Thy Strong Word — Romans 11:25-36: Israel's Salvation

Rev. Jeremy Klaustermeier, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Warrenton, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Romans 11:25-36.

A mystery indeed! St. Paul’s original readers, especially the Jews, would have been bewildered at the notion that the Gentiles were part of God’s plan from the beginning. But after explaining in first half of this chapter how they are grafted into the “olive tree” that is the true Israel and rooted in Christ, the Apostle now says that a “partial hardening” has come upon the Jews “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” (v. 25). What does this mean? And what does it mean that “in this way all Israel will be saved?” (v. 26) In this episode, Pastors Booe and Klaustermeier cover the mystery and controversy of this difficult passage.

Thy Strong Word reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

Romans 11:25-36

The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation

²⁵Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers:^[a] a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
²⁷“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”

²⁸As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. ²⁹For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now^[b] receive mercy. ³²For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

³³Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

³⁴“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
³⁵“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

³⁶For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

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Footnotes

Romans 11:25 Or brothers and sisters
Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts omit now

Rev. Dr. Phil Booe

Native North Carolinian Rev. Dr. Phil Booe serves pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio. His parishioners probably think he can’t teach Bible study without a mug of coffee in his hand, and he’ll always be happy to eat a plate of sushi. When he’s not shepherding his flock or teaching on the radio, you might find him watching bad movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and especially binging RiffTrax and MST3K episodes. Some day he’d love to travel to the Lutheran homeland in Germany, but for now he spends time in Minnesota with his wife, son, daughter, and cat, and looks forward to Holy Week every year.