Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 11:2

"God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or know ye not what the scripture saith of Elijah? how he pleadeth with God against Israel:" — Romans 11:2 (ASV)

God has not cast away. This is an explicit denial of the objection.

Which he foreknew. The word foreknew is expressive not merely of foreseeing a thing, but implies in this place a previous purpose or plan.

The meaning of the passage is simply, God has not cast off those whom he had previously purposed or designed to be his people. It is the declaration of a great principle of divine government that God is not changeable, and that he would not reject those whom he had purposed should be his people.

Though the mass of the nation, therefore, should be cast off, it would not follow that God had violated any promise or compact, or that he had rejected any whom he had foreknown as his true people.

God makes no covenant of salvation with those who are in their sins. If the unbelieving and the wicked—however many external privileges they may have enjoyed—are rejected, it does not follow that he has been unfaithful to one whom he had foreknown or designated as an heir of salvation.

It follows from this, also, that it is one principle of the divine government that God will not reject those who are foreknown or designated as his friends. It is a part of the plan, therefore, that those who are truly renewed shall persevere and obtain eternal life.

Wot ye not? That is, do you not know?

What the Scripture says. The passage quoted here is found in 1 Kings 19:10–18.

Of Elias. That is, of Elijah. The Greek is, "In Elijah" (en hlia). This does not mean that it was said about Elijah, or concerning him. Instead, the reference is to the usual manner of quoting the Scriptures among the Jews.

The division into chapters and verses was unknown to them (see the Introduction to the Notes on Matthew). Hence, the Old Testament was divided into portions designated by subjects. Thus, in Luke 20:37 and Mark 12:26, At the bush means the passage that contains the account of the burning bush.

Here it means in that passage or portion of Scripture which gives an account of Elijah.

He makes intercession to God against Israel. The word translated makes intercession (entugchanei) properly means to come to the aid of anyone, to transact the business of anyone, or especially to discharge the office of an advocate or plead one's cause in a court of justice. In a similar sense, it is applied to Christ in His office of making intercession for us in heaven (Hebrews 7:25; Isaiah 53:12).

In the English language, the word is constantly used in a good sense, to plead for someone, never to plead against someone. However, the Greek word can imply either.

It expresses the office of one who manages the business of another—hence, one who manages the business of the state against a criminal. When followed by the preposition "for," it means to intercede or plead for a person; when followed by "against" (kata), it means to accuse or arraign.

This is its meaning here. He accuses or arraigns the nation of the Jews before God; he charges them with a crime, and the crime is specified immediately.