“For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”
For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. — The climactic statement: God has shut up all (pas) in apistia (unbelief, disobedience) so that eleos (mercy) might be extended to all. This is not determinism but theological reality: all stand equally before God's mercy. The hardening, the disobedience, the stumbling—all serve to manifest God's mercy.
Church Fathers on Romans 11:32
“For as you in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they may also obtain mercy. For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all.” He shows here that those of the Gentiles were called first. Then, as they would not come, the Jews were elected, and the same result occurred again. For when the Jews would not believe, again the Gentiles…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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