Romans 11:7

Romans 11:7. What then? The inference from Romans 11:5-6, is introduced by this question.

That which Israel (as a mass) is seeking for, now as formerly; chaps. Romans 9:31; Romans 10:3 show that ‘righteousness' is the object sought. Zealous searching is not necessarily indicated here.

He obtained not; did not attain unto; the idea of not finding is not suggested. The connection with Romans 11:5-6 shows that this took place, because the mass of the nation sought the end ‘as of works' (chap. Romans 9:32), a method opposed to ‘grace.'

But the election (‘the remnant,' abstractly and vivaciously termed ‘the election,' rather than ‘the elect') obtained it .

And the rest were hardened. ‘Blinded' is incorrect. The word denotes in its primary meaning: ‘to deprive an organ of its natural sensibility; in the moral: to take from the heart the faculty of being touched by what is good or divine, from the intelligence the faculty of discerning between the true and the false, the good and the evil. The context will explain how it is possible that a similar effect can be attributed to divine agency' (Godet). Comp. on chap. Romans 9:18. God's agency is undoubtedly indicated here (comp. Romans 11:8-10), but nowhere is this spoken of in a way that implies a lessening of human responsibility. The parenthesis of the E. V. is unnecessary. It is designed to connect this clause with the last one of Romans 11:8.