Romans 11:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments!" Here, turning his thought back to the first times, and considering God's ancient divine economy from the beginning of the world to the present events, the Apostle reflected on how variously God ordered everything. He was filled with wonder and cried out, thereby assuring his hearers that what he had spoken of will certainly come to pass.

Otherwise he would not have cried out and marveled, if this could not be fully realized. He knows that this is a depth, but what kind of depth it is, he does not know. This is the speech of a man who marvels, not of one who knows everything.

Reflecting on the divine economies of God from the beginning of the world, and on how God orders opposites through opposites and shows some to be obedient by means of others who are disobedient, he came to amazement. By this he assures us that He Who so orders our affairs will certainly also order the future salvation of the Jews.

By riches he means goodness, whose depth only brings one to wonder, while its greatness remains unknown. To enrich the Gentiles in such a way is the work of riches.

Together with goodness he also marvels at the wisdom by which God governs our life and made the ignorant Gentiles wise, and at the knowledge by which He knows what is useful for each person.

Paul carefully investigates the invisible and hidden things of the mysteries of God, the illuminations given him by God concerning the interpretation of what is unsearchable and inexpressible.

O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God in what He has accomplished among His people and the Gentiles! How incomprehensible are His judgments, accomplished among the people of Israel, and how unsearchable are His ways among the Gentiles!

From the beginning God knew what the actions and deeds of men would be. The human race could not be saved by the severity of His righteousness alone, just as it could not be made perfect by His mercy alone.

Thus, at the appointed time, He decreed what must be preached, though before that He allowed each person to decide for himself, since righteousness was known under the guidance of nature itself.

But because the power of natural righteousness was weakened by the habit of sin, the law was given, so that the human race might be restrained by fear of the law. Yet since men were not restrained and were accused by the law, grace was revealed, giving a saving refuge.

"O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" For from ancient times and from the beginning God foreknew this. Having foreknown it, He wisely ordered His divine economy. In ordering it, He showed the riches of His love for mankind. "How unsearchable are His judgments, and how inscrutable His ways." This law of the divine economies surpasses the human mind. The providence of the God of all is incomprehensible even to the invisible Powers.

Thus, certainly, the divine Paul knew God when he knew that He is beyond every concept and understanding.

True piety openly confesses that it knows of God only what has been given it to know. As simplicity of heart is necessary in examining what has been revealed to us, so curiosity that strives to solve what is hidden is out of place.

Indeed, who knows the causes and properties of the heaven spread above us, and of what is in it and beyond it? Who knows whether the earth is supported by water, or whether water rests in the bosom of the earth?

Who will boast of knowing what form the winds have, or from what the ebb and flow of the sea arise? In short, who can claim knowledge of the creative plans of our Lord and God?

By depth he means incomprehensibility. By riches he means the fullness of goodness. By wisdom he means the successful accomplishment of the great plans of His providence for the human race, by fitting means whose fitness is incomprehensible to our mind, although the mind sees it.

By understanding he means God's knowledge, which determines in the best way how each thing should be. Or perhaps riches refers to both wisdom and understanding in this way: O depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the understanding of God, that is, of rich wisdom and rich understanding.

The Apostle even cries out: "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" Whence comes such an exclamation? It is founded on his recollection of the Scriptures cited earlier and on his contemplation of the mysteries which he considers in the light of Christ's faith, which comes from the Law.