I have a lot of notes on Romans 9. In this article, I will merely present my notes on the chapter. It will not be a proper article but a collection of notes. It will be like, instead of turning in the research paper, I turned in only my note cards. Nevertheless, I think my notes will be helpful for any readers who consider the chapter difficult.
Incidentally, the chapter is difficult; but that difficulty springs more from so much Reformist-style preaching about God rather than a reading would through Near-Eastern First Century eyes. Paul is struggling with something in this chapter but it is not over God's arbitrary—or conditional— election of individuals. Paul is struggling with the roles played by Israel and gentiles in God's election. Anyway, here we go:
Rom 9:1 — Rom 9:4 (NRSV)
God’s Election of Israel
Chapter 9
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
The title of this chapter, "Romans 9:1 (ESV)
God's Sovereign Choice," in ESV, is Calvinistic.
This point is very important! This chapter (and the next) builds on what is introduced in this paragraph: If the kingdom of Christ belonged to the Jews by inheritance, why did the Jews fail to inherit it? It is NOT because God predestined the Jews to be cast out. Quite the opposite! They were predestined to inherit it; but they failed—a choice they made on their own—with no push from God. God was pushing them to embrace the kingdom; but they rebelled against God's influence and rejected Christ (John 1: 11).
Romans 9:5
5 to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
On whether this verse in translation should explicitly support the deity of Christ—I'm not convinced.
While Jesus is Israel's messiah, spiritually, Jesus is everybody's messiah.
Romans 9:6
6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel,
On the most obvious level, God's promise to Abraham's decedents (Genesis 12:3) was not received by all of Abraham's descendants. Some of them were excluded from the promise (Ishmael and Esau). The same thing is happening now (says Paul). Not all Jews are a part of that promise.
On another level, it turns out that inclusion in the covenant is not based upon descent from Abraham or keeping the law, but rather on faith in Christ. That's a big surprise to Jewish believers. It is the issue of chapters 9-11 and concluded in Romans 11:26-28.
Matthew 3:8-9
For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel, (NRSV)
So we have two Israels: Ethnic Israel (most of whom reject the Messiah) and believing Israel, which includes Gentiles!
Something interestingly subtle is happening here. The Jews called Abraham their father; but they behaved as if Moses was their father.
Why do Calvinists start reading in verse six?
Paul is asking if God's election of Israel was a screw-up on God's part. After all, most Jews don't even believe in their own Messiah.
Romans 9:7
7 and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”
Quoted from Genesis 21:12
Rom 9:8 — Rom 9:9
8 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 descendants. 9 For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.”
Quoted from Genesis 18:10
Rom 9:10 — Rom 9:11
10 Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac. 11 Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue,
Adam Clarke's note on "children":
For the children being not yet born - As the word children is not in the text, the word nations would be more proper; for it is of nations that the apostle speaks, as the following verses show, as well as the history to which he refers.
Romans 9:12
12 not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.”
Quoted from Genesis 25:23 and refers to Jacob and Esau.
Note that this prophecy never applied to the two boys. During their lifetimes, Esau was greater than Jacob. He was significantly more wealthy by the time Jacob returned to Esau, Esau refused the gifts Jacob offered because Esau was clearly better off that was Jacob (Genesis 33:9).
Why does Paul seem to indicate that actions had nothing to do with it when on the national scene, actions were the primary cause? The answer is that general national faith was the problem. (Really, few Jews were right with God in Old Testament times; and, reasonably, not all Edomites were "not right" with God). Above that, Israel is at this time, in the position of the older brother in relation to the gentiles. Why? Because of unbelief. Paul is against merited election. While obedience of faith is the criteria, obedience to the Law is not. Just get used to this: When Paul says, "Not of works," he means the non-heart works of the Law. Getting circumcised and eating a kosher diet is not the way to covenant relationship with God. Faith is the way.
