Romans 9:1-5

DISCOURSE: 1883
OUR DUTY TOWARDS THE JEWS

Romans 9:1. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

FIDELITY in ministers is absolutely indispensable. Without it we cannot approve ourselves either to God or man. Yet in the exercise of it we should maintain a tenderness of spirit, “speaking the truth” indeed, but speaking it “in love.” When at any time, as frequently we must, we bring painful truths to the ears of our hearers, we should convince them, that we are not actuated by any thing but a spirit of love. St. Paul was especially careful upon this head; as may be seen in all his epistles, but especially in this which is before us [Note: See in Paley’s “HorζPaulinζ” what he says on the Epistle to the Romans. It is pre-eminently deserving the attention of ministers.]. He is constrained to declare to the Jews, God’s determination to reject the Jews from being his people, and to admit the Gentiles in their stead to those privileges which the Jews had hitherto exclusively enjoyed. But, as this was a topic which must of necessity be most painful to their feelings, he labours to convince them, that, in all which he should declare respecting it, he was actuated only by a sense of duty, and not by any unkind feelings towards them; and that, so far from wishing them this evil, he would submit to any thing to deliver them from it. He calls God to witness, that he had nothing more sincerely at heart, than that, as they had already possessed, so they should ever continue to possess, the most distinguished tokens of God’s love and favour.

In the words which we have just read, we may see,

I. The distinguished privileges of the Jewish people—

In setting these forth, the Apostle addresses them, not as strangers, but as “his brethren, his kinsmen, according to the flesh;” and then records the distinctions that had been conferred upon them; specifying both those which had been bestowed for their own personal benefit, and those which had been conferred for the benefit of the whole world.

[They were “Israelites,” descended from Jacob, who, in remembrance of his wrestling with the angel, and prevailing with God in prayer, was honoured with the name of Israel. “To them pertained the adoption,” they, as a nation, being regarded as “God’s first-born.” To them had been vouchsafed “the glory,” even that bright cloud, which was the symbol of the Deity; which guided their forefathers through the wilderness, and afterwards abode both in the tabernacle and the temple, resting upon the ark, and residing between the cherubims, till the temple itself was destroyed by the Chaldean army. Theirs also were “the covenants;” both the covenant of grace, which was given to Abraham, and the national covenant, which was made with them in the time of Moses. To them had God also “given the law,” proclaiming it with an audible voice from Mount Sinai, and delivering it to them written with his own finger upon tables of stone. To them also was vouchsafed the ceremonial law, comprehending every minute particular respecting “the service of God;” so that in no case whatever were they left in doubt how they should approach him with acceptance. The promises also were theirs, both those which related to the sending of the Messiah, and those which related to the possession of Canaan. “Theirs too were the fathers,” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, than whom none of the children of men had ever been more highly favoured with divine and heavenly communications. But to these benefits, which may be considered as personal, we must add that which infinitely exceeds them all, and in which the whole world are interested, namely, that “of them, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.” Yes, when the ever-blessed, the co-equal, the co-eternal Son of God came into the world, that by his own obedience unto death, he might accomplish the redemption of sinful man, he assumed his human nature from them, even from a Jewish Virgin; so that, in a more strict and appropriate sense than any other person, a Jew may say of him, He is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.

Consider now how glorious these distinctions were. To what other nation was any one of them ever vouchsafed? or what has the greatest monarch upon earth that can be in any degree compared with them? The honours which come of man are lighter than vanity itself, when compared with those which come of God: and when weighed in this scale, the highest monarchs in the universe are not so elevated above a slave, as the meanest Jew is exalted above them. But what shall we say to the giving birth to the Messiah, who was “the mighty God,” “Emmanuel, God with us?” Here all words fail us: in vain does the imagination attempt to grasp so wonderful an event. “God manifest in the flesh!” How “great this mystery of godliness!” and how infinitely ennobled are that people, to whom the ever-blessed God is so nearly related!]
The more we contemplate the privileges of the Jewish people, the more we see,

II.

The deep concern which we should feel for them—

The Apostle declares his compassion for them in the strongest terms; in considering which, it will be proper to notice,

1. What is implied in them—

[It is plain that St. Paul did not approve of that spurious charity which is so prevalent in our day. We cannot endure to think that any should finally be left to perish. We regard it as the summit of uncharitableness, to suppose that Jews and Gentiles are all in a state of guilt and condemnation, and that they can be saved only by their conversion to the faith of Christ. But let any one refer to our text, and he will see at once what St. Paul’s opinion was on this most interesting subject. If the Jews in their unconverted state were safe, why was St. Paul so grieved on their account? Would he have felt such “great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart” for them, or made such solemn appeals to God respecting his anxiety for them, if they had been in a state of favour and acceptance with God? There cannot possibly be a doubt on this subject: he regarded them all as perishing in their sins, according to that declaration of our blessed Lord, “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins [Note: John 8:24.].” Let this then be borne in mind in reference to that unhappy people, yes, and in reference to ourselves also, if we be not truly and unfeignedly devoted to God, as a penitent, believing, and obedient people — — —]

2. What is expressed—

[The terms, especially those in the third verse of our text, are so strong, that commentators have been at a loss to explain them, so as to render them consistent with what may reasonably be supposed to have been the actual experience of St. Paul. As for his wishing himself eternally banished from God for his brethren’s sake, it could not be: though he might, like Moses, be contented to be blotted out from the list of God’s people here in this world [Note: Exodus 32:32.], or even to be treated as accursed after the example of Christ, for his brethren’s sake. But we need not have recourse to either of these interpretations; for by only putting a part of the Apostle’s words into a parenthesis, the sense will be perfectly simple. He once was as full of enmity against Christ, and determined to have no connexion with him, as any of his brethren: and he knew that, in effect, this was to “wish himself accursed from Christ [Note: See Isaiah 28:15. where the effect is put for the cause precisely in a similar way.].” He tells them therefore, that, having been in the same perilous circumstances with themselves, he felt the more deeply for them. Thus by putting into a parenthesis those words, “I once wished myself accursed from Christ,” the sense will exactly accord with what the Apostle says in his Epistle to the Galatians, “Be ye as I am: for I was as ye are [Note: Galatians 4:12. For a fuller explanation of the text, see the preceding Discourse.].”

