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Romans

About this book
Chapter 11

1 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not!⁠ For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets; they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life!” 4 But what was the divine response to him? “I have kept for myself 7,000 people who have not bent the knee to Baal.”⁠ 5 So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. 7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually.”⁠ 11 I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous.⁠ 12 Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration bring? 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the first portion of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches. 17 Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root,⁠ 18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. 22 Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God—harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And even they—if they do not continue in their unbelief—will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree? 25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.⁠ 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.” 28 In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers.⁠ 29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways!⁠ 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? 35 Or who has first given to God that God needs to repay him?⁠ 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.

Texts in conversation

Compare Romans 11:33 and 2 Baruch 14:8

New Testament · Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

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Summary

Romans 11 ends with praise of God’s unsearchable wisdom, declaring that his judgments cannot be fully understood. 2 Baruch contains a similar expression, asking who can understand God’s judgment or explore the depth of his knowledge.

Passages

Romans 11:33

New Testament
32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? 35 Or who has first given to God that God needs to repay him? 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.
55–58 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Romans

2 Baruch 14:8

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
6 And look, they have been carried off, nor on their account have You had mercy on Zion. 7 And if others did evil, it was due to Zion, that on account of the works of those who worked good works she should be forgiven, and should not be overwhelmed on account of the works of those who worked unrighteousness. 8 But who, O Lord, my Lord, will comprehend Your judgement, Or who will search out the profundity of Your way? Or who will think out the weight of Your path? 9 Or who will be able to think out Your incomprehensible counsel? Or who of those that are born has ever found The beginning or end of Your wisdom?
70–135 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 2 Baruch

References

"... The two exclamations that follow develop further God’s incredible wisdom and knowledge. The two are parallel in structure as well as meaning. His judgments are unsearchable or “inscrutable,” and his paths or “ways” are beyond tracing out. The word judgments refers not negatively to final judgment or condemnation (as in 2:2; 5:16) but rather to God’s decisions in general, especially his decision to bring salvation to humankind (thus they certainly include “sternness” as well as “kindness”; see 11:22). His decision to make “some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use” (9:21) is “inscrutable” or “unfathomable, impossible to understand” (see Job 42:3; Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:28). Many quote 2 Baruch 14:8-9, “O Lord, my Lord, who can understand your judgment? Or who can explore the depth of your way? Or who can discern the majesty of your path? Or who can discern your incomprehensible counsel? Or who of those who are born has ever discovered the beginning and the end of your incomprehensible counsel?” ..."
Grant R. Osborne, IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Romans (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity, 2003), 314.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Romans 11:33 and 2 Baruch 14:8

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