the Second Week after Easter
Click here to learn more!
Read the Bible
聖書日本語
ローマの信徒への手紙 11:34
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- DailyBible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Job 15:8, Job 36:22, Isaiah 40:13, Jeremiah 23:18, 1 Corinthians 2:16
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 29:29 - secret 1 Chronicles 17:4 - tell 2 Chronicles 32:3 - took counsel Job 9:12 - What Job 12:13 - counsel Job 21:22 - teach Job 28:14 - General Job 33:13 - giveth not account Job 34:13 - Who hath given Job 36:23 - Who hath Job 40:2 - he that reproveth Psalms 92:5 - thoughts Proverbs 8:14 - Counsel Proverbs 25:2 - the glory Isaiah 19:12 - let them Isaiah 40:28 - no searching Isaiah 45:15 - a God Isaiah 46:10 - My counsel Jeremiah 18:6 - General Jeremiah 32:19 - Great Jeremiah 32:25 - for Micah 4:12 - they know Luke 4:23 - do Acts 11:17 - as God Romans 16:27 - only 1 Corinthians 2:11 - even 1 Corinthians 13:9 - General Ephesians 1:11 - the counsel Revelation 5:3 - General
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For who hath known the mind of the Lord,.... The intentions of his mind, the thoughts of his heart, and the counsels of his will: these could never have been known, if he had not revealed them; nor can the doctrines relating to them, though externally revealed, be known by the natural man, or by the mere dint of nature, but only by the light of the Spirit of God; who searches them, and makes them known in a spiritual manner to spiritual men, who have a spiritual discerning of them; and yet even by these they are not known perfectly, only in part, and are seen through a glass darkly:
or who hath been his counsellor? or was of his council, when all things were fixed according to his sovereign will: when the scheme of man's salvation was consulted and agreed upon between the eternal Three, there was no creature, angel, or man there; no created angel, only the eternal One, "the Counsellor", Isaiah 9:6; or as the Septuagint there style him, αγγελος μεγαλης βουλης, "the angel of the great council"; none but Father, Son, and Spirit, were present, when the book of life was made, when the names of God's elect were put into it, and others left out; when all things relating to his chosen ones, both for time and eternity, whether among Jews or Gentiles, were determined, ordered, and settled; and as there was no creature that assisted, or could give any advice about these matters, so there were none that were privy to the resolutions, determinations, and counsels of his will; which were purposed in himself and in his Son, and were known only to them and his Spirit, which is in him: from the whole it appears, that predestination is not according to men's works, or the foresight of them; for then these things would be plain and easy, they would not be unsearchable and past finding out; there would not be an unfathomable depth in them; the mind and counsels of God, and the springs of them, would be obvious; but it is according to his secret, sovereign, and unchangeable will.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For who hath known? ... - This verse is a quotation, with a slight change, from Isaiah 40:13, “Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?” It is designed to express the infinite wisdom and knowledge of God, by affirming that no being could teach him, or counsel him. Earthly monarchs have counsellors of state, whom they may consult in times of perplexity or danger. But God has no such council. He sits alone; nor does he call in any or all of his creatures to advise him. All created beings are not qualified to contribute anything to enlighten or to direct him. It is also designed to silence all opposition to his plans, and to hush all murmurings. The apostle had proved that this was the plan of God. However mysterious and inscrutable it might appear to the Jew or the Gentile, yet it was his duty to submit to God, and to confide in his wisdom, though he was not able to trace the reason of his doings.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? — Who can pretend to penetrate the counsels of God, or fathom the reasons of his conduct? His designs and his counsels are like himself, infinite; and, consequently, inscrutable. It is strange that, with such a scripture as this before their eyes, men should sit down and coolly and positively write about counsels and decrees of God formed from all eternity, of which they speak with as much confidence and decision as if they had formed a part of the council of the Most High, and had been with him in the beginning of his ways! A certain writer, (Mr. Perkins,) after having entered into all these counsels, and drawn out his black-lined scheme of absolute and eternal reprobation, with all its causes and effects; and then his light-lined scheme of absolute and eternal ELECTION, with all its causes and effects, all deduced in the most regular and graduated order, link by link; concludes with Romans 11:33: 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! But this writer forgot that he had searched out God's judgments in the one case, and found out his ways in the other: and that he had given, as a proof of the success of his researches, a complete exhibition of the whole scheme! This conduct is worthy of more than mere reprehension; and yet he who differs from such opinions gives, in the apprehension of some, this proof of his being included in some of the links of the black list! We may rest with the conviction, that God is as merciful and good in all his ways, as he is wise and just. But as we cannot comprehend him, neither can we his operations, it is our place, who are the objects of his infinite mercy and kindness, to adore in silence, and to obey with alacrity and delight.