04.27. LESSON 27

LESSON 27

Romans 9:1-33 is a grand character piece. Generally speaking, it portrays God as the self-consistent Creator, who, as sole Owner and Manager of his human creature, does his own thinking and planning, makes and executes his own purposes and decisions, and assumes full responsibility for all consequences; it portrays man’s proper place to be that of submissive, faithful servant, extremely thankful for the unspeakably great privilege of working under and with such perfect management. Specifically, the chapter shows that the Jews’ being excluded from and the Gentiles’ being included in the church is neither a breach of God’s promise to Abraham, nor a surprise to God, inasmuch as he foretold it in the prophets. The argument, which involves the sovereignty, integrity, and providence of God, goes down to the very roots of all human history, political and religious. In the last of the chapter, the subject, namely, that Jews and Gentiles, alike, are responsible for their respective rejection or acceptance is introduced. This chapter, a masterpiece of art and cardinal truth, requires creaturely and reverent study. The contention of citizens of the United States today, should they insist that foreigners, as prerequisite to becoming Christians, must become citizens of the United States would be comparable to the arrogant, super-national contention of the Jews in Paul’s day. They ignorantly thought that other nations could share in their covenant only by being absorbed into Israel, and thereby exalt and glorify Israel. As Paul’s teaching that "There can be neither Jew nor Greek,... for ye are all one man in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28) utterly and forever crushed these carnal hopes, they, with all the well-known strength of nature, tenacity of purpose, and intensity of feeling of the Hebrew race, fiercely opposed him. Paul’s statement, written about the time he wrote Romans, "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one" (2 Corinthians 11:24) is grim evidence of their inveterate, brutal hate and malice for him. Contrast with this his love for them!

God’s Sovereignty The basic mistake of the Jews was their conceit that God was bound beyond recall to give them the blessings of Abraham’s covenant, merely because they descended from him. Paul shows this to be a misinterpretation of the covenant: Not "Because they are Abraham’s seed are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called." This covenant left God free to choose between Isaac and Ishmael as progenitor of the promised "Seed, which is Christ... And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:1-29). Abrahamic pedigree had its advantages but it did not make "children" unto Abraham.

Furthermore: "Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac—for the children not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose a God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. Even as it is written Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." In his own, free, unqualified right, God is here electing the branch of Abraham’s offspring in the next generation through which Christ should come. Since Christ could not come through both the sons of either Abraham or Isaac, such temporal election was inevitable. But it has no more to do directly with the eternal election, or non-election, of the souls of men, surely, than does the election that makes one man white and another black; or that makes white men differ basically in bodily, mental, and spiritual qualities. Thus, Paul establishes God’s prerogative of choice.

Moreover, in "hating" (merely disregarding) Esau, God did him no wrong. Honor and favor to Jacob were no dishonor and disfavor to Esau. God finds fault with no man for being what his choice makes him. In his parable of the laborers, Christ has a deep, timeless word: "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil because I am good?" (Matthew 20:15). The envious, self-willed Jews never questioned God’s election when it was for them, against Ishmael and Esau, but stubbornly and defiantly refused it when it went against them. Should not their bondage to tradition, blind prejudice, and glaring inconsistency be a stern warning to religious people of all ages and races?

God’s Righteousness

Thus far, Paul has shown it to be a simple, indisputable, historic fact that God in preparing to send his eternal Son into the world as a man, instead of using the method of human descent or merit in selecting his human ancestors, exercised his own sovereign will to call Isaac and Jacob in preference to Ishmael and Esau. Now, he is to go further and show that God by the same principle of divine right acts in things more strictly in the moral realm.

"Is there unrighteousness with God" (Romans 9:14)? "God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world" (Romans 3:6)? These questions touch moral bottom, absolute. To admit that God does wrong is to obliterate all moral distinctions, and bring in universal moral chaos and night. In the face of this dire extremity, Paul appeals, not to human philosophy, but again to the Bible to establish God’s personal righteousness, and to vindicate his ways to man. In a few verses, he digs down to bedrock of all morality. Apart from God’s own, inviolable character as unshakable foundation, all strivings after a righteous world come to naught.

"For he (God) saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." By referring to Exodus, we learn that God said this to Moses after Moses had read "The book of the covenant" to Israel at the foot of Sinai, and Israel had promised in blood, "All that Jehovah hath spoken will we do and be obedient" (Exodus 24:7-8); after they, despite this sacred covenant, had promptly worshipped the Golden Calf, and escaped national destruction at the hand of their outraged God only by the intercession of Moses. As this flagrant breach of the covenant freed God from all covenant obligation, whatever he did for them subsequently must be of pure mercy and compassion. (Exodus 33:19). All this is the premise of Paul’s general conclusion: "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy."

It is taught here, only, that by God’s mercy, not by human works or merit, do men acquire standing before God. Many other scriptures give the conditions upon which God bestows his mercy. Jews had to fear and love God, and keep his commandments (Deuteronomy 5:10; Psalms 103:13). All know that now God has mercy only on those who come to him through his Son Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Peter 2:10).

Questions