Romans 11:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But what can you say, O Jew? If we had not been rejected, you would not have been called so quickly? The Gentile says the same: if I had not been saved, zeal would not have arisen in you.

If you wish to know wherein we surpass you, I will tell you. I save you by having believed, while you, by stumbling, granted us the opportunity to come before you.

I do not say this so that I may seem to crown my head with empty honors and foolish boasting. Rather, I do it so that I may save my race according to the flesh.

I almost pierce their zeal as with a goad, and stir them to the necessity of choosing justification through the grace given by Christ.

By this, at least, I may stir the Jews to emulation and make some of them partakers of salvation. For he calls the Jews his flesh because they are alien to him in their manner of thought, yet share with him only in kinship.

Through this the Gentiles received "salvation" in verse 11, "riches" in verse 12, and "reconciliation" in verse 15. They were "grafted in and became partakers of the root and fatness of the olive tree" in verse 17.

The Apostle makes it sufficiently clear that this reconciliation and enrichment is not final. For he adds this exhortation to the Christian from the Gentiles: "Do not be proud," but "fear.

Behold the goodness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but goodness toward you, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you too will be cut off" (vv. 20-22).

Thus, although the initial reconciliation with God is given by faith alone in the merits of Christ, who suffered for us, final reconciliation and justification are given to the one who follows in His steps.

According to the Apostle Paul in Rom 12:1, such a person presents his body "as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God." In short, he reveals faith by works.

Of course, our life is so sinful that we never hope to be justified by our works. We constantly beseech God not to enter into judgment with us.

But this does not mean that we are not obliged to care for works, or that they are not required of us.

According to John Chrysostom, "the Apostle acts thus so that he may not close the path to faith for the Jews by casting them into despair. Nor does he give those who believed from the Gentiles occasion for high-mindedness, lest they too, becoming proud, suffer loss in the faith.

The Apostle's aim is to destroy high-mindedness in the believing Gentiles, and to suggest to the Jews that they have not fallen completely. For as the Gentiles, having learned modesty, will remain more securely in the faith, so the Jews, brought out of despair, will more readily approach grace."

Explaining the words, "through their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles," St. John Chrysostom says: "These are not Paul's words alone. The parables in the Gospels have the same meaning.

He who made a wedding feast for his son began to call people from the crossroads when those invited refused to come (Mt 22:9). He who planted a vineyard then resolved to give it to other vinedressers when the first killed the heir (Mt 21:38).

The Lord Jesus came to the Jews. Yet despite the great multitude of miracles He performed, they did not receive Him and crucified Him. After this He began to draw the Gentiles to Himself.

By the honor shown to them, He wounded the insensible Jews and persuaded them through mutual emulation to come to Him."

As a faithful messenger of God, the Apostle himself also strives to awaken in all the same spirit of emulation, as he himself testifies in verses 13 and 14.

According to John Chrysostom, he does the same in verse 12, for "here also the Apostle says something pleasing to the Jews. He encourages those of them who have fallen, proving abundantly that they can hope for salvation if they change.

If, he says, so many received salvation when they stumbled, and so many received salvation when they were rejected, then consider what will happen when they turn back. For he did not say, how much more their conversion, or their change, or their correction.

Rather, he said, how much more their fullness, that is, when all come to Christ. By this he indicates that then there will be a greater or full measure of God's grace."

As though continuing this thought, blessed Theodoret writes: "If, says the Apostle, even when they, the Jews, did not believe, the Gentiles were received and freed from their former ignorance, then it is clear that, if they wished to believe, nothing else would remain to be accomplished except the resurrection of the dead.

The Lord also said this: 'And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached among all nations as a testimony to them; and then the end will come'" (Mt 24:14).

St. Chrysostom says: "The Apostle did not say, my brethren, my kinsmen, but, my flesh." Explaining this, blessed Theodoret adds: "He calls the Jews his flesh because they are alien to him in their manner of thought, yet share with him only in fleshly kinship."

"Then, revealing their stubbornness, he does not say, whether I may persuade them by this, but, if I may provoke and save. Again he does not say, all, but, some of them. So hard-hearted were the Jews" (St. Chrysostom).

"How great is the stubbornness of the Jews! There was no hope of drawing them to the faith except through a certain excessive pressure, and even then not all, but only some" (Oecumenius).

Comparing what is said in these texts, verses 13 and 14, about the Gentiles and the Jews, St. Chrysostom says: "Here again he reveals the superiority of the Gentiles.

Although Jews and Gentiles serve one another in the work of salvation, they do not do so in the same way. The Jews bring blessings to the Gentiles by their unbelief, but the Gentiles bring blessings to the Jews by their faith.

From this it is clear that the Gentiles are equal to the Jews, and even surpass them. For what will you say, O Jew? If we had not been rejected, you would not have been called so quickly?

The Gentile will say the same: if I had not been saved, zeal would not have been awakened in you. If you wish to know wherein we surpass you, I save you by believing, while you, by stumbling, gave me the occasion to come before you."