King James Version

What Does Romans 11:32 Mean?

“For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. concluded: or, shut them all up together”

Context

For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: believed: or, obeyed

Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. believed: or, obeyed

For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. concluded: or, shut them all up together

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(32) Unhappy as the fate of the world might seem, first the Gentiles and then the Jews being consigned to a state of disobedience, this has really had a merciful object in the end. It will lead to a happy and complete reunion, “one flock under one shepherd.” **For God hath concluded them all in unbelief.**—A weighty sentence embracing the whole course of human history, and summing up the divine philosophy of the whole matter. We might almost take these profound words of St. Paul as a motto for the theological side of the theory of evolution. Severe and rigorous as that doctrine may seem, its goal is *perfection,* the absolute harmony of all things working in accordance with the divine will. And if an objection is taken on the ground of the waste of individual life, this may be subject to we know not what beneficent rectifications in a sphere removed from that of the senses. We are able to see only a “part of God’s ways,” and the drift and tendency of visible things makes it not difficult for us to believe that “all things work together for good,” even where the process by which they do so is not to be traced by the human eye.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Romans. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Romans 11:32 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.