Romans 11:11

Do you see the cause of the calling from among the nations, clearly declared, by the prophet, to be the disobedience and gainsaying of the people? Then the goodness of God is shown also in their case. For the apostle says, "But through their transgression salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy" and to willingness to repent.

Much more aptly would they have matched the Christian with the elder, and the Jew with the younger son, "according to the analogy of faith," if the order of each people as intimated from Rebecca's womb permitted the inversion: only that (in that case) the concluding paragraph would oppose them; for it will he fitting for the Christian to rejoice, and not to grieve, at the restoration of Israel, if it he true, (as it is), that the whole of our hope is intimately united with the remaining expectation of Israel. Thus, even if some (features in the parable) are favourable, yet by others of a contrary significance the thorough carrying out of this comparison is destroyed; although (albeit all points be capable of corresponding with mirror-like accuracy) there he one cardinal danger in interpretations-the danger lest the felicity of our comparisons be tempered with a different aim from that which the subject-matter of each particular parable has bidden us (temper it).

"I say then: Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, that they may emulate them." When the Apostle had set forth those things in which Israel was rejected and the Gentiles were brought in, and had also enumerated the prophecies which had foretold concerning their blindness, and the snare, and the recompense, and the stumbling-block, lest he should again furnish the Gentiles with occasions for insulting and matter for pride, he says that the very fall of Israel was of such a kind, not that they should fall, but that by their transgression they should give salvation to the Gentiles; and he says: "I say then: Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles." And he shows how salvation is given to the Gentiles out of their transgression: "That they may emulate them," he says: that is, that seeing the conversion of the Gentiles, and the covenant of God, which they themselves had first received, handed over to those others, and the law and the prophets held among them with greater and worthier observance, they too may take up zeal at least in the last times; and just as now their fall has given salvation to the Gentiles, so the faith and manner of life of the Gentiles may confer upon Israel the emulation of conversion and of salvation. It must nevertheless be observed that Paul sets down one thing as stumbling and transgressing, and another as falling; and for stumbling indeed, or for transgression, he provides a remedy; but that they have fallen — as though there were in this some despair — he does not admit. For he says: "Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles." And it is a wonder how, amid so many and such things as the whole text of the Epistle sets forth concerning them, the Apostle nevertheless denies that they have fallen. But it seems to me that Paul well knew the differences of falling, and knew that it is one thing to fall according to that which is written: "Seven times shall the just man fall, and shall rise again"; and again: "Do not insult me, O my enemy, because I have fallen: I shall also rise again"; and according to what Jeremiah says: "Shall not he who falls add that he may rise again? or shall he who has turned away not be converted?" But Job too says concerning himself: "At the appointed time it was prepared for him to fall under others, and for his house to be plundered by strangers"; and in the fourth book of Kings it is written: "Hezekiah fell from the elation of his heart." And all these falls, of which we have recalled that Scripture has spoken in the passages cited above, do assuredly have a rising again; and their turning away has a conversion. But in the present chapter, as though the Apostle knew that if they had fallen they could by no means rise again, so does he deny that they have fallen, and strongly excuses them in that he says: "Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid." Lest perhaps, then, the Apostle, looking to another kind of fall, should excuse Israel and deny that it has fallen — to that fall, perhaps, of which our Lord and Savior was speaking when he said that "I saw Satan fallen from heaven like lightning"; and also that of which Isaiah says: "How has Lucifer fallen from heaven, he who rose in the morning?" It is with such a fall, then, that he here denies that Israel has fallen. For their conversion will take place even at the end of the age, when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and all Israel shall be saved; but of that one who is said to have fallen from heaven there will be no conversion even at the end of the age. Let us therefore observe that the fall we spoke of above — that is, in which he who falls shall add that he may rise again — is similar to this which in this very place the Apostle names a stumbling, and which he calls a transgression: which seems to me to be something of this sort, if at any time a just man, overcome in some one thing — for example, either in the frailty of the flesh or in some other transgression — has fallen, and yet has not on that account departed from every observance of the law, but holds to justice, cultivates mercy, keeps faith, piety, gentleness, and does not neglect to meditate upon the law of God: concerning such a one we can say, "Has he so stumbled that he should fall? God forbid." So also the Israelites, although they denied their Redeemer, and stoned and persecuted those who were sent by him, nevertheless still have something remaining. There is among them the meditation of the law, though they do not believe nor understand. There is among them also a zeal for God, though not according to knowledge. And therefore the Apostle says that they have not "so stumbled that they should fall"; that is, that they should turn aside utterly from all observance or meditation of the law of God. And a fall of this kind he named a transgression. For "by their transgression," he says, "salvation has come to the Gentiles." Therefore David too, knowing that there are transgressions of this kind, in which he who has fallen rises again, and that there are others, in which he who has fallen does not rise again even at the consummation of the age, said: "Who understands his transgressions?" — or falls.

Paul says here what I have recorded above, that these people have not fallen into unbelief in such a way as to make their ultimate conversion impossible.

"I say then, Have they stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid."

When he has shown that they were liable to evils without number, then he devises an allayment. And consider the judgment of Paul. The accusation he had introduced from the prophets, but the allayment he makes come from himself. For that they had sinned greatly, he would say, none will gainsay. But let us see if the fall is of such kind as to be incurable, and quite preclude their being set up again. But of such kind it is not. You see how he is attacking them again, and under the expectation of some allayment he proves them guilty of confessed sins. But let us see what even by way of allayment he does devise for them. Now what is the allayment? "When the fulness of the Gentiles," he says, "shall have come in, then shall all Israel be saved," at the time of his second coming, and the end of the world. Yet this he does not say at once. But since he had made a hard onset upon them, and linked accusations to accusations, bringing prophets in after prophets crying aloud against them, Isaiah, Elijah, David, Moses, Hosea, not once or twice, but several times; lest in this way he should both by driving these into despair, make a wall to bar their access to the faith, and should further make such of the Gentiles as believed unreasonably elated, and they also by being puffed up should take harm in matter of their faith, he further solaces them by saying, "But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles." But we must not take what is here said literally, but get acquainted with the spirit and object of the speaker, and what he aimed to compass. Which thing I ever entreat of your love. For if with this in our minds we take up what is here said, we shall not find a difficulty in any part of it. For his present anxiety is to remove from those of the Gentiles the haughtiness which might spring in them from what he had said. For in this way they too were more likely to continue unshaken in the faith, when they had learnt to be reasonable, as also those of the Jews were, when quit of despair, more likely to come with readiness to grace. Having regard then to this object of his, let us so listen to all that is said on this passage. What does he say then? And whence does he show that their fall was not irremediable, nor their rejection final? He argues from the Gentiles, saying as follows:

"Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy."

This language is not his own only, but in the Gospels too the parables mean this. For He who made a marriage feast for His Son, when the guests would not come, called those in the highways. (Matt. xxii. 9). And He who planted the Vineyard, when the husbandmen slew the Heir, let out His Vineyard to others. (ib. xxi. 38, etc.) And without any parable, He Himself said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel." (ib. xv. 24.) And to the Syrophoenician woman, when she persevered, He said somewhat further besides. "It is not meet," He says, "to take the children's bread, and cast it to the dogs." (ib. xv. 26.) And Paul to those of the Jews that raised a sedition, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you: but seeing ye judge yourselves unworthy, lo, we turn unto the Gentiles." (Acts xiii. 46.) And throughout it is clear that the natural course of things was this, that they should be the first to come in, and then those of the Gentiles; but since they disbelieved, the order was reversed; and their unbelief and fall caused these to be brought in first. Hence it is that he says, "through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy." But if he mentions what the course of things issued in, as if the chief design of Providence, do not feel surprised. For he wishes to solace their down-stricken souls, and his meaning is about this. Jesus came to them; they did not receive Him, though He did countless miracles, but crucified Him. Hence He drew the Gentiles to Him, that the honor they had, by cutting them to the heart for their insensibility might at least out of a moroseness against others persuade them to come over. For they ought to have been first admitted, and then we. And this was why he said, "For it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile." (Rom. i. 16.) But as they had started off, we the last became first. See then how great honors he gathers for them even from this. One that he says, we were then called, when they were not willing; a second that he says, the reason of our being called was not that we only might be saved, but that they also, growing jealous at our salvation, might become better. What does he say then? that if it were not for the Jews' sake, we should not have been called and saved at all? We should not before them, but in the regular order. Wherefore also when He was speaking to the disciples, He did not say barely, "Go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Matt. x. 6), but, "Go rather to the sheep," to show that to those parts also they must come after these. And Paul again saith not, "It was necessary that the word of God should have been spoken unto you," but "should first have been spoken unto you" (Acts xiii. 46), to show that in the second place it must be to us also. And this was both done and said, that they might not be able, shameless though they were, to pretend that they were overlooked, and that was why they did not believe. This then was why Christ, though he knew all things before, yet came to them first.

Once more, Paul explains the position of the Jews. They have not fallen away completely and beyond hope. God loved them so much that the Gentiles were called for their salvation, so that when the Jews saw that the Gentiles were being allowed into the kingdom of God, they might perhaps repent more easily.

Paul says that the Jews have not fallen but rather that their fall was not pointless, since it led to the salvation of the Gentiles. The Jews did not sin only to fall as a punishment but so that their fall might serve the salvation of the Gentiles. Paul even begins to praise the Jewish people for this fall of unbelief, in order that the Gentiles should not become proud, seeing that the fall of the Jews was so important for their own salvation. On the contrary, the Gentiles ought to be all the more careful, lest they too should grow proud and fall also.

