The Consolation of the People of God: God Has Not Cast Away His People (Romans 10:20–11:2)

Rom. 10:20. But Isaiah is bold and says: ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me’ (Isa. 65:1).

Isaiah is bold—that is, speaks with certainty—and speaks clearly and openly concerning the calling of the Gentiles, not fearing the murderous threats of the Jews (Blessed Theodoret). Holy Chrysostom says: “This signifies that Isaiah strove and employed all means not to speak obscurely, but to present the matter to your eyes in all its nakedness, and preferred, by speaking clearly, to expose himself to danger, rather than, taking thought for his safety, to leave you some pretext for excusing your stubbornness. In order to shut your mouths completely, he foretells all things with complete clarity and in direct words. About what then—about everything? About your fall and the introduction of the Gentiles, speaking thus: ‘I was found by those who did not seek Me, I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.’ Who then are these ‘ones not seeking’ and ‘not asking’? Obviously, not the Jews, but the Gentiles, who until then did not know God. As Moses expressed their distinctive mark in the words: ‘by a nation without understanding’; so Isaiah here depicts that same characteristic in them—ignorance in the extreme degree. The most important accusation for the Jews was that the ‘ones not seeking’ found, while the seeking lost.”

And both an accusation and an irritation: how is it that the Gentiles, so insignificant and unclean in their eyes, are deemed worthy of such mercy before their very eyes?! For to find God, to be deemed worthy to have Him made manifest to oneself, is great mercy. The Jews considered no one worthy of it, and behold, they see it given to the Gentiles—and even at the expense of themselves. How should they not be angered?! And they were angered. And if they were angered, this means again, they understood the deed happening before their eyes. The words of the prophet Isaiah which Holy Paul brings forth serve to clarify that with which God threatened to provoke the Jews through the Gentiles, and merely strengthen the answer already given to the question: “Did Israel not know?”

“Do you see,” writes Oecumenius, “how many occasions and opportunities they had to understand? For, seeing what favor God shows toward the Gentiles through faith, they ought to have come to their senses and cast off their blindness.” And looking at it directly, one cannot think that, when the Gentiles, having found God through receiving the evangelical preaching, understood—Israel did not understand. He understood, but out of stubbornness did not submit to the truth. Concerning this Isaiah speaks right after the words quoted about the Gentiles.

Rom. 10:21. But to Israel He says: ‘All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people’ (Isa. 65:2).

If God stretches out His hands to them, calling and drawing them to Himself, how could He not be seen and understood by them? He was seen and understood, but they did not come to Him because of their stubbornness and contentious nature. “All day”—in the Prophet means all the day of Israel, from the time of his deliverance from the land of Egypt; and in the fulfillment of the prophecy in the mouth of the Apostle Paul, it means all the time since the Lord became incarnate and revealed Himself among Israel (Oecumenius). He Himself, going about among the Jews, called out: “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel”. And afterward He sent the Apostles, who both in Judea and in all the countries wherever they happened to meet Jews, proclaimed to them first the word of the Gospel. Thus there was no lack of calling, clear and comprehensible to all. What was wanting was only gracious faith and obedience to the One calling. Blessed Theophylact writes: “So that the Jews might not have the right to say to God: You revealed Yourself to the Gentiles, and would not turn to us—the Prophet adds: ‘I all day’—that is, at all times, ‘stretched out My hands’—that is, I drew you, but you showed yourselves to be a disobedient and stubborn people. Therefore you are guilty, not I. I stretched out My hands to you and called you, but you did not obey. From this it is evident that the Israelites both heard and knew, but would not submit.”

With this the Apostle ends the removal of all excuse for the unbelief of the Jews (verses 14–21). And there are preachers, and they hear, and they understand—and yet remain in unbelief. The conclusion from this: they have no excuse. But the Apostle does not make this conclusion openly; rather, he allows everyone reading or hearing to draw it himself, as well as to draw its application, namely: if they have no excuse, and have no excuse before God, whose judgment is impartial; then clearly they ought—they ought to submit to the preaching and believe in the Gospel. It is this application that the Apostle had in view, presenting the Jews as having no answer, not merely a bore rebuke.

