Romans 11:28

Romans 11:28. This verse sums up the previous discussion.

As touching the gospel. The two clauses correspond; ‘as touching' is more literally ‘according to,' i.e., according to the relation of the gospel to believers and unbelievers, offering salvation to them who believe, and proving those who reject it as under the Divine wrath, they (the unbelieving Jews, at that time including the mass of the nation) are enemies. Not his enemies, nor yet enemies of the gospel, but the objects of God's wrath; comp. chap. Romans 5:10.

For your sakes; as explained in the previous discussion, see Romans 11:11.

But as touching the election. As regards the fact that Israel was the chosen nation. This is simpler than to take ‘the election' as referring to the elect remnant among them, or, to the whole elect church. The former view fails to establish the very point of the contrast, and the latter improperly introduces the Gentiles.

Beloved, i.e., of God, for the fathers' sakes. This is another statement of what has been indicated throughout; ‘they are still regarded with peculiar favor, because descended from those patriarchs to whom and to whose seed the promises were made' (Hodge).