For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, (lest you should be wise in your own conceits), that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in.

“"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise your own conceits." Meaning by mystery here, that which is unknown and unutterable, and hath much of wonder and much of what one should not expect about it. As in another passage too he says, "Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." What then is the mystery? "That blindness in part hath happened unto Israel." Here again he levels a blow at the Jew, while seeming to take down the Gentile. But his meaning is nearly this, and he had said it before, that the unbelief is not universal, but only "in part." As when he says, "But if any hath caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part": And so here too he says what he had said above, "God hath not cast off His people whom He foreknew": and again, "What then? Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid": This then he says here also; that it is not the whole people that is pulled up, but many have already believed, and more are likely to believe.”

“After the Apostle has led the Gentiles into the knowledge of the divine judgments, in which the divine goodness and severity are manifested, here, as though these were not yet sufficient for them to consider what has been said, he sets forth what seems to him concerning these matters. And first he proposes the fact; second he proves it, at the place as it is written, etc.; third he assigns the reason, at the place for if, etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First he proposes his intention, saying: therefore I have led you to consider the goodness and severity of God, for I do not want you, brothers, to be ignorant of this mystery — for you cannot grasp all mysteries. For this belongs to the perfect, to whom the Lord says, Luke 8:10: to you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. Wisdom 6:24: I will not hide the mysteries of God from you. But ignorance of this mystery would be harmful to you. 1 Corinthians 14:38: if anyone is ignorant, he will be ignored. Second he assigns the reason for his intention, that you may not be wise in your own conceit, that is, that you should not presume upon your own judgment, and, condemning others out of your own judgment, prefer yourselves to them. Below, chapter 12:16: do not be wise in your own estimation. Isaiah 5:21: woe to you who are wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own sight. Third he proposes what he intends. First indeed as to the case of particular Jews, when he says that blindness has happened in Israel — not universally, but in part, as has been shown above. Isaiah 6:10: blind the heart of this people. Second he sets down the limit of this blindness, saying until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in — to the faith — that is, not only some particular ones from among the Gentiles, as were being converted then, but, either wholly or for the greater part, the Church would be founded among all the Gentiles. Psalm 23:1: the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. Now the Gentiles converted to the faith are said to come in, as it were passing from the exterior and visible things which they used to venerate, into what is spiritual and into the divine will. Psalm 99:2: come in before his sight in exultation. And it is to be noted that this adverb until can designate the cause of the blinding of the Jews — for on account of this God permitted them to be blinded, that the fullness of the Gentiles might come in, as is clear from what has been said above. It can also designate a limit, namely that the blindness of the Jews will last only until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in to the faith. And with this agrees what he adds below concerning the future remedy of the Jews, when he says and then — namely when the fullness of the Gentiles shall have come in — all Israel will be saved, not particularly as now, but universally, all of them. Hosea 1:7: I will save them in the Lord their God. Micah, last chapter: he will turn again, and have mercy on us. Then, when he says as it is written, etc., he proves what he had said about the future salvation of the Jews. And first he proves this by authority; second by reason, at the place according to my Gospel, etc. He says therefore first: I say that all Israel will be saved, as it is written in Isaiah 56:20 — though our text has it thus: there shall come out of Zion a redeemer, and to them that return to Jacob, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord. But the Apostle brings this in according to the Septuagint text, and he touches on three things stated here. First the coming of the Savior, when he says he shall come — namely God made man, to save us — out of Zion, that is, out of the people of the Jews, who are signified by Zion, which was the citadel of Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judea. Hence it is said in Zechariah 9:9: rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your king comes to you, etc. John 4:22: salvation is from the Jews. Or he says that he comes out of Zion, not because he was born there, but because from there his teaching went out into the whole world, through the fact that the apostles received the Holy Spirit in the upper room of Zion. Isaiah 2:3: out of Zion shall the law go forth. Second he sets down the salvation offered to the Jews through Christ, saying who shall deliver, and turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And deliverance can be referred to liberation from punishment. Psalm 114:8: he shall deliver my soul from death. But what he says he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob can be referred to liberation from guilt. Psalm 13:7: the Lord shall turn away the captivity of his people. Or both are referred to liberation from guilt, but he says who shall deliver on account of the few, who now are converted with difficulty, as it were by a certain violence. Amos 3:12: as if a shepherd should snatch out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the children of Israel be snatched out. But he says he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, to show the ease of the conversion of the Jews at the end of the world. Micah, last chapter: who is a God like unto you, who takes away iniquity, and passes over the sin of the remnant of your inheritance? Third he shows the manner of the salvation, when he says and this shall be the covenant — namely the new one — to them from me, when I shall have taken away their sins. For the old covenant did not take away sins, because, as is said in Hebrews 10:4: it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sins should be taken away. And therefore, on account of the imperfection of the old covenant, a new covenant is promised to them. Jeremiah 31:31: I will make with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, a new covenant. This will indeed have efficacy for the remission of sin through the blood of Christ. Matthew 26:28: this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto the remission of sins. Micah, last chapter: he will put away our iniquities, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Then, when he says according to my Gospel, etc., he proves the proposition by reason. And first he brings forward the proof; second he removes an objection, at the place for the gifts. He says therefore first that their sins will be taken away, and that since they have sins, it is manifest that they are enemies of Christ. According to the Gospel indeed they are enemies — that is, as far as pertains to the teaching of the Gospel, which they attack — for your sake, that is, it redounds to your benefit, as has been said above. Hence it is said in Luke 19:27: but as for those my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring them here, and slay them before me. John 15:24: but now they have both seen, and hated both me and my Father. Or he says according to the Gospel to mean that their enmity pertains to the benefit of the Gospel, whose preaching, on the occasion of such enmity, is spread everywhere. Colossians 1:5-6: in the word of the truth of the Gospel, which has come to you, as also it is in the whole world, and it brings forth fruit and grows. But they are most dear to God on account of the fathers, and this according to election — namely because, on account of the grace of their fathers, he chose their seed. Deuteronomy 4:37: he loved your fathers, and chose their seed after them. This is not to be understood as though the merits shown by the fathers were the cause of the eternal election of the children, but because God from eternity freely chose both the fathers and the children, yet in this order, that the children should obtain salvation on account of the fathers — not as though the merits of the fathers sufficed for the salvation of the children, but he says this on account of a certain abundance of divine grace and mercy, which was shown to the fathers to such a degree that, on account of the promises made to them, even the children would be saved. Or according to election is to be understood as referring to those elect from that people, as has been said above, in whom election has taken effect. But if they are most dear to the Lord, it is reasonable that they should be saved by God, according to that saying, Isaiah 64:4: the eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what things you have prepared, etc. Then, when he says for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, he excludes an objection. For someone might object and say that the Jews, even if they were once most dear on account of the fathers, nevertheless the enmity which they exercise against the Gospel prevents them from being saved in the future. But the Apostle asserts that this is false, saying for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance — as if to say: that God grants something to some, or calls some, is without repentance, because God does not repent of this, according to that saying, 1 Kings 15:29: the triumpher in Israel will not spare, nor be moved to repentance. Psalm 109:5: the Lord has sworn, and he will not repent. But this seems false. For the Lord says, Genesis 6:6: it repents me that I have made man. And Jeremiah 18:9-10: I will speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build up and to plant it. If it does evil in my sight, I will repent of the good that I have spoken to do to it. But it must be said that just as the Lord is said to be angry, not because there is in him a disturbance of anger, but because he conducts himself after the manner of one who is angry as regards the effect of punishment, so also he is sometimes said to repent, not as though there were in him a change of repentance, but because he conducts himself after the manner of one repenting, in that he changes what he had done. But still it seems that the gifts and calling are not without repentance, because gifts divinely granted are frequently lost, according to that saying, Matthew 25:28: take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For the calling of God also sometimes seems to be changed, since it is written, Matthew 22:14: many are called, but few are chosen. But it must be said that gift here is taken for the promise, which is made according to God's foreknowledge or predestination. But calling here is taken for election, because, on account of the certainty of each, what God promises he already in a certain way gives; and those whom he has chosen, he already in a certain way calls. And yet this temporal gift of God and temporal calling is not made void through a change on God's part as though he were repenting, but through a change on man's