Chapter 11
Chapter 11 1-7. He tones down the above complaint about the falling away of the people, and testifies that the promise still belongs to the people, and that many will follow it, namely, those who believe. First he argues from his own example: I am an Israelite, and I have received the promise, so Israelites are able to obtain it. The other reason is taken from the example of the time of Elijah (cf. 1 Kings 19:10-18]. Thus he reminds us that the church is always small, and that the number and power of the wicked is much greater.
He adds the teaching that the church has not been elected on account of the Law, on account of the form of government, but that the people of God which accepts the Gospel by faith has been elected. He adds that the cause of election is mercy, not the Law, not the form of government, as was said above about the distinction between the two peoples. The synagogue has the title "'people of God,'' and wages war against the true people and the true church. We need to be prepared against this offense, and forearmed in order that we may know that the church is not that crowd which persecutes the Gospel, even if they have the worship and the form of government.
8. He gave them a spirit of remorse A spirit of remorse is an angry spirit, embittered with hatred of God and the Gospel. For there is a certain dreadful bitterness of hate in enemies of the Gospel, such as is described in Cain, Pharaoh, and similar persons. First, it is because the devil inflames those attacks. Second, because human reason itself is vehemently offended by the dissolution of acts of worship and of the state. It imagines the doctrine to be blasphemous and seditious, for they think the glory of God is injured by a change in acts of worship. So it was when the apostles abrogated the Levitical ceremonies, and it is also now, when human acts of worship like the abuses of the Mass are reprehended. Changes of acts of worship change also the form of government, and now it certainly tears the church apart. Each brings forth immense hatred because it is thought to harm the glory of God, and others are grieved that the authority of the church is shaken, that the order of the church is being destroyed, etc.
9. Also David says: ''Let their table become. ...
He heaps up many statements which describe the punishments of wickedness. Blindness and hardening accompany contempt for the Gospel, which
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so occupy the mind that they are unable to return to reason. Then that very blindness heaps up errors and increases madness, offenses, and dreadful evils, both bodily and eternal. Thus he says about the blindness: ''They have been blinded.
5.7 Pva LOsef: Pst 69222 123) About other punishments: **May their table become a snare, an offense
...° [v. 9]. "*Table'' signifies that in which men chiefly find repose, which seems to bring comfort, help, restoration, and quiet. Thus the table of Pompey was the king of Egypt, the one with whom he sought refuge, by whose aid he hoped he would be safe, but it turned out to be his destruction. As for the Jews, their table was the Law and their form of government at the time, and the most glorious title "'people of God.'' They knew that these things had been divinely handed down and had been so long defended, and they thought that they could not be changed. Therefore, they condemned the doctrine which seemed to be against them, and hoped they would be victors, as their fathers before them had been triumphant. These things were a snare, that is, they held fast the minds that were caught in a net of evil persuasion, and afterward destroyed them, etc. And now the title "'church'' is the table of the adversaries of the church. It ensnares minds with a false persuasion, and it will be their destruction.
10. Bend their back forever This means, burden them more and more with errors, offenses, sins, and calamities. Finally, oppress them with eternal servitude, lest they begin again to bloom, lest they recover their authority and rule.
The Anabaptists furnish a clear example. They brought forth new errors.
Then they added the foulest offenses, seditions, lusts, and blasphemies so that now their madness might become manifest until they were finally utterly destroyed. Similar things happened to the Jews after they persecuted the Gospel. Let the threat of such dreadful punishment warn us not to despise the Gospel, lest we bring down such punishments on ourselves.
11-12. Did they stumble so that they might fall?
The proposition set forth above is repeated. The Jews were not caused to stumble in order that the race might perish. The reason is sharply delineated and has an obvious meaning. For the argument is taken from the ultimate cause of the reception of the Gentiles, in this way: the Gentiles have been received in order that the Jews might be challenged to believe when they see that the Gospel is efficacious in the Gentiles. Therefore, it is necessary that there be some remnants among the Jews who will believe. For what need would there have been to challenge the Jews if none were going to believe?
Paul appends the consequence in this way: if their downfall served to
Commentary on Romans challenge them, then there is some remnant that is unharmed, that is, there must be some part that can be healed. This idea can also be enlarged from the minor premise: If their downfall served the acceptance of the Gentiles, how much greater will the safety be of those who obeyed when they were challenged, because God challenged them for this purpose, that he might heal them and render them whole and unharmed.
13-15. For I say to you Gentiles He adds his own example to the reason taken from the ultimate cause.
I, he says, am eager to propagate the Gospel among the Gentiles with all the greater diligence, in order that the Jews may be challenged to believe when they see that the Gospel is effective among the Gentiles. What he is saying is this: I glorify my ministry, that is, I teach with great confidence and diligence the Gospel by which the glory of God is adorned and shown, in order that I may challenge the flesh, that is, the Jews. And he adds an amplification from the minor premise: If their rejection was profitable, how much more glorious will their restitution be since it will be, as it were, a resurrection from the dead. This is the simple and least involved interpretation.
