Lonang Commentary on Romans 9

Rom. 9:1-5 I am speaking the truth in Christ I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

The Plight of the Jews

Paul has just finished describing the glorious completion of our redemption – the resurrection of our bodies and eternal life – and how these things can never be taken away from us. Now, in these verses, he returns to a familiar theme – namely, how the Jews (for the most part) are missing out. And being himself a Jew, it greatly saddens his heart. He expresses the desire, if it were possible, that he would give up his own salvation if it would work to bring his fellow Jews to Christ. Of course, it was never a possibility that he could do this. No one can save anyone other than himself. His statement is merely a rhetorical device, of which he is so fond, to show the depth of his anguish.

Then he lists a number of unique attributes which suggest that if ever there was anyone, anywhere in the world, who should desire the salvation offered in Christ, it should be the Jews. The irony is, of course, that Christ “came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” Jn. 1:11. What are these unique attributes? Here Paul names six things, not looking to the future, but to the past in each case.

First, the adoption of the Jews is not the adoption as sons or the resurrection yet to come, but looks back to Israel as God’s treasured possession, and the idea so often expressed in scripture that “they will be my people, and I will be their God.” It is the idea that God chose the Jews to be His own personal treasure, and desired for them to become a part of His forever family.

Second, the glory of Israel is not its future glory, but the Shekinah glory – the glory of the presence of God, first evidenced in the pillar of cloud and fire that went before Israel in the Exodus. It was also seen on Mt. Sinai, and culminated (in the O.T.) in the Mercy Seat, all of which symbolized the visible and physical presence of God dwelling among His chosen people.

Third, the covenants, specifically the Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic covenants, which all applied solely to Israel and to no other people. Through these, the Jews obtained the sign of circumcision, the Promised Land of Israel, the promise of national greatness, a tabernacle and temple, the priesthood, and a line of succession to the throne of Israel.

Fourth, the giving of the Law through Moses at Mt. Sinai. Paul has already discussed in detail the manifold importance of the Mosaic law to the Jews.

Fifth, the worship, meaning the ceremonies and rituals of the Mosaic law, which did not bring them salvation, but nevertheless showed them which things pleased God and how to worship Him in an acceptable manner. Which ceremonies also showed the Jews how to maintain fellowship with God. And last but not least, which in numerous ways modeled Christ and the salvation that was to come.

Sixth, the promises, including the promise of righteousness based on faith after the model of Abraham, the promise of God dwelling among them, the promise that Israel would never lack an heir to the throne, and the promise that his kingdom would last forever. But in addition to these, the promise that Israel would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, a light to the Gentiles, and eventually be pre-eminent among all the nations of the earth.

To these Paul also added the benefit of the patriarchs (primarily Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but also their ancestors), and the promise of the Messiah, who would be one of their own race, or more accurately, one of their own nation.

All of these things were designed by God to nudge the Jews in the right direction towards righteousness, but instead they became a stubborn and stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, who always resist the Holy Spirit. Acts 7:51. Hence, the reason for Paul’s anguish.

Rom. 9:6-13 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

The True Sons of Promise

It sounds like, in verses 6-8, that Paul is rehearsing the argument he made in chapter 2 about the inward and outward Jew. Especially verse 8, where he says “it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” However, I suggest, this is not where he is going in his argument at all. For he is still talking about Israel, not the Church – Jews, not Christians. He is, in fact, talking about bloodlines.

He starts off talking about how not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, but this is a mere stepping stone to get to his real point by analogy. Namely, that “not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring.” Who is he talking about here? Unbelievers? No! He is talking about those descended physically from Abraham other than through Isaac. That is, the descendants of Ishmael (mother – Hagar), Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah (mother – Keturah), all of whom are physical descendants of Abraham.

Yet, none of these sons of Abraham are the son of promise – therefore, in this context, they are not counted as sons of Abraham. Only Isaac is the son of promise, therefore only his descendants are counted as the true children of promise – the ones who will inherit the promises made to Abraham. All the others will not inherit as sons, though they are sons biologically.

Yet, the analysis does not stop there, for even among the sons of Isaac, only one is the son of promise and the other is not. We’re talking about Jacob and Esau, of course. For Esau did a despicable thing in despising his birthright, and marrying an Ishmaelite woman. And Jacob was a trickster and deceiver, obtaining his father’s blessing by fraud. None of which, ultimately, matters. For God’s choice was that “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” And this was decided before either had been born, and neither of them had yet done anything either good or bad.

In other words, Paul is here talking about God’s predestination of the Jews. That predestination was made on the basis of bloodlines which God chose in His sovereignty, not on the basis of any faith or belief or good or bad decisions. The end result of which is that only the Jews – the descendants of Jacob – are the children of promise, and not any of their kindred who were the other descendants of Abraham and Isaac. And the righteousness of the Jews as a people, or any individual Jew, had absolutely nothing to do with God’s choice. He had His own reasons, and that is all anyone needs to know.

Again, don’t be confused by thinking that just because God predestined Israel in this way, it has any bearing on how God chose believers in Christ. This is not the argument Paul is making. This is all being said in the context of Paul lamenting the plight of the Jews who could not recognize Christ, even though God gave them many unique blessings and promises, and even though God chose only them from among the many descendants of Abraham. Dear Christian, this text is not about you.

Rom. 9:14-21 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

God’s Ways Are Inscrutable

The question that always comes up when God foreordains some people to blessings, and other people to misery or judgment – seeing as how none of the people involved had any choice in the matter – is whether God is righteous and just in doing so. And it always sounds strange to us, who are counted as righteous because of our individual faith – and yes, consent – that God should operate in this way, determining the fate of people, as it were, against their will, or in spite of it. So Paul takes the opportunity at this point to explain why this is so.

The first argument Paul makes is that God will show mercy or compassion whenever and on whomever He darn well chooses. God is sovereign, and He always reserves the right to exercise sovereign discretion. The word discretion implies that God has no obligation or duty to favor or disfavor anyone at any time. His reasons are His own, His discretion is unfettered (i.e., it is always an absolute discretion), and He never needs to explain Himself to anyone. Then he gives Pharaoh in the time of the Exodus as an example of divine discretion. Remember, Paul in this chapter is talking about Israel, so he gives an example peculiar to Israel that all Jews would be familiar with. All in an effort to explain the situation the Jews find themselves in.

Paul’s second argument is drawn from Jer. 18, where Jeremiah is told to go down to the potter’s house for an object lesson. The main point of which is, “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” Jer. 18:6. Then Paul, in typical fashion, jumps straight into the rhetorical questions. “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay?” The obvious answer being yes, the potter can do anything he wants with the clay. Therefore God, as the Maker of all men, can do whatever He wants to with us, without limitation.

The same goes for Israel as a nation, and in fact, for any and every nation on the earth. Jer. 18:7-10. But the focus here is on Israel, and the bottom line is this: God chose and predestined them, gave them unique attributes and promises, and set them apart for His own purposes. Presumably for the purpose that “I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” And no matter what discipline or chastisement, whatever pain or suffering they must endure, or the extra burdens that come as part of the package of being God’s chosen people, there is absolutely nothing they can do about it. And there is no point in complaining, for God has complete discretion to do as He wants.

In other words, don’t waste your time complaining about things you cannot possibly change. Maybe you don’t like the fact everyone is born under the universal condemnation of sin. You think it is unfair. Tough! You think there should be a third option besides God or the Devil – so what? That is the system, you cannot change the system, and you cannot escape the system. Don’t complain about how your head hurts from banging it against the wall, because the wall isn’t going anywhere. The pain will only stop when you accept the wall and move on.

Now I assume, by extrapolation of these principles, that even though this text is not directed to Gentiles or the Church, yet nonetheless the same rules apply. Not that the Church or any Gentiles were chosen or predestined in the same manner as Israel, yet nevertheless God as our Maker has absolute discretion over every person. God has never justified His rule of man by His mercy, power or knowledge, but solely by the fact that He is the “uncreated Creator.” Thus, the law of nature obliges every person, irrespective of individual consent, for no one can escape the fact he was created by God.

Plus, as to each of us individually, since God is our maker and Creator, He reserves the same degree of discretion over us as believers as He does over Israel. Despite our best efforts and well laid plans, things simply will not always (or ever?) go the way we intend, God’s plans for us will always be above our understanding, and He is not accountable to explain it to us, or warn us of things to come in advance. God’s plans for us are inscrutable – beyond our ability to know. We cannot know them fully, certainly, and there is a good argument to be made we cannot know them at all.

Myself, I prefer to think we can know in part what God has planned for us (1 Cor. 13:12), but it is in all likelihood only a very, very tiny part. So we stumble along blindly, even while walking in faith, in the hope that in our blindness, all things will work together for good, even though we cannot see where things will lead. And thus we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor. 5:7.

Rom. 9:22-29 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call beloved.'” “And in the very place where it was said to them, You are not my people,’ there they will be called sons of the living God.'” And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”

The Remnant of Israel

Paul here begins a line of argument he will continue through to the end of chapter 11, culminating in the salvation of the Jews – that is, all of a part of them. And he starts it off drawing on the example of the potter making some vessels for dishonorable use, and others for honorable use. And again the context is the nation of Israel, which he likens to vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and begins to compare and contrast them with believers in Christ, whom he calls vessels of mercy.

But immediately he says these two groups are not mutually exclusive – that there will indeed be people who are Jews, who will also become believers in Christ. Even though the Jewish people over time will be like the number of the grains of sand in the sea, Jewish believers will be only a tiny minority of them. These few Paul refers to as a remnant. Without this remnant – understanding that Israel will go through the Tribulation and suffer many deaths – future Israel would become like Sodom and Gomorrah, which is to say, completely wiped out. As to the timing of this carving out of a remnant, it is connected to when the Lord carries out His sentence on the earth fully, that is, at the Second Coming which immediately follows the Tribulation.

Remember the flow of the argument. Israel has been specially chosen – predestined – by God, but in spite of this, and having many advantages and unique blessings of God, has largely missed out on the salvation of Christ, and for the most part did not recognize Him when He came. Because of this, or rather knowing this in advance, God made available His mercy to the Gentiles, who were not “God’s people.” For in fact, most Jews will never come to Christ, and when the Tribulation comes most Jews will not survive. Yet, this is all part of God’s inscrutable ways in which He shows His power and proclaims His name. For He knew from the beginning that the majority of those whom he called out to be His people would never become true believers in faith.

This theme of a remnant of Israel is revealed in numerous scriptures.

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.” (Eze. 34:11-12, 22-23).

Translation: God will separate the remnant from the rest of the flock of Israel, and judge between sheep and sheep (worthy Jews and unworthy Jews). The day of clouds and thick darkness is a reference to the Second Coming. Joel 2:2; Zph. 1:15; Mat. 24:29-30. Then Jesus (my servant David) will establish His earthly kingdom with Israel (not the Church) at its center. This is confirmed in Isaiah and Jeremiah, among others.

Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. Jer. 23:3.

In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Isa. 10:20-22.

According to Zechariah, this remnant will be one-third of the Jews “in the whole land.”

“In the whole land, declares the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, They are my people’; and they will say, The Lord is my God.'” Zch. 13:8-9.

Note especially that none of this has happened yet – it is all still future. The modern state of Israel is not the remnant of Israel. On the one hand, the selection of the remnant follows the Tribulation and the Second Coming. On the other hand, the selection of the remnant is conceptually tied to winnowing the Jewish population so that only those remain who will accept Christ. The physical and spiritual restoration of Israel are bound together – neither can occur without the other.

Rom. 9:30-33 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

A Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offense

Paul’s comparison of the Jews and Gentiles continues, with a brief rehashing of his prior arguments. The Gentiles attained righteousness by faith, and the Jews who had the Law that was intended to guide them to this truth failed to obtain it, because they focused on works under the law rather than faith. Then Paul paraphrases several scriptures, notably including Isa. 8:14-15, which says that Christ “will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”

In other words, God will show His love to Israel by sending them the promised Messiah, their Savior and King, but instead of embracing Him and rejoicing, they will stumble over Him, reject Him, be offended by Him, and be broken by Him, leaving them ensnared and taken. Which is exactly what happened. Jesus came, and with few exceptions the Jews received Him not, the religious elders were offended by Him – calling Him a blasphemer, and crucified their own Messiah as a criminal.

Even Paul, when writing this (likely before 60 A.D.), did not know the extent to which the Jews would be broken when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D., and their precious temple laid waste, following which they would be dispersed around the world with their culture and religion in ruins. Thus, the Jews were ensnared and taken both spiritually and physically. Physically, in lacking a homeland until 1948, but even now not fully in possession of it (Gaza, West Bank, Temple Mount). Spiritually, not merely in staying blind to Christ ever since then, but also in not being able to resume essential religious rituals (such as the daily sacrifices) and not being able to rebuild their temple.

Paul also uses the phrase, I am laying in Zion a stone, which is likely taken from Isa. 28:16: “I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation.” A companion scripture is Ps 118:22: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” So we see that the stone of stumbling and rock of offense, on the one hand, and the foundation stone and cornerstone, on the other hand, are one and the same stone. For the first is the stone the Jews stumbled over, and the second is the stone rejected by the builders, that is, the Jewish leaders. All of which refers to the fact the Jews did not recognize their Messiah when He came, and rejected Him even though He was most precious.

These all follow the biblical motif that the stone, or the Rock, is always Christ. Thus David’s rock and refuge (Ps. 18:2; 62:7), Daniel’s stone that destroys the kingdom of Satan (Dan. 2:34-35,44-45), the rock on which the Church is built (Mat. 16:18), all refer to Christ Jesus. Even the rock which Moses struck at Horeb, so that water would come out (think of living water by analogy), was an image of the Christ to come. Ex. 17:6. All of these illustrate the sad truth that the Jews should have recognized Christ when He came, and rebuilt their religion on His foundation, but they did not.