Rabbi’s Reflections – Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Shalom,
One In Messiah part 54 – Romans, part 165
Rom 11:25 For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be ignorant of this mystery—lest you be wise in your own eyes—that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Paul starts this verse by essentially saying, “Don’t miss this….” He would hate for us to be ignorant, especially of “this mystery.” Paul calls the “mystery” a “partial hardening.” There has got to be something to that. The Greek word translated as “hardening” is “Porosis.” The word is taken from a type of granite.
Rabbi Trail: In the study of Scripture there is the principle of first use. That is to say, every word get’s it’s meaning from the first time it is used. We are, therefore; prevented (in Bible study) from just inventing meanings for words. Meanings of words must be consistent as they are used throughout Scripture. The first time the Greek word “Porsis” is used (in the New Testament) is Mark 3, where it refers to Yeshua’s anger over the synagogue leaders’ “hardness of heart.” End RT.
So let’s break our subject verse down yet further. Some of Israel (partial) have had their hearts hardened toward faith in Yeshua for a purpose not yet revealed (not yet in this verse anyway). But the timing is revealed… “UNTIL.” Until what? Let’s save that for its own paragraph.
“Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” We know who “Gentiles” are, but what is their “fullness?” One possible translation of “fullness” is “completeness.” How might Gentiles enter in to their completeness? Remember, the context of this is the mystery of the hardness of heart of Israel UNTIL the completeness of the Gentiles has entered in.
You know, the preponderance of the leaders of Israel has never fully understood the mission, vision and value of Who Yeshua is. And the preponderance of the leaders of the Gentiles have never understood the mission, vision and value of Who Israel (the Jewish people) is/are. I’m making a proposition here. Maybe (you weigh the value of this) Jewish hearts will be hardened UNTIL Gentile hearts are complete, which includes their full understanding heartfelt acceptance of God’s purposes for Israel.
I venture to say that most scholars and commentators (and consequently most believers) have always thought of “fullness” as a number, but I believe (like most things with God) it is not a number issue, but a heart “thang.” While I put this in my own words, I must credit Don Finto for first opening my eyes to these truths. He has both written and spoken about all of this extensively.
This is the first RR (and I’ve written more than 2,000 of them) that doesn’t quote any Scriptures other than the subject verse. It is also one of my top 10 favorites, although I’m not sure which one has been supplanted. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Wed 6 Sep 2023 20th of Elul, 5783
De 30:15-31:6 Mic 5 2 Ch 16 Rev 2:1-17 (Ac 10)