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... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD'S FREE ELECTION. Romans 9:6. We must distinguish: to be of Israel, is not to be Israel. Mere physical heredity counts for nothing: Isaac was the proper seed of Abraham, designated as the child of promise (Genesis 21:12, etc.). Here Isaac's case illustrates the sovereignty of God; in Romans 4:18... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY IN JUDGMENT. Romans 9:19 f. The hard saying just enunciated provokes the question, Why does He blame, if the hardening is His doing and none may resist His will? Paul forgoes the obvious retort, that God's hardening is a judgment on hardness of heart (_cf. Romans 2:5,_ etc.),... [ Continue Reading ]
ROMANS 9:30 TO ROMANS 10:4. Paul has discussed the Jewish situation as from God's side; he proceeds to point out, from man's side, THE CAUSE OF ISRAEL'S STUMBLING. This chs. 3- 5 have prepared us to understand. ROMANS 9:30_ A_. The paradox is that Gentiles, who were out of the way of righteousness,... [ Continue Reading ]