Romans 11:2

God hath not cast away his people Lit. did not cast, &c. These words are verbatim (save only the change of tense) with LXX. of Psalms 93 (Heb., 94.):14.

which he foreknew See on Romans 8:29. Two interpretations are possible here. The "foreknowledge," or sovereign antecedent decision of the Eternal Mind, may be (a) that which designated the nationfor privilege, or (b) that which designated individualsof it for final glory. The words of Romans 11:3-5 favour the latter view; and thus St Paul would say "God never thrust Israel out of the covenant; for He always had among them a foreknown -Israel of God"." The former sense (national designation) would be perfectly legitimate in itself; but it is less in accord with the immediate context, and with the closely kindred reasonings of ch. 9. The question in view here is "Was the nationever so rejected as that members of it, as such, were rejected?" This St Paul negatives by pointing to the "nation within the nation;" the elect faithful.

of Elias Lit. in Elias; i.e. in the narrative of Elijah's life.

intercession On behalf of the Divine Truth and Worship.

The whole Olive Tree its root, branches, and all is the Church Universal, in which there is "neither Greek nor Jew;" i.e. in which every real part of the organism, every true believer, shares the sap and life of grace in equal reality. But the special imagery is framed to emphasize not this truth, but another truth in harmony with it; viz. that "salvation is of the Jews;" that with the Hebrew Patriarch began after a distinct break of continuity the more definite life and history of the Church; that for ages the saints were all (practically) found among his sons; and that the universal Saviour was of the seed of David.