While Martin Luther (1483-1546) has often rightly been castigated for his harsh words against the Jews, there is no question that he desired their salvation. In hoping that the Jews saw the riches of Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles, it is clear that he saw no distinction under the Gospel between Gentile and Jew and recognized that all people need to reorient their lives towards the blessings made available only through Christ in order to be reconciled with God.
Romans 11:13
I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry
Commentary on Romans 11:13
How does he magnify his ministry? By glorying in the fact that even though the Jews have fallen, he is announcing to the Gentiles the riches of Christ. For he seems to be reproving the Jews for receiving nothing and diminishing themselves and making themselves sinners, whereas through his ministry the Gentiles have been made rich. Therefore, if such great good had come out of the Gentiles through his ministry, whereas it was taken away from the Jews, by this action he is surely proving the greatness of his ministry. But he does not glorify in such a way that he thereby brings pleasure to himself, but he does it for the salvation of others, so that the Jews, when they hear that they have fallen and that the Gentiles have been made rich and have accepted their riches, might be stimulated to seek the riches of the same ministry. But they would not be so stimulated if he said he had ministered something worthless to the Gentiles or that the Jews had lost nothing.
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