Romans 11:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

NIV: in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.

NASB: if somehow I may move my own people to jealousy and save some of them.

CSB: if I might somehow make my own people jealous and save some of them.

NLT: for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.

KJV: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

NKJV: if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.

This completes Paul's thought begun in the previous verse. He cited his calling as an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). Though Paul himself was a "Hebrew among Hebrews" (Philippians 3:4–7), he was converted (Acts 9:1–6) in order to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the non-Jewish people: the Gentiles. An apostle is a person sent to represent another with an important message. In Paul's case, that message is that the Gentiles can be saved and come into relationship with God through faith in Christ.

Paul now declares that he magnifies—he works hard at—this ministry, in part, to help save some of his fellow Jews. How would that work? His aim is to provoke the Jews to become jealous of the special relationship the Gentiles now have with God through faith in Christ. Paul wants his fellow Jewish people to see that and want it too. Some will come to faith in Christ in that way, Paul believes.

Romans 11:11–24 describes why God has hardened Israel in her unbelief in Christ. It is to make room on God's figurative olive tree for the Gentile Christians. The old branches of unbelieving Jews have been broken off for now, and the new branches have been grafted in to the root. In turn, the salvation of so many Gentiles will provoke Israel to jealousy, drawing her back to God through faith in Christ when He removes the hardening of her unbelief. When that happens, after enough Gentiles have believed, the old branches of Jewish believers will be grafted back into the tree.

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.

Accessed 5/1/2024 11:35:12 AM