Ostatak Izraela
1Pitam, dakle, nije li Bog odbacio svoj narod? Nipošto! Sjetite se da sam i ja Izraelac, Abrahamov potomak, iz Benjaminova plemena.
2Nije Bog odbacio svoj narod koji je unaprijed izabrao. Zar se ne sjećate što o tome kaže Sveto pismo? Prorok Ilija žalio se Bogu na Izraelce: 3“Gospodine, poubijali su tvoje proroke i srušili tvoje oltare. Samo sam ja ostao, a sada i mene pokušavaju ubiti.”11:3 1 Kraljevima 19:10, 14.
4Sjećate li se što mu je Bog odgovorio?
“Nisi ti jedini ostao.
Imam ih još sedam tisuća
koji se nikada nisu poklonili Baalu.”
5I danas je tako. Nisu svi Židovi otišli od Boga. Nekolicina11:5 U grčkome: Ostatak. ih je spašena po Božjoj milosti jer ih je odabrao. 6A ako su spašeni Božjom milošću, onda nisu spašeni zbog svojih dobrih djela. Inače Božja milost ne bi bila to što jest—darovana i nezaslužena.
7Većina Izraelaca dakle nije postignula Božju naklonost koju je tražila. Nekolicina koju je izabrao dobila ju je, a ostali su pak otvrdnuli. 8Kao što kaže Sveto pismo:
“Bog je učinio da obamru.
Do današnjeg dana
zatvorio im je oči da ne vide
i zatvorio im je uši da ne čuju.”11:8 Izaija 29:10.
9Kralj David o tomu je također rekao:
“Neka padnu u zamku,
u mrežu i stupicu svoje obilne gozbe
i neka ih tako stigne njihova plaća.
10Neka im oči potamne da obnevide;
zauvijek im pogni leđa!”11:9-10 Psalam 69:23-24.
Spasenje pogana
11Jesu li dakle tako posrnuli da će neizbježno otići u propast? Nipošto! Božja je nakana bila da spasenje učini dostupno poganima kako bi Židove učinio ljubomornima i naveo ih da ga požele za sebe. 12Pa ako su Židovi, posrnuvši i odbivši spasenje, donijeli drugim narodima toliko bogatstvo, pomislite samo koliki će tek blagoslov svijet podijeliti s njima kada jednog dana prihvate spasenje!
13Govorim to posebice zaradi vas pogana. Bog me je imenovao apostolom poganima i to uvijek ističem 14ne bih li svoj narod naveo da požele to što imate vi pogani i ne bi li se neki od njih tako spasili. 15Jer ako je Bog, kad su Židovi odbili spasenje, ponudio to spasenje cijelome svijetu, kako li će tek divno biti kad ga oni prihvate! Mrtvi će oživjeti! 16Abraham i ostali patrijarsi bili su sveti, pa će i njihovi potomci biti sveti.11:16 U grčkome: Ako su prvine svete, sveto je i tijesto. Jer ako je korijen stabla svet, svete su i grane.
17Ali neki Židovi, Abrahamove grane, odlomljeni su. A vi pogani, nekoć grane divlje masline, pricijepljeni ste. Tako sada primate blagoslov koji je Bog obećao Abrahamu i njegovim potomcima i hranite se sokovima Božje masline. 18Ali pazite da se ne hvalite kako ste pricijepljeni umjesto odlomljenih grana. Upamtite da ste samo grane, a ne korijenje.
19“Ali te su grane odlomljene da bi bilo mjesta za mene”, reći ćete. 20Jesu, ali upamtite: te su grane, Židovi, odlomljene zato što nisu vjerovali Bogu, a vi ste pricijepljeni zato što vjerujete. Nemojte se uznositi, već se bojte onoga što bi se moglo dogoditi. 21Jer ako Bog nije poštedio one prve grane, neće ni tebe poštedjeti.
22Vidite li kako je Bog dobar i strog? Strog prema neposlušnima, a dobar prema vama koji se pouzdajete u njegovu dobrotu. Ali prestanete li se u nju pouzdavati, i vi ćete biti odsječeni. 23A odustanu li Židovi od svoje nevjere, Bog će i njih ponovno pricijepiti. On ima moć da to učini.
24Jer ako je Bog htio uzeti vas, koji ste po svojoj naravi grane divlje masline, i pricijepiti vas na dobro drvo, koliko će radije pricijepiti Židove na drvo kojemu pripadaju!
Božja milost namijenjena je svima
25Želio bih, draga braćo, da razumijete ovu tajnu kako se ne biste uzoholili i počeli se hvastati. Neki su Židovi tvrda srca, ali to će trajati samo dok Krista ne prihvati puni broj pogana. 26Nakon toga će se spasiti sav Izrael. Sjećate li se što su o tomu rekli proroci:
“Sa Siona će doći Izbavitelj;
odvratit će od bezbožnosti sve Židove.11:26 U grčkome: odvratit će bezbožnost od Jakova.
27A ja ću ispuniti svoj savez s njima
kad uklonim njihove grijehe.”11:26-27 Izaija 59:20-21; 27:9; Jeremija 31:33-34.
28Mnogi su Židovi sada protivnici evanđelja. Ali to je vama na dobrobit jer je Bog dao svoje darove vama poganima. Pa ipak, Židovi su još izabrani narod zbog Božjih obećanja danih Abrahamu, Izaku i Jakovu. 29Jer Božji darovi i pozvanje ne mogu se opozvati. 30Nekoć ste vi pogani bili buntovnici protiv Boga, ali kad su Židovi odbacili njegovu milost, Bog ju je umjesto njima darovao vama. 31Sada su pak tako Židovi buntovnici, a vi imate Božju milost. Ali jednog će dana i oni biti dionicima Božje milosti. 32Jer Bog je sve ljude zatvorio u njihovoj neposlušnosti da se svima smiluje.
33Kakvoga divnog Boga imamo! Kako su veliki njegovo bogatstvo, mudrost i znanje! Nedokučivi su nam njegovi sudovi i neistraživi njegovi putovi! 34Zaista, “tko poznaje Gospodnje misli, tko mu je bio savjetnikom?”11:34 Izaija 40:13. 35Ili, “tko je njemu prvi nešto dao da bi mu morao uzvratiti?” 36Jer sve dolazi od njega, sve postoji po njemu i za njega. Neka mu je vječna slava! Amen.
The Israelites Who Are Faithful
1So here is what I ask. Did God turn his back on his people? Not at all! I myself belong to Israel. I am one of Abraham’s children. I am from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God didn’t turn his back on his people. After all, he chose them. Don’t you know what Scripture says about Elijah? He complained to God about Israel. 3He said, “Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have torn down your altars. I’m the only one left. And they are trying to kill me.” (1 Kings 19:10,14) 4How did God answer him? God said, “I have kept 7,000 people for myself. They have not bowed down to Baal.” (1 Kings 19:18) 5Some are also faithful today. They have been chosen by God’s grace. 6And if they are chosen by grace, then they can’t work for it. If that were true, grace wouldn’t be grace anymore.
7What should we say then? The people of Israel did not receive what they wanted so badly. Those Israelites who were chosen did receive it. But the rest of the people were made stubborn. 8It is written,
“God made it hard for them to understand.
He gave them eyes that could not see.
He gave them ears that could not hear.
And they are still like that today.” (Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10)
9David says,
“Let their feast be a trap and a snare.
Let them trip and fall. Let them get what’s coming to them.
10Let their eyes grow dark so they can’t see.
Let their backs be bent forever.” (Psalm 69:22,23)
Two Kinds of Olive Branches
11Again, here is what I ask. The Israelites didn’t trip and fall once and for all time, did they? Not at all! Because Israel sinned, the Gentiles can be saved. That will make Israel jealous of them. 12Israel’s sin brought riches to the world. Their loss brings riches to the Gentiles. So then what greater riches will come when all Israel turns to God!
13I am talking to you who are not Jews. I am the apostle to the Gentiles. So I take pride in the work I do for God and others. 14I hope somehow to stir up my own people to want what you have. Perhaps I can save some of them. 15When they were not accepted, it became possible for the whole world to be brought back to God. So what will happen when they are accepted? It will be like life from the dead. 16The first handful of dough that is offered is holy. This makes all of the dough holy. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
17Some of the natural branches have been broken off. You are a wild olive branch. But you have been joined to the tree with the other branches. Now you enjoy the life-giving sap of the olive tree root. 18So don’t think you are better than the other branches. Remember, you don’t give life to the root. The root gives life to you. 19You will say, “Some branches were broken off so that I could be joined to the tree.” 20That’s true. But they were broken off because they didn’t believe. You stand only because you do believe. So don’t be proud, but tremble. 21God didn’t spare the natural branches. He won’t spare you either.
22Think about how kind God is! Also think about how firm he is! He was hard on those who stopped following him. But he is kind to you. So you must continue to live in his kindness. If you don’t, you also will be cut off. 23If the people of Israel do not continue in their unbelief, they will again be joined to the tree. God is able to join them to the tree again. 24After all, weren’t you cut from a wild olive tree? Weren’t you joined to an olive tree that was taken care of? And wasn’t that the opposite of how things should be done? How much more easily will the natural branches be joined to their own olive tree!
All Israel Will Be Saved
25Brothers and sisters, here is a mystery I want you to understand. It will keep you from being proud. Part of Israel has refused to obey God. That will continue until the full number of Gentiles has entered God’s kingdom. 26In this way all Israel will be saved. It is written,
“The God who saves will come from Mount Zion.
He will remove sin from Jacob’s family.
27Here is my covenant with them.
I will take away their sins.” (Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33,34)
28As far as the good news is concerned, the people of Israel are enemies. This is for your good. But as far as God’s choice is concerned, the people of Israel are loved. This is because of God’s promises to the founders of our nation. 29God does not take back his gifts. He does not change his mind about those he has chosen. 30At one time you did not obey God. But now you have received mercy because Israel did not obey. 31In the same way, Israel has not been obeying God. But now they receive mercy because of God’s mercy to you. 32God has found everyone guilty of not obeying him. So now he can have mercy on everyone.
Praise to God
33How very rich are God’s wisdom and knowledge!
How he judges is more than we can understand!
The way he deals with people is more than we can know!
34“Who can ever know what the Lord is thinking?
Or who can ever give him advice?” (Isaiah 40:13)
35“Has anyone ever given anything to God,
so that God has to pay them back?” (Job 41:11)
36All things come from him.
All things are directed by him.
All things are for his praise.
May God be given the glory forever! Amen.
