For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance.
αμεταμελητα γαρ τα χαρισματα και η κλησις του θεου
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse
If this was foretold and has not yet been fulfilled in the Jews, who have not yet received remission of sins through baptism, then it will certainly be fulfilled. Therefore the Apostle added: "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
Since, he says, you submitted to the Gospel and were received by God, they became more obstinate, drew further back, and became enemies. Yet because their forefathers were chosen by God from the beginning, God will not allow them to perish utterly, for they are beloved. He will receive them if they believe.
For God to order future things in His foreknowledge, which can neither be deceived nor changed, is nothing other than to predestine definitively. The one whom God foreknew would be pious conducts himself piously, even if this is not clear to him concerning God.
The one whom God has destined to be pious, even if this is unknown to him concerning God, hears that by God's gift he will become what he will become. Then his love triumphs, and he does not become proud, as though he had not received this gift.
Not only is there no hindrance for such a man in the labors of love through the preaching of predestination, but, on the contrary, help comes to him. For when he boasts, he can boast in the Lord (cf. 1 Cor 1:31).
For the gifts and calling of God, which were given to their fathers, are unchangeable, if their sons turn back and perform repentance.
It is thought that those who have sinned grievously, by not receiving the promise of God, cannot be forgiven without weeping and groaning. It is also thought that they cannot obtain mercy unless they are seen to grieve. But Paul shows that this is not required at the beginning. By the free gift of God, sins are forgiven in baptism.
The Apostle says all this to encourage the Jews. God takes back the good things He gives when He sees that those who received them suffer from ingratitude. Saul bears witness to this, for he was deemed worthy of spiritual grace and later was deprived of it. So also Solomon enjoyed peace through God's generosity, but after his transgression he was deprived of grace. The Jews themselves, who had constantly enjoyed the care of the prophets, are now deprived of that care. Shortly before this, the Apostle also threatened those who had believed from among the Gentiles. For it is said: "If you continue in His goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off."
Concluding his discourse on the relation of the rejected Jews to the Gentiles who believed, the holy Apostle Paul says: "As regards the gospel," that is, for your benefit, they became enemies of God and gave you entrance into the Church. "But as regards election," that is, if one considers their election by God, which cannot be annulled, "they are beloved for the sake of the fathers." God grieves over their blindness and awaits only their conversion, that He may have mercy on them.
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.
Thus Christians from among the Gentiles have no grounds whatever for boasting over the unconverted Jews. This is especially so because the Gentile Christians themselves were recently far from God, and yet by God's mercy received mercy. In the same way the Jews too can receive mercy.
Moreover, just as the apostasy of the Gentiles was the occasion for the election of the Jews, so now the rejection of the Jews has become the occasion for the calling of the Gentiles. Therefore all nations, like the Jews, are sinful, and all can be saved by the mercy of God.
In explanation of this passage Ambrosiaster writes: "The Jews were struck with blindness only for a time, and among them only those who, zealous for the law, did not see that the good things promised by God had come in Jesus Christ the Lord and were being proclaimed.
"By such stumbling they were blinded in part, so that they might suffer for their unbelief, seeing the Gentiles gladly profit from their unbelief and enter into the inheritance of Abraham's promise. But when the full number of the Gentiles comes in, then blindness will fall from the eyes of their mind, and they will be able to believe, and they will believe."
Explaining the words of verse 26, Chrysostom observes: "Since what the Apostle proclaims is important, he brings in as witness the prophet who says the same. He does not offer testimony that blindness occurred, since this is evident.
"But that the Jews will believe and be saved is witnessed by Isaiah, who cries out and says: 'The Deliverer will come from Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.'"
Concerning the words, "For God has shut up all in disobedience," he says: "He convicted all and declared all disobedient, not so that all should remain disobedient, but so that He might save some through the obstinacy of others: the Jews through the Gentiles, and the Gentiles through the Jews."
The Apostle presents this as the basis for conviction in what has been said. "Irrevocable" means that God does not repent or cancel what He has bestowed, or those whom He has called. He recalls the original election of the Jewish people.
How many forefathers there were among the descendants of Noah, and how many peoples arose from them after the building of the tower! Yet from all of them God chose only the line of Eber (cf. Gen 10:21, 24-30). Even from that line He did not take all, but only Abraham, from whom He brought forth for Himself a special people.
This people is the chosen people, with a special calling and destiny, and it enjoyed so many benefactions and gifts. To it the law was given, to it the Prophets were sent, and for it signs and wonders were manifested.
After all this, is it possible that God would reject it utterly? No. The one whom God has chosen He will punish for correction, and He will deprive him of His mercy for a time, but He will not reject him utterly.
Otherwise He would not have chosen him, if He had foreseen that he would one day become finally unworthy of His mercy. The Jews had their shortcomings, and still have them. Yet among all peoples, none could better fulfill God's intention concerning the salvation of mankind.
God foresaw this and chose them. If He chose them, then He has not rejected them utterly, although at present they appear worthy of rejection and have been rejected. This is only for a time. Afterward what was originally appointed for them will return to them again.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 9 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS