Job"s observation that God has never needed to depend on human assistance that puts Him in man"s debt ( Job 35:7; Job 41:11) is also true. The fact that God makes people His partners in executing His will in the world does not mean that He cannot get along without us. He can. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Romans 11:25-36 - That God "might Have Mercy Upon All"
"Mysteries" are the reasons and principles of the divine procedure which are hidden from ordinary minds, but revealed to the children of God by the Spirit, who searches the deep things, 1 Corinthians 2:10. We cannot tell how near the brim we are, or when the fullness of the Gentiles will fill the predestined measure. It may be much nearer than we suppose, and then the door will be closed, and the Hebrew nation will be grafted in to serve the divine program in the last stages of human history. They are still beloved for their fathers' sake, and the day is coming when all their sins will be forgiven and taken away.
We may go a certain distance in the devout understanding of the ways of God, but there is a point beyond which we cannot advance; and as we gaze down into the profound abyss of the divine dealings, we must cry, O the depth! Romans 11:33. The origin, the maintenance, and the ultimate end of creation, providence, and redemption, is God. To Him must be the glory! In other words, we shall find that the whole story of sin, redemption, and salvation will unravel and reveal the nature of God, as the prismatic band of color the sunlight. [source]
Chapter Summary: Romans 11
1God has not cast off all Israel 7Some were elected, though the rest were hardened 16There is hope of their conversion 18The Gentiles may not exult over them; 26for there is a promise of their salvation 33God's judgments are unsearchable
Greek Commentary for Romans 11:35
First driven to him [προεδωκεν αυτωι] First aorist active indicative of προδιδωμι prodidōmi to give beforehand or first. Old verb, here alone in N.T. From Job 41:11, but not like the lxx, Paul‘s own translation. [source]
Shall be recompensed [ανταποδοτησεται] First future passive of double compound ανταποδιδωμι antapodidōmi to pay back (both αντι anti and απο apo), old word in good sense, as here and Luke 14:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:9 and in bad sense as 2 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 12:19. [source]
Who hath first given, etc. [] From Job 41:3. Heb., Who has been beforehand with me that I should repay him? Paul here follows the Aramaic translation. The Septuagint is: Who shall resist me and abide? [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 11:35
Romans 12:19But give place unto wrath [αλλα δοτε τοπον τηι οργηι] Second aorist active imperative of διδωμι didōmi to give. “Give room for the (note article as in Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:16) wrath” of God instead of taking vengeance in your own hands. See note on Ephesians 4:27 for διδοτε τοπον didote topon Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 (the Hebrew rather than the lxx). So have Hebrews 10:30 and the Targum of Onkelos, but the relation between them and Paul we cannot tell. Socrates and Epictetus condemned personal vindictiveness as Paul does here. I will recompense (ανταποδωσω antapodōsō). Future active of the double compound verb quoted also in Romans 11:35. [source]
1 Corinthians 3:19That taketh [ο δρασσομενος] Old verb δρασσομαι drassomai to grasp with the hand, is used here for the less vivid word in the lxx καταλαμβανων katalambanōn It occurs nowhere else in the N.T., but appears in the papyri to lay hands on. Job is quoted in the N.T. only here and in Romans 11:35 and both times with variations from the lxx. This word occurs in Ecclesiasticus 26:7; 34:2. In Psalms 2:12 the lxx has δραχαστε παιδειας draxasthe paideias lay hold on instruction. Craftiness (πανουργιαι panourgiāi). The πανουργος panourgos man is ready for any or all work (if bad enough). So it means versatile cleverness (Robertson and Plummer), astutia (Vulgate). [source]
Colossians 1:16All things [τα παντα] The universe as in Romans 11:35, a well-known philosophical phrase. It is repeated at the end of the verse. [source]
Colossians 1:16In him were created [εν αυτωι εκτιστη] Paul now gives the reason It is the constative aorist passive indicative εκτιστη ektisthē (from κτιζω ktizō old verb, to found, to create (Romans 1:25). This central activity of Christ in the work of creation is presented also in John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2 and is a complete denial of the Gnostic philosophy. The whole of creative activity is summed up in Christ including the angels in heaven and everything on earth. God wrought through “the Son of his love.” All earthly dignities are included. Have been created (εκτισται ektistai). Perfect passive indicative of κτιζω ktizō “stand created,” “remain created.” The permanence of the universe rests, then, on Christ far more than on gravity. It is a Christo-centric universe. Through him As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used εν αυτωι en autōi (in him) as the sphere of activity. And unto him (και εις αυτον kai eis auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19,Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (εχ ta panta). In Romans 11:35 we find εν ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις en εχ dia and δια eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
Colossians 1:16Through him [δι αυτου] As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used εν αυτωι en autōi (in him) as the sphere of activity. And unto him (και εις αυτον kai eis auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19,Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (εχ ta panta). In Romans 11:35 we find εν ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις en εχ dia and δια eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
Colossians 1:16And unto him [και εις αυτον] This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19,Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe In Romans 11:35 we find εν ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις en εχ dia and δια eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
What do the individual words in Romans 11:35 mean?
