The Meaning of Romans 11:15 Explained

Romans 11:15

KJV: For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

YLT: for if the casting away of them is a reconciliation of the world, what the reception -- if not life out of the dead?

Darby: For if their casting away be the world's reconciliation, what their reception but life from among the dead?

ASV: For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what'shall the receiving of them be , but life from the dead?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  if  the casting away  of them  [be] the reconciling  of the world,  what  [shall] the receiving  [of them be], but  life  from  the dead? 

What does Romans 11:15 Mean?

Study Notes

world kosmos = mankind.
.
world
The Greek word kosmos means "order," "arrangement," and so, with the Greeks, "beauty"; for order and arrangement in the sense of system are at the bottom of the Greek conception of beauty.
When used in the N.T. of humanity, the "world" of men, it is organized humanity-- humanity in families, tribes, nations--which is meant. The word for chaotic, unorganized humanity--the mere mass of man is thalassa, the "sea" of men (e.g.) Revelation 13:1 (See Scofield " Revelation 13:8 ") . For "world" (kosmos) in the bad ethical sense, "world system" John 7:7 .

Verse Meaning

When Israel returns to God and He accepts her, the results for all humankind will be comparable to life from the dead (cf. Ezekiel 37). God"s blessings on humanity now will pale by comparison with what the world will experience then (i.e, during the Millennium).

Context Summary

Romans 11:13-24 - Others Grafted In By Faith
Paul never abandoned the hope that ultimately Israel would come back to God in Christ. He believed that God's promises pointed in that direction, and that, though centuries might pass, those sure guarantees would be abundantly fulfilled. Notice his expressions: how much more their fullness, Romans 11:12; what shall the receiving of them be, but from the dead? Romans 11:15; God is able to graft them in again, Romans 11:23; all Israel shall be saved, Romans 11:26; that He might have mercy upon all, Romans 11:32. He realized, however, that Israel must temporarily make way for the ingathering of the Church, in which there is neither Jew nor Greek; and that when the Church has been formed and gathered to its Lord, then the time for the ingathering of the Jewish people will have arrived.
Let us see to it that we Gentiles understand our position as being permitted to partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree, Romans 11:17. Christ was the root of that tree, and it is from His rich nature that all the freshness and fatness, all the quickening and energy, all the love and grace of the Hebrew Scriptures and heritage of promises were gained. Whatever Israel had, we may have. Let us go up and possess the land! [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 11

1  God has not cast off all Israel
7  Some were elected, though the rest were hardened
16  There is hope of their conversion
18  The Gentiles may not exult over them;
26  for there is a promise of their salvation
33  God's judgments are unsearchable

Greek Commentary for Romans 11:15

The casting away of them [η αποβολη αυτων]
Objective genitive (αυτων — autōn) with αποβολη — apobolē old word from αποβαλλω — apoballō to throw off (Mark 10:50), in N.T. only here and Acts 27:22. [source]
The reconciling of the world [καταλλαγη κοσμου]
See note on Romans 5:10. for καταλλαγη — katallagē (reconciling). It explains Romans 11:12. The receiving (η προσλημπσις — hē proslēmpsis). Old word from προσλαμβανω — proslambanō to take to oneself, only here in N.T. Life from the dead Already the conversion of Jews had become so difficult. It is like a miracle of grace today, though it does happen. Many think that Paul means that the general resurrection and the end will come when the Jews are converted. Possibly so, but it is by no means certain. His language may be merely figurative. [source]
The receiving [η προσλημπσις]
Old word from προσλαμβανω — proslambanō to take to oneself, only here in N.T. [source]
Life from the dead [ζωη εκ νεκρων]
Already the conversion of Jews had become so difficult. It is like a miracle of grace today, though it does happen. Many think that Paul means that the general resurrection and the end will come when the Jews are converted. Possibly so, but it is by no means certain. His language may be merely figurative. [source]
The casting away [ἡ ἀποβολὴ]
In contrast with receiving. Only here and Acts 27:22, where it means loss. Here exclusion from God's people. [source]
Reconciling of the world [καταλλαγὴ κόσμου]
See on Romans 5:10, Romans 5:11. Defining the phrase riches of the world in Romans 11:12. [source]
Life from the dead []
The exact meaning cannot be determined. Some refer it to the resurrection to follow the conversion of Israel, including the new life which the resurrection will inaugurate. Others, a new spiritual life. Others combine the two views. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 11:15

Acts 27:22 No loss of life [αποβολη πσυχης ουδεμια]
Old word from αποβαλλω — apoballō to throw away, only twice in N.T. Romans 11:15 (rejection) and here. He had foretold such loss of life as likely (Acts 27:10), but he now gives his reason for his changed view. [source]
2 Corinthians 5:18 Who reconciled us to himself through Christ [του καταλλαχαντος ημας εαυτωι δια Χριστου]
Here Paul uses one of his great doctrinal words, καταλλασσω — katallassō old word for exchanging coins. Διαλλασσω — Diallassō to change one‘s mind, to reconcile, occurs in N.T. only in Matthew 5:24 though in papyri (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 187), and common in Attic. Καταλλασσω — Katallassō is old verb, but more frequent in later writers. We find συναλλασσω — sunallassō in Acts 7:26 and αποκαταλλασσω — apokatallassō in Colossians 1:20.; Ephesians 2:16 and the substantive καταλλαγη — katallagē in Romans 5:11; Romans 11:15 as well as here. It is hard to discuss this great theme without apparent contradiction. God‘s love (John 3:16) provided the means and basis for man‘s reconciliation to God against whom he had sinned. It is all God‘s plan because of his love, but God‘s own sense of justice had to be satisfied (Romans 3:26) and so God gave his Son as a propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:25; Colossians 1:20; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10). The point made by Paul here is that God needs no reconciliation, but is engaged in the great business of reconciling us to himself. This has to be done on God‘s terms and is made possible through (δια — dia) Christ. [source]
1 Timothy 4:4 Refused [ἀπὸβλητον]
Lit. thrown away. N.T.oIn ecclesiastical writings, excommunicated. On the whole verse, comp. Acts href="/desk/?q=ac+10:15&sr=1">Acts 10:15; Romans 11:15; 1 Corinthians 10:25, 1 Corinthians 10:26, 1 Corinthians 10:30, 1 Corinthians 10:31. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 11:15 mean?

If for the rejection of them [is the] reconciliation of [the] world what [will be] acceptance not life out from [the] dead
εἰ γὰρ ἀποβολὴ αὐτῶν καταλλαγὴ κόσμου τίς πρόσλημψις μὴ ζωὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν

ἀποβολὴ  rejection 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀποβολή  
Sense: rejection, repudiation.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
καταλλαγὴ  [is  the]  reconciliation 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: καταλλαγή  
Sense: exchange.
κόσμου  of  [the]  world 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κόσμος  
Sense: an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.
τίς  what  [will  be] 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
πρόσλημψις  acceptance 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: πρόσλημψις 
Sense: a receiving: into the kingdom of God.
ζωὴ  life 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ζωή  
Sense: life.
ἐκ  out  from 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
νεκρῶν  [the]  dead 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: νεκρός  
Sense: properly.