So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob." "And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins." (Rom 11:25-27 NRSV)
Rom 11:25-27 is one of the most perplexing and debated passages in the entirety of the New Testament, and has produced a number of conflicting interpretations throughout the centuries. This morning I read an interesting essay on the topic:
Jason A. Staples, What Do the Gentiles Have to Do with "All Israel"? A Fresh Look at Romans 11:25-27, Journal of Biblical Literature 130, no. 2 (2011):371-390
Here is the conclusion to whet one’s appetite:
In Rom 11:25–27 (and Romans 9–11 as a whole), the apostle has turned the question of God’s rejection of Israel on its head by reminding the reader that “all Israel” is a larger entity than just the Jews. God has neither been unfaithful to Israel nor rejected his people. In fact, God’s plan goes far beyond saving only Judah but extends to the house of Israel as well—all Israel will be saved, Paul insists, not just one part. Far from rejecting Israel, God has reached out and saved more of Israel than anyone could have imagined. In fact, God desired to save all Israel so much that he is even incorporating the Gentiles to do it. God’s faithfulness to Israel is so great that he has provided to save all—even Gentiles—in Israel. God has not moved to a new people but is gathering, restoring, and reconciling even those who were thought to be irretrievably lost. Paul argues that God’s covenant-keeping power extends beyond the grave, capable even of bringing life from the dead (Rom 11:15), of producing Israelites from the Gentiles. It is no wonder that Paul breaks off in praise at this point, expressing his wonder at the hidden wisdom, the unsearchable and unfathomable plan of God. The mystery has been revealed, and God’s purposes are far deeper than anyone ever imagined—even God’s rejections prove salvific.