part, who casts away the grace of God, according to that saying, Hebrews 12:15: looking diligently, lest any man be wanting to the grace of God. It can also be understood otherwise what is said here, so that we say that the gifts of God which are given in Baptism, and the calling by which the baptized person is called to grace, are without repentance on the part of the baptized man — which indeed is brought in here, lest anyone despair of the future salvation of the Jews on the ground that they do not seem to repent of their sin. But against what is said here is that Peter says, Acts 2:38: do penance, and be baptized every one of you. But it must be said that repentance is twofold: interior and exterior. Interior repentance indeed consists in contrition of heart, by which one grieves over past sins, and such repentance is required of the one to be baptized, because, as Augustine says in the book On Repentance: no one who has been constituted the arbiter of his own will can begin a new life unless he repents of the old life; otherwise he approaches Baptism deceitfully. Exterior repentance, however, consists in exterior satisfaction, which is not required of the baptized person, because through baptismal grace man is freed not only from guilt but also from all punishment through the power of the Passion of Christ, who made satisfaction for the sins of all, as has been said above at chapter 6:3: all we who have been baptized in Christ Jesus, have been baptized in his death. Hence it is said in Titus 3:5-6: by the laver of regeneration, and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he has poured out upon us abundantly. But since the keys of the Church and all the other sacraments operate by the power of the Passion of Christ, it seems that by the same reasoning all the other sacraments should free man from guilt and from all punishment. But it must be said that the Passion of Christ operates in Baptism after the manner of a certain generation, which requires that man wholly die to his former life, so that he may receive a new life. And therefore in Baptism the whole debt of punishment, which pertains to the oldness of the former life, is taken away. But in the other sacraments the power of the Passion of Christ operates after the manner of a healing, as in Penance. Now healing does not require that all the remnants of the infirmity be immediately taken away. And the same reasoning holds in the other sacraments. But since the confession of sins pertains to exterior repentance, it can be asked whether confession of sins is required of the baptized — and it seems that it is. For it is said, Matthew 3:6, that men were baptized by John, confessing their sins. But it must be said that the Baptism of John was a Baptism of repentance, because, namely, by receiving that Baptism, they professed in a certain way that they were going to undertake repentance for their sin, and therefore it was fitting that they should confess, so that repentance might be established for them according to the manner of their sin. But the Baptism of Christ is a Baptism of the remission of all sins, such that no satisfaction remains due from the baptized for past sins, on account of which there is no necessity of vocal confession. For confession is necessary for this purpose in the sacrament of Penance, that the priest, by the power of the keys, may fittingly absolve or bind the penitent. Then, when he says for as you also in times past, etc., he assigns the reason for the future salvation of the Jews after their unbelief. And first he sets down a likeness between the salvation of each people; second he shows the cause of this likeness, at the place for God has concluded, etc. He says therefore first: thus I say that all Israel will be saved, although they are now enemies. For as you also, Gentiles, in times past did not believe God. Ephesians 2:12: you were at that time without God in this world; but now you have obtained mercy — below, chapter 15:9: but that the Gentiles are to honor God for his mercy. Hosea 2:23: I will have mercy on her that has not obtained mercy. And this on account of their unbelief, which indeed was the occasion of your salvation, as has been said above. So also these, namely the Jews, now, that is, in the time of grace, have not believed, namely in Christ. John 8:43: why do you not believe me? And this is what he adds, unto your mercy, that is, unto the grace of Christ, through which you have obtained mercy. Titus 3:5: according to his mercy he saved us. Or, they did not believe, so that through this they might come into your mercy. Or, they did not believe, which turned occasionally unto your mercy, so that they also might at some time obtain mercy. Isaiah 14:1: the Lord will have mercy on Jacob. Then, when he says for God has concluded, etc., he assigns the reason for this likeness, namely that God willed that his mercy should have a place in all. And this is what he adds: for God has concluded — that is, he has permitted to be concluded — all, that is, the whole human race, both Jews and Gentiles, in unbelief, as though in a certain chain of error. Wisdom 17:7: they were all bound together with one chain of darkness. That he may have mercy on all — that is, that his mercy may have a place in every kind of man. Wisdom 11:24: you have mercy upon all, O Lord. This indeed is not to be extended to demons, according to the error of Origen, nor even to all men individually, but to all kinds of men. For here a distribution is made for the kinds taken as wholes, and not for the individuals of the kinds. Now the reason God wills all to be saved through his mercy is that from this they may be humbled, and may ascribe their salvation not to themselves, but to God. Hosea 13:9: your destruction is from yourself, O Israel; your help is only from me. Above, chapter 3:19: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become subject to God.”

