Romans 11:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then, having indicated the sign of salvation, lest someone refer and apply it to past times, he says: “And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (cf. Isa 59:20-21; Isa 27:9). This will not happen when they are circumcised, offer sacrifices, and perform the other works of the law, but when they receive remission of sins.

“When I take away their sins,” that is, when I deem them worthy of remission through baptism. Therefore, although they have not received remission of sins now, for they are hardened, this will be fulfilled later.

“And this is My covenant of commandment with them from Me, at the time when I cleanse their sins through baptism” (cf. Isa 59:20-21; Isa 27:9).

This covenant remains always, as long as there are believers. It is the Lord Jesus, Who, as promised, will come from heaven to liberate the human race. Every day He forgives the sins of those who turn to Him, and He does not at once condemn unbelievers. He waits, knowing that they can come to the knowledge of God.

The Apostle also brought forward the prophetic testimony: “As it is written: The Deliverer will come from Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them” (Isa 59:20-21), “when I take away their sins” (Jer 31:33). If life according to the law grants remission of sins, then it was foretold by the prophetic word. But if the law punishes transgressors, and the Jews were always accused of transgressing the law, then it is clear that this word signifies the remission of sins given through baptism. By “all Israel” the Apostle means believers, whether they are Jews who have natural kinship with Israel, or Gentiles joined to Israel by the kinship of faith.

This will indeed surely happen. “For I do not want to leave you, brethren, ignorant of this mystery,” here the Apostle of Christ rises to prophetic contemplation, “lest you imagine yourselves wise,” that is, lest you imagine yourselves exclusively called to communion with Christ in His Church. “that hardening has happened to Israel in part, for a time, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in.” That is, until the number of peoples not from the seed of Abraham, predetermined in the unsearchable counsels of God, enters the Church of Christ. “And so all Israel will be saved,” as the prophets foretold concerning this.

Besides the possibility that the Jews may turn to Christ, the Apostle foresees and positively declares, as a mystery revealed by God, that the Jews will turn to Christ. Yet this will happen only when the predetermined number of Christians from among the Gentiles has been fulfilled.

Then the salvation of Israel foretold by the prophets will be accomplished in all fullness. The election of the Jews as the beloved people was not in vain, and the word of the Lord is faithful, with its promise of great and saving gifts to them.

The essence of this covenant, and the sign by which you may understand that the promised thing has been fulfilled, is this: "when I take away their sins." "Take away" means not merely to forgive the guilt, but to make them themselves clean by casting sins out of them.

"It is clear that this word signifies the cleansing of sins given by Baptism" (Blessed Theodoret). Here is the essence of the covenant, and here is the sign of when it will be fulfilled: "I will turn away ungodliness from Jacob."

Since this has not yet happened, one must again add that not all Israelites have yet believed and been baptized. Therefore their sins still lie upon them. Yet the prophetic word cannot lie. This will therefore certainly happen.