The next step is to explain verses 12, 15 and 24. Each of these verses is saying the same thing and repeating the same point to explain God’s programme. Verse 12 states that if the fall of national Israel brought riches to the world, “then much more their fullness”. This verse is misread by Dispensationalists to mean that if the fall of Israel brought blessing to the world, then much more the Jewish national salvation will bring blessing to the world.
From the context a correct understanding is that if the Gentiles can be saved through the fall of Israel, then much more is God able to save the elect of national Israel also. “Much more their fullness” refers to the salvation of the Jewish elect. John said, “Of His fullness have we all received and grace for grace.” (John 1:16). This means life, or abundant life, i.e. eternal life (John 10:10).
Paul said that if Gentiles who did not know God can be saved, how much more can the elect of Israel, who had the knowledge of God in the Old Testament also be saved? If barbarians who had almost no consciousness of the things of God can be turned by the Spirit of God, how much more can those whom God calls from Israel?
The same literary device is used here as Jesus used in, “If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, much more will your heavenly Father…”. It means that, “If one can do this, then how much more can the other do the same?”.
In vs. 15 Paul repeated the idea; “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead”. Dispensationalists here say that life from the dead means the resurrection of the dead at the Second Coming of Christ. They say that national Israel shall be saved just before Christ comes.
This is all read into the verse, ignoring the context and the rest of the book of Romans. The passage does not say this. The Second Coming of Christ is not mentioned here or anywhere in this chapter, not even in the whole book of Romans.
Rather vs. 15 is referring to eternal life. It is saying that if the elect of the Gentiles found life, then the receiving of the elect from Israel shall be life from the dead for them also. They also shall be quickened, made alive in Christ. In case we had any doubt as to Paul’s meaning he repeats the same idea again in vs. 24 and explains his logic:
For if you (Gentiles) were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these (the elect of national Israel), which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree. (Rom 11:24).
The point of these three verses is this: “Gentiles, do not boast against the Jews. You have been received by faith. If you are proud you too may fall. Do you not realize that if they believe they can be grafted back in? In fact, that would be easier than you believing, because they are not strangers to the things of God like you were”. This is exactly what Paul said.
That is, “If you, who had no knowledge of the law, no experience in the temple and no expectation of Christ, could believe on a gospel that is so new to you, how much more could these who have the background and knowledge in the things of God in the Old Covenant believe and come back to Christ when God calls them?”.
No comments:
Post a Comment