"I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation" – what does that mean?

Rom 10

¹⁹ But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

Deut 32

²¹ They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

Many teach that the foolish nation in these verses is the believing REMNANT.  They say that it cannot be the Gentiles because it says nation, singular, not nations, plural. Even though I believe that Romans 10 speaks of the the Gentiles who were grafted into Israel’s program to make Israel jealous, it is difficult to argue against the ‘nation, singular’ stance.  Help please?

Brian Kelson answers:

Let us start with the obvious. In Romans we cannot separate the Gentiles, the believing ones, from the remnant because the believing Gentiles are part of the remnant. The nations or gentiles who did not believe were not the provocation. The Gentiles who believed were there to provoke Israel and that is Paul’s explanation at the end of the section 9-11, thus;
What then? Israel has not obtained that which it seeks, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened even as it is written, "God gave to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not seeing, and ears not hearing" until this day. And David said, "Let their table become for a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and their back always bowing." I say then, Did they not stumble that they fall? Let it not be! But by their slipping away came salvation to the nations, to provoke them to jealousy.
But if their slipping away is the riches of the world, and their default is the riches of the nations, how much more their fullness?
For I speak to you, the nations; since I am the apostle of the nations, I glorify my ministry;
if by any means I may provoke those who are my flesh to jealousy, and might save some of them. Rom 11:7-14

Romans 11 is an expansion of the provocation in chapter 10:19 where we are assured the people, or Gentiles were the means whereby God would provoke His people.
Rom 10:19  But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

So, does the word nation as opposed to people create any problems? No!

Here is the problem solved. The original word for “nation” in Roms.10:19 is the very selfsame word “people” in the same verse thus;
Rom 10:19  But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no ethnos (people), and by a foolish ethnos (nation) I will anger you.

The Jews understood ethnos to mean those who were not Jews or Israelites and they would read it thus;
Rom 10:19  But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no ethnos (not Jews), and by a foolish ethnos (non-Jews) I will anger you.

Here is the verse in some other translations to show their consistent translation of the same word ethnos, and they use nation each time;

Rom 10:19  But I say, Did not Israel know? First, Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy by a non-nation (people), by an unwise nation (people) I will anger you."  LITV (literal)

Rom 10:19  But again I ask, didn't Israel understand? First Moses says, "I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation (people); with a senseless nation (people) I will provoke you to anger.  NET

Rom 10:19  But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation (people), With a nation (people) void of understanding will I anger you  ASV

Here is the verse in which we use people twice;
Rom 10:19  But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is a no people, with a foolish people will I anger you.

Where is the problem?

In other words, people refers to the Gentiles who were cast off in Gen.10 and without understanding, did they make up a nation per se? No, the two original words are the same. These people (Gentiles) were previously without hope, but now included by the grace of God as members of that elect remnant of grace of prophesy. Their hope was also the promises made to the fathers. This is the “nation”, the Gentile “people” who were God’s requiting instruments to provoke his people, Israel.

Let us go back to Romans 11 and put the word ethnos where it belongs to show the link between 10:19.. First 10:19, then 11:7-14;
But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is a no ETHNOS/people, with a foolish ETHNOS/people will I anger you. Rom 10:19 

What then? Israel has not obtained that which it seeks, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened even as it is written, "God gave to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not seeing, and ears not hearing" until this day. And David said, "Let their table become for a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and their back always bowing." I say then, Did they not stumble that they fall? Let it not be! But by their slipping away came salvation to the ETHNOS/people (nation in 10:19), to provoke them to jealousy.
But if their slipping away is the riches of the world, and their default is the riches of the ETHNOS/people, how much more their fullness?
For I speak to you ETHNOS/peopole; since I am the apostle of the ETHNOS/people, I glorify my ministry;
if by any means I may provoke those who are my flesh to jealousy, and might save some of them. Rom 11:7-14

See how Paul’s original words tie 10:19 with 11:7-14? Nation, people, Gentiles it’s the same word translated different ways. I’m sorry; I know the KJV-only arguments, but here we see a problem created that doesn’t really exist. Nation of People means the Gentiles who believed.

While we are here in Romans 9-11, it is helpful to see that both Peter and Paul use the same prophesies of Isaiah and Hosea to describe this remnant of the Acts period which included Jews and people (Gentiles or nation).