But though by this explanation of the text we get rid of that from whence it seems to derive its greatest force, enough remains in it to serve as an example to the whole world. St. Paul knowing that his brethren, whilst they continued in unbelief, were perishing in their sins, “had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart on their account,” and regarded nothing too much to do or suffer, if by any means he might be instrumental to their salvation. This is what every Christian should feel; and it is a shame to the whole Christian world that so little of it is felt amongst us. How few can truly join in the solemn appeal which is here made to the heart-searching God! Instead of an appeal to God respecting the greatness and continuance of our sorrow on behalf of the Jewish nation, does not conscience rather call for a confession, that we have had no more heaviness or sorrow of heart for them, than if they had been in a state of perfect safety? Alas! when have we spent one single hour in prayer for them? What sacrifices have we made, or what exertions, for the enlightening of their minds, and the saving of their souls? If we should say, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved,” would not our daily experience give the lie to our profession? Surely we have need to blush and be ashamed, every one of us. Had we seen a vessel wrecked, and all the crew perishing in the ocean, there is not one amongst us so inhuman, but he would be filled with the tenderest concern for them, and exert himself to the uttermost, if by any means he might save some of them. But we have seen millions of God’s ancient people perishing for ever, and have had the means of saving them within our own reach, and yet have made no efforts for their welfare, nor felt a pang on account of their destruction. O brethren! let it not be thus with us any longer: but let us cultivate the spirit of the Apostle, and labour henceforth as he did, for the restoration and salvation of our Jewish brethren.
It will be in vain, however, to urge you to exertions for others, if you begin not with your own souls. Here is, in reality, the root of all our neglect of others: we are not truly and thoroughly concerned even about ourselves. Alas! if we were to make, respecting our own souls, the appeal to God which the Apostle made respecting his Jewish brethren, how few could utter it in truth! Let us try it one moment: “O my God, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart” on account of my own sins; I feel them as a heavy burthen, too heavy for me to bear; and I find no rest in my soul, but by coming weary and heavy-laden to my Lord and Saviour. Beloved brethren, is this true of you? can you say it and “not lie?” Does your conscience attest the truth of it? and does the Holy Ghost, the heart-searching God, bear witness to it? What a fearful state must you then be in, if, with your superior advantages, you are yet impenitent and unbelieving, like the Jews themselves? Surely there is need that your brethren in Christ, who once were in your perilous condition, but have been converted by the grace of God, should weep and mourn over you, even as the Apostle did over the unbelieving Jews.

Will you say, that there is no occasion for you to fear, since in your baptism you were made “members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven?” True, you have by baptism all that the Jews derived from circumcision [Note: See the Church Catechism, which with great propriety represents us as enjoying by baptism all the privileges which the Jews enjoyed by circumcision. But notwithstanding those privileges, we must perish for ever, if we believe not in the Lord Jesus Christ. The external title to those blessings we obtain as soon as by baptism we are admitted into covenant with God: but the actual enjoyment of them we can obtain only by the exercise of faith in Christ.] — — — But this is the very reason why you should weep the more for your sins; because, when you already possess such glorious advantages, even as the Jews did by circumcision, you should lose them all, instead of securing the everlasting possession of them through the exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle acknowledges the exalted privileges of the Jews, “to whom pertained the adoption” into God’s family: but he had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart for them notwithstanding, because their guilt was the greater, and their condemnation would be the heavier on account of their impenitence and unbelief. And so, whilst you are exalted to heaven, even like Bethsaida and Capernaum, in the privileges you enjoy, there is reason to fear that you will be cast the deeper into hell for your misimprovement of them, and that in the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, yea, and for Sodom and Gomorrha, than for you.

Begin then, all of you, with your own souls; and then extend your concern to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And think not that your labours for them will be in vain; for the same power which can convert and save you, is able to effect the same blessed work for them. Less than omnipotence will not suffice for you: and to omnipotence all things are alike easy. See what God did for the Jews in the first ages — — — See what he did for the benighted Gentiles, who were quite as far from God as the Jews at this hour can be — — — Think of our forefathers once bowing down to stocks and stones, and see what Britain now is — — — Or, if you are yourselves renewed by divine grace, see what wonders have been wrought for you — — — At all events, do what you can to serve your God, and to benefit your fellow-creatures, fully confiding in that gracious declaration, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy [Note: This subject being important in reference to the Jews, a short and easy mode of treating it is here subjoined:—

I. The distinguished, &c.—

1. Those which were vouchsafed to them for their own personal benefit.

2. Those which were conferred on them for the benefit of the whole world: (God assuming their flesh into union with himself.)

II.

The deep, &c.—

1. What is implied.

2. What is expressed: (We should be able to make a similar appeal.)

Inquire—
1.

What have we felt for our own souls?—(We possess by baptism what they enjoyed by circumcision; yet are we, like them,in a perishing condition, till we believe in Christ. Till we believe in Christ, “we are accursed from Christ,” and can be saved only through faith in our incarnate God.)

2. What have we felt in reference to our Jewish brethren?—(We should feel as the Apostle did. But, could we adopt his appeal, and “not lie?” Have we not rather been disposed to deride strong feelings and great exertions in others, than to weep over them, and labour for them ourselves? Rest not till you can make St. Paul’s appeal your own.)].”]