SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:6
Y si por gracia, luego no por las obras; de otra manera la gracia ya no es gracia. Y si por las obras, ya no es gracia; de otra manera la obra ya no es obra.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 11:6
Verse 6. And if by grace] And let this very remnant of pious Jews, who have believed in Christ Jesus, know that they are brought in, precisely in the same way as God has brought in the Gentiles; the one having no more worthiness to plead than the other; both being brought in, and continued in by God's free grace, and not by any observance of the Mosaic law. And this is done according to the election of grace, or the rule of choosing any persons to be the people of God upon the footing of grace; which takes in all that believe in his Son Jesus Christ: some of the Jewish people did so believe; therefore those believing Jews are a remnant according to the election of grace. They are saved in that way in which alone God will save mankind.
And if by grace] Then let these very persons remember, that their election and interest in the covenant of God has no connection with their old Jewish works; for were it of works, grace would lose its proper nature, and cease to be what it is-a free undeserved gift.
But if it be of works] On the other hand, could it be made to appear that they are invested in these privileges of the kingdom of Christ only by the observance of the law of Moses, then GRACE would be quite set aside; and if it were not, work, or the merit of obedience, would lose its proper nature, which excludes favour and free gift. But it is not, and cannot be, of WORKS; for those very Jews who now believe, and are happy in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, are so according to the election of grace, which does not mean a particular act of God's sovereignty, which has singled out some of the Jews who deserved to have been cast off as well as the rest; but it is that general scheme of grace, according to which God purposed to take into his Church and kingdom any, among either Jews or Gentiles, who should believe on Christ. And the remnant here mentioned were not selected from their countrymen by such a sovereign act of God's grace as might have taken in the whole if it had so pleased; but they were admitted into and received the privileges of the Messiah's kingdom, because they believed on the Lord Jesus, and received him as their only saviour; and thus came into that scheme of election which God had appointed. And we may observe, farther, that out of this election they as well as the others would have been excluded, had they like the rest remained in unbelief; and into this election of grace all the Jews, to a man, notwithstanding they were all sinners, would have been taken, had they believed in Christ Jesus. This is the true notion of the election of grace. See Taylor.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. And if by grace, then is it no more of works , etc..] Upon election, being called the election of grace, the apostle forms an argument, showing the contrariety and inconsistency of grace, and works, in that affair; proving, that it must be by the one or the other: and if by the one, then not by the other; and that these two cannot be mixed and blended together in this matter. If election is by grace, as it certainly is; for no other reason can be given why God has chose one, and not another, but his own sovereign pleasure, or that free favour and unmerited love, with which he loves one and not another; and not because they are better, or had done or would do better things than others; then it is no more, or not at all, for it never was of works, was not influenced by them, does not arise from them, for it passed before ever any were done; and those that are done aright spring from it, and therefore could never be the rule and measure, causes, motives, and conditions of it; otherwise grace is no more grace ; for grace (as Austin has long ago observed) is not grace, unless it is altogether freed; it will lose its nature, and ought to change its name, and be no more called or reckoned grace, but a due debt; and a choice of persons to salvation should be thought, not to be what God is free to make or not, but what he is obliged to, as a reward of debt to men's works: but if it be of works, then it is no more grace ; if election springs from, and depends upon the works of men, let no man ascribe it to the grace of God; for there is nothing of grace in it, if this be the case: otherwise work is no more work ; that will free gift: but these things are contrary to one another; and so unalienable and unalterable in their natures, that the one cannot pass into the other, or the one be joined with the other, in this or any other part of man's salvation; for what is here said of election, holds true of justification, pardon of sin, and the whole of salvation. The Ethiopic version applies it to justification.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - There was a chosen remnant of believing Jews, who had righteousness an life by faith in Jesus Christ. These were kept according to the election of grace. If then this election was of grace, it could not be of works, either performed or foreseen. Every truly good disposition in a fallen creature must be the effect, therefore it cannot be the cause of the grace of God bestowed on him. Salvation from the first to the last must be either of grace or of debt. These things are so directl contrary to each other that they cannot be blended together. God glorifies his grace by changing the hearts and tempers of the rebellious. How then should they wonder and praise him! The Jewis nation were as in a deep sleep, without knowledge of their danger, or concern about it; having no sense of their need of the Saviour, or of their being upon the borders of eternal ruin. David, having by the Spirit foretold the sufferings of Christ from his own people, the Jews foretells the dreadful judgments of God upon them for it, Ps 69. Thi teaches us how to understand other prayers of David against his enemies; they are prophecies of the judgments of God, not expression of his own anger. Divine curses will work long; and we have our eye darkened, if we are bowed down in worldly-mindedness.
Greek Textus Receptus
ει 1487 COND δε 1161 CONJ χαριτι 5485 N-DSF ουκετι 3765 ADV εξ 1537 PREP εργων 2041 N-GPN επει 1893 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF χαρις 5485 N-NSF ουκετι 3765 ADV γινεται 1096 5736 V-PNI-3S χαρις 5485 N-NSF ει 1487 COND δε 1161 CONJ εξ 1537 PREP εργων 2041 N-GPN ουκετι 3765 ADV εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S χαρις 5485 N-NSF επει 1893 CONJ το 3588 T-NSN εργον 2041 N-NSN ουκετι 3765 ADV εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S εργον 2041 N-NSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. Otherwise (epei ). Lit., since. Since, in that case.Grace is no more, etc. (ginetai). Lit., becomes. No longer comes into manifestation as what it really is. "It gives up its specific character" (Meyer).
But if of works, etc. The best texts omit to the end of the verse.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:6 {Otherwise} (epei). Ellipse after epei (since), "since, in that case." {Is no more} (ouketi ginetai). "No longer becomes" grace, loses its character as grace. Augustine: _Gratia nisi gratis sit gratia non est_.
