Romans 11:11-12
(11) I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
(12) Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
Paul asked still another question he anticipated from his readers. Did they stumble (cf. 9:32) so as to fall beyond recovery? Literally, the Greek says simply, “Did they stumble so that they fell?” But the tense of the verb “fell” and its contrast with the verb translated “stumble” imply the idea of falling beyond recovery. Once again the question in Greek was worded to elicit a negative answer, and for the 10th and last time in Romans, Paul responded, Not at all! (me genoito; cf. 3:4, 6, 31; 6:2, 15; 7:7, 13; 9:14; 11:1) “They” refers to “the others” (v. 7), the majority of the people of Israel, excluding the “remnant chosen by grace” (v. 5).
Israel experienced not a permanent fall, but a stumbling. It served at least two divine purposes:
(a) to offer salvation . . . to the Gentiles, and
(b) to make Israel envious (lit., “to the provoking of them to jealousy”; cf. Deut. 32:21).
Twice already in his ministry Paul had turned away from unbelieving Jews to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46; 18:6), and he would do so at least once more in Rome (Acts 28:25-28). In so doing he was fulfilling these purposes of God. But Paul was convinced that Israel’s transgression (paraptoma, “false step,” which seems to fit with “stumble”; cf. paraptoma, trans. “trespass” in Rom. 5:17-18, 20) was temporary. So he looked beyond its immediate results (riches for the world and . . . riches for the Gentiles) to the possibility of its removal (how much greater riches will their fullness bring!). “World” here means mankind, not the physical world (cf. “world” in 11:15). Certainly the world has been enriched spiritually because of so many Gentiles coming to Christ (cf. comments on “reconciliation” in v. 15). But even greater riches will be enjoyed by Gentiles after the conversion of Israel at the Lord’s return (cf. v. 26). Israel’s “fullness” suggests a large-scale conversion (cf. “full number [lit., ¬fullnessŻ] of the Gentiles,” v. 25).
Excerpt from:
Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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