Paul’s reasoning in his letter to the Romans in chapter 11 today seemed to us highly significant in its reference to God’s eventual mercy toward the Jews. Paul explains that a principle effect of the Jew’s failure to recognize their Messiah was that God’s message went out to non-Jews, that is, the Gentiles.  Paul describes the Jews as God’s Olive ...

Yesterday we saw how our readings in Romans also referred to Israel in Egypt and God’s continuing purpose with them.  Paul told the Romans, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth’” [9 v.17] ...