Big Idea: Paul offers a hymn of praise to God for his plan of salvation.

Understanding the Text

Romans 11:33–36 is a hymn of praise to God’s plan of salvation; it consists of three strophes:

1. Three characteristics of God’s plan: riches, wisdom, knowledge (11:33)

2. Three rhetorical questions about God’s plan (11:34–35)

a. Who has known the mind of the Lord? (11:34a)

b. Who has been the Lord’s counselor? (11:34b)

c. Who has given to God that God should repay? (11:35)

3. Doxology to God’s plan (11:36)

Note the chiastic structure of 11:33–35:

A Riches (11:33)

B Wisdom (11:33)

C Knowledge (11:33)

C? Who has known the mind of the Lord? (11:34a)

B? Who has been the Lord’s counselor? (11:34b)

A? Who has given to God that God should repay? (11:35)

Historical and Cultural Backgrou…