Romans 11:2

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

God {G2316} hath {G683} not {G3756} cast away {G683} his {G846} people {G2992} which {G3739} he foreknew {G4267}.{G2228} Wot ye {G1492} not {G3756} what {G5101} the scripture {G1124} saith {G3004} of {G1722} Elias {G2243}? how {G5613} he maketh intercession {G1793} to God {G2316} against {G2596} Israel {G2474}, saying {G3004},

God has not repudiated his people, whom he chose in advance. Or don’t you know what the Tanakh says about Eliyahu? He pleads with God against Isra’el,

God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:

God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel:

Romans 11:2 is a pivotal verse in Paul's argument concerning God's continuing relationship with Israel. It emphatically declares God's enduring faithfulness to His chosen people, assuring readers that He has not permanently rejected them.

Context

This verse is part of a larger section in Romans (chapters 9-11) where Paul addresses the perplexing question of Israel's widespread unbelief and rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. After detailing their historical privileges and current spiritual blindness in Romans 9 and Romans 10, Paul begins Romans 11 with a rhetorical question: "Hath God cast away his people?" His immediate and resounding answer is "God forbid!" (Romans 11:1). Verse 2 then provides the rationale, drawing a powerful parallel to the prophet Elijah's experience.

Key Themes

  • God's Unwavering Faithfulness: The core message is that God remains true to His covenant promises, even when His people are unfaithful. His election of Israel was not conditional on their perfect obedience but on His sovereign choice and foreknowledge.
  • Divine Foreknowledge: The phrase "which he foreknew" (Greek: proegno) highlights God's prior knowledge and predetermined plan concerning Israel. This concept is also found in Romans 8:29, emphasizing that God's selection of Israel was not an afterthought but part of His eternal purpose.
  • The Remnant Principle: Paul uses the example of Elijah to illustrate that even in times of widespread apostasy, God always preserves a faithful remnant. Just as Elijah believed he was the only true worshiper left, but God had reserved 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal (1 Kings 19:18), so too in Paul's day, there was a spiritual remnant of Israel who believed in Christ. This sets the stage for the discussion of the "remnant according to the election of grace" in subsequent verses.

Linguistic Insights

The archaic KJV phrase "Wot ye not" simply means "Do you not know?" or "Are you not aware?" It's a rhetorical question designed to prompt the reader to recall biblical history, specifically the account of Elijah in 1 Kings 19, where he "maketh intercession to God against Israel," lamenting their apostasy.

Practical Application

This verse offers immense comfort and insight into God's character. It reminds us that God's faithfulness is not dependent on human performance. Even when we fail, God remains true to His promises. For believers, it underscores the security of God's calling and election. For those wrestling with the historical trajectory of Israel, it provides a theological framework for understanding God's ongoing plan for His original people. It also encourages us to look beyond present appearances, trusting that God is always at work, preserving a remnant and fulfilling His ultimate purposes according to His divine foreknowledge.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 94:14

    For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

  • Romans 8:29

    ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

  • Romans 8:30

    Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

  • Acts 3:17

    And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did [it], as [did] also your rulers.

  • Romans 9:23

    And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

  • 1 Peter 1:2

    Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

  • Genesis 44:15

    And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

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