For centuries, the Children of Israel had resisted God's Word.  They pretended to be self-righteous by keeping little rules, but failed to love God with all their heart and soul and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).  Such disobedience was costly because they could no longer hear God's voice or see what He was doing.  God allowed their desire, hardening their hearts more.  He demonstrated that if they did not want a relationship with Him, their religious rules would end up entrapping them, and He would close their minds to truth (Isaiah 29:9-10).

On the other hand, God chose some to have open eyes and ears.  They were the ones through whom the line of faith could be traced, the passing of the baton in the relay of faith (Romans 11:5-6).  They put their trust in Him and carried the light of truth through the generations until Jesus came.

The Jewish believers in Rome needed to understand that God had not included them because they came from a Jewish family or were better at keeping the Jewish law, but because He had enabled them to see that salvation came only through faith in Jesus.  The Gentiles came the same way.  They were equal because of the grace of God in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).  Paul’s personal experience is that He certainly did not deserve God’s love but humbly received it (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

It is a habit of religious people to think that they are better than others.  That must never happen in the church where everybody is a sinner saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).  The wonder is that God should want any of us!  But when He sets His love upon us, it is such a privilege because we are really no better than the worst sinner.  However these verses warns us against unbelief and God's right to reveal His grace to whoever He chooses (Hebrews 3:12; 12:14-17).  God is patient, but not for ever (Genesis 6:3).  So let us not harden our hearts by unbelief and disobedience (Psalm 95:7-11).