Concerning Jews And Gentiles
Romans 11:1-36
YLT 1 I say, then, Did God cast away His people? let it not be! for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin:
Paul uses himself as proof that God did not cast away His people.
2 God did not cast away His people whom He knew before; have ye not known—in Elijah—what the Writing saith? how he doth plead with God concerning Israel, saying, 3 `Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;’ 4 but what saith the divine answer to him? `I left to Myself seven thousand men, who did not bow a knee to Baal.’
Elijah’s generation of the remnant was represented by the number 7,000. The first century representative number of God’s faithful remnant whom He foreknew was 144,000. That’s more than twenty times the remnant of Elijah’s generation. Who would deny that Paul in the Holy Spirit became part of his generation’s faithful remnant. Paul was saved by Jesus’ old covenant sacrifice as the Passover Lamb. After meeting Jesus, Paul followed Him wherever he went. Paul was even willing to die in Jerusalem – Acts 21:13. In Revelation 14:4, the 144,000 chosen from the 12 tribes are called the first fruit from the humans.
We know the first fruit of the new covenant is Jesus, since He was resurrected on the feast day of Firstfruit. First fruit is always singular in the Greek because there is only one first fruit body of Christ. The transition from the old covenant to the new covenant only happened once. The first people in the new covenant were the chosen Jews. The Gentiles joined the same body of Christ, yet Tim LaHaye sees the 144,000 in Revelation 7 as the Jews and the 144,000 in Revelation 14 as the Christians. That makes for two first fruit bodies associated with 144,000. It not only ignores what started on Pentecost. It ignores Revelation 7:9. Pentecost is when Jews joined Jesus’ new covenant body. Pentecost is the first fruit of the wheat harvest. Gentiles can never be the first to enter the new covenant with Jesus. Gentiles will always be second. To the Jew first and then to the Greek – Romans 1:16. Gentiles became part of the first fruit body singular. After the Gentiles are added to the 144,000, the number becomes innumerable – Revelation 7:9. There isn’t 12000 from 12 Gentile nations that make up another 144,000 faithful remnant. The body of Christ doesn’t become 288,000. It becomes innumerable.
The first fruit of the gospel are the first to enter the new covenant, by definition. The first fruit of the barley harvest is Jesus Himself. Jews from all 12 tribes were in Jerusalem on Pentecost as they became the first fruit of the wheat harvest. What joined the first fruit body together as one body if not the Holy Spirit of the re-birth. The Holy Spirit was represented by the barley malt that made the wheat bread rise 50 days after Jesus’ new covenant resurrection? The first fruit of both of these Holy Spirit harvests is composed of no bodies but Jews. Peter reached 3000 with his first Holy spirit sermon. The gospel then spread for years to no other bodies except Jews – Acts 11:19, until Cornelius joined a different (non-Jewish) first fruit body of Christ —- not.
Don’t all these Jewish bodies count as the first fruit of the gospel? Do Gentiles think they are the first to enter the new covenant and 144,000 Jews will be the last faithful remnant? The Jews can’t biblically make up another first fruit body if they already were the first fruit body. The faithful remnant Jews were astonished when the chosen Gentiles started being born again in the same way as the chosen bodies from the 12 tribes were – Acts 11:18. The teacher of the Jews is told by Jesus Himself that he must be born again by the Holy Spirit or perish – John 3:16. The first century was the “present time” Paul referred to when he wrote Romans.
5 So then also in the present time a remnant according to the choice of grace there hath been; 6 and if by grace, no more of works, otherwise the grace becometh no more grace; and if of works, it is no more grace, otherwise the work is no more work. 7 What then? What Israel doth seek after, this it did not obtain, and the chosen did obtain, and the rest were hardened,
The chosen Jews did obtain what they were seeking. All the rest were hardened, like Pharaoh and his army. Pharaoh and his army didn’t want to let God’s people go. The unfaithful Jews tried to stop the faithful remnant who were and still are the first fruit of their new covenant. The first fruit body was the chosen Jews who were redeemed by the Lamb. Jesus lost none that were His – John 10:27-30. Cornelius was the first from the nations to join the first fruit Jews. He didn’t join another body of Christ. Even if the rebirth of Cornelius is called the first fruit of the Gentiles, he joined the singular first fruit body of Christ. There aren’t two first fruit bodies of Christ. Even the 144,000 is called the first fruit singular.
8 according as it hath been written, `God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear,’ —unto this very day, [“this very day” was before AD 60].9 and David saith, `Let their table become for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompense to them; [the hardened Jews were recompensed in AD 70] 10 let their eyes be darkened—not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow down.’
Paul quotes David to prove his point biblically. In Psalm 69:22-29 David is asking God to deal with his lying enemies. Paul equates David’s lying enemies to the unfaithful Jews of His day. The old covenant still existed when Paul wrote and those who insisted on keeping it became the persecutors of Paul and the the persecutors of the 144000 first fruit. Jesus clearly stated that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” – Luke 24:47, not ending at Jerusalem. The end of the old covenant came after the gospel went to the Gentiles.