Adam Clarke:
that God is the sovereign of his own ways, has a right to dispense his blessings as he chooses, and to give salvation to mankind, not in the ways of their devising, but in that way that is most suitable to his infinite wisdom and goodness.
Therefore,
He chose the Jewish people from all others, and revealed himself to them. Thus they were the elect, and all the nations of mankind reprobate.
When the fullness of the time came he revealed himself also to the Gentiles, who gladly received the Gospel: and the Jews rejecting it, were cast off. Thus the elect became reprobate, and the reprobate, elect.
He published to all mankind that the pardon of sin could and should be obtained Only by faith in his Son Jesus, and not by any obedience to any law. And the Jews, the descendants of Jacob, who rejected this way of salvation, became precisely like the Edomites, the descendants of Esau; they builded, but God pulled down; their mountains and heritage are Now laid waste for the dragons of the wilderness; and they properly may now be called the border of wickedness, a people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever: they have rejected the Lord that bought them, and so have brought upon themselves swift destruction.
N. T. Wright, "Commentary on Romans," NIBC:
Romans 9:11 (NIBC)
Of course, the phrase “not by works” occurs in many other contexts, not least in Romans, and as we have argued elsewhere its primary emphasis is on the “works of Torah” as the practices that mark out the Jew, the one who knows and (supposedly) does God’s will (cf. 2:17-24), from the surrounding pagan world. In the present passage, though the emphasis is on “works” as the doing of good rather than evil, the background in Paul’s mind is most likely the regular rabbinic exegesis according to which the patriarchs were already obeying the Torah, even before it was given to Moses. Paul’s point, as part of his answer to the question posed by unbelieving Israel, is that God’s stated purpose always involved a division within the family. The quotation from Gen 25:23 gives us, finally, the word that was spoken to Rebecca concerning her unborn twins, reversing the natural assumption concerning the rights of the firstborn.
Romans 9:13
13 As it is written,
“I have loved Jacob,
but I have hated Esau.”
The Jews may think they have a "first born" privilege to it; but, as evidenced by Ishmael and Esau, there is no such thing as a first-born privilege.
The argument matches that of Galatians 4:21-31 in which Jerusalem correlates to Hagar and her son Ishmael, but the church is represented by Sarah and Isaac.
Quoted from Malachi 1:2-3
Malachi means the nations, not the boys. (Malachi's's prophecies postdate Jacob and Esau by at least 900 years!)
Describing "hate" as "loved less" is off topic. By the time of Malachi's prophecies, Edom was a dry raisin of a nation. It was disappearing.
The correct understanding is that God chose to favor one nation more than another.
God prospers a nation and he withholds prosperity from another nation. A reading of the book of Obadiah shows that Edom earned God's displeasure.
Romans 9:14
14 What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!
Crossef: parable of the landowner.
Matthew 20:1-16
Romans 9:15
15 For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Quoted from Exodus 33:19 in reference to God permitting Moses to see him from behind.
The point here and in Exodus is that Moses received God's mercy. Note that Moses refused God five times (Exodus 3:11, 13; 4:1, 10, 13).
Moses had doubts about God fulfilling his promises (Exodus 6:10-12, 28-30).
Moses is being compared to Pharaoh. What is the difference? Moses eventually obeyed.
Romans 9:16
16 So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.
The Jews were accepting of God's limitation of his promise to only Isaac and Jacob. They believed God was just to extend freedom to some and not others. What comes as a surprise is that God is again (says Paul) imposing a limit to those who are chosen: to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ!
Some (many) Jews are left out because they reject Christ. That comes as a surprise to Jews, both believing and unbelieving.
Paul is building up to an even greater surprise: that Gentiles are recipients of this choice/election, even though they are not descendants of Abraham (vss 30-33)!
This verse, by itself, seems to teach unconditional salvation (election?). Is Paul teaching unconditional salvation here? Such a conclusion is contradicted by Philippians 2:12-13.
We must keep context in mind.
Rom 9:31-32
31 But Israel, pursuing the law for righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law. 32 Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. ...
