Romans 11:7
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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{ "author": "The Apostle Paul, traditionally understood as the author of this Epistle.", "location": "Written from Corinth or Ephesus, while the events described are set in Israel and Rome.", "dateTime": "Likely between 55-58 AD.", "literaryStyle": "Epistle (Letter) characterized by complex theological arguments and rhetorical questions." }
Paul is continuing his exploration of God's faithfulness to Israel, even as most of them rejected Jesus. He's just shown that God hasn't completely abandoned his people, pointing to the example of Elijah and a remnant who remained faithful. Now, he confronts the reality that the majority of Israel missed the Messiah they were seeking, a truth reinforced by Old Testament prophecies about hardened hearts and blindness.
Israel was actively pursuing something, yet they missed the very thing they were looking for. What was it, and why did their pursuit fail?
The nation of Israel, as a whole, was seeking righteousness before God. However, their method was flawed. They were striving for acceptance through their own obedience to the Law, a path that, as Paul has argued earlier in Romans, is impossible to succeed on.
Paul immediately draws a stark contrast: some obtained what Israel missed, while others were hardened. What does this 'election' mean?
Paul divides 'Israel' into two groups: 'the election' and 'the rest.'
The term 'hardened' might conjure images of a deliberate, aggressive refusal. But what does this state truly imply in a spiritual sense?
The word translated 'hardened' (Greek: ) doesn't just mean stubbornness; it implies a state of spiritual insensitivity, callousness, or being rendered unable to perceive or respond to truth. It’s like a spiritual numbness.
Understand the original words
eklogē · Greek Noun
Those whom God, according to His sovereign purpose and eternal counsel, has chosen for salvation, not based on foreseen merit, but according to His own good pleasure and mercy.
pōroō · Greek Verb (passive participle used as noun)
The state of spiritual dullness, insensitivity, or callousness where the heart becomes unresponsive to divine truth, often as a result of persistent rejection of God’s revelation.
Paul is writing to Roman Christians during a turbulent period where the Jewish nation is grappling with its identity and relationship with God, particularly in light of Jesus being rejected by many and the Gospel being embraced by Gentiles. This historical context highlights the tension between God's covenant promises to Israel and the reality of both Jewish rejection and Gentile inclusion.
c. 63 BC
Roman Conquest of Judea
Rome's growing influence in the region culminates in the conquest of Judea, marking the beginning of direct Roman rule and significantly impacting Jewish political and religious life.
c. 27 BC - AD 64
Roman Provincial Rule in Judea
Judea is incorporated into the Roman Empire, experiencing periods of both relative peace and intense unrest under various governors and procurators.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
The central events of Christianity unfold with Jesus' teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection, sparking a movement that would soon challenge the existing religious and political order.
c. AD 30-60
Early Spread of Christianity
The Gospel message begins to spread beyond Jewish communities, carried by apostles like Paul, encountering both acceptance and fierce opposition from Jewish authorities.
This passage directly precedes Romans 11:7 and explains how Israel sought righteousness through works of the law but failed, while the Gentiles, who didn't pursue righteousness, obtained it through faith. It sets up the concept of election and hardening that is further detailed in verse 7.
Isaiah 29:9-10This Old Testament passage is quoted by Paul in Romans 11:8 and directly illuminates the 'hardening' mentioned in verse 7, describing a spiritual slumber and blindness that prevents understanding.
John 12:39-40Jesus himself quotes Isaiah, explaining that God allowed the people to be hardened and blinded because of their persistent unbelief. This passage supports the idea that the hardening mentioned in Romans 11:7 is a consequence of a willful rejection of God's truth.
Romans 9:15-18Paul uses similar language of 'mercy' and 'hardening' in this earlier section of Romans, emphasizing God's sovereign choice in showing mercy to some and hardening others, which provides a theological backdrop for the statement in Romans 11:7.
Exodus 4:21This verse shows God hardening Pharaoh's heart, demonstrating a pattern in Scripture where God can sovereignly harden individuals or groups who resist His will. This parallels the concept of the 'rest' being hardened in Romans 11:7.
ellicottRomans 11:7: "What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded"
(7) What is the result? Not only did Israel fail to obtain the salvation which it sought, and which the select few succeeded in obtaining, but it was consigned to a state of complete spiritual apathy and torpor, and its very blessings became a curse and a snare. Were blinded.—An erroneous translation, arising from a confusion of two similar words. The correc…
vincentRomans 11:7: "What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded"
Obtained (ἐπετυχεν)The simple verb τυγχάνω means originally to hit the mark; hence to fall in with, light upon, attain.The election (ἡ ἐκλογὴ)Abstract for concrete. Those elected; like ἡ περιτομή the circumcision for those uncircumcised (Ephesians 2:11. Compare τὴν κατατομήν the concision, Philippians 3:3).Were blinded (ἐπωρώθησαν)Rev., correctly,…
{ "author": "The Apostle Paul, traditionally understood as the author of this Epistle.", "location": "Written from Corinth or Ephesus, while the events described are set in Israel and Rome.", "dateTime": "Likely between 55-58 AD.", "literaryStyle": "Epistle (Letter) characterized by complex theological arguments and rhetorical questions." }
Paul is continuing his exploration of God's faithfulness to Israel, even as most of them rejected Jesus. He's just shown that God hasn't completely abandoned his people, pointing to the example of Elijah and a remnant who remained faithful. Now, he confronts the reality that the majority of Israel missed the Messiah they were seeking, a truth reinforced by Old Testament prophecies about hardened hearts and blindness.
Paul is continuing his exploration of God's faithfulness to Israel, even as most of them rejected Jesus. He's just shown that God hasn't completely abandoned his people, pointing to the example of Elijah and a remnant who remained faithful. Now, he confronts the reality that the majority of Israel missed the Messiah they were seeking, a truth reinforced by Old Testament prophecies about hardened hearts and blindness.
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c. AD 60-62— this verse
Paul's Imprisonment and Writing of Romans
The Apostle Paul, likely imprisoned in Rome, writes his letter to the Roman church, addressing complex theological issues, including God's faithfulness to Israel and the inclusion of Gentiles.
AD 66-73
First Jewish-Roman War
A major revolt against Roman rule erupts in Judea, leading to widespread destruction and culminating in the razing of Jerusalem and its Temple.
"What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened," — { "author": "The Apostle Paul, traditionally understood as the author of this Epistle.", "location": "Written from Corinth or Ephesus, while the events described are set in Israel and Rome.", "…