“For I would not, brethren,.... The apostle in order to raise the attention of the Gentiles to what he was about to deliver to them, not only styles them "brethren", expressing his affection for them, and their relation to him and other believing Jews, and to one another, being all one in Christ Jesus, partakers of the same grace, and heirs of the same glory; but also tells them, that what he had to acquaint them with was a "mystery", a thing secret and hidden, which had not been heard of and known, at least not so fully and clearly as he was about to reveal it; and because of his great respect for them, he was unwilling, as he says, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery; he was desirous that they should abound and improve in all spiritual knowledge and judgment, and, among the rest, be better informed of this particular article, the call of the Jews: and his view in apprizing them of it is expressed in the following clause, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits: lest they should imagine that they were the only wise and knowing persons, and be elated in their minds with their knowledge and understanding, and look with contempt upon the poor, blind, ignorant Jews, as if they were always to remain in such a state of darkness and infidelity. The thing he had to inform them of is, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; by Israel is meant the Jews, the descendants of Jacob, whose name was Israel. Philo the Jew observes (b), that this name signifies , "the vision of God"; indeed, Jacob had it given him when he wrestled with the angel, and saw God face to face, though it does not seem to be for that reason; however, blindness had now befallen the Jews, who had been favoured with a divine revelation, with the knowledge of God, his will and worship; and none were more blind than those who were called the servants and messengers of the Lord of hosts, as the Scribes and Pharisees, the priests and princes of the Jewish world. This "blindness" designs their unbelief, the hardness of their hearts, and darkness of their understandings with respect to God himself, whom they knew not in Christ; not as the Father of Christ; nor even the perfections of his nature, particularly his righteousness; which was the reason of their setting up their own righteousness, and of their non-submission to the righteousness of Christ: they were blind as to the Messiah; they knew him not, when he came; they saw no beauty and comeliness in him; could not discern the characters of him in Jesus, though they were so manifest; and rejected him notwithstanding the clear evidence of his ministry and miracles. They were in the dark about the sense of the prophecies of the Old Testament; a vail was upon their hearts when they read them, so that they understood them not, and could not see their accomplishment in Christ; they were even ignorant of the law, the spiritual nature, true use, and right end and scope of it; and it is no wonder that the Gospel should be hidden from them. This blindness "happened" to them not by chance, but befell them by the decree, and according to the will of God, who hardens whom he pleases; and according to various predictions in the Old Testament, cited in Mat 13:14; and in righteous judgment, for since they liked not to retain God and his Christ in their knowledge, it was but just in God to give them up to reprobate minds, to judicial blindness, and hardness of heart: but then this blindness only happened to them "in part"; not that it was only in some measure or some degree, for it was total, they were darkness itself, and had no spiritual and evangelic light at all on whom it fell; but that this blindness was not general with respect to persons, there were some few, a seed, a remnant, that were delivered from it, though the far greater part of the nation were involved in it, and continue in it to this day; and will do, "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in": that is, till the whole number of God's elect among them, be called and brought into the Gospel church state, which in the latter day will be very great; when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ; and the abundance of the sea shall be converted, and the forces of the Gentiles shall come to the church, and multitudes of them shall flock thither, as doves to their windows: and since the blindness of the Jews is not yet removed, it seems plain that the full number of God's chosen ones among the Gentiles is not yet completed in regeneration; for as soon as ever they are all called and brought in, the vail will be taken away from the Jews, and they will be turned unto the Lord. (b) De Temulentia, p. 251. & De Sacrificiis Abel & Cain, p. 151.”