(HCSB)
The "human will or exertion" here refers to the Jewish claim to salvation by adherence to the law of Moses.
Romans 4:4-5
Does salvation depend on faith? Romans 4:16 says it does! But from where does it come? God, who shows mercy.
The context is still about national vocational election—not particular salvation.
(ponder this thought)
Romans 9:17
17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
quoted from Exodus 9:16. The context is Exodus 9:13-17 (the hail plague) which shows that God was being extraordinarily patient with Pharaoh--waiting for Pharaoh to have a change of heart.
Exodus 10:7 - very important observation. Hardening is not equivalent to determinism.
Pharaoh, in this quote, is being applied to Israel, who had many-many warnings; but their hearts got harder and harder.
Romans 9:18
18 So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.
For further study:
Romans 1:24, 26, 28
Ephesians 4:19
1 Timothy 4:2
2 Thessalonians 2:11
Origen: Pharaoh’s heart was hardened in the following way: God did not want to punish him immediately and completely. Although Pharaoh’s wickedness was enormous, God in his patience did not withdraw the possibility of conversion from him. Instead he struck him lightly at first and then gradually increased the blows. But although God acted with patience, Pharaoh was hardened by that very thing and became even more angry with God and contemptuous of him.… Therefore it is not that God hardens whom he wills, but rather that whoever is not softened by his patience is thereby automatically hardened. Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans.
Jonathan Williams
Facebook post
Calvinism Theology VS The Rest of Christianity group
2018 06 05
I would like to propose a question for discussion pertaining to the "hardening" part of Rom 9:18 which says, "So then he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires."
Here is my question, if the Calvinist interpretation of Total Depravity is correct, i.e., because of a person's utter deadness in sin and complete inability to respond to the Gospel which requires that God regenerate him prior to faith, then why is it necessary for God to harden people?
Let me repeat it with fewer words: if the Calvinist interpretation of Total Depravity is correct, why is it necessary for God to harden?
Although all, of course, may respond, I especially look forward to the answers from my Calvinist brethren.
Thank you and may God help us grow in our understanding.
I wish to point out something that may make a Calvinist uncomfortable. If this chapter teaches salvation predestination, then this verse teaches double-predestination—that God selects some to be saved and he deliberately selects others to be damned.
Same with vs 22
on Romans 9:18
A hardened heart does not imply a person has been made impervious to outsides influences. See, for example, Exodus 10:1-7! In that case, the hearts of the officials were hardened; but they saw the foolishness of their chosen path and counseled Pharaoh to concede to Moses' demand.
Hardening has a cumulative effect--the more that opportunities to repent are rebuffed, the harder the heart grows; like thick callouses. ... like a conscience that is seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
Let us not become attached to the status quo!
on Romans 9:18
See Romans 1:28
Paul is not quoting a specific scripture here; but clearly he means the many mentions of Pharaoh's heart hardening in the book of Exodus.
The first mention is in Exodus 4:21 and we should note that Jewish scholars read this passage as applying to Pharaoh's own self-hardening of his heart—using God's actions as a pretext.
Marcus Kalisch (1828-1885) wrote, "The phrase 'I will harden the heart of Pharaoh' means 'I know that I shall be the cause of Pharaoh's obstinacy; my commands and wonders will be an occasion, an inducement to an increasing obduration of his heart."
(Gleaned from the notes to the Revised English Version, revisedenglishversion.com)
God's repeated extending of invitations to return puts individuals in a position to accept (praise God) or refuse. Repeated refusals results in hardening.
As the hillbillies say, the same sun that hardens clay melts butter.
Quick comparison regarding the notion that God's hardening is some divine external force imposed on an individule: What does "Lead us not into temptation" (Matthew 6:13) mean if not "Do not let us be led into temptation?"
Romans 9:19
19 You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
Possibly verse 19 is about the Jewish effort to argue that it is possible to acquire salvation by keeping the law -- or by merely being Jewish. Of the several ways to understand verse 19, one is not to understand it as God's forcing people to be bad. That approach contradicts the "patient endurance" (vs 22) motif in the following verses.
