Romans 11:5

at this present time In which the mournful phenomenon of Jewish unbelief occasioned this whole discussion.

there is Lit. there hath been: it was and still is.

a remnant a reserve, a leaving. The noun is cognate to the verb "I reserved" in Romans 11:4. This "remnant" at some stages of apostolic history (Acts 6:7; Acts 21:20,) was in itself very numerous. But it was always, no doubt, small comparatively; and it became more and more so the more the distinctive character of the New Kingdom came out, (as in Stephen's and now in Paul's teaching,) and the nearer the last crisis of the old order approached.

according to the election of grace i.e. "on the scale determined by the Divine choice (to faith and salvation), whose only motive and reason is grace the free favour of Him who chooses out His own." See on Romans 8:33.