28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. – Romans 11:28-32 ESV
This is a fascinating and difficult passage that presents a somewhat confusing picture of God’s grace, which could easily lead us to accuse Him of injustice. But Paul’s is attempting to explain God’s plan concerning His chosen people, the Jews. For the time being, the Jews are experiencing “a partial hardening” until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11: 25 ESV). While the Israelites had been trying to earn a right standing with God, they had been going about it the wrong way, by attempting to keep the law in their own strength. When Jesus revealed Himself to be the true path to righteousness, they rejected Him. So, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day” (Romans 11:8 ESV).
But God did not cause their hardening or spiritual callousness; He simply allowed their hearts to go where they were naturally bent to go. He did not intervene by extending them mercy. But if we conclude that God’s treatment of the Jews was unfair or unjust, we misunderstand mercy. God is not obligated to show mercy to anyone. By definition, mercy is a gift, not a requirement. However, justice is required. In a sense, mercy is non-justice. In other words, when God determines to extend mercy to anyone, He is choosing NOT to enact justice or to give them what they truly deserve.
The Old Testament Scriptures repeatedly show God extending mercy to the unrepentant and undeserving people of Israel. Their track record of disobedience and unfaithfulness to Him condemns them and warrants that justice be served. Their willful sin against Him deserved His righteous and holy sentence of just punishment. But instead, God graciously chose to show them mercy, His undeserved kindness, goodness, favor, and compassion. And to do so is God’s prerogative.
For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” – Romans 9:15 NLT
When God shows mercy, we have no cause to complain or to cry foul. What should amaze us is that God, in His patience and love, chooses to show anyone mercy. Because mercy is never deserved and can never be earned. Paul has made it clear that all men deserve God’s justice.
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23 ESV
…the wages of sin is death. – Romans 6:23 ESV
So if God chooses to extend His mercy to some, can we accuse Him of injustice? Paul would say, “No!”
Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”
So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. – Romans 9:14-16 NLT
Which brings us back to our passage. Paul contends that, as it pertains to the good news regarding salvation through Christ, the Jews were essentially enemies of God. Their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah had opened the door for the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. But when it came to God’s sovereign election or choosing of the nation of Israel, they were still beloved in His eyes.
At this point, it appears that Paul is talking about the future state of Israel as a nation or a people. He is not referring to individual Jews or individual Gentiles in these verses. At one time in history, the Gentile nations had been alienated from God. They were separated from Him because of their sin. Paul reminded the Gentile believers in Ephesus of their former state of alienation from God.
Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. – Ephesians 2:11-12 NLT
As non-Jews, they were excluded from citizenship among God’s chosen people. They could not claim the covenant promises God had made to Abraham. But Paul says that something changed all that.
But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. – Ephesians 2:13 NLT
Notice that he addresses them as a whole, as Gentiles. This does not mean that ALL Gentiles have come to faith in Christ, but that God has extended His undeserved mercy to “outsiders,” to non-Jews.
And Paul’s point is that God will do the same thing for the nation of Israel. While they are currently experiencing a hardness of heart and a spiritual callousness toward God and His offer of salvation through belief in His Son, the day is coming when He will show them mercy just as He has done for the Gentiles.
Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. – Romans 11:30-31 NLT
Paul wants us to understand that this is not a case of Gentiles replacing Jews as God’s favored people; it is about God extending mercy to those whom He sovereignly chooses. God’s mercy knows no prejudice. He is magnanimous and equitable when it comes to His mercy.
For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone. – Romans 11:32 NLT
Again, this does not mean that all will be saved, but that all share a common state of disobedience and alienation from God. If He does not choose to show mercy, no one will be saved, either Jew or Gentile.
Israel's rejection of the Messiah did not put them beyond God’s mercy, and His inclusion of the Gentiles was not a sign of His exclusion of the Jews. It is a matter of timing. At present, during the period of the Gentiles, His focus is on bringing the full number of “outsiders” to faith in His Son. When that happens, He will turn His attention to the nation of Israel.
While this is difficult for us to understand, Paul is trying to explain the nature of God’s ways, which he admits are beyond our capacity for comprehension.
Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! – Romans 11:33 NLT
We may not understand God’s mercy, but we can certainly appreciate it and recognize that it is a gift freely given and never deserved.
Father, Your ways are beyond my capacity to understand. I don’t fully comprehend the magnitude of Your mercy. In fact, far too often I take it for granted and treat it with an attitude of complacency. But Paul would have me remember that mercy is a priceless gift that You pour out on the undeserving and unworthy. I did not choose You; it was the other way around. In my original sinful and self-centered state, I was incapable of recognizing the value of Your Son’s sacrifice on my behalf. I did not see myself as a sinner in need of a Savior. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, You opened my eyes to the truth of the gospel and allowed me to accept the gift of Your marvelous mercy. I deserved death, but You gave me life. I deserved justice and judgment, but You gave me justification, a right standing with You that I could never have earned or deserved. Oh, how great are you riches and wisdom and knowledge. Amen
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22