Chapter 11
The
rejection of the Jews is not universal
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1–10
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God
overruled their unbelief for making the Gentiles partakers of gospel
privileges
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11–21
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The
Gentiles cautioned against pride and unbelief, The Jews shall be called as a
nation, and brought into God’s visible covenant again
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22–32
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A
solemn adoring of the wisdom, goodness, and justice of God
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33–36
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Verses 1–10
There was
a chosen remnant of believing Jews, who had righteousness and life by faith in
Jesus Christ. These were kept according to the election of grace. If then this
election was of grace, it could not be of works, either performed or foreseen.
Every truly good disposition in a fallen creature must be the effect, therefore
it cannot be the cause, of the grace of God bestowed on him. Salvation from the
first to the last must be either of grace or of debt. These things are so
directly contrary to each other that they cannot be blended together. God
glorifies his grace by changing the hearts and tempers of the rebellious. How
then should they wonder and praise him! The Jewish nation were as in a deep
sleep, without knowledge of their danger, or concern about it; having no sense
of their need of the Saviour, or of their being upon the borders of eternal
ruin. David, having by the Spirit foretold the sufferings of Christ from his
own people, the Jews, foretells the dreadful judgments of God upon them for it,
Ps 69. This teaches us how to understand other prayers of David against his
enemies; they are prophecies of the judgments of God, not expressions of his
own anger. Divine curses will work long; and we have our eyes darkened, if we
are bowed down in worldly-mindedness.
Verses 11–21
The gospel
is the greatest riches of every place where it is. As therefore the righteous
rejection of the unbelieving Jews, was the occasion of so large a multitude of
the Gentiles being reconciled to God, and at peace with him; the future
receiving of the Jews into the church would be such a change, as would resemble
a general resurrection of the dead in sin to a life of righteousness. Abraham
was as the root of the church. The Jews continued branches of this tree till,
as a nation, they rejected the Messiah; after that, their relation to Abraham
and to God was, as it were, cut off. The Gentiles were grafted into this tree
in their room; being admitted into the church of God. Multitudes were made
heirs of Abraham’s faith, holiness and blessedness. It is the natural state of
every one of us, to be wild by nature. Conversion is as the grafting in of wild
branches into the good olive. The wild olive was often ingrafted into the
fruitful one when it began to decay, and this not only brought forth fruit, but
caused the decaying olive to revive and flourish. The Gentiles, of free grace,
had been grafted in to share advantages. They ought therefore to beware of
self-confidence, and every kind of pride or ambition; lest, having only a dead
faith, and an empty profession, they should turn from God, and forfeit their
privileges. If we stand at all, it is by faith; we are guilty and helpless in
ourselves, and are to be humble, watchful, afraid of self-deception, or of
being overcome by temptation. Not only are we at first justified by faith, but
kept to the end in that justified state by faith only; yet, by a faith which is
not alone, but which worketh by love to God and man.
Verses 22–32
Of all
judgments, spiritual judgments are the sorest; of these the apostle is here
speaking. The restoration of the Jews is, in the course of things, far less
improbable than the call of the Gentiles to be the children of Abraham; and
though others now possess these privileges, it will not hinder their being admitted
again. By rejecting the gospel, and by their indignation at its being preached
to the Gentiles, the Jews were become enemies to God; yet they are still to be
favoured for the sake of their pious fathers. Though at present they are
enemies to the gospel, for their hatred to the Gentiles; yet, when God’s time
is come, that will no longer exist, and God’s love to their fathers will be
remembered. True grace seeks not to confine God’s favour. Those who find mercy
themselves, should endeavour that through their mercy others also may obtain
mercy. Not that the Jews will be restored to have their priesthood, and temple,
and ceremonies again; an end is put to all these; but they are to be brought to
believe in Christ, the true become one sheep-fold with the Gentiles, under
Christ the Great Shepherd. The captivities of Israel, their dispersion, and
their being shut out from the church, are emblems of the believer’s corrections
for doing wrong; and the continued care of the Lord towards that people, and
the final mercy and blessed restoration intended for them, show the patience
and love of God.
Verses 33–36
The
apostle Paul knew the mysteries of the kingdom of God as well as ever any man;
yet he confesses himself at a loss; and despairing to find the bottom, he humbly
sits down at the brink, and adores the depth. Those who know most in this
imperfect state, feel their own weakness most. There is not only depth in the
Divine counsels, but riches; abundance of that which is precious and valuable.
The Divine counsels are complete; they have not only depth and height, but
breadth and length, Eph 3:18, and that passing knowledge. There is that vast
distance and disproportion between God and man, between the Creator and the
creature, which for ever shuts us from knowledge of his ways. What man shall
teach God how to govern the world? The apostle adores the sovereignty of the
Divine counsels. All things in heaven and earth, especially those which relate
to our salvation, that belong to our peace, are all of him by way of creation,
through him by way of providence, that they may be to him in their end. Of God,
as the Spring and Fountain of all; through Christ, to God, as the end. These
include all God’s relations to his creatures; if all are of Him, and through
Him, all should be to Him, and for Him. Whatever begins, let God’s glory be the
end: especially let us adore him when we talk of the Divine counsels and
actings. The saints in heaven never dispute, but always praise.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
Rick Meyers.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. e-Sword ®: www.e-sword.net