I marvel at your kindness, Paul, and the way in which you so artfully craft the words of the divine dispensation. You assert that the Gentiles were called not because the Israelites had lost all hope of salvation after they had stumbled on Christ the stumbling stone but rather that they would imitate those who were so unexpectedly accepted by God, that they would recognize their wickedness, that they would want to understand better than before and that they would accept the redeemer.

Having sufficiently rebuked the Jews, he now devises consolation for them and asks: "Have they stumbled so as to fall completely?" — that is, have they sinned in such a way that it is no longer possible to heal them in any way? They stumbled, yet their fall was not such that there was no means of setting things right. At the time of the end of the world, as will be said further on, they too will be saved. Here he wishes to accomplish two tasks: first, to console the Jews, and second, to curb the pride of the Gentiles. He says: salvation became the possession of the Gentiles when the Jews stumbled and did not believe. In order, the Jews should have been saved first, and then the Gentiles; but since the Jews proved to be unbelieving, the Gentiles were chosen. This is also indicated in many places in the Gospel. And the Gentiles were saved "to provoke them to jealousy," that is, so that the Jews would be stung by the honor shown to the Gentiles and would be persuaded to come to Christ, at least out of rivalry with them.

After showing that the fall of the Jews is not universal, the Apostle now begins to show that their fall was neither useless nor irreparable.
In regard to this he does two things:
first, he shows that the fall of the Jews is useful and reparable;
second, he disputes the gentiles' boasting against the Jews, at and if some of the branches (Rom 11:17).
In regard to the first he does two things:
first, he asks a question;
second, he answers it, at God forbid.

First, therefore, he says: it has been stated and proved that except for the chosen, the rest of the Jews have been blinded. So the question arises: have they so stumbled, that they should fall?

This can be interpreted in two ways: the first way is this: has God permitted them to stumble only that they should fall, i.e., not for any benefit that might follow but merely willing their fall? This, of course, would be contrary to God's goodness which, as Augustine says, is so great that it would not permit any evil to occur except for some good, which he draws out of the evil. Hence it says in Job: he shall break in pieces many and innumerable, and shall make others to stand in their stead (Job 34:24); and in Revelation: hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown (Rev 3:11), namely, because God permits some to fall in order that their fall be the occasion of salvation for others.

Another interpretation is this: have they so stumbled, that they should fall, i.e., that they should remain fallen forever? Will he not rise again from where he lies? (Ps 41:8).

Then when he says, God forbid, he answers the question:
first, according to the first interpretation, showing that the fall of the Jews was useful;
second, he resolves the question according to the second interpretation, showing that the Jews' situation is reparable, at now if the offense of them.

First, therefore, he says: God forbid that they fell to no use; but rather, by their, namely, the Jews', offense, salvation is come to the gentiles. Hence the Lord himself says: salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22).

This can be understood in three ways. In the first way, that by their offense, which they committed in killing Christ, the salvation of the gentiles was obtained through the redemption of Christ's blood: you know that you were ransomed not with perishable things, such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of the Lamb (1 Pet 1:18).

In the second way, it can be understood of the trespass by which they rejected the teaching of the apostles, with the result that the apostles preached to the gentiles, as it says in Acts: it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, we turn to the gentiles (Acts 13:46).

In a third way it can be understood as meaning that on account of their impenitence they have been scattered among all the nations. As a result Christ and the Church had from the books of the Jews testimony to the Christian faith helpful in converting the gentiles, who might have suspected that the prophecies concerning Christ, which the preachers of the faith brought forward, were fabricated, if they had not been proven by the testimony of the Jews; hence it says in a psalm: let me look in triumph on my enemies, i.e., the Jews; slay them not, lest my people forget, make them totter by your power (Ps 59:10).

There follows so that they may be emulous of them.

And because he does not say who or whom, and since there are two kinds of emulousness, namely that of indignation and that of imitation, this phrase can be explained in four ways.

The first way is this. That the gentiles may be emulous of them, namely the Jews, such that they imitate them in the worship of the one God: you were at one time without Christ, alien to the way of life of Israel, and later he adds, but now you, who were once far off, have been drawn near in the blood of Christ (Eph 2:12); you have become imitators of the churches of God (1 Thess 2:14), which are in Judea.

Or it can be interpreted this way. The gentiles are emulous of the Jews, i.e., they are indignant against them on account of their unbelief: I beheld the transgressors and I pined away, because they do not keep your words (Ps 118:158).

Third, it can be understood in this way. The Jews are emulous, i.e., imitate the gentiles when everywhere, and now some of them particularly, they are converted to the faith, imitating the faith of the gentiles; and in the end all Israel will be saved when the fullness of the gentiles have entered. Thus will be fulfilled what is said in Deuteronomy: he will be the head and you will be the tail (Deut 28:44).

Fourth, it can be interpreted this way. The Jews are emulous of the gentiles, i.e., are disturbed out of envy towards them when they see their glory passing over to them: I will provoke you by that which is not a people (Deut 22:21).