Romans 9:1-5

Sorrow over the Reprobation of the Jews. Paul's rapture passes into anguish at the exclusion of his kinsmen from this blessedness. So the second theme of the epistle comes into view; see Introd. § 5.

Romans 9:1 f. The apostle was denounced as a renegade (Acts 21:28, etc.); hence his solemn protest (cf. Romans 1:9, 2 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:5).

Romans 9:3. His deeply-wounded love prompts the wish almost a prayerthat I were myself anathema, that I were cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my natural kinsfolk. The Greek anathema (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:23; Galatians 1:8) renders the Hebrew term for put-under-the-ban, as with Achan and his plunder (Joshua 7; cf. Joshua 6:17 f., Leviticus 27:28 f.).

Romans 9:4 f. This recital shows how far Paul is from disparaging his people's distinctions (cf. Romans 2:1, Romans 3:2; Romans 15:8), and how tragic is their reprobation. Israelites the title of religious nobility (Genesis 32:28; Psalms 73:1, John 1:47, etc.). The (national) adoption (see Romans 8:15 *): Israel is My son, My firstborn (Exodus 4:22, etc.). The glory. the Shekinah of Exodus 16:10, etc., which attended the desert march and rested on the sacred Ark. The Covenants with Abraham, Moses, David; finally, that of Jeremiah 31:31. Of whom, not whose as in former clauses a case of origin, not possessionis the Christ, etc.: the consummate honour of the Israelite race.

Romans 9:5 b is sometimes punctuated as a detached doxology: God, who is over all, be blessed for ever! A rendering grammatical indeed, but forced and improbable. Who is over all, God blessed for ever, supplies the antithesis to after the flesh; cf. Romans 1:3 f., Galatians 4:4. Christ is not called God over all: over all affirms His Lordship (1 Corinthians 8:6, Php_2:9-11, etc.); God, His oneness of being with the Father (Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; John 10:30).

After all this, Israel's reprobation looks like God's defeat. But God's word has not failed; for God is acting, as always, in the sovereignty of His elective grace (Romans 9:6), while Israel rejects His way of righteousness (Romans 9:30 to Romans 10:21); in the end Israel will be saved (Romans 11).