“I would not - that ye should be ignorant of this mystery - Mystery, μυστηριον, signifies any thing that is hidden or covered, or not fully made manifest. The Greek word seems to have been borrowed from the Hebrew מסתר mistar, from the root סתר sathar, to hide, conceal, etc.; though some derive it from μυεισθαι, to be initiated into sacred rites, from μυειν, to shut up. In the New Testament it signifies, generally, any thing or doctrine that has not, in former times, been fully known to men: or, something that has not been heard of, or which is so deep, profound, and difficult of comprehension, that it cannot be apprehended without special direction and instruction: here it signifies the doctrine of the future restoration of the Jews, not fully known in itself, and not at all known as to the time in which it will take place. In Rom 16:25 it means the Christian religion, not known till the advent of Christ. The apostle wished the Romans not to be ignorant of this mystery, viz. that such a thing was intended; and, in order to give them as much instruction as possible on this subject, he gives them some characteristic or sign of the times when it was to take place. Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits - It seems from this, and from other expressions in this epistle, that the converted Gentiles had not behaved toward the Jews with that decorum and propriety which the relation they bore to them required. In this chapter the apostle strongly guards them against giving way to such a disposition. Blindness in part is happened to Israel - Partial blindness, or blindness to a part of them; for they were not all unbelievers: several thousands of them had been converted to the Christian faith; though the body of the nation, and especially its rulers, civil and spiritual, continued opposed to Christ and his doctrine. Until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in - And this blindness will continue till the Church of the Gentiles be fully completed - till the Gospel be preached through all the nations of the earth, and multitudes of heathens every where embrace the faith. The words πληρωμα των εθνων may be borrowed from the מלא הגוים melo haggoyim, a multitude of nations, which the Septuagint translate by πληθος εθνων. By the πληρωμα, or fullness, a great multitude may be intended, which should be so dilated on every hand as to fill various regions. In this sense the words were understood by Solomon ben Melec, ארצות הגוים שימלאו מהם. The nations of the Gentiles shall be filled with them: the apostle, therefore, seems to give this sense of the mystery - that the Jews will continue in a state of blindness till such time as a multitude of nations, or Gentiles, shall be converted to the Christian faith; and the Jews, hearing of this, shall be excited, by a spirit of emulation, to examine and acknowledge the validity of the proofs of Christianity, and embrace the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should not restrict the meaning of these words too much, by imagining, 1. That the fullness must necessarily mean all the nations of the universe, and all the individuals of those nations: probably, no more than a general spread of Christianity over many nations which are now under the influence of Pagan or Mohammedan superstition may be what is intended. 2. We must not suppose that the coming in here mentioned necessarily means, what most religious persons understand by conversion, a thorough change of the whole heart and the whole life: the acknowledgment of the Divine mission of our Lord, and a cordial embracing of the Christian religion, will sufficiently fulfill the apostle's words. If we wait for the conversion of the Jews till such a time as every Gentile and Mohammedan soul shall be, in this especial sense, converted to God, then - we shall wait for ever.”

“I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, this hidden truth of God’s justice and mercy, that blindness in part hath happened in Israel, or to part of them, until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in, by the conversion of all nations: and then all Israel should be saved, when they shall submit to the faith of Christ: as it is written by the prophet Isaias, (lix. 20.) there shall come out of Sion he that shall deliver; that is, their Redeemer, Christ Jesus, who is indeed come already, but who shall then come to them by his powerful grace. This is my covenant with them. (Witham)”

“For I would not . . . that ye should be ignorant of this mystery--The word "mystery," so often used by our apostle, does not mean (as with us) something incomprehensible, but "something before kept secret, either wholly or for the most part, and now only fully disclosed" (compare Rom 16:25; Co1 2:7-10; Eph 1:9-10; Eph 3:3-6, Eph 3:9-10). lest ye should be wise in your own conceits--as if ye alone were in all time coming to be the family of God. that blindness--"hardness" in part is happened to--"hath come upon" Israel--that is, hath come partially, or upon a portion of Israel. until the fulness of the Gentiles be--"have" come in--that is, not the general conversion of the world to Christ, as many take it; for this would seem to contradict the latter part of this chapter, and throw the national recovery of Israel too far into the future: besides, in Rom 11:15, the apostle seems to speak of the receiving of Israel, not as following, but as contributing largely to bring about the general conversion of the world--but, "until the Gentiles have had their full time of the visible Church all to themselves while the Jews are out, which the Jews had till the Gentiles were brought in." (See Luk 21:24).”