Exposition of Romans 8-11, Chapter 11 · Verse 1
VERS. 1. I ſay then, Hath God caſt away his people? God forbid. For I alſo am an Iſraelite, of the ſeed of Abraham, of the tribe of Beniamin.
IN this chapter the Apoſtle remoues the third maine obiection: which followes vponupon theſe things deliuered before: For if Iuſtification be by faith in Chriſt, on whom the Iewes beleeue not, and their righteouſnes auayleth nothing, but for all that, they are accounted rebells and traitors, and the Gentiles brought in becauſe of their faith; then God hath caſt away his people: But he will neuer caſt away his people: Therefore, &c.
To this obiection Paul anſwers in this Chapter; ſhewing that the reiection of the Iewes is neither totall nor finall; and therefore God ſtill is moſt conſtant, though he caſt away and puniſh ſuch vnbeleeuing and diſobedient rebels.
The drift of this paſſage, is to comfort the beleeuing Iewes, and to admoniſh the Gentiles, who (though Chriſtians) yet inſulted ouer the Iewes, and hated them; ſo that among vsus, euen at this day, the name of a Iew is growne into a prouerbe, to note one that is hated. Now that the Gentiles might not be proud of their ſtanding, nor the Iewes vtterly deſpaire; and that they might entertaine a more charitable opinion each of other, Paul ſhewes that the reiection of the Iewes is not of eueryevery mothers ſonne, nor for euer; but as ſome of them in all ages of the Church hauehave bene conuerted, ſo before the end of the world the thouſands of Iſrael ſhall be gathered.
The wrath of God lieth not vponupon all, neither ſhall it alwayes on the multitude of them; but euem the multitude before the end, ſhall come thicke and threefold vntounto Chriſt, whom they now blaſpheme and perſecute: And in the midſt of theſe things he digreſſeth into a ſpeciall admonition to the Gentiles to be humble.
In this Chapter are two parts. Firſt, the principall matter, to ver. 33. Secondly, the concluſion, ver. 33. and ſo to the end of the Chapter.
The principall matter is twofold: Firſt, that the reiection of the Iewes is not totall, to verſe 11. Secondly, nor finall, in the reſt of the verſes.
The firſt part is handled by way of diſputation: Paul enters into the ſchooles, propounds his poſition. His aduerſarie appeares and oppoſeth. Paul takes his argument, anſwers it, and plainly makes good his anſwer by Scripture.
The poſition is, that Moſes and Eſay hauehave fore-prophecied the reiection of the Iewes, as in the tenth Chap. ver. 19.20.21.
The Repliers argument (ſuppoſe a Iew) is this: If they be ſo to be vnderſtood, then God hath caſt away his people. But the laſt is falſe, therefore the firſt.
This argument is in theſe words, I demaund then, Hath God caſt away his people? propounded by way of queſtion.
Pauls anſwer to the queſtion, is in all the reſt of the words, to verſe 11. Firſt, by a ſtrong negation. Secondly, by a ſpecial inſtance. Thirdly, by an accurate diſtinction. Fourthly, by an elegant ſimilitude. Fiftly, by a graue determination, fortified by euident Scriptures, which he alwayes hath in a readineſſe as a ſacred anchor to ſtay vsus from being caried about with eueryevery wind or waue of doctrine.
The two firſt parts of this anſwer are in the firſt verſe. The firſt is in the negation, in theſe words, God forbid. Paul denies with indignation and defiance; as if he ſhould ſay: Farre be it from me to teach that God ſhould caſt away his people wholly; or that all the Iewes, or that a Iew, becauſe a Iew, ſhould be reiected of God.
doctrine All the Iewes are not caſt away from the hope of ſaluation, though their Temple be ruintaed, their ſacrifices ceaſed, their land in the hands of Infidels, and their multitude diſperſed. For Peter and Paul conuerted many: and Peter and Iames principally wrote their Epiſtles to beleeuing Iewes diſperſed, and ſome are ſtil conuerted, Tremellius.as one of late yeares hath taken great paines in helping to tranſlate the Bible.
Vſe 1.In Gods cauſe Paul cannot forbeare, but muſt needs earneſtly tell cauillers of it to their faces; do thou likewiſe, but in the ſpirit and wiſedome of Paul.
Vſe 2.Paul before had ſhamed the Iewes, put them to ſilence, and giuen them a ſore blow, telling them of their ſtubburnneſſe and diſobedience, and of their caſting off: he doth not alwayes harpe vponupon that ſtring, nor trample vponupon them being downe, but now like a wiſe teacher he comforteth them. He leaues not the matter ſo, but declares that (neuertheleſſe) there is a doore of merciemercy open to all of them that will beleeue: as if he ſhould ſay: It is true, God is angrie with the Iewes, and hath caſt them away, but let none deſpaire; for ſo many as repent, ceaſſing to blaſpheme Chriſt, and ſhall beleeue in him, ſhall be ſaued. This courſe of Paul, muſt be a patterne for Miniſters: they muſt preach iudgements, and denounce the curſe againſt ſinners, 2. Cor. 13 10.but they muſt not leaue men vnderunder the curſe to deſpaire; for God hath not appointed vsus to deſtroy men, but when we hauehave humbled them and reproued them, we are to ſet open the gate of merciemercy vponupon their repentance, by preaching the glad tidings of the Goſpell. This is the ſpeciall dutie of our office.
To preach alwayes the curſe and damnation, is a butcherly kind of preaching: otherwiſe doth the butcher conſider the ſheepe, otherwiſe the ſhepheard: the butcher to kill it, the ſhepheard to keepe and ſaue it. Now we are ſhepheards. The Law muſt be preached, but principally the Goſpell. Omne tulit punctum qui miſcuit, &c. He which wiſely mingleth theſe two, is the beſt preacher.