Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! – verse 33 –Oh – used in exclamations expressing very strong emotions –Depth is used metaphorically of the riches of God’s wisdom and knowledge Depth also used in Job 11:7, 1 Cor. 2:10, –Riches possessed by God and exercised toward mankind through salvation – shown in His wisdom and knowledge Riches also used in Eph. 1:7, 1:18, 2:7 & 3:8 –Wisdom with reference to God in bringing the plan of salvation –Knowledge of God - God’s knowledge of us not our knowledge of God Where gnoosis and sofia [wisdom] are used together the former seems to be knowledge regarded by itself, the latter wisdom as exhibited in action: Rom 11:33; 1 Cor 12:8; Col 2:3. (from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 2000 by Biblesoft) Romans The Riches of God’s Wisdom – 11:33-36 Lesson # 85 Jim Pool, June 3, of 4

How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! –How – another exclamatory particle –Unsearchable – unfathomable are His judgments His judgments – His judgment may be in question by some, after what Paul wrote in chapters 9-11 – but His judgments are truly unsearchable and unfathomable. Judgments is not referring to God’s judicial decisions but His decisions of how He brought salvation to the world –Job 5:8-9 & 9:5-10, Eph. 3:8 (already looked at) –His ways cannot be tracked out, incomprehensible, inscrutable Way – hodos – a road Showing God’s providential control of salvation which is beyond human understanding –Isaiah55:8-9, Jeremiah 29:11 (what kind of plans is God talking about here?) –His ways cannot be tracked yet He shows us His way for our lives Proverbs 3:5-6, Eph. 3:18 Romans The Riches of God’s Wisdom – 11:33-36 Lesson # 85 Jim Pool, June 3, of 4

Three rhetorical questions: –Who has known the mind of the Lord? –Who became His counselor? –Who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? Possible these question are answered in verse thirty-three in reverse order: –Who has known the mind of the Lord? No one, His ways cannot be tracked out, they are incomprehensible and inscrutable –Who became His counselor? No one, His judgments and decisions are unfathomable –Who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? No one, His riches are deep and endless – all things come from Him For who has known the mind of the Lord – verse 34 –His ways are so far beyond being known that no one has ever nor will ever know the mind of the Lord. Isaiah 40:13-14 – man cannot know the mind of God and man has not given to God first –Who does know all these things? Christ, and He has revealed things to us 1 Cor. 2:10-12 & 16 Romans The Riches of God’s Wisdom – 11:33-36 Lesson # 85 Jim Pool, June 3, of 4

–Who has become His counselor? Counselor – advisor – Job 36:22 Who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? – verse 35 –Job 41:11 –God operates on the principle of grace - giving freely based on His grace not because of debt or obligation –Who can give anything to the One who owns it all and created it all? –Matthew 20:15, 1 Cor. 4:7 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen – verse 36 –From, through and to Him - He is the originator, the sustainer and the One who all things are pointing to. –1 Cor. 8:6, Col. 1:15-18 –God is the source and cause of all things Romans The Riches of God’s Wisdom – 11:33-36 Lesson # 85 Jim Pool, June 3, of 4