Romans 11:23,24 and the greek

Eoghan · #1 (**permalink**) 10-12-2009, 04:51 AM

I was listening to a respected pastor expounding this passage and suggesting that Israel was not going to undergo any turning en-mass to the Messiah.

His suggestion is that the fullness of israel is the remnant! The remnant of Israel is the fullness of Israel.

In that context I was intrigued to know what Paul was intending when he spoke of when he was speaking of being cut off and grafted in.

Rom 11:23 And they also, if they (plural) abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if thou (singular)wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

Am I right in saying he is referring to Israel in the plural i.e. not using a collective noun and refers to his the romans as individuals.

How strong is the Greek on this matter? Does it

affirm this
allow this interpretation
rule this interpretation out

Irish Presbyterian · #2 (**permalink**) 10-12-2009, 08:36 AM

The Greek in v23 for they (autos) is indeed plural and the thou of vs 24 (su) is singular. I think that it is fair to say that 'they' is a reference to Israel in the national sense and thou is a reference to the individual Roman (Gentile) reader.

Paul seems to be making a point to individual Gentiles about not becoming proud because they are the unnatural branches that have been grafted in because Israel has, for a time, been cut off. Although he refers to Israel in the plural and national sense he does make their grafting back into the olive tree conditional on faith (something only he can give). I think the point is more to do with God's freedom and his 'power' to bring back 'all' Israel if he so wishes. Our question is then, does God will the return of all Israel without distinction? Is there anywhere else that it says this will happen?