the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Christian Standard Bible ®
Romans 11:33
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There is nothing better than God's riches and his wisdom. There ain't no way we can ever truly understand his ways or his reasonings.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
O how deep is the wealth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! no one is able to make discovery of his decisions, and his ways may not be searched out.
O depth of riches both of [the] wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways!
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
O the depth of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
Oh, how inexhaustible are God's resources and God's wisdom and God's knowledge! How impossible it is to search into His decrees or trace His footsteps!
O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out!
O the depth of the riches and of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
O the depenesse of the riches, both of the wyssdome and knowlege of God? How incomprehensible are his iudgmentes, and his wayes vnsearcheable?
O the depth of the divine goodness, wisdom, and contrivance! how impenetrable are his decrees, and his ways past finding out!
Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways!
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past findyng out.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
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!
O depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Yes, God's riches are very great, and his wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain the things God decides or understand his ways.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?
O the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments! How unsearchable are his ways!
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
O the deepenesse of the riches, both of the wisdome, and knowledge of God! howe vnsearcheable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out!
O the depth of the riches, the wisdom, and the knowledge of God! for no man has searched his judgment, and his ways are inscrutable.
Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
O how deep are God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge! How impossible to explain his judgments or to understand his ways!Job 1:11:7; Psalm 36:6; 92:5;">[xr]
O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of Aloha, whose judgments man searcheth not, and whose ways are inscrutable !
O the depth of the riches, and the wisdom, and the knowledge of God ! For man hath not searched out his judgments; and his ways are inscrutable.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
God's riches are so great! The things He knows and His wisdom are so deep! No one can understand His thoughts. No one can understand His ways.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Oh! the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments! and untraceable his ways!
O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!
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!
Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how incomprehensible are his ways!
O the deepenesse of the ryches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God, howe vnsearcheable are his iudgementes, and his wayes past fyndyng out?
Yes, God's riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand his ways.
Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
How great are God's riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways?
O! the heiynesse of the ritchessis of the wisdom and of the kunnyng of God; hou incomprehensible ben hise domes, and hise weies ben vnserchable.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the depth: Psalms 107:8-43, Proverbs 25:3, Ephesians 3:18
riches: Romans 2:4, Romans 9:23, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:7, Ephesians 3:8, Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 3:16, Colossians 1:27, Colossians 2:2, Colossians 2:3
how: Job 5:9, Job 9:10, Job 11:7-9, Job 26:14, Job 33:13, Job 37:19, Job 37:23, Psalms 36:6, Psalms 40:5, Psalms 77:19, Psalms 92:5, Psalms 97:2, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Daniel 4:35
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 29:29 - secret Judges 20:25 - destroyed 2 Kings 23:29 - slew him 1 Chronicles 16:12 - the judgments 1 Chronicles 17:4 - tell Esther 2:22 - and Esther certified Esther 6:1 - that night Job 4:17 - Shall mortal Job 9:4 - wise in heart Job 10:13 - hid Job 17:8 - astonied Job 21:5 - lay your Job 23:14 - many such Job 28:7 - a path Job 28:14 - General Job 28:23 - General Job 37:5 - great Psalms 73:16 - When Psalms 104:24 - in wisdom Psalms 106:2 - utter Psalms 131:1 - high for me Psalms 139:6 - knowledge Psalms 145:3 - and his greatness is unsearchable Psalms 147:5 - his understanding is infinite Proverbs 8:12 - I wisdom Proverbs 8:14 - Counsel Proverbs 25:2 - the glory Proverbs 30:3 - nor Ecclesiastes 5:8 - matter Ecclesiastes 7:24 - General Ecclesiastes 8:17 - that a man Ecclesiastes 11:5 - even Isaiah 19:12 - let them Isaiah 28:29 - cometh Isaiah 40:28 - no searching Isaiah 45:15 - a God Isaiah 46:10 - My counsel Jeremiah 32:19 - Great Jeremiah 32:25 - for Jeremiah 51:15 - by his wisdom Ezekiel 1:16 - a wheel Ezekiel 10:10 - General Micah 4:12 - they know Matthew 11:26 - for Acts 2:23 - being Romans 8:39 - depth Romans 11:12 - the world Romans 16:27 - only 1 Corinthians 1:21 - in 1 Corinthians 1:25 - the foolishness 1 Corinthians 2:10 - the deep 1 Corinthians 2:11 - even Ephesians 1:8 - in Philippians 4:19 - according Revelation 15:8 - no
Gill's Notes on the Bible
