Big Idea: Israel’s rejection of Jesus as Messiah is the occasion for God to show mercy to the Gentiles. Their conversion, Paul hopes, will stir Jews to jealousy and thus to accept their Messiah. God is showing kindness to Gentiles but sternness to Jews who have not accepted the Messiah. In the future, however, God will show kindness to Israel but sternness to Gentiles who fall into unbelief.
Understanding the Text
Romans 11:11 picks up the theme of 11:1. Has God finished with Israel? Verses 1–10 provided Paul’s first answer to that question: no, because not all of Israel has rejected the Messiah; that is to say, the remnant has accepted the gospel. Now 11:11–24 provides a second reason why God is not done with national Israel: Israel’s unbelief has allowed the Gentiles the opportunity to…