Romans 11 is widely regarded as one of the most debated chapters in Paul’s writings. Futurist interpreters often view it as pointing to a future large-scale conversion of ethnic Jews, or even as anticipating the restoration of a modern political state of Israel. Others, however, when reading Romans 9–11 as a single, unified argument, see Paul emphasizing the unfolding of God’s covenant purposes in his own time. On this reading, the apostle presents the relationship between Jew and Gentile as integral to the identity of the true people of God, and highlights how God’s mercy is extended to both groups through this dynamic.
Paul Redefines “Israel” in Romans 9
Paul opens with a strongly critical statement:
“For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham…” (Rom 9:6-7).
This is a covenantal redefinition. Israel according to the flesh is not the same as Israel according to promise. True Israel is the remnant chosen by grace, those united to Christ by faith.
If Paul has already redefined Israel in Romans 9, then when we come to Romans 11 we must carry that meaning forward. It would be inconsistent to suddenly revert back to a purely ethnic or national definition in verse 26 (“all Israel will be saved”).
Even in Paul’s own day, the reality proved this: most Jews remained hardened, while only a fraction, the remnant, believed. His whole framework in Romans 9-11 explains that this was exactly what God had purposed. The mystery is not that someday all Jews would be saved as an ethnicity, but that through their disobedience the Gentiles would be brought in, and through the mercy shown to Gentiles, some Jews would come to faith as well.
"For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy." (Romans 11:30–31, NKJV)
Thus, “all Israel” must be read as the covenantal whole (Jew and Gentile together in Christ), because the ethnic/national reading not only breaks Paul’s own logic but also fails to match the actual historical reality Paul was observing and describing. We will come back to the “Mystery” in Romans 11 shortly.
The Olive Tree: One People of God
Paul’s image of the olive tree (Rom 11:16-24) shows the continuity of God’s covenant plan.
- The root = the covenant promises to Abraham.
- Natural branches (unbelieving Jews) are broken off.
- Wild branches (believing Gentiles) are grafted in.
- Natural branches (Jews who are provoked to jealousy) are grafted back in.
But it is one tree. There is no “Gentile tree” and “Jewish tree.” There is no “church age” apart from Israel. There is one covenant people.
At Pentecost, many Jews were grafted back in immediately as the Spirit was poured out, that was the immediate outcome of Peter’s Pentecost sermon directly addressing those Jews in the audience who Peter describes as having crucified the Lord.
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” (Acts 2:41, NKJV)
Even members of the temple priesthood, once hardened, were being grafted back in through mercy.
"Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7, NKJV)
This leads to a pressing question for the futurist: If Gentiles are grafted into the tree of Israel, then who are Gentiles now? In Christ, they are no longer outsiders. They are fellow heirs (Ephesians 3:6). The old covenant Jew/Gentile distinction dissolves in Christ.
The Mystery: God’s Unexpected Work
Paul calls this unfolding plan a “mystery” (Rom 11:25). It was not obvious that God would use Israel’s stumbling to accomplish something greater:
1- Through Israel’s disobedience, salvation came to the nations.
Paul states plainly: “Through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Rom 11:11). This echoes Deuteronomy 32:21, where God foretold: “I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation.“
2- Through mercy to the Gentiles, some Jews were brought back to faith.
Paul’s own ministry embodied this: “If by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them” (Rom 11:14). He describes the cycle of mercy: “As you [Gentiles] were once disobedient… but have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also… through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy” (Rom 11:30–31). We see this in action in Acts 13:44–48. When many Jews rejected the gospel, Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles, and the Gentiles rejoiced. The mercy extended to the nations became a living witness for Israel.
3- The covenant promise to Abraham is fulfilled in this process.
As Paul wrote elsewhere: “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand” (Gal 3:8). And: “…that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we [Jew and Gentile together] might receive the promise of the Spirit” (Gal 3:14).
4- The dividing distinction was broken down.
In Ephesians 2:11–16, Paul shows that mercy to the Gentiles was not just for their sake, but to make “one new man from the two, thus making peace.“
This is the great mystery: Israel’s fall lead to Gentile mercy, thus provoking some Jews to return, both together forming the one Israel of God in Christ.
“All Israel Will Be Saved” (Romans 11:26)
“All Israel” can no longer hold the “ethnic Jew” meaning after Paul intentionally redefined it in Romans 9, but it should be seen contextually as the fullness of God’s covenant people, Jews and Gentiles united in Christ, “the faithful remnant” described in that same passage.
Paul’s citation of Isaiah in Romans 11:26 is not about a future redeemer for ethnic Israel; it is a declaration that Deliverance has already come in Christ, turning away ungodliness and securing the covenant salvation of the whole Israel of God, the heirs according to the promise!
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.” (Isaiah 27:9)
Pressing the futurist view
Two questions now cause the futurist reading to be refuted by Paul’s logic:
Who are Gentiles?
If Gentiles are grafted into the covenant tree of Israel, then the old categories are gone. In Christ, there is “neither Jew nor Greek” (Gal 3:28). So how can Romans 11 be teaching a return to an old distinction that Paul says has been abolished?
What of the modern state of Israel?
Paul is not speaking about twentieth-century geopolitics. The “Israel” of Romans 11 is not a modern nation-state, but the covenant people of God defined by Christ. To import the modern state into Paul’s argument is to ignore his own covenantal categories.
The Covenant Transition and AD 70
Paul’s generation stood on the edge of redemptive history. Israel’s hardening was real but temporary, lasting “until the fullness of the Gentiles came in.” That fullness was reached as the gospel spread throughout the Roman world, bringing Jew and Gentile together into one body.
"…if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister." (Colossians 1:23, NKJV)
The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 was not a random event, it was the visible sign that the Old Covenant had passed away. This event glued Paul’s entire argument together: it vindicated the gospel, confirmed that true Israel is defined in Christ, and consolidated the covenant transition once and for all, exactly as Christ prophesied. From that point on, the identity of God’s people could no longer be confused with national Israel, but only with the body of Christ.
Conclusion: The Faithfulness of God
Romans 11 is not about God defaulting back to national Israel at the end of history. It is about God’s mysterious plan to bring salvation to the nations through Israel’s stumbling, and then to bring some of Israel back through mercy shown to those nations.
The great mystery Paul celebrates is the unveiling of one olive tree, one covenant family, one Israel of God. The promises have not failed. They have been fulfilled in Christ, and the true Israel, Jew and Gentile alike, will never be cast off.
