Audio commentary on this verse

Note 1 at Rom. 11:15: Paul had conclusively proven that the Jews did not have a monopoly on God. The Gentiles could now come directly to God without becoming Jews. He had also stated that the Jewish nation as a whole had rejected God because they denied the concept of a Savior. They had become their own savior (see note 3 at Rom. 9:32, p. 811).

This could leave some Jew wondering if the Jews had been forsaken by God. Paul answers this question in this chapter (see note 1 at Rom. 11:1, p. 817). There was still a remnant of Jews who were heirs through faith (Rom. 11:5).

In this passage of scripture, Paul draws a conclusion. "If the Jews rejection of Christ opened up salvation to the rest of the world, then what would happen when the Jews turned back to God? It will be resurrection from the dead!" Paul's statement that the return of the Jews to their God will be life from the dead could be an analogy. That is, Paul could be comparing the Jews return to God to the joy and blessing that would come from seeing a friend raised from the dead. Or Paul could be speaking literally that the time the Jews return to God will be at the end of the world and the return of Christ when the dead shall be raised.

In either case, Paul is stressing the facts that there will be a future spiritual restoration of Israel (see note 3 at Rom. 11:26, p. 822) and great blessing on the world as a result.