Romans 11:33

ὢ, the only place where S. Paul uses the exclamation except with a vocative.

βάθος. Cf. Romans 8:39; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 3:18 : there is the suggestion of depth impenetrable to human thought.

πλούτου. If coordinate with σοφίας and γνώσεως, represents χάρις or ἀγαπή, and this might be justified by Romans 2:4; Romans 10:12; Romans 11:12; cf. Philippians 4:19; it is a favourite word in Eph.; cf. esp. Romans 1:7; Romans 2:7; Romans 3:8. The argument of the preceding Chapter s has developed the thought both of the love and of the wisdom of GOD. Yet here the dominant thought seems to be rather of the ways in which GOD conceives and brings about, if we may so speak, His ends; and consequently it is better to take πλούτου as governing the other genitives.

καὶ σοφίας καὶ γυώσεως. Combined also Colossians 2:3. σοφία is attributed to GOD by S. Paul with special reference to the wisdom with which the divine dispensations are ordered for the execution of His purpose, especially in the culminating dispensation of the Gospel, the means taken for the redemption of man from sin. |[222] δι' αὐτοῦ, 36; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:19 f., Romans 2:7; Ephesians 3:10; Colossians 2:3. This is in accordance with the current use of the word, which applied specially to the philosophy of conduct, rather than to metaphysical speculation.

[222] | parallel to

καὶ γνώσεως. Knowledge of what men and things really are, the necessary basis of σοφία as thus used. This is probably the only place where the subst. is used of GOD’s knowledge, cf. Acts 1:24; Acts 15:8, nor is the verb commonly so used; 1 Corinthians 3:20; 1 John 3:20 (1 Corinthians 8:3; Galatians 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:19, slightly different, cf. Romans 8:29 n.). The thought seems to be of that complete knowledge of the nature of man and the issues of action which the wisdom of His dispensation reveals; so |[223] εἰς αὐτόν, Romans 11:36.

[223] | parallel to

θεοῦ. The absence of the article emphasises the character of GOD as GOD.

ἀνεξεραύνητα. Cf. 1 Peter 1:10 ἐξηραύνησαν; the simple verb not uncommon in N. T. (Jo. Pa. Pet. Rev.); an Ionic word preserved in Trag. and revived in the κοινή; cf. Milligan Pap. 139: on the form ἐραυν- for ἐρευν- cf. Thackeray Gr. I. p. 78. This adj. in Proverbs 25:3 Symm. = that cannot be completely probed by searching; cf. ἀνεκδιήγητος 2 Corinthians 9:15; 2 Corinthians 9:5. Nägeli, p. 23.

τὰ κρίματα. Cf. Romans 2:2; John 9:39. His judgments have been the subject of these Chapter s.

ἀνεξιχνίαστοι. Ephesians 3:8, LXX[224] (Job); not found elsewhere (ἐξιχνεύω, Trag.), Nägeli, p. 62.

[224] LXX. the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament

αἱ ὁδοὶ. Cf. Revelation 15:3 (qu.); Hebrews 3:10 (qu.); Acts 13:10; Acts 18:26; John 14:6. Here of the ways along which GOD moves in His government of creation.