Here is Peter and Paul using Isaiah 28;
1Pe 2:6  Therefore also it is contained in the Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner Stone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him shall never be ashamed."
Isa 28:16  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.Rom 9:33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Both Peter and Paul use the cornerstone image of prophesy:
1Pe 2:7  Therefore to you who believe is the honor. But to those who are disobedient, He is the Stone which the builders rejected; this One came to be the Head of the corner,
Psa 118:22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.Rom 9:33  As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
Rom 11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall?

Both Peter and Paul speak of the appointment by God of some to wrath and some to honour:
1Pe 2:8  and a Stone-of-stumbling and a Rock-of-offense to those disobeying, who stumble at the Word, to which they also were appointed.
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Rom 9:22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Also note that stumbling block and foolishness occurs in 1Cor.1:20-. The remnant would have been considered a foolish bunch, certainly by the Greeks and it was certainly spoken against, Acts 13:45 (x2), 28:19, 22 and Roms.10:21.

Both Peter and Paul use Hosea to speak of the believing remnant;
1Pe 2:9  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1Pe 2:10  you who then were not a people, but now the people of God, those not pitied then, but now pitied.
Hos 2:23  And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.Rom 9:24  Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 9:25  As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Rom 9:26  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
Rom 9:27  Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

Here are some other passages speaking of this remnant from again, Isaiah and Hosea:
Isa 10:20  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
Isa 10:21  The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. Isa 10:22  For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
Isa 10:23  For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
Hos 1:10  Yet the number of the sons of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, there it shall be said to them, You are the sons of the living God.
Hos 1:11  Then the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel shall be gathered together, and shall set over themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land. For great shall be the day of Jezreel.

As a side note, isn’t it interesting that the remnant in prophesy is linked to the restoration of the entire nation in the prophesy context? In Romans the goal of chapters 9-11 is the salvation of all Israel, perfectly in harmony with the prophesies about the remnant Paul uses in that section.

In 2Peter3 the apparent delay of the Lord is for the repentance of Israel.

It is very critical that we acknowledge Peter and Paul are using the same prophesies when referring to the saved one of the Acts period, whether Jews or Gentiles and there really wasn’t any difference, because by faith, the Gentiles were in Christ and the seed of Abraham.

During Acts, the Lord would bestow prophetic blessings on the cast off nations/people, they would receive Israel’s spiritual things, Roms.10:27. This would provoke Israel to see Gentiles with the Old Testament blessings of promise. The fact that these Gentiles/people spoke in strange languages was another provocation. This is seen in 1Cor.14:21 which is straight from the very Isaiah 28 passage we have already seen in Peter and Paul;
1Co 14:21  In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
Isa 28:11  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12  To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

The rest, the refreshing that was promised to Israel would be seen in the no-people, those with stammering lips (the gift of tongues) and yet despite the provocation and Gentile inclusion, Israel would not hear.

Thus far we have seen that Roms.10;19 refers to a no-people and a foolish people (nation). The remnant included gentiles the no-people. These Gentiles, so far as God’s wisdom is concerned, were certainly void of the “oracles of God”, Roms.3:2, and 9:3-5. The word foolish, (asunetos) has already appeared in Romans in 1:21, 31 (without understanding). It was these Gentiles who sought the Lord while the ancient people who had the oracles of God, ignored Him, Roms.10:20, Is.65:1-2, & 11:10.

These Gentiles were to provoke Israel to jealousy and let us put Roms.10:19 and 11:11, 11:14 and 1Cor.10:22 together since they are the only verses in the NT which contain the original word, parazeloo = to provoke to jealousy. This should really seal the answer that THE nation is THE people already mentioned in Roms.10:19 and refers to the Gentiles. Here it is again;
Rom 10:19  But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke (you) to jealousy by them that are no PEOPLE, and by a foolish PEOPLE I will anger you.
Rom 11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the PEOPLE, for to provoke (them) to jealousy.
Rom 11:14  If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
1Co 10:22  Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
(interesting context about “no-gods” Deut.32:21, and the devils of 1Cor.10:21)

Roms.10:19 has the word ethnos twice in the original but the translators used people the first time and nation the second. The same word people or nation appears in chapter11 in the provocation passage. There is no doubt the nation is the people or Gentiles included who were to provoke Isael.

Finally, Romans 10 concludes with Isaiah 65 which confirms the foolish nation was the foolish (Gentile) people who did not seek the Lord (see also in Is.52:15).
Rom 10:20  But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
Rom 10:21  But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

The Gentiles who had not the oracles of God (foolish) were now included and were also the elect, the chosen ones, those without the knowledge of God, those who did not seek and were included to provoke Israel theo ones to whom God was stretching out His hands all through Acts.

I hope this helps.

Blessings,

Brian