Orwhohas first givento Himandit will be recompensed
Greek Commentary for Romans 11:35
First aorist active indicative of προδιδωμι prodidōmi to give beforehand or first. Old verb, here alone in N.T. From Job 41:11, but not like the lxx, Paul‘s own translation. [source]
First future passive of double compound ανταποδιδωμι antapodidōmi to pay back (both αντι anti and απο apo), old word in good sense, as here and Luke 14:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:9 and in bad sense as 2 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 12:19. [source]
From Job 41:3. Heb., Who has been beforehand with me that I should repay him? Paul here follows the Aramaic translation. The Septuagint is: Who shall resist me and abide? [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 11:35
Second aorist active imperative of διδωμι didōmi to give. “Give room for the (note article as in Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:16) wrath” of God instead of taking vengeance in your own hands. See note on Ephesians 4:27 for διδοτε τοπον didote topon Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 (the Hebrew rather than the lxx). So have Hebrews 10:30 and the Targum of Onkelos, but the relation between them and Paul we cannot tell. Socrates and Epictetus condemned personal vindictiveness as Paul does here. I will recompense (ανταποδωσω antapodōsō). Future active of the double compound verb quoted also in Romans 11:35. [source]
Future active of the double compound verb quoted also in Romans 11:35. [source]
Old verb δρασσομαι drassomai to grasp with the hand, is used here for the less vivid word in the lxx καταλαμβανων katalambanōn It occurs nowhere else in the N.T., but appears in the papyri to lay hands on. Job is quoted in the N.T. only here and in Romans 11:35 and both times with variations from the lxx. This word occurs in Ecclesiasticus 26:7; 34:2. In Psalms 2:12 the lxx has δραχαστε παιδειας draxasthe paideias lay hold on instruction. Craftiness (πανουργιαι panourgiāi). The πανουργος panourgos man is ready for any or all work (if bad enough). So it means versatile cleverness (Robertson and Plummer), astutia (Vulgate). [source]
The universe as in Romans 11:35, a well-known philosophical phrase. It is repeated at the end of the verse. [source]
Paul now gives the reason It is the constative aorist passive indicative εκτιστη ektisthē (from κτιζω ktizō old verb, to found, to create (Romans 1:25). This central activity of Christ in the work of creation is presented also in John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2 and is a complete denial of the Gnostic philosophy. The whole of creative activity is summed up in Christ including the angels in heaven and everything on earth. God wrought through “the Son of his love.” All earthly dignities are included. Have been created (εκτισται ektistai). Perfect passive indicative of κτιζω ktizō “stand created,” “remain created.” The permanence of the universe rests, then, on Christ far more than on gravity. It is a Christo-centric universe. Through him As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used εν αυτωι en autōi (in him) as the sphere of activity. And unto him (και εις αυτον kai eis auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19, Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (εχ ta panta). In Romans 11:35 we find εν ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις en εχ dia and δια eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used εν αυτωι en autōi (in him) as the sphere of activity. And unto him (και εις αυτον kai eis auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19, Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (εχ ta panta). In Romans 11:35 we find εν ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις en εχ dia and δια eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19, Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe In Romans 11:35 we find εν ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις en εχ dia and δια eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]