O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God,.... These words are the epilogue, or conclusion of the doctrinal part of this epistle, and relate to what is said throughout the whole of it hitherto; particularly to the doctrines of salvation by Christ, justification by his righteousness, predestination, the calling of the Gentiles, the rejection of the Jews, and their restoration in the latter day; upon the whole of which, the apostle breaks forth into this pathetic exclamation; the design of which is to show, how much of the wisdom and knowledge of God is displayed in these doctrines, and how small a part of it is known by the best of men, and therefore ought not to be cavilled at and objected to, because of some difficulties attending them, but to be received upon the testimony of divine revelation: and if there was a depth in these things unsearchable and past finding out by so great a man as the apostle, who had by revelation such knowledge in the mysteries of grace, and who had been caught up into the third heaven, and heard things unutterable, how much less is it to be fathomed by others, and therefore should be silent: by "the wisdom and knowledge of God", one and the same thing is meant; and design not so much the perfections of the divine nature, which are infinite and unsearchable, the understanding of which is too high for creatures, and not be attained to by them; nor the display of them in the works of creation and providence, in which there are most glorious and amazing instances; but rather the effects of them, the counsels and decrees of God; which are so wisely formed and laid, as not to fail of their accomplishment, or to be frustrated of their end; and the doctrines of grace relating to them, in which are treasures, riches, that is, an abundance of wisdom and knowledge; and a depth, not to be reached to the bottom of, in this imperfect state, and in which the knowledge and wisdom of God are wonderfully displayed: thus in the doctrine of redemption and salvation by Christ, wherein God has abounded in all wisdom and prudence; in the person fixed upon to be the Saviour, his own Son; who by the assumption of human nature, being God and man in one person, was very fit and proper to be a Mediator between God and man, to transact the affair of salvation; was every way qualified for it, and able to do it: so likewise in the manner in which it is accomplished, being done in a way which glorifies all the divine perfections; in which the rights of God's justice and the honour of his holiness are secured, as well as his love, grace, and mercy, displayed; in which Satan is most mortified, sin condemned, and the sinner saved; and also in the persons, the subjects of it, ungodly sinners, enemies, the chief of sinners, whereby the grace of God is the more illustrated, and all boasting in the creature excluded. The wisdom of God manifestly appears, in the doctrine of a sinner's justification; which though it proceeds from grace, yet upon the foot of redemption and satisfaction, in a way of strict justice; so that God is just, whilst he is the justifier; it is of persons ungodly, and without a righteousness in themselves, and yet by a perfect and complete righteousness, answerable to all the demands of law and justice; and the grace of faith is wisely made the recipient of this blessing, that it might appear to be of free grace, and not of works, and that the justified ones might have solid peace, joy, and comfort, from it. The doctrine of predestination is full of the wisdom and knowledge of God; his choice of some to everlasting life in his Son, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, for the glorifying of his grace and mercy, in a way of righteousness; and his passing by others, leaving them to themselves, and in their sins, justly to perish for them, for the glorifying of his justice, are acts of the highest wisdom, and done according to the counsel of his will. The account just given of the call of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews, is an astonishing scheme of infinite wisdom; that, on the one hand salvation should come to the Gentiles, through the fall of the Jews, and they should obtain mercy through their unbelief; and on the other hand that the restoration of the Jews should be as life from the dead to the Gentiles; and the Jews, through their mercy, obtain mercy; and that both, in their turns, should be shut up in unbelief by God, that he might have mercy on them all, "O the depth", c. To which is added,
how unsearchable are his judgments! which are not to be understood of his awful judgments on wicked men in particular, nor of the administrations of his providence in general though these are a great deep, and in many instances are unsearchable, and cannot be counted for in the present state, but will hereafter be made manifest; nor of the commands of God, sometimes called his judgments, which are all plain, and may be easily searched out in his word; but rather of the counsels and purposes of God, and the doctrines of grace relating thereunto; which are the deep things of God, and are only searched out by the Spirit of God, who reveals them to us:
and his ways past finding out! not the methods and course of his providence, though his way in this respect is often in the deep, his footsteps are not to be known, discerned, and traced, by finite creatures; but rather the goings forth and steps of his wisdom from everlasting, in his purposes and decrees, council and covenant, which are higher than the ways of men, even as the heavens are higher than the earth; and which are all mercy and truth to his chosen people, and strict justice to others, and not to be found out by any; particularly his ways and methods, and dealings, with both Jews and Gentiles; that he should for so many hundred years leave the Gentiles in blindness and unbelief; and now for as many years his favourite people the Jews in the same, and yet gather in his elect out of them both; these are things out of our reach and comprehension.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
O the depth ... - This passage should have been translated “O the depth of the riches, and of the wisdom, and of the knowledge of God.” The apostle has three subjects of admiration. Our translation, by the word “both” introduced here, confines it to two. The apostle wishes to express his admiration of the riches and the wisdom, and the knowledge of God. So the Syriac, Arabic, etc. Our translation has followed the Latin Vulgate. The word “depth” is applied in the Scriptures to anything vast and incomprehensible. As the abyss or the ocean is unfathomable, so the word comes to denote what words cannot express, or what we cannot comprehend; Psalms 36:6, “Thy judgments are a great deep;” 1 Corinthians 2:10,” The Spirit searcheth ...the deep things of God;” Revelation 2:24, “The depths of Satan” - the deep, profound, cunning, and wicked plans of Satan.
