(Old Testament quotations/allusions are underlined. [Brackets] indicate a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)
Israel’s Remnant
(Thematic parallels: Acts 13:44-52, 18:6, 28:23-28)
- 1 Therefore I say: “Didn’t God reject His people?” May it never be! For I’m also an Israelite of Abraham’s seed, of Benjamin’s tribe.
- 2 God didn’t reject His people whom He knew beforehand. Or don’t you *know what the scripture says in Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel:
- 3 “Lord, they killed your prophets, they tore down your altars, and I alone amfn“am” is literally “was” left, and they are seeking my life.”fnquotation/allusion to 1 Kings 19:10
- 4 But what does the divine response tell him? “I reserved seven thousand men for Myself who didn’t bow the knee to Baal.”fnquotation/allusion to 1 Kings 19:18
- 5 Then in this way also, there *is a remnant in the present season in accordance with the election of grace.
- 6 And if it’s by grace, it’s no longer from works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. [And if it’s from works, it’s no longer grace, otherwise, work is no longer work.] CFParallel teachings: Ephesians 2:8-9
- 7 What then? What Israel is seeking, they didn’t obtain it; but the elect obtained it and the rest were hardened,
- 8 just as it’s *written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, to not see with the eyes, and to not hear with the ears, until the present day.”fnquotation/allusion to Deuteronomy 29:4, and Isaiah 29:10
- 9 And David says: “Let their table becomefn“become” is literally “become into” a snare, and into a trap, and into a stumbling block, and into a recompense for them.
- 10 “Let their eyes be darkened to not see, and bend their back through all time.”fnquotation/allusion to Psalm 69:22-23
- 11 Therefore I say: “Didn’t they stumble so that they might fall?” May it never be! But by their misstep,fn “misstep”. The Greek word used here doesn’t quite mean “sin”. It’s the word “παράπτωμα” (paraptóma) and carries the connotation of a “slip-up” or a “false step” with the implication – but not certainty – that it was unintentional. salvation came to the gentiles in order to make them jealous.fnquotation/allusion to Deuteronomy 32:21
- 12 But if their misstep brought richness for the world, and their loss brought richness for the gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring?
- 13 But I speak to you, the gentiles, in as much as I’m indeed an apostle of the gentiles. I magnify my ministry so that
- 14 if I might somehow make my kinsmen of flesh jealous, I might even save some of them.
- 15 For if their rejection brought the world’s reconciliation, what could their acceptance bring except life from the dead?
Grafting in
(Parallel teachings: Ephesians 2:11-22. John 15:1-8 is also relevant)
- 16 And if the firstfruitfnquotation/allusion to Numbers 15:20-21 is holy, the whole lump is also. And if the root is holy, the branches are also.
- 17 But if some of the branches were broken off and you – though being a wild olive tree – were grafted in among them, and became a fellow partaker of the richness of the olive tree’s root,
- 18 don’t boastfully exult yourself over the branches. But if you boastfully exult yourself over them, remember that you don’t sustain the root, but the root sustains you.
- 19 Then you will say: “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
- 20 Rightly so; they were broken off by unbelief, but you *stand by faith. Don’t have an arrogant attitude, but fear,
- 21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, He won’t spare you either.
- 22 Therefore, behold the benevolence and severity of God. Indeed, severity upon the men who fell, but the benevolence of God to you if you remain in His benevolence, otherwise you also will be cut off.
- 23 And if they also don’t continue in unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God is able to graft them in again.
- 24 For if you were cut off from an olive tree that’s wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
All Israel will be saved
- 25 For brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery so that you won’t be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the gentiles might come in.
- 26 And all Israel will be saved in this way, just as it’s *written: “He will come from Zion, the One delivering by drawing to Himself.fn“delivering by drawing to Himself” is one word in Greek. It properly means to rescue or deliver someone by pulling them out of danger toward yourself. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.“
- 27 “And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”fnquotation/allusion to Isaiah 59:20-21, Jeremiah 31:33-34, and possibly Isaiah 27:9
- 28 As it concerns the good news, they are indeed enemies because of you. But as it concerns election, they are beloved because of the forefathers.
- 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.fnquotation/allusion to Numbers 23:19, and possibly 1 Samuel 15:29; Jeremiah 18:7-10 might also be contextually relevant
- 30 For just as you were once disobedient to God, but now were shown mercy because of the disobedience of these men,
- 31 in this way also, now these men have been disobedient because of the mercy shown to you, so that they also might now be shown mercy.
- 32 For God enclosed all in disobedience so that He might show mercy to all.
- 33 O, the depth of the richness, and wisdom, and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable are His ways!
- 34 For “who knew the mind of the Lord, or who became His advisor?“fnquotation/allusion to Isaiah 40:13-14
- 35 Or “Who gave to Him first and it will be repaid to him?”fnquotation/allusion to Job 41:11
- 36 Because all things are from Him, and through Him, and for Him. To Him be the glory through the ages! Amen.
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