Holy Chrysostom concludes this whole section with these words: “Here is the clear resolution the Apostle gave to all the difficulties set forth above, proving that the Jews perish by their own will and in every respect do not deserve excuse. Although they heard, although they understood what was said, yet for all that they would not come. And what is far more important, God not only gave them to hear and understand this, but also employed stronger measures to overcome and draw the stubborn and those who resisted. What measures exactly? He provoked them to jealousy, awakened emulation in them. You yourselves know the torment of this passion; you know what power emulation has to overcome every stubbornness, to restore the fallen. Need I speak of a grown person, when emulation produces great effect even on children in their immature years? A child often, when his father calls him, does not obey and continues to be stubborn; but when he sees another child being attended to, without any call he runs to his mother’s breast, and what calling could not do, emulation accomplishes. Thus God dealt with the Jews; not only did He beseech them, stretch out His hands to them, but also awakened in them the passion of emulation, bestowing blessings on those who were far below them—what especially produces emulation; however, not with the blessings given to the Jews, but, what is far more important, what makes the passion more tormenting—with blessings far greater and more necessary—such as the Jews never even dreamed of. But for all that they did not obey. Therefore, what excuse do those deserve who showed such excessive stubbornness? None. However, the Apostle does not say this himself, but leaves it to the conscience of his listeners to conclude from the consideration of what has been said.”

d) Consolation for the People of God (Rom. 11:1–36)

From the explanations the Apostle set forth it followed that if there are Jews not partaking of the blessings of faith as should be according to the promise, then the reason for this lies in themselves, in their stubborn refusal to accept the gospel and submit to faith—for which there can be no excuse. Such an accusation must have weighed heavily on the hearts of believing Jews who, despite their attachment to faith, could not help but grieve over their people, so exalted by God’s choice and so humbled by their own folly. Unwilling to leave them under such an unpleasant impression, the Apostle now sets forth consoling thoughts for them, such, however, as could also act beneficially on unbelieving Jews. He speaks with this aim: that if not all are accepted, then neither are all cast off; that the falling away of those who refuse to submit to faith serves for the salvation of the Gentiles; and that therefore the latter have nothing in which to boast over the former; and moreover, this blindness, according to the aims of God’s providence over men, has been permitted only for a time. This limitation will be fulfilled, and all Israel will enter the enclosure of salvation.

Rom. 11:1. I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

With these words the Apostle returns to his former position: “It is not as though the word of God has failed” (Rom. 9:6)—and asks: after all that has been said, can one assert that God has cast away His people? Not at all. For He did not give the promise to all, but only to those whom He foreknew to be obedient to His word. These properly are His people. You need only to look around now and assure yourselves whether there are any from among the sons of Israel who are heeding the gospel and thereby entering into the inheritance of spiritual blessings promised in the Deliverer. If there is even one, the promise is not broken. And there is one—here you have me. “I am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin”. If I, an Israelite, belong to those who have received the promised inheritance, then it cannot be said that “the word of God has failed”, and that “God has cast away His people”. “In proof that the Jews are not rejected,” says Holy Chrysostom, “he points to himself: ‘For I also am an Israelite’. I am a teacher, a preacher, myself a Jew. If God had determined to reject the Jews, He would not have chosen Paul from among them, to whom He entrusted all the preaching, the works of the whole world, all mysteries, all the dispensation of salvation. But it is self-evident that, pointing to himself, the Apostle wished only to give more quickly and more plainly an example of God’s not rejecting, and understood under himself all the believers from among the Jews. They were everywhere: both in Jerusalem, and in all other cities and villages of Palestine, and in all places outside it where Jews dwelt. All of them are heirs of the promises given to the fathers. Consequently, it should not be said that God has cast away His people.”

Rom. 11:2. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.

“Whom He foreknew”, προεγνω—had foreknowledge of. God foreknew that there would be those obedient to His word, and He gave the promise, expressing it in general terms to all the sons of Israel, but having in view specifically these obedient and faithful ones, whom alone ought to be called God’s people. And behold, what you see now being accomplished before your eyes—all this proceeds according to God’s foreknowledge and is the direct fulfillment of the promise. God has not cast away His people, but has now received them precisely and brought them into the inheritance of the promise. Holy Chrysostom sees in the words of the Apostle two proofs that God has not cast away His people: first, that he himself is an Israelite; and second, “it is contained in the words: ‘His people whom He foreknew’—that is, concerning whom He certainly knew that they were capable of receiving faith and would receive it. For from the Jews three thousand believed, five thousand believed, and a great multitude, so that to his words ‘I am an Israelite’ no one could object: are you the people, and from the fact that you are called does it follow that the whole people are called? The Apostle added: ‘God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.’ He speaks as if: with me there are three thousand, there are five thousand, there is a great multitude.”

Rom. 11:2–5. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, ‘Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life’? But what does the divine response say to him? ‘I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace (1 Kings 19:14, 18).