16-17. If the firstfruits are holy The third argument, that the people of the Jews here not been rejected, is taken from the promise, which is immutable and pertains equally to the ancestor and to his descendants. The root is holy on account of the promise, since the fathers believed. Therefore also the branches are holy, because the promise pertains also to them, but it is necessary that the promise be accepted by faith.
18-24. Do not boast against the branches Now he turns to the Gentiles. He exhorts them not to despise the Jews out of carnal security, nor run securely up against God, trusting in this title, that they are the people of God or the church. Thus now the popes promise themselves in carnal security that they are the church, and as a result of this opinion they establish and do many things against the Word of God. God will without doubt punish this wickedness according to the Second Commandment. As Ezekiel [36:23] says: *'On account of us the name of God is in bad repute among the heathen."'
What Paul here prophesies about the downfall of the church of the Gentiles shows the outcome. The church in Asia and Africa, having scarcely been founded, was destroyed by the rage of Mohammed. In Europe it is being dreadfully oppressed by idolatry and ungodliness, by the profanation of the
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Masses, the invocation of the saints, by the superstitious opinions of human acts of worship, by ignorance of the doctrine of faith.
But we should comfort ourselves in the midst of these offenses with the fact that the promises of the Gospel are always valid for believers, and that there is always some true church, namely, those who repent and truly believe.
Christ promises that the church will always remain and that the promises are immutable.
25-31. I do not want you to be ignorant He adds a prophecy about the conversion of the Jews which should perhaps be understood in this way: It will come to pass that later, before the end of the world, some from among the Jews will be converted. But I do not know whether he warits to say that there will be a conversion of a great multitude about the time of the end of the world. Since this is a mystery, let us commit it to God. The prophecy of Isaiah [59:20, 21] preaches about the liberation of the people, namely about that liberation which the Gospel actually describes, that is, about the remission of sins. It is a sweet statement because it teaches clearly that in the New Testament forgiveness of sins is to be preached. This liberation of the people is to be understood as extending from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel until the end.
32. God has confined all things This is the closing word, in which there is an equalizing of Gentiles and Jews. Confidence in merits is taken away from both. He exhorts all to repent.
Thereafter he sets forth comfort equally to all. There is most profound teaching in each part, for to be confined under sin is not to be understood without fear, but embraces guilt, fears, and judgment on and punishments of sin, as if he said: ''All are guilty, all will be subjected to the judgment of God, to death and afflictions."
So David was confined under sin when he was driven into exile, when he was troubled by dreadful pains. In these afflictions, this comfort which is taught here must be held fast above all things. For it teaches about the cause of afflictions and judgment, and about its outcome. He says that we are subjected to these evils because of sin, but not in order that we may perish.
He adds the manner of the liberation. It is promised by gratuitous mercy, in order that the comfort may be sure. He commands us to believe that we are justified and saved through mercy, not because of our worthiness or merits.
Yes, he commands us who are confined under sin, who are truly guilty, to flee to mercy, not to spurn the offered mercy, but to declare that we receive remission of sins gratis, because of Christ.
This statement will become clear and sweet when we put it to use, when
Commentary on Romans in true fears and afflictions we feel that it pertains to us, and we will support ourselves by this promise of mercy. It is a useful statement and it should be used in all afflictions because it reminds us of the ultimate cause of afflictions, and also of gratuitous mercy.
The universal word should also be observed in order that we may know that the promise is universal, and in order that we, each and every one, may truly include ourselves in this universality.
33-36. O, the depth of the riches An exclamation is added in order that he may rein in human arrogance and human thoughts about the counsel of God, by which he wonderfully established and governs his church. For many things offend human reason, for example, that only a few—and those being downtrodden people—make up the people of God, and that so great a multitude—which is outstanding in terms of number, virtue, and glorious deeds—is damned. The Jews were strangely offended when they heard that the synagogue had been rejected, since it had the most honorable title ""'people of God." Also now the minds of very many people are offended, and they murmur when they hear that those who hold the title "'church'' are not the church.
To these offenses Paul opposes this exclamation, in which he teaches that we should subject ourselves to the wisdom and the Word of God, and that we should not fall away from the Word, even if we do not understand why God governs the church according to such a wonderful plan.
We should do both, acknowledge the greatness of God's wrath in the rejection of so many peoples, for so many centuries, and so many persons.
Let this wrath admonish us to fear, lest we despise the Word of God. Again, iet us also acknowledge the mercy, that God has afterward renewed his Word and finally disseminated it in the whole world. Let us be strengthened by this testimony of the mercy, and declare that God truly wants to receive us, truly wants to make us his people, and truly wants to save those who call on him.
This is the sum and substance of the Pauline exclamation by which he meets the offenses and forbids human judgments about this secret counsel of God. Likewise, he forbids arrogance, lest we trust that we become the people of God on account of fleshly prerogatives or merits, as the bishops contend that they are the church on account of the succession.