Book of Romans Study: Romans 11:1-24

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Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God:

Romans 11:1-24

Sovereign Grace:

I.    Remnant Chosen by God’s Grace (11:1-6)

II.   Reason for Hardening (11:7-10)

III.  Remembering God’s Kindness & Severity  

       (11:11-24)

Though natural olive branches were cut and Gentiles grafted in, God has not rejected Israel.

Study Questions

1. What question does Paul ask in response to the previous message concerning the disobedience and obstinacy of Israel? How does he respond? (11:1a)

How does Paul refer to the Israelites? (11:1a)

List 3 phrases that Paul uses to describe himself.  (11:1b)

(A) What does this tell you about Israel? About Paul?

2.  Who has God not rejected? What does it mean that God foreknew them? (11:2a)

How did Elijah plead with God against Israel?
(11:2-3)

(C) Who was Elijah? (cf. 1Kings 18; Mal 4:5)

 What was the divine response to Elijah? (11:4)

(O) Why do you think that God refers to the seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal in Romans 11:4?

3.  What is also here at the present time? (11:5) (DOC) Define remnant.

How were they chosen? (11:5)

4.  If the remnant is chosen by grace, to what is it NOT according? Why? (11:6)

5.  What has Israel not obtained? (11:7a)

Who obtained it? (11:7b)

6.  What happened to the rest of those who did not obtain it? (11:7b)

What do the following Old Testament texts, quoted by Paul in Rom 11:8-10, reveal about their hardening?

·      Deuteronomy 29:4

·      Psalm 69:22-23

7.  What does Paul ask concerning the stumbling of Israel? How does he respond? (11:11)

For what purpose has salvation come to the Gentiles by their transgression?

(D) Explain why the salvation of the Gentiles would make Israel jealous.

8.  What was the result of Israel’s transgression and failure? (11:12)

9.  To whom is Paul speaking? To whom does Paul serve as an apostle? (11:13)

Why is Paul attempting to move his fellow countrymen to jealousy? (11:14)

10.  What is the result of Israel’s rejection? (11:15a)

What does Paul believe will be the result of Israel’s acceptance? (11:15)

11.  Explain how the following illustrations contribute to Paul’s argument: (11:16)

·      “If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also.” (16a)

·      “If the root is holy, the branches are too.” (16b)

12.  Who are the branches that were broken off? (11:17)

Who is the wild olive, grafted in among them to become partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree? (11:17)

What is the olive tree? (11:17)

13.  What does Paul admonish the wild olive not to do? (11:18)

What should the arrogant remember? (11:18b)

What supports the wild olive? (11:18)

14.  List two reasons why the branches were broken off. (11:19-20)      

By what should you stand? (11:20)

(A)  How are you standing by faith today?

15.  Why should the wild olive not be conceited but rather fear? (11:20-21)

16.  How is God’s severity demonstrated? (11:22a)

How is God’s kindness demonstrated? (11: 22a)

What might happen if you do not continue in His kindness? (11:22b)

What will happen if Israel does not continue in their unbelief? (11:23)

17.  Explain Romans 11:24 in your own words.

18. What do you learn about God in Rom 11:1-24? How could you apply this truth to your life?

Write a prayer response to Romans 11:1-24.

TEXT (NASB)

Rom 11:1   I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? ³ “Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.” ⁴ But what is the divine response to him? “I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” ⁵ In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. ⁶ But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

Rom 11:7   What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; ⁸  just as it is written, 

“GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, 

EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, 

DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.”

⁹  And David says, 

“LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, 

AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM.

¹⁰  “LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, 

AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.”

Rom 11:11   I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. ¹² Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! ¹³ But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? ¹⁶ If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.

Rom 11:17   But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; ²¹ for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. ²² Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. ²³ And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?