Peter Barnes | Romans 11:15-16
SERMON NOTES
THE HOLY COVENANT GIVES LIFE
(Romans 11:15-16)
Augustine on Romans 9-11: ‘Here Paul begins to speak of his hope for the Jews, lest the Gentiles in their turn become condescending toward them. For just as the pride of the Jews had to be countered because they gloried in their works, so also with the Gentiles, lest they become proud at having been preferred over the Jews.’
1. Israel’s life from the dead.
– 11:15; many see this as referring to the resurrection of the dead, but it seems better to say it refers to revival
– see Rom.6:13; Eph.5:14; 1 Thess. 2:16 refers to the present (i.e. first century) generation of Jews
2. The firstfruits of the dough is holy.
– 11:16a; see Num.15:17-21; this is the first of the two images.
3. The root is holy.
– 11:16b; some say this refers to first-century Jewish Christians (Cranfield) or to Christ (Karl Barth) but in 11:28 it refers to Abraham and the patriarchs.
– see Ex.2:24; Deut.4:31; 9:5; the covenant is everlasting even though, for example, circumcision is not (see Gen.17:13 and Gal.5:2)
– being holy here is being set apart in a covenantal way (e.g. 1 Cor.7:14, 15-16) i.e. it is not necessarily saving.