For
I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”
Romans 11:25-26
Romans 11 [20.] True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear; for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Romans 11 [25.] For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written,
“There will come out of Zion the Deliverer,
and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
This is my covenant to them,
when I will take away their sins.”
Romans 11 [28.] Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
Meaning:
In Romans 9 to 11 Paul wrestles with a painful question: why have most of his own people, Israel, rejected Jesus the Messiah? He has compared Israel to an olive tree, with some natural branches broken off and Gentile believers grafted in (Romans 11:17-19). Now he reveals how the story will end.
- “this mystery”
In the New Testament a mystery is something hidden in the past and now revealed by God. Paul uses the word for God’s plan to include the Gentiles: “that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News” (Ephesians 3:6).
- “so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits”
Paul writes this especially for Gentile believers. They might think God had replaced Israel with them. He has already warned them, “Don’t be conceited, but fear” (Romans 11:20). Their place in the tree is a gift of grace.
- “a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until”
The hardening is partial, because there was always a believing remnant: “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5). It is also temporary, lasting “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Jesus spoke of a similar period: “Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).
- “and so all Israel will be saved”
Christians have understood this in different ways. Many see a future turning of the Jewish people as a whole to their Messiah; others understand “all Israel” as the full number of God’s people, Jews and Gentiles. Either way, God has not abandoned Israel, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Paul supports his hope from Isaiah: “A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from disobedience in Jacob” (Isaiah 59:20).
The Significance of Romans 11:25-26
- Humility and hope
Gentile believers have no ground for pride. Their salvation depends on the same mercy that will one day reach Israel. The passage ends in praise: “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33).
- Praying for Israel
Paul’s doctrine produced prayer, not indifference: “Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).
Cross-References:
Isaiah 59:20: “A Redeemer will come to Zion.” The prophecy Paul quotes.
Luke 21:24: “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Jesus’ timetable.
Romans 11:5: “there is a remnant according to the election of grace.” Israel’s faithful remnant.
Romans 10:1: “my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.” Paul’s longing.
Conclusion: Paul reveals that Israel’s hardening is partial and temporary, lasting until the full number of Gentiles has come in, and that “all Israel will be saved” through the Deliverer from Zion. God’s faithfulness to his promises calls believers to humility, hope and prayer.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible