“As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.”
Romans 11:28, KJV
“As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.”
Romans 11:28, ESV
Table of Contents
- Romans 11:28 Meaning – As concerning the gospel
- Romans 11:28 Meaning – but as touching the election
- Romans 11:28 Meaning – Gospel vs. Election
- Romans 11:28 Meaning – for the fathers’ sakes
Romans 11:28 Meaning – As concerning the gospel
[Paul] proves the greatest and worst crime in the Jews’ unbelief, not to be of such a nature as to entitle them, on that account, to be despised by the gentiles.
For they had been so blinded for a time by the providence of God, (such is Paul’s doctrine,) that a way might be formed for the gospel to go to the gentiles; but they had not for ever been excluded from the grace of God.
Paul confesses the Jews are alienated from God for the present on account of the gospel, that salvation, which had first been intrusted to them, might be carried to the gentiles.
Calvin, John – Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans tr. Francis Sibson (1834)
In the paragraph that follows, the apostle gives a brief, but very complete, summary of all that he had said respecting the rejection and the restoration of the Jews, and of the bearing of these events on the Gentile nations, in reference to their relation to the manifested Divine method of Justification; and shuts up the whole discussion with a striking exhibition of the wisdom of God in these dispensations, terminating in an expression of adoring wonder and devout acknowledgment.
The apostle views the unbelieving, rejected Jewish people in two aspects. In reference to the one, he says they are “enemies;” in reference to the other, they are “beloved.” These terms are contrasted, and the meaning of the one term must correspond to the other.
The word translated “beloved,” is a term of unequivocal meaning, exactly answering to the English word by which it is rendered in our version.
It is otherwise with the word translated “enemies.” Its ordinary meaning is, one acting like an enemy, the subject of hostile sentiments; but it is also used as signifying, one treated as an enemy, the object of hostile sentiments. In this way it is used in Romans 5:10, where “enemies” means persons regarded and treated by God with hostile sentiments. The Greek word rendered ‘enemy,’ is in exact opposition to our English word ‘friend.’ As this signifies either one who loves us, or one whom we love, that signifies either one who hates us, or one whom we hate — one who treats us as an enemy, or one whom we treat as an enemy.
The sense here is fixed, by its being contrasted with “beloved;” and the meaning is not, the Jews are hostile, but the Jews are treated as enemies.
But by whom are the Jews in one sense treated as “enemies,” and in another “beloved?” Obviously by God.
The whole discussion is in reference to God’s dispensations towards them; and the confirmation of the assertion that they are beloved is, that “the gifts and callings of God are without repentance.”
The phrase, “as concerning the Gospel,” is just equivalent to ‘In reference to the revelation of mercy through Jesus Christ’ — the manifested Divine method of justification. In reference to this, the Jewish people have been treated by God as objects of His displeasure; they have been left to reject it — suffered, as the Gentiles were so long, to walk in their own ways; and, in consequence of this, they have been rejected and punished by God.
And this, says the apostle, speaking to converted Gentiles, has taken place “for your sake” — for and to your advantage. The cause why God treated the Jews as enemies, in reference to the Gospel, was their own obstinate unbelief; but His object in permitting their sin, and in punishing it, was the advantage of the Gentiles.
How the Jews’ rejection of the Gospel contributed to the advantage of the Gentiles, I have already showed in illustrating Romans 11:11. In addition to what is there stated, it may be remarked, that the judgments which befell the Jews who rejected the Messiah, and still lie heavy on their unbelieving posterity, are calculated to be, and certainly have been, useful in confirming the faith of the Gentile churches.
The meaning of the first clause in the antithesis is this, ‘In reference to the Gospel revelation, which they have rejected, the Jews have been treated by God as objects of His displeasure; and this dispensation was intended to be, and has been, conducive to the advantage of the Gentiles.’
Brown, John – Analytical exposition of the epistle of Paul the apostle to the Romans (1857)
Romans 11:28 Meaning – but as touching the election
In the same manner, by the word election, he meant a little before the secret purpose and counsel by which the Jews were formerly distinguished from the gentiles.
Paul, it must be remembered, is not here treating of the private election of any individual, but the common adoption of a whole nation, which may externally indeed appear to have fallen off for a time, but has not been cut off from the root.
Calvin, John – Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans tr. Francis Sibson (1834)
But there is another aspect in which this wonderful people must be viewed: “As touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.”
“The election” here is not the choice of individuals to eternal life, but the choice of the Israelites to stand in a peculiar relation to God, and to answer peculiar purposes in the development of the great economy of human redemption — the election of which Moses speaks, Exodus 19:5, and Deuteronomy 7:6,7, and elsewhere.
“As touching the election,” is equivalent to, ‘As a people chosen of God to answer particular purposes, all of which are not yet answered.’ In this point of view they are still “beloved,” or the objects of the peculiar care of God.
The Jewish people, in their unconverted state, have been marvelously kept distinct from the nations among whom they dwell — have often experienced very remarkable deliverances; and no Gentile people have ever injured them, without being punished for it.
The Divine conduct towards them is strikingly described in Isa. 18:4, according to Bishop Horsley’s translation, “For so the Lord said unto me, ‘I will take my rest, yet I will consider my dwelling place.’” The sentiment is, that notwithstanding a long cessation of extraordinary manifestations of God’s power, His providence is not asleep — He is all the while regarding the conduct and the fortunes of His people; He is not forgetful of His promises to His chosen, but, though often by a silent and secret operation, is at all times directing everything to their ultimate prosperity, and to the universal establishment of the true religion. He has purposes of kindness towards them; and He preserves them till “the time He has set” come. “Doubtless He is their Father, though Abraham be ignorant of them, and Israel acknowledge them not.”
The unbelieving Jews are represented as objects of this merciful superintendence “for the fathers’ sakes; i.e., not, as they would be disposed to understand it, from a regard to the virtues of their ancestors, but from a regard to the covenants made with their ancestors.
In these covenants are contained promises to them as a people, which were not, when these words were written — which are not yet, fulfilled; and “the faith” — i.e., the faithfulness, “of God cannot become of none effect through their unbelief” — i.e., their unfaithfulness. God will be true, whoever may prove a liar.
The meaning of the second part of the antithesis is this — ‘As a people chosen by God for particular purposes, they are, even in their state of unbelief, the objects of His kind regards — the subjects of His particular providence, from a respect to the covenants entered into with their ancestors.’
Brown, John – Analytical exposition of the epistle of Paul the apostle to the Romans (1857)
Romans 11:28 Meaning – Gospel vs. Election
The apostle does not oppose the gospel to election, as if there was a disagreement between them, for God calls his elect; but because the gospel was immediately, contrary to the expectations of the world, preached to the gentiles, he justly compares this grace with the ancient election of the Jews, that had been manifested so many ages before.
It is, therefore, denominated election from its antiquity, for God passed by the rest of the world, and chose this one people for himself from among all other nations.
Calvin, John – Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans tr. Francis Sibson (1834)
Romans 11:28 Meaning – for the fathers’ sakes
When Paul says, for the fathers’ sakes, he does not trace the origin of election to the worth of the patriarchs; but teaches, that according to the form of the covenant, which included the seed as well as the fathers, grace had been propagated by lineal descent from the patriarchs to their posterity.
Calvin, John – Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans tr. Francis Sibson (1834)
Argument 15. Although the rejected Jews (so much as concerns the Gospel, refused by those reprobate Jews) are accounted of God, as enemies, for your advantage: yet in respect to the election of this people, that they might above all other nations be esteemed the people of God; and in respect to the elect in this nation, the Jews are loved, because of the covenant betwixt God and their fathers. Therefore for the very same reason ought they not to be despised, but loved by you.
Dickson, David – An Exposition of All St. Paul’s Epistles (1659)