11 I say, then, Did they stumble that they might fall? let it not be! but by their fall the salvation is to the nations, to arouse them to jealousy;
Paul didn’t stop and explain how this concept works out for Calvinists. He just says the fall of the Jews wasn’t for nothing. Likewise Adam’s fall wasn’t for nothing. God’s humanity, as we know it today through the One True Son, proceeded from Adam and from Israel, specifically from the tribe of the Jews. The fulness of Adam is in Jesus – Romans 5:12-19. Every individual in Israel was not being saved, just as every individual in Adam was not being saved. The reserved first century remnant of the twelve tribes is represented by the apocalyptic number 144,000. This number represents the faithful remnant, not every flesh and blood Jew ever born – Acts 13:46. Apocalypse means: to reveal. The true sons of God were made known by the destruction of the old covenant hold-outs. The old covenant hold-outs rejected Jesus and the Holy Spirit He first sent to Jerusalem. The old covenant stubborn ones were not part of the new covenant first fruit.
12 and if the fall of them is the riches of a world, and the diminution of them the riches of nations, how much more the fulness of them? 13 For to you I speak—to the nations—inasmuch as I am indeed an apostle of nations, my ministration I do glorify;
Revelation describes the fulness of the first fruit generation as the 144,000 faithful from the twelve tribes. The 12 tribes were in the diaspora when the Revelation was unveiled. Paul was a fulfilled faithful Jew; more technically a Benjamite. He was one of God’s chosen people who took the gospel to the nations, even during a time of great suffering. Paul indeed brought riches to the world, along with all the other born again Jews in the first century. The fall of Israel was represented by the 12 tribes in diaspora and finally by the rejection of their Messiah in Jerusalem. The 12 tribes had a synagogue in every city teaching the law that led the nations to Christ, but the gospel actually took place in Jerusalem. Jesus’ unlawful death on a Roman cross broke the old covenant for good. He was raised into the new covenant. The Hebrew diaspora had already prepared the Gentiles for the one and only gospel. The law of Moses led the Gentiles to Christ too – Galatians 3:24. The fulness of humanity (in the resurrected Christ) went to the Jews first, then the Jews evangelized the Gentiles. The 12 tribes had already pre-evangelized them – Acts 15:21.
14 if by any means I shall arouse to jealousy mine own flesh, and shall save some of them, 15 for if the casting away of them [diaspora] is a reconciliation of the world, what the reception [rebirth by the Holy Spirit] —if not life out of the dead?
The dead ones were the covenant breaking Jews. That was all of them. There was nothing worse they could do now, but they could still reject the Holy Spirit resurrection and perish unforgiven. They would never live again under law. Their law covenant was permanently broken. While the old covenant still existed, the Jews in the land were spiritually dead not physically dead. They weren’t keeping covenant. New covenant life out of spiritual death was only by Holy Spirit birth. Of course Gentiles didn’t have covenant life, even the Jews didn’t have it. Only one Jew was covenantally faithful and He laid down His old covenant soul to save His brethren.
Jealousy is an emotion that wants to protect what is rightfully yours. Covenant salvation truly belonged to the Jews, yet Paul took it to the Gentiles. Paul doesn’t explain to Calvinists how jealousy can be used as a tool to help save the stubborn Jews before AD 70 arrived and they perished. He surely didn’t support the unfaithful Jews financially. He didn’t try to bribe them into the new covenant. Paul took up an offering to strengthen God’s chosen Jews in Jerusalem, not his unfaithful ones. He took up a collection from the Gentiles for the faithful church in Jerusalem. Paul provoked the unfaithful Jews in Jerusalem by supporting the faithful Jews in Jerusalem and by taking the Jewish salvation to the Gentiles. The old covenant unbelievers mostly continued murdering the new covenant Jews in their misapplied jealousy for the old covenant that was about to go away. It was going away no matter what they did to try to keep it.
16 and if the first-fruit is holy, the lump also; and if the root is holy, the branches also.
Jesus as a Jew told the Jews that they are the branches and He is the vine – John 15:5. There were no unfaithful branches after Pentecost. All born again Jews were sanctified by the vine (or similarly the root). The whole body of Christ is holy. By the time Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, the Gentiles were also branches, grafted onto the one olive tree, who is Jesus.