It really seems to me the complaint is that, if God is able to take Israel's disobedience and make something good come out of it, then, "Why is Israel condemned for its disobedience?"
"For who can resist his will?” (NRSV)
is misleading. It implies God makes people do whatever they do--even if it is evil.
What is meant is, "Who has successfully withstood the purpose off God?"
better:
Who can resist whatever God wants to do? (God's Word)
who is able to go against his purpose? (Bible in Basic English)
for who resists his purpose? (Darby)
Who can fight his will? (NCV)
Given the above note, this verse is best paraphrased as:
Why does God require faith in Christ if, by the Jews' unbelief, God is nevertheless glorified in their unbelief?
The hypothetical questioner is criticizing God for having such a criteria--not for having "no criteria!"
Romans 9:20
20 But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?”
What is being compared here is a person who has faith in God and a person who ARGUES with God.
Note: the clay affects the kind of vessel he becomes by his choices (2 Timothy 2:20-21).
Jeremiah 18:1 f God will deal [enter into covenant?] with the Jews based upon their repentance.
The passage may also allude to one of the following:
Job 10:9; 38:14
Psalm 2:9
Isaiah 29:16 clay tries to refashion God
Isaiah 41:25
Isaiah 45:9 criticizing God's work
Isaiah 64:8
God did not chose to make me this way. I made that choice. The better question should have been, "Why did I harden my heart against God?"
See also Wis 15:7; Isa 44:9-20
Sir 33:13
Romans 9:21
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use?
Note how many lumps of clay there are (1) and how many vessels (2). This is what God is doing with the one people Israel.
Some (Calvinists) think this passage says God elects some to eternal life while allowing others to remain damned to eternal hell. It is not unfair (they argue) because everybody deserves hell. Vs 22 refutes the Calvinist aversion to double-predestination. Check it out.
The natural reading of this passage (in both English and Greek) describes these honorable or dishonorable vessels as the end result of a long (life-long) process.
The problem is that some (particularly unbelieving Jews) are like a lump of clay that refuses to go into the shape conceived by the potter; so the potter works with the unruly clay until it is formed into a different kind of vessel.
Romans 9:22
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath that are made for destruction;
Holman, REB and NCV alter this verse to soften it--attempting to avoid the view that God predestined some people for Hell.
I think an accurate translation will stand on its own.
One point to observe is that God is patient (longsuffering). If God is outside of time, what is there to be patient about?
"desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power" (NRSV) points to the inclination of a righteous God--who wants to step in and stop evil at its beginning; but he endures--working something redemptive out of people's bad choices. See REB, CEV, NASB, KJV
"endured" (NRSV) is well chosen here. God is negatively affected by people's evil.
"made" (NRSV) does not require that God made them that way. No. God's work of love and mercy causes the hardening in the hearts of obstinate people.
Wrath: Romans 1:18; 2:5, 8; 3:5
"In all these verses the wrath is God's reaction to sin and not a predestined phenomenon. Thus Paul is emphasizing God's righteous anger but is not saying that God created people purely for wrath.... In chapter 9 the 'vessels of mercy' are believing Jews and 'the vessels of wrath' are unbelieving Jews.... Moreover, in the same way that he 'prepared' [I object to this notion-ns] the vessels of wrath for destruction, he has prepared the saints beforehand for glory. Once again this is God's predetermined will in producing salvation in his elect (on this see Romans 8:29). Note that the first use of glory in this verse is God’s glory, and this second use refers to the glory the saints have in him. Once more this is our present glory (the already) as an anticipation of our final glory (the not yet), with the greater emphasis here on the glory we will have in eternity" (Osborne. IVPNT, 225).
made for destruction
If Calvinists believe this chapter is about particular election (predestination) then they are really forced by this phrase to embrace double-predestination (God elects some people to hell).
