Ambrosiaster — Commentary on Scripture

Romans 11:22

Paul testifies that God is good to the Gentiles because, although they followed idols and deserved to die, he waited for them in his patience, and even though they did not seek him, he called them and forgave their sins. But God is severe toward the Jews and has even blinded them because they rejected God’s gift. Here Paul is referring to those Jews who because of their wickedness have been permanently blinded. For this reason he says that they have fallen, whereas the others whom I mentioned above have not fallen, even though they have sinned, because Paul shows that they have been blinded for a time. But God has been severe to these, because they have become eternally blind and apostate.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:24

The olive tree represents faith, whereas the wild olive refers to wickedness.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:26

God will give them back the free exercise of their will so that, because their unbelief did not spring from malice but from error, they may be put right and afterward be saved.…Paul quotes Isaiah in order to prove that God has reserved a gift for them, in order to teach that they can be set free by the same grace by which the believing Jews have already been set free, because he is not empty but always full of grace.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:27

The covenant will always be there, however long it takes for them to believe. For this is the Lord Jesus, who has promised to come from heaven in order to set the human race free. Every day he forgives the sins of those who turn to God, nor does he condemn unbelievers straightaway but waits for them, knowing that they may come to a knowledge of God.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:28

However seriously the Jews may have sinned by rejecting the gift of God, and however worthy they may be of death, nevertheless, because they are the children of good people, whose privileges and many benefits from God they have received, they will be received with joy when they return to the faith, because God’s love for them is stirred up by the memory of their ancestors.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:29

It is usually thought that those who have sinned badly by not accepting the promise of God cannot receive mercy if they do not demonstrate their sorrow, because those who have sinned badly cannot be forgiven without tears and wailing. But Paul shows that these things are not required at the start, because God’s gift freely pardons sins in baptism.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:31

Paul recalls the unbelief of the Gentiles so that being ashamed of it they may not insult the Jews who have not believed but rejoice when they accept the promise of God.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:32

From earliest times all nations lived in ungodliness and ignorance because they were without God. For this reason the law was revealed, by which the worst ones could be restrained. But by the activity of the adversary sins began to multiply, so that through the commandment man was considered more guilty still. Then God, who in the mercy of his goodness always takes care of human creation, seeing that even without the law sin still existed and that by the law it could not be wiped out, decreed that he would require only faith, by which the sins of all men might be abolished. Thus although man had no ground for hope through the law, he was nevertheless saved by the mercy of God. To consign everything to disobedience means that this decree comes as a gift from God at a time when everyone was laboring in unbelief, so that grace might appear to be the freest of all rewards. Therefore nobody should boast, for the one who is proud of his ignorance is to be pitied.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:33

God knew from the beginning what man’s behavior and works would be like, in that the human race could not be saved only by the severity of his justice nor could it reach perfection only by his mercy. So at a particular time he decreed what should be preached, whereas before that time he allowed each person to decide for himself, because righteousness was recognized under the guidance of nature. And because the authority of natural righteousness was weakened by the habit of sin, the law was given so that the human race would be held back by the fear engendered by the revealed law. But because they did not restrain themselves and were counted guilty under the law, mercy was proclaimed, which would save those who took refuge in it but would blind those who rejected it for a time. During that time this mercy would invite the Gentiles, who earlier on had not wanted to follow the law given to Moses, to share in the promise, so that the Jews might become jealous of their salvation and because of that jealousy turn again to the source of the root, which is the Savior. This is “the depth of t…

God knew from the beginning what man’s behavior and works would be like, in that the human race could not be saved only by the severity of his justice nor could it reach perfection only by his mercy. So at a particular time he decreed what should be preached, whereas before that time he allowed each person to decide for himself, because righteousness was recognized under the guidance of nature. And because the authority of natural righteousness was weakened by the habit of sin, the law was given so that the human race would be held back by the fear engendered by the revealed law. But because they did not restrain themselves and were counted guilty under the law, mercy was proclaimed, which would save those who took refuge in it but would blind those who rejected it for a time. During that time this mercy would invite the Gentiles, who earlier on had not wanted to follow the law given to Moses, to share in the promise, so that the Jews might become jealous of their salvation and because of that jealousy turn again to the source of the root, which is the Savior. This is “the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God,” who by his many-sided providence has won both Jews and Gentiles to eternal life.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:34

It is clear that only God knows everything and it is only he who lacks nothing, because everything comes from him. No one can understand or measure this knowledge, because the inferior cannot comprehend what is superior to it. Jewish believers could not understand that the salvation of the Gentiles could be God’s plan and will. Likewise, it seemed unlikely and incredible to the Gentiles that the Jews, who had not believed, could be converted or accepted as believers.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 11:36

By saying this Paul revealed a meaning which had been hidden from the world. For because God is the Creator of all things, everything comes from him. And because everything comes from him, it comes through his Son, who is of the same substance and whose work is the Father’s work as well.… And because what is from God and through God is then born again in the Holy Spirit, everything is in him as well, because the Holy Spirit is from God the Father, which is why he knows what is in God.… Here Paul laid bare the mystery of God, which he said above should not be unknown to them.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:1

Paul pleads with them through the mercy of God, by which the human race is saved.… This is a warning that they should remember that they have received God’s mercy and that they should take care to worship the one who gave it to them.God’s will is our sanctification, for bodies subject to sin are considered not to be alive but dead, since they have no hope of obtaining the promise of eternal life. It is for this purpose that we are cleansed from our sins by God’s gift, that henceforth we should lead a pure life and stir up the love of God in us, not making his work of grace of no effect. For the ancients killed sacrifices which were offered in order to signify that men were subjected to death because of sin. But now, since by the gift of God men have been purified and set free from the second death, they must offer a living sacrifice as a sign of eternal life. For now it is no longer the case that bodies are sacrificed for bodies, but instead of bodies it is the sins of the body which must be put to death.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:3

Here Paul teaches us that we ought to know that the bounds of righteousness must not be transgressed, so that not only will it be of service to us but it will not harm anyone else either.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:4

By using the example of the body, Paul teaches that it is impossible for any one of us to do everything on our own, for we are members of each other and need one another. For this reason we ought to behave toward one another with care, because we need each other’s gifts.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:5

This is what it means to love Christ, that we should encourage one another to live in a way which corresponds to the way in which the body is made perfect in Christ.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:6

Paul begins with prophecy, which is the first proof that our faith is rational, for believers prophesied when they received the Spirit. This is given in proportion to the recipient, that is, as much as is necessary for the purpose for which it is given.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:7

The minister is strengthened for the service of the church to the extent that he believes he ought to serve, lest he labor beyond his faith and exhaust himself in serving to his ruin.… Likewise Paul says that the teacher is aided in his teaching so that he will be inspired to transmit the divine doctrine to the extent that he has the faith to teach.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:8

The exhorter is helped in the same way as the above and is prepared by the Spirit to have the grace to provoke, for he stirs up the brethren to do good and unbelievers to accept the faith. The contributor is likewise given a spirit of generosity so that he will not stop giving.He who takes care of his brethren will receive vigilance and authority in proportion to his faith.… Likewise, he who does acts of mercy according to his intention will do it with a cheerful heart and not as if somebody was twisting his arm to do it.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:10

Brotherly love is useless unless it is mutual.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

Romans 12:11

This means that we should not be lukewarm in doing God’s work or the law, as God says in the Revelation of John: “Because you are lukewarm, I shall spit you out of my mouth.” Daily meditation removes laziness and makes people vigilant.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES