Romans - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 1183

ROMANS. 10—-17

11-24

Loma, wnq mas manmvxn 0¤R [ until the present day. And David g nzponr? S3yS { '1`hereforc the faith comes from a. report; but the report through the arrangement of God. But I ask, Have they not heard? Yes, indeed: THEIR v0IcE HAS GONE 0U‘1‘ I0 ALL THE LAND, AND THEIR DEcLARA’r10N 1:0 THE BOUN1Z>s OF THE EMMRE.

I say further, Does not Israel recognise it? First Moses says: I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS ABOUT AN UN1zEc0GN1sED NATION; I w:LL INFURIATE YOU ABOU1‘ AN UNxN1‘ELL1G1BLE NA‘r10N. Then Isaiah becomes bold, and asserts: I WAS FGUND BY THOSE NOT SEEK- 1No ME ; I BEOAME PLAIN 1*0 THOSE WHO NEVER ENQUIRED FOR ME; But regarding Israel he says: I s1:Rm·c1~1ED our MY HANDS ALL THE 1>AY TO A REBELLIOUS AND OONTRADIOTORY PEOPLE! Do I therefore say, ‘God has re- jected His people'? Never! because I am an Israelite, of Abraharrfs race,

2 from the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His pre—ordained people. For do you not know what the Scrip- ture says about Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel ?——LORD, THEY HAVE SLAIN YOUR PROPHETS AND THROWN DOWN YOUR ALTARS; AND I AM LEFT ALONE, AND THEY WANT MY LIFE! But what was the Divine answer to him? THERE ARE LEFT TO ME SEVEN THOUSAND MEN wr-IO HAVE NOT BENT THE KNEE TO BAAL.7 Thus therefore also, in the present time, a fragment has come for enrolment with the Gift. But if by a gift, it cannot be from a ritual; or the gift would no longer be a gift} What then ?' What Israel sought it has

_not met with; but the Enrolment has met, and the remainder are dazed. As it was written: GOD GAVE THEM A CONFUSED SPIRIT, UNSEEING EYES, AND DEAF EARs,° 1 Isa. liil. 1. ' Psa. xix. 4.

Deut. xxxii. zz. * Isa. lxv. r. • Isa. lxv. 2. ‘ 1 Kiu,<zs xix. ro. 7 3 Kings gix. 18} * Isa. xxix. Io. LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND AN OFFENOE AND A sTUMB· LING TO THEM ; LET THEIR EYES BE BLIND NOT T0 SEE, AND ALWAYS BOW DOWN THEIR EAcxJ I`hey have

stumbled, so that they might fall' ? Never ! But that by their mistake the salvation has come to the heathen, so as to arouse themselves. But if their mistake enriches the world, and their loss is wealth for nations, how much more will their prosperity bel ‘ For I speak to you heathen, because

I myself am an apostle of the heathen; I magnify my service, so that I may excite my kindred, and save some from among them. For if their dis- persion re-unites a world, what will their re-union be but life from death ? And if the first—fruit is sound, so also is the crop; and if the root is sound, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were cut od, and you, a wild olive, were grafted into their place, and became a participator in the root and fatness of the olive, do not exult over those branches; and if you should exult, the root bears you, not you the root. ‘ You may reply, however: ‘ The

branches were cut off so that I might be grafted in.’ Quite right. They were cut off for unbelief ; but you were inserted by faith. Be not haughty, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, how much less likely will I-Ie spare you! Re— ilect, therefore, upon God's bene- iicent action and pruning: upon those who failed He applies a prun- ing; but upon you a Divine benefi- cent purpose, if you adhere to His beneficent purpose: and if not, you will be cut off. And they, if they do not adhere to their unbelief, will be grafted in again; for God is able to graft them in again. For if you, a cutting from a wild

olive, contrary to your nature have been engrafted into a cultivated olive, how much easier can they be naturally grafted again into their own olive tree! I Psa. lxix. ee, 23. 1183 I0 II I2 16 18 20 21 22