Riches - See the note at Romans 11:12. The word denotes the abundant blessings and mercies which had been conferred on sinful people by the gospel. These were vast and wonderful. The pardon of sin; the atonement; the hope of heaven; the peace of the gospel; all bestowed on the sinful, the poor, the wretched, and the dying; all bespeak the great mercy and rich grace of God. So every pardoned sinner may still exclaim. The grace of God which pardons him is felt to be indeed wonderful, and past comprehension. It is beyond the power of language to express; and all that the Christian can do, is to follow the example of the apostle, and sit down in profound admiration of the rich grace of God. The expression “the depth of the riches” is a Hebraism, meaning the deep or profound riches.
The wisdom - Wisdom is the choice of the best means to accomplish the best ends. The end or design which God had in view was to bestow mercy on all; i. e., to save people by grace, and not by their own works; Romans 11:32. He intended to establish a glorious system that should present his mercy as the prominent attribute, standing out in living colors in all the scheme of salvation. This was to be alike shown in relation to Jews and Gentiles. The wonderful wisdom with which this was done, is the object of the apostle’s profound admiration. This wisdom was seen,
(1) In adapting the plan to the condition of man. All were sinners. The apostle in this Epistle has fully shown that all had come short of the glory of God. Man had no power to save himself by his own wisdom. The Jews and Gentiles in different ways had sought to justify themselves, and had both failed God had suffered both to make the experiment in the most favorable circumstances. He had left the world for four thousand years to make the trial, and then introduced the plan of divine wisdom, just so as to meet the manifest wants and woes of people.
(2) This was shown in his making the Jews the occasion of spreading the system among the Gentiles. They were cast off, and rejected; but the God of wisdom had made even this an occasion of spreading his truth.
(3) The same wisdom was yet to be seen in his appointing the Gentiles to carry the gospel back to the Jews. Thus, they were to be mutual aids; until all their interests should be blended, and the entire race should be united in the love of the same gospel, and the service of the same God and Saviour. When, therefore, this profound and wonderful plan is contemplated, and its history traced from the commencement to the end of time, no wonder that the apostle was fixed in admiration at the amazing wisdom of him who devised it, and who has made all events subservient to its establishment and spread among people.
And knowledge - That is, foreknowledge, or omniscience. This knowledge was manifest,
- In the profound view of man, and acquaintance with all his wants and woes.
(2)In a view of the precise scheme that would be suited to recover and save.
(3)In a view of the time and circumstances in which it would be best to introduce the scheme.
(4)In a discernment of the effect of the rejection of the Jews, and of the preaching of the gospel among the Gentiles.
Who but God could see that such effects would follow the rejection of the Jews? Who but he could know that the gospel should yet prevail among all the nations? We have only to think of the changes in human affairs; the obstacles to the gospel; the difficulties to be surmounted; and the vast work yet to be done, to be amazed at the knowledge which can adapt such a scheme to people, and which can certainly predict its complete and final spread among all the families of man.
How unsearchable - The word “unsearchable” means what cannot be investigated or fully understood.
His judgments - This word in this place evidently means his arrangement, his plan, or proceeding. It sometimes refers to laws; at other times to the decision or determination of God; at others to the inflictions of his justice. In this last sense it is now commonly used. But in the case before us, it means his arrangements for conferring the gospel on people compare Psalms 36:7,” His judgments are a great deep.”
His ways - The word rendered “ways” properly denotes a path, or road on which one travels. Hence, it comes also to denote the course or manner of life in which one moves; or his principles, or morals; his doctrine, or teaching, etc. Applied to God, it denotes his mode or manner of doing things; the order, etc. of his divine Providence; his movements, in his great plans, through the universe; Acts 13:10, “Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” to oppose, or to render vain, his plan of guiding and saving man; Hebrews 3:10,” They have not known my ways;” Psalms 77:19, “Thy way is in the sea, thy footsteps are not known.” Here it refers particularly to his way or plan of bringing all nations within the reach of his mercy in the gospel.
Past finding out - Literally, which cannot be tracked or traced out. The footsteps cannot be followed. As if his path were in the sea Psalms 77:19, and the waves closed immediately, leaving no track, it cannot be followed or sought out. It is known that he has passed, but there is no way of tracing his goings. This is a beautiful and striking figure. It denotes that God’s plans are deep, and beyond our comprehension. We can see the proofs that he is everywhere; but how it is, we cannot comprehend. We are permitted to see the vast movements around us; but the invisible hand we cannot see, nor trace the footsteps of that mighty God who performs his wonders on the ocean and on the land,
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! — This is a very proper conclusion of the whole preceding discourse. Wisdom may here refer to the designs of God; knowledge, to the means which he employs to accomplish these designs. The designs are the offspring of infinite wisdom, and therefore they are all right; the means are the most proper, as being the choice of an infinite knowledge that cannot err; we may safely credit the goodness of the design, founded in infinite wisdom; we may rely on the due accomplishment of the end, because the means are chosen and applied by infinite knowledge and skill.
