St. Paul in this chapter endeavours to comfort the Jews, though the greatest part of them were rejected for their blindness; and to admonish the Gentiles, not to boast for being called and converted, but to persevere with humility, and the fear of God. --- God hath not cast away his people. That is,... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is not now by works: otherwise grace is no more grace. The election of God, and the first grace at least, are always without any merits on our part; but if we speak of works done in a state of grace, and by the assistance of God's grace, we co-operate with the graces given, and by thus co-operat... [ Continue Reading ]
God hath given them, &c. Not by his working, or acting in them; but by his permission, and by withdrawing his grace in punishment of their obstinacy. (Challoner) --- Permitted them (says St. John Chrysostom) to fall into the spirit of insensibility. Literally, the spirit of [1] compunction. Compunct... [ Continue Reading ]
Have they so stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid. That is, their fall is not irreparable, or so as never to rise again: but by their offending, salvation (through the liberal mercy of God) is come to the Gentiles, that they, the Jews, may be emulous of the Gentiles, and of their happiness, a... [ Continue Reading ]
If the first-fruit (see the Greek word) be holy, so also is the mass; so also the rest, the product that follows. He alludes to the offering made by the law of the first-fruit, which was to acknowledge that all good things were from God, and to bring a blessing upon the rest. --- If the root be hol... [ Continue Reading ]
_I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, this hidden truth of God's justice and mercy, that blindness in part hath happened in Israel, or to part of them, until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in, by the conversion of all nations: and then all Israel should be saved, when t... [ Continue Reading ]
_According to the gospel, indeed, they are enemies for your sake. That is, enemies both to you, because they see the gospel preached and received by you, and enemies of God, because he has rejected them at present for their wilful blindness: yet according to election, God having once made them his e... [ Continue Reading ]
_As you also in times past did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy through their unbelief, which was an occasion of God's sending his preachers to you: but the cause of your salvation is God's mercy. --- That they also may obtain mercy. That is, God has permitted their incredulity, that bei... [ Continue Reading ]
[BIBLIOGRAPHY] Conclusit omnia. _Greek: pantas._... [ Continue Reading ]
O the depth, &c. After he hath spoken of the mysteries of God's grace and predestination, of his mercy and justice, which we must not pretend to dive into, he concludes this part of his epistle, by an exclamation, to teach us submission of our judgment, as to the secrets of his providence, which we... [ Continue Reading ]
[BIBLIOGRAPHY] Et in ipso, _Greek: kai eis auton._... [ Continue Reading ]