaches that the part of Israel which God foreknew would be saved was indeed saved.

But the other part of Israel, because of continual unbelief, was appointed to perdition.

“I say then, has God rejected His people? By no means.” Then, though he could have presented much else in proof, he does not bring forward the three thousand who believed in Jerusalem.

Nor does he bring forward the many tens of thousands of whom the great James spoke (Acts 21:20), nor the Jews throughout the whole world who received the preaching. Instead of all this, the Apostle points to himself and says: “For I too am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” See Rom 11:2.

So that the earlier indication of Israel’s rejection would not seem to the Jews to be the word of a man ill-disposed toward them, the Apostle says that by origin he himself is not a Gentile or a proselyte, but a true Israelite.

He comes from the tribe of Benjamin. This tribe, as is known, together with Judah and Levi, formed the one Jewish people that returned from captivity (Ezra 4:1; Ezra 10:9).

In explaining the position of the Hebrews in relation to Christianity, the Apostle shows that many of them turned away from God, but not all. For example, the Apostle Paul himself was a Hebrew, and yet, by God's mercy, he was not rejected.

Many other believers from among the Hebrews were also saved. Yet they were saved not by their own works, but by grace. The essential property of grace lies first of all in its independence from works.

In comparison with the whole Hebrew people, the believers are few. They are the same kind of remnant as existed under the prophet Elijah. He already thought that he alone remained a believer, but God showed him that there were still up to seven thousand.

With these words the Apostle returns to his earlier position: "It is not as though the word of God has failed" (cf. Rom 9:6). He asks: after all that has been said, can one assert that God has rejected His people? By no means.

For He gave the promise not to all, but only to those whom He foresaw as obedient to His word. These are properly His people.

You need only look around now and become certain whether there are among the sons of Israel any who heed the Gospel. Through this they enter into the inheritance of the spiritual blessings promised in the Redeemer.

If there is even one, the promise has not been broken. And here is one before you: I myself.