Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 11 · Section 3 · Subsection 27
26. Quest. What mysterie the Apostle here meaneth, I would not hauehave you ignorant of this mysterie, v. 25.
1. A mysterie is taken two waies especially, either it signifieth an externall thing, which betokeneth some internall and spirituall matter beside that which is proposed to the sense: in which respect the Sacraments are called mysteries, because they represent vntounto the inward man a spirituall matter insinuated by the externall and visible obiect: thus eueryevery Sacrament is a mysterie, though eueryevery mysterie be not a Sacrament: as the coniunction betweene Christ and his Church is called a mysterie, Eph. 5.32. It also signifieth some secret and hid thing, which neither is apparent to the sense, neither can be comprehended by reason: such a mysterie is the incarnation of Christ: it is a thing incomprehensible how the divine nature, which is infinite, should be ioyned in the vnitie of one person with the fruite and created nature of man: likewise the spirituall coniunction betweene Christ and his Church is a mysterie: the calling of the Gentiles was a great secret and mysterie, Ephes. 3.3. and here the vocation and restauration of the Iewes is also called a mysterie.
2. And herein lyeth the mysterie, which the Apostle here speaketh of: 1. that obstinacie is come vponupon Israel in part: for they were blinded and hardened, but not all, onelyonly part of them, and that not for euer, but onelyonly for a time: for so Ambrose applieth those words, ex parte, partly, to the time, which shall determine the blindnes of the Iewes. 2. and then the fulnes of the Gentiles shall come in, while the Iewes are hardened: this is another mysterie. 3. but the cheefe part of this mysterie is, that in the end the whole nation of Israel shall be saued.
3. And this is called a mysterie, 1. that they should vnderstand, nihil hic temore aut casu …ri, that nothing is here done rashly or by chaunce, but by the prouidence of God. 2. and to stay their curiositie, that they should not striue to send out a reason of Gods doings. 3. and beside to expresse their arrogancie, least they should insult ouer the Iewes for a time reiected: least you should be arrogant in your selues: insultendo lapsis, by insulting ouer those which were fallen: Origen: though some giuegive this sense, ne putetis vos mysterium hoc ingenio …stro posse discutere, least you might thinke to discusse this mysterie by your owne wit: gloss. interlin. But as Pet. Martyr well noteth, the word foreign, wise, is inferred here rather to the affection, then vnderstanding in the first sense; that they should not immo…ce gloriari, reioyce immoderatly in their election and the reiection of the Iewes: Hynerius.
4. But Origen is farre wide, who maketh this to be the mysterie: that whereas the Lord in the beginning diuided the nations of the world among the Angels, he tooke Israel to be his owne portion, which the other angels envying, enticed the Israelites to idolatrie, and so the Gentiles came to be the Lords portion, Israel beeing forsaken.
This strange speculation of Origen diuersely fayleth. 1. that conceite of his that the nations were distributed among the Angels, is grounded vponupon the erroneous translation of the Septuagint, Deut. 32.8. he appointed the borders of the people according to the number of the Angels of God: whereas it is in the Hebrewe, according to the number of the children of Israel. 2. Not euil Angels but the good are appointed ouer nations to be ministring spirits for their good. 3. Israel was so the Lords portion, as that yet his Angels also watched ouer thē, … pitched their tents round about thē, as the sacred histories do giuegive plentifull testimonies.