Romans 9

I my conscience, etc. My conscience, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, assures me that I am sincere in this avowal (2, 3). This burst of affectionate grief shows the strength of Paul’s feelings in reference to his own people. “If the gospel brings sure salvation to God’s elect (viii. 28-32), why is the chosen people Israel not found among the heirs of this salvation?” (Speaker’s Commentary).

3. For I could wish, etc. Lit., “I was wishing,” or “praying.”

accursed. “Anathema”: ep. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. Moses went so far as to ask that he might be “blotted out” of God’s book. Paul wished himself “accursed.” But Christ Himself “became sin” for us (2 Cor. v. 21).

4 to whom [pertaineth] the adoption, etc. That is, they were regarded and treated by God as His “children”: see Exod. iv. 22; Jer. xxxi. 9; Hosea xi. 1. The “glory” is the Shechinah; the symbol of God’s presence (see Exod. xiii. 21; xl. 34; 1 Kings viii. 10, and note). The “covenants” are those gracious engagements which God made and renewed at various times with their “fathers” (5) Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with them as a nation. “The service” means all the symbolical rites of the national worship. The “promises” are, no doubt, those which relate especially to the Messiah: see Gal. iii. 16.

5 as concerning the flesh. That is, as respects His human nature; plainly implying that He had also another nature, which is immediately afterwards said, in the clearest and most direct language, to be that of the Supreme and ever-blessed God: see next note. It was the highest honour conferred upon the Jews that God should take upon Him human nature as one of the “seed of Abraham.”

who is over all, God blessed for ever. The context favours the application of the words to Christ, according to the usual reading, the apostle contrasting our Lord’s human and Divine nature.

7. In Isaac shall thy seed be called. See Gen. xxi. 12. Only the descendants of Isaac shall be called truly and properly, for the purposes of the covenant, “the seed of Abraham.” Paul refers to this selection and limitation as an illustrative proof of the “election of grace” (see vers. 11, 24, and xi. 5): ep. vers. 30-33, and xi. 25. The cases of Isaac and Jacob (10-13) are adduced to show that God exercised His sovereign choice throughout His dealings with Israel.

8 the children of the promise. “Mere carnal descent establishes no claim” (Pulpit Commentary).

9. At this time. R.V., “According to this season,” i.e., this time next year.

10. And not only [this], etc. The case of Rebecca’s children is still more decisive; for whereas Isaac and Ishmael were only half-brothers, Jacob and Esau were twins, and the destiny of each was announced before their birth (ep. Hosea xii. 3, and note); and therefore it could not have been on the ground of their works; but it must have been according to God’s sovereign will. Moreover, the context in Gen. xxv. 23, and the quotation in Mal. i. 2, 3, show that the nations descended from the two brothers are specially intended; so that the choice affected all their posterity.

13. Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. See Mal. i. 2, 3, and note.

16. So then it is not of him that willeth, etc. Not that any one who earnestly desires and strives for it will ever miss the Divine favour; but that his desires and efforts are themselves the fruit of God’s spontaneous and sovereign “mercy”; for “from Him comes everything we have; from Him therefore let us learn to ask and hope everything” (Calvin).

17. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh. The case of Pharaoh shows that sovereignty may be exercised in punishment without “injustice” (14).

2. H raised thee up. It is an instructive fact that the Divine forbearance (cp. ver. 22 with Exod. viii. 15; ix. 34, 35) particularly helped forward the fatal result: see ii. 2, 4; 2 Pet. iii. 4, 9, 15, 16. When God’s patience and long-suffering are used by men to set their hearts more determinately to do evil, He may be said by His patience to give them an opportunity to do evil: cp. Eccl. viii. 11.

18. He hardeneth. See notes on Exod. iv. 21; Isa. vi. 9.

20 formed. Or, “moulded.” The first of these two questions contains an allusion to Isa. xlv. 9, on which see note; the second an equally free reference to Jer. xviii. 4-6.

22. What if God, etc. God has surely a right to display His anger and His power by inflicting merited punishment, especially after long forbearance; and to glorify His grace by bestowing unmerited mercy, as He pleases. Throughout this reasoning it must be carefully observed that, in speaking of God’s sovereign will, the apostle nowhere implies that He acts arbitrarily or without reasons; only that these reasons being unknown to us, the sufficient explanation of His dealings is His sovereign will.

25. As He saith also in Qsee, etc. The words in Hosea i. 9, 10; ii. 23, refer primarily to the ten apostate tribes of Israel; but, like other similar prophecies, they have a far wider meaning. They are quoted here to prove that God receives even us Gentile sinners, who were once not His people, among the people of God.

26 in the place. Expositors differ as to these words, some considering they refer to Jerusalem or the Temple; others that they mean the land of exile. But a better and simpler view is that they mean any place where the people of Israel were.

27 a remnant shall be saved. That is, Even of Israel it is “the remnant” only that shall be saved.

28 the work. Rather, “the word.” This verse is here quoted from the Septuagint, and may be understood thus. The Lord is rapidly fulfilling and consummating His word; overthrowing the Assyrians, and restoring a remnant of Israel. The idea is, that but few were saved: see note on Isa. x. 21-23.

29 before. That is, in an earlier passage: see Isa. i. 9, and note. In every age true believers among the Jews were only a small portion of the nation.

Sabaoth. “Sabaoth” is the Hebrew word for “hosts” or “armies”; which is retained in the Septuagint here as if it were a proper name: see note on Psa. xxiv. 10.

32. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone. The Jews, like too many of all nations, took offence at justification by faith in Jesus the Messiah, and persisted in trusting to their own works (cp. x. 3); but they fell far short even of the law of Moses, and consequently attained not to righteousness: cp. x. 5.

33 as it is written, etc. This quotation combines Isa. xxviii. 16 with viii. 14, and shows that Christ, who is the Foundation of the believer’s hope, is also a Rock of offence to unbelievers: see note on Isa. viii. 12; xxviii. 16. Luther says in his Paradoxes, “The natural man hates the Gospel more than the Law.”