111 I say, then, Did God cast away His people? let it not be! for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin: 2 God did not cast away His people whom He knew before; have ye not known—in Elijah—what the Writing saith? how he doth plead with God concerning Israel, saying, 3 'Lord, Thy prophets they did kill, and Thy altars they dug down, and I was left alone, and they seek my life;' 4 but what saith the divine answer to him? 'I left to Myself seven thousand men, who did not bow a knee to Baal.' 5 So then also in the present time a remnant according to the choice of grace there hath been; 6 and if by grace, no more of works, otherwise the grace becometh no more grace; and if of works, it is no more grace, otherwise the work is no more work. 7 What then? What Israel doth seek after, this it did not obtain, and the chosen did obtain, and the rest were hardened, 8 according as it hath been written, 'God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear,'—unto this very day, 9 and David saith, 'Let their table become for a snare, and for a trap, and for a stumbling-block, and for a recompense to them; 10 let their eyes be darkened—not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow down.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Romans 11:1-10
Commentary on Romans 11:1-10
(Read Romans 11:1-10)
There was a chosen remnant of believing Jews, who had righteousness and life by faith in Jesus Christ. These were kept according to the election of grace. If then this election was of grace, it could not be of works, either performed or foreseen. Every truly good disposition in a fallen creature must be the effect, therefore it cannot be the cause, of the grace of God bestowed on him. Salvation from the first to the last must be either of grace or of debt. These things are so directly contrary to each other that they cannot be blended together. God glorifies his grace by changing the hearts and tempers of the rebellious. How then should they wonder and praise him! The Jewish nation were as in a deep sleep, without knowledge of their danger, or concern about it; having no sense of their need of the Saviour, or of their being upon the borders of eternal ruin. David, having by the Spirit foretold the sufferings of Christ from his own people, the Jews, foretells the dreadful judgments of God upon them for it, Psalm 69. This teaches us how to understand other prayers of David against his enemies; they are prophecies of the judgments of God, not expressions of his own anger. Divine curses will work long; and we have our eyes darkened, if we are bowed down in worldly-mindedness.