The Apostle speaks as if: what you see now being accomplished before your eyes is very similar to what happened in the time of the prophet Elijah, when, finding openly in no one around him true godliness, he complained to God: all have turned to ungodliness; I alone am left; and when the Lord said to him: no, not all; I have among them seven thousand men who are faithful to Me and turn away from idols. As it was then—that both king, and nobles, and all powers, and all upon whom you look, fought against God, and yet among them God had seven thousand true worshippers: so it is now. Both our kings and our rulers and the chief priests and the learned, and the whole people, if you look at it as a whole, fight against God, resist Christ the Lord, and persecute and kill His Apostles; yet at the same time among this very people, in all places, there are those who believe in the Lord sincerely, who cleave to Him with all their hearts and with their whole souls serve Him. These are properly the people of God, His own, preserved by Him for Himself, foreknown beforehand, and now called, and through that calling chosen out of the people. As then His own were only those seven thousand, and all the rest were strangers to Him, so now the whole people, when you look at it as a whole, is estranged from Christ and our God, while His own are only these believers, seemingly disappearing in the general mass of the people, yet in fact constituting the true people of God. Blessed Theodoret writes: “As then out of countless thousands only seven thousand remained free from ungodliness, so now the unbelieving are more numerous, while those who believe and have availed themselves of divine grace are fewer.” The force of the comparison of these circumstances—that is, what happened in the time of the prophet Elijah and what is now being accomplished—lies in the fact that as then the whole people as a whole fought against God, and the seven thousand, hidden among them, honored God and God called them His own, so now the whole people as a whole fights against Christ, and the believers, living among them, believe in Christ and worship Him—and them God has as His own. This remnant according to God’s election has come to be. God chose and chooses it from among the people through the gospel, faith, and grace. From this let everyone conclude that all that now happens is in accordance with the will and intentions of God and is not contrary to His promises; therefore it cannot be said that God has cast away His people.

Holy Chrysostom at length clarifies other marks of similarity in these circumstances. “The meaning of these words is this: God has not rejected the people. For if He had rejected them, He would not have accepted any. And if He accepted some, then He did not reject. But if He did not reject, you say, then He accepted all? Not at all. For even in Elijah’s time no more than seven thousand were saved. And now (besides those who clearly believe), probably many have believed (secretly). It is not surprising if you do not know them; for the prophet Elijah, so great a man, did not know this. But God was conducting His affairs, though the Prophet did not know (and so now He secretly conducts His work of faith). Mark the wisdom of the Apostle, how, in proving what he set out to prove, he imperceptibly increases the guilt of the Jews. He brought this testimony to mind to display their ingratitude more solemnly and to show that they have always been thus. And if he did not have this intention, but wished to prove only that the few constitute God’s people proper, he would have said merely that in Elijah’s time seven thousand remained. But now he brings the entire testimony from the beginning, since he was in every way laboring to prove that the conduct of the Jews toward Christ and the Apostles was in no way strange (novel) to them, but customary among them and had become their habit. Lest they say: we killed Christ as a deceiver, we persecute the Apostles as seducers—the Apostle brings testimony in which it is said: ‘Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars.’ (This meant that as then they killed not false prophets but true ones, so now they killed not a false saviour but the true Saviour and persecute not seducers but true preachers.) But the Apostle, so as not to grieve them too much by his words, (did not express this overtly, but) presents another reason for bringing this testimony, as if he brings it not with that main purpose of rebuking them, but with the intention of proving something else (namely, that the few constitute God’s people proper); meanwhile he deprives them of all excuse in their preceding deeds (the crucifixion of the Lord and the persecution of the Apostles). See how the rebuke gains special force from the mouth of the one rebuking. Not Paul rebukes, not Peter, not James, not John, but he whom the Jews admired more than any other—the chief of the Prophets, God’s friend. What then does he say? ‘Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.’ What could be more savage than such cruelty? They ought to have prayed for the sins already committed, but they intend to kill a Prophet besides. And this not in a time of famine, but when fertility had already come. All this makes them utterly inexcusable. (But as it was then, so do they now.) When demons are put to shame, God’s might is revealed (in Christ Jesus), they dare this evil deed (against Him), go from murder to murder, kill teachers and those who reform their morals. And what can they say against this (rebuke) in their defense? Were the prophets deceivers? Did they not know whence they came? They grieved you, but in return they spoke what was useful. (So understand also concerning the Apostles.) And the altars? Did the altars grieve? Did they insult? (Obviously they did all this in fighting against God [Blessed Theodoret].) See what examples of stubbornness and wickedness the Jews have always shown. Therefore Paul, writing also to the Thessalonians, says: ‘You also will suffer the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men’ (1 Thess. 2:14–15). Likewise here he speaks, saying that the Jews tore down altars and killed the Prophets (to show that they have always resisted God). ‘But what does the divine response say to him? I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ You will ask, does this apply to the present time? Very much so. For by this it is proved that God always ordinarily saves the worthy, though the promise was given to the whole people. The same the Apostle proved above, when he said: ‘Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant will be saved’ and ‘Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom’; and he proves the same here. Therefore he also adds: ‘Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.’ See how each word of the Apostle retains its force, expressing both God’s grace and the irreproachableness of the saved. For by the word ‘according to election’ the Apostle showed the merit of the saved, and by the word ‘grace’ he indicated God’s gift.”