17 And if certain of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wast grafted in among them, and a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree didst become— 18 do not boast against the branches; and if thou dost boast, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee! 19 Thou wilt say, then, `The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in;’ right! 20 by unbelief they were broken off, and thou hast stood by faith; be not high-minded, but be fearing; 21 for if God the natural branches did not spare—lest perhaps He also shall not spare thee. 22 Lo, then, goodness and severity of God—upon those indeed who fell, severity; and upon thee, goodness, if thou mayest remain in the goodness, otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And those also, if they may not remain in unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able again to graft them in; 24 for if thou, out of the olive tree, wild by nature, wast cut out, and, contrary to nature, wast grafted into a good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who are according to nature, be grafted into their own olive tree? [The resurrected body of Christ is the one olive tree]
Scripture was written to the Hebrews to warn them to not turn back to the old covenant and lose their salvation, just as they wanted to turn back to Egypt on their way to the typical promised land. The Gentiles were not above the Hebrews in this sense – Romans 11:17 & Hebrews 10:36-30. Jesus was a Hebrew not a Gentile. It was some born again Hebrews (Pharisees) from Judah who were trying to proselytize the new covenant Gentiles back into the law of the still existing old covenant olive tree. Jesus cursed the old covenant olive tree to never bear fruit again, as He entered old covenant Jerusalem for His passion week. Requiring circumcision was equivalent to old covenant salvation by works, which is impossible, then and now. Those who wanted to turn back to Egypt were cursed to death, en route. Paul said ‘no way’ to the Pharisees who were Judaizing the born again Gentiles. The Pharisees were trying to keep the old cursed olive tree and tempting others to return to the cursed old covenant covenant with them. They and their followers were in danger of “turning back”. Jesus cursed the old covenant olive tree to bear no fruit to the age – Mark 11:13-14. The time for first fruit in Jerusalem was Firstfruits and Pentecost. As its name indicates, the Feast of Firstfruits started their thanksgiving to God with the firstfruits of the barley harvest. In this case it was the first fruit of their new covenant, who is Jesus. Fifty days later other Jews gratefully joined the new covenant.
25 For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this secret—that ye may not be wise in your own conceits—that hardness in part to Israel hath happened till the fulness of the nations may come in; 26 and so all Israel shall be saved, according as it hath been written, `There shall come forth out of Sion he who is delivering, and he shall turn away impiety from Jacob, 27 and this to them is the covenant from Me, when I may take away their sins.’
Sometimes ‘Jew’ indicates someone from the tribe of Judah. Sometimes ‘Jew’ means from any of the 12 tribes of Israel. A true Jew comes to mean anybody who is born again. Israel is called the first-born of Yahweh – Exodus 4:22. The role of the first-born son carries significance in the inheritance of the family. Jesus not only took the place of Adam to save the first-born, He saved the first born nation as well. In fact, the Holy Spirit was sent to the nation as they celebrated their flesh and blood birth. The first-born nation was born again that day. Jesus redeemed His chosen Jews on the cross and then told His representatives to wait in Jerusalem till He sent the Holy Spirit to them. All true Israel was saved by way of the Holy Spirit rebirth before AD 70. On Pentecost Peter addresses all Israel as guilty of killing their Messiah – Acts 2:22-23. After Pentecost Peter addresses his people as a holy nation – 1 Peter 2:9. The Holy Spirit made them holy. Another wrath of God is not coming down on the old covenant hold-outs again.
28 As regards, indeed, the good tidings, they are enemies on your account; and as regards the choice—beloved on account of the fathers; 29 for unrepented of are the gifts and the calling of God; 30 for as ye also once did not believe in God, and now did find kindness by the unbelief of these: 31 so also these now did not believe, that in your kindness they also may find kindness; 32 for God did shut up together the whole to unbelief, that to the whole He might do kindness.
The old covenant Jews still existed until AD 70 and Paul’s heart was still going out to them. Paul was willing to be accursed if it would help save his brethren in the flesh but Jesus already did that – Romans 9:2-4. The transition from old covenant to new covenant was completed before AD 70.
33 O depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways! 34 for who did know the mind of the Lord? or who did become His counsellor? 35 or who did first give to Him, and it shall be given back to him again? 36 because of Him, and through Him, and to Him are the all things; to Him is the glory—to the ages. Amen.
Paul goes outside the Jews with the gospel. Paul also goes beyond the singular age that Jesus promised life to for His old covenant Jewish brethren. John 3:16 references living to the age singular. The rebirth was the only way to survive the fulfillment of the old covenant age. Nobody survived it under law. Paul says the glory of God is for all the ages: past, present and future. Who would say the gospel wasn’t retroactive? Who would say Jesus didn’t save the 7000 God reserved for Himself from Elijah’s generation? Who would say God isn’t saving His chosen people from every generation?
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αἰών – singular age
αἰῶνες – plural ages
Dodson: Age, a cycle of time an age, a cycle (of time), especially of the present age as contrasted with the future age, and of one of a series of ages stretching to infinity. Strong’s: αἰών properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity (also past); by implication, the world; specially (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future)
Derivation: from the same as G104;
KJV Translations of the Greek word αἰών: age, course, eternal, (for) ever(-more), (n-)ever, (beginning of the , while the) world (began, without end).