Romans 9:23
23 and what if he has done so in order to make known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
prepared beforehand (NRSV)
Exact same word as Ephesians 2:10 which applies to good works.
God is preparing us beforehand for eternal glory yet to come.
Moreover, in the same way that he “prepared” the vessels of wrath for destruction, he has prepared the saints beforehand for glory. Once again this is God’s predetermined will in producing salvation in his elect (on this see Romans 8:29). Note that the first use of glory in this verse is God’s glory, and this second use refers to the glory the saints have in him. Once more this is our present glory (the already) as an anticipation of our final glory (the not yet), with the greater emphasis here on the glory we will have in eternity. (Osborne, IVPNT)
Romans 9:24
24 including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
Not only is God just in excluding some Jews from his people, but also he is just in turning to the Gentiles. So people become his children not on the basis of their rights as a covenant people (birthright in vv. 3- 4, Romans 9:7- 8) but on the basis of the divine call (the flip side of Romans 3:21 - 4:25, where it is on the basis of faith). (Osborne, IVPNT)
Verses 24-33 (especially 30-31) summarize the chapter.
Noticing as much betrays the meaning of the chapter--and it is not any kind of limited calling.
Rom 9:25 — Rom 9:26
25 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.’. ”
26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they shall be called children of the living God.”
Hosea 1:10; 2:23
Osborne: For Hosea [this passage applied to] the northern kingdom, but for Paul it is the Gentiles.
----
Hosea expected the restoration of the northern kingdom; but Paul sees its fulfilment in the New Testament church.
"The very place" in Hosea was the land of Israel, but for Paul it refers to the Gentile mission (or, the mission with respect to the Gentiles.
Rom 9:27 — Rom 9:28
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the children of Israel were like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved; 28 for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth quickly and decisively.”
Isaiah 10:22-23
Paul's quote is much closer to the LXX; although he paraphrased a bit.
NETS:
And if the people of Israel become like the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved, for he is completing and cutting short a reckoning with righteousness, 23 because God will perform a shortened reckoning in the whole world.
It is a warning to Israel that they should repent in order to become part of the remnant who will be saved.
Paul might identify the small number of believing Jews as the remnant.
Romans 9:29
29 And as Isaiah predicted,
“If the Lord of hosts had not left survivors to us,
we would have fared like Sodom
and been made like Gomorrah.”
quoted from Isaiah 1:9
It reinforces the fact that, while there is now a place for Gentiles in the scheme of salvation, the Jews had best not let that fact dissuade them from their own salvation.
"Lord of hosts" is rare in the N.T. The only other place is in James 5:4.
Rom 9:30 — Rom 9:31
30 What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; 31 but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law.
The question that dominates chapters Romans 9—Romans 11 is the justice of God in light of the contradiction between his promises to his covenant people and the fact that so few of them had been converted. In these chapters Paul answers the question from two perspectives, first from the sovereignty of God to choose whom he wishes (Romans 9:6- 29) and second from the responsibility of Israel to accept God’s gift of salvation by faith (Romans 9:30—Romans 10:21). (Osborne, IVPNT)
vss 30-31 summarize Paul's lengthy argument. It shows that election boils down to individual choice. If an explanation of 9:1-29 contradicts 9:30-32, then the explanation is wrong.
Romans 9:32
32 Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
The faith/works antithesis has been often emphasized (Romans 3:20, Romans 3:27- 28; Romans 4:2, Romans 4:6; Romans 9:11), and as elsewhere their pursuit of righteousness is not at fault but rather their trying to attain it by works.
It was not wrong to pursue the law, but to make it the locus of salvation in light of the Christ- event meant that they rejected God’s Messiah and the salvation he made possible. (Osborne, IVPNT)
Romans 9:33
33 as it is written,
“See, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will make them fall,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Quotes Isaiah 28:16
In the N.T. the stone refers to Jesus.
Rom 10:11; 1 Pet 2:6
Rejecting Jesus was the mistake of ethnic Israel.
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