Romans 11:35
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
“Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him--"and shall have recompense made to him" again--see Job 35:7; Job 41:11. These questions, it will thus be seen, are just quotations from the Old Testament, as if to show how familiar to God's ancient people was the great truth which the apostle himself had just uttered, that God's plans and methods in the dispensation of His Grace have a reach of comprehension and wisdom stamped upon them which finite mortals cannot fathom, much less could ever have imagined, before they were disclosed.
Open source ↗The apostle, having reconciled that great truth of the rejection of the Jews with the promise made unto the fathers, is, in this chapter, further labouring to mollify the harshness of it, and to reconcile it to the divine goodness in general. It might be said, "Hath God then cast away his people?" The apostles therefore sets himself, in this chapter, to make a reply to this objection, and that two ways: - I. He shows at large what the mercy is that is mixed with this wrath (v. 1-32). II. He infers thence the infinite wisdom and sovereignty of God, with the adoration of which he concludes this chapter and subject (Rom 11:33-36).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
If you are righteous, what do you give Him, or what does He receive from your hand?
For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’