Romans 11:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

NIV: God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:

NASB: God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?

CSB: God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel?

NLT: No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,

KJV: God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

NKJV: God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,

Paul asked rhetorically in the previous verse if God had rejected His people Israel. Now Paul states definitively that God has not rejected His people. Paul describes them as a people God "foreknew." Paul described God as foreknowing another group of people earlier in this letter. He wrote that those God foreknew He also predestined to become like Christ (Romans 8:29). In that passage, Paul described all who trust in Christ for salvation, including both Jews and Gentiles.

Here, though, Paul seems to describe God as foreknowing Israel as a nation or a family (Amos 3:2). God knew Israel as His people before they existed as a people. One of God's many promises to Israel is that He would never forsake or abandon His them (Psalm 94:14; 1 Samuel 12:22). That promise stands, Paul writes.

He then introduces new evidence, pointing to a conversation between the prophet Elijah and God about the people of Israel. Paul will quote Elijah's complaint in the following verse.

Romans 11:1–10 finds Paul insisting that God has not rejected Israel forever, despite her refusal to come to Christ. For one thing, Paul himself and a remnant of Jewish people have trusted in Christ by God's grace. God has hardened the rest of Israel in her unbelief, causing her to trip over the stumbling block that is Jesus Christ. They remain unable, for now, to see that following the law will not bring them to God's righteousness. But the story isn't over.

In Romans 11, Paul concludes his exploration of God's plan for His chosen people Israel. It's true that as a nation, Israel has rejected faith in Christ, but a remnant of Israelites has believed in Jesus. God has hardened the rest in unbelief, but will bring Israel back to faith when enough Gentiles have come to Him through Christ. Then many Israelites will trust in Christ, as well, and God will renew His covenant with His people. Paul concludes this section with a powerful poem or hymn about God's independence and how He is beyond our full comprehension.

Romans 11 concludes Paul's discussion about God's plan for the Israelites begun in Romans 9 and 10. Paul insists that, though Israel as a nation has rejected Christ, a remnant of Jewish Christians exists by God's grace. God has hardened the rest in their unbelief until enough Gentiles have come to Him through Christ. Then God will release Israel to believe in Christ and restore His covenant with her as many individual Jews come to faith in Christ, as well. Paul stands in awe of God's vast and unknowable mind and complete ownership of all things.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.