In this chapter he begins to remove the offences which might have diverted the minds of men from Christ: for the Jews, for whom he was appointed according to the covenant of the law, not only rejected him, but regarded him with contempt, and for the most part bated him. Hence one of two things seeme... [ Continue Reading ]
2._That I have great sorrow, etc. _He dexterously manages so to cut short his sentence as not yet to express what he was going to say; for it was not as yet seasonable openly to mention the destruction of the Jewish nation. It may be added, that he thus intimates a greater measure of sorrow, as impe... [ Continue Reading ]
3._For I could wish, etc. _He could not have expressed a greater ardour of love than by what he testifies here; for that is surely perfect love which refuses not to die for the salvation of a friend. But there is another word added, _anathema _ _, _which proves that he speaks not only of temporal bu... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Who are Israelites, etc. _Here the reason is now more plainly given, why the destruction of that people caused him so much anguish, that he was prepared to redeem them by his own death, namely because they were Israelites; for the relative pronoun is put here instead of a causative adverb. In lik... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Whose are the fathers, etc. _It is indeed of some importance to be descended from saints and men beloved of God, since God promised to the godly fathers mercy with regard to their children, even to thousand generations, and especially in the words addressed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as we fin... [ Continue Reading ]
6._Not however, etc. _Paul had been carried away by the ardour of his wish, as it were, into an excess of feeling, _( __in ecstasin _ _,) _but now, returning to discharge his office as a teacher, he adds what may be viewed as somewhat qualifying what he had said, as though he would restrain immodera... [ Continue Reading ]
7._But, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” _Paul mentions this, to show that the hidden election of God overrules the outward calling, and that it is yet by no means inconsistent with it, but, on the contrary, that it tends to its confirmation and completion. That he might then in due order prove... [ Continue Reading ]
8._That is, They are not, etc_. He now gathers from God’s answer a proposition, which includes the whole of what he had in view. For if Isaac, and not Ishmael, was the seed, though the one as well as the other was Abraham’s son, it must be that all natural sons are not to be regarded as the seed, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
9._For the word of promise is this, etc. _He adds another divine testimony; and we see, by the application made of it, with what care and skill he explains Scripture. When he says, the Lord said that he would come, and that a son would be born to Abraham of Sarah, he intimated that his blessing was... [ Continue Reading ]
10._And not only, etc. _There are in this chapter some broken _sentences, _such as this is, — _But Rebecca also, who had conceived by one, our father Isaac; _for he leaves off in the middle, before he comes to the principal verb. The meaning, however, is, that the difference as to the possession of... [ Continue Reading ]
11._For when the children, etc. _He now begins to ascend higher, even to show the cause of this difference, which he teaches us is nowhere else to be found except in the election of God. He had indeed before briefly noticed, that there was a difference between the natural children of Abraham, that t... [ Continue Reading ]
12._The elder shall serve the younger _See how the Lord makes a difference between the sons of Isaac, while they were as yet in their mother’s womb; for this was the heavenly answer, by which it appeared that God designed to show to the younger peculiar favor, which he denied to the elder. Though th... [ Continue Reading ]
13._As it is written, Jacob I loved, etc. _He confirms, by a still stronger testimony, how much the heavenly answer, given to Rebecca, availed to his present purpose, that is, that the spiritual condition of both was intimated by the dominion of Jacob and servitude of Esau, and also that Jacob obtai... [ Continue Reading ]
14._What then shall we say? etc. _The flesh cannot hear of this wisdom of God without being instantly disturbed by numberless questions, and without attempting in a manner to call God to an account. We hence find that the Apostle, whenever he treats of some high mystery, obviates the many absurditie... [ Continue Reading ]
15._For he saith to Moses, etc. _(296) With regard to the elect, God cannot be charged with any unrighteousness; for according to his good pleasure he favors them with mercy: and yet even in this case the flesh finds reasons for murmuring, for it cannot concede to God the right of showing favor to o... [ Continue Reading ]
16._It is not then of him who wills, etc. _From the testimony adduced he draws this inference, that beyond all controversy our election is not to be ascribed to our diligence, nor to our striving, nor to our efforts, but that it is wholly to be referred to the counsel of God. That none of you may th... [ Continue Reading ]
17._For the Scripture saith, etc. _He comes now to the second part, the rejection of the ungodly, and as there seems to be something more unreasonable in this, he endeavours to make it more fully evident, how God, in rejecting whom he wills, is not only irreprehensible, but also wonderful in his wis... [ Continue Reading ]
18._To whom he wills then he showeth mercy, etc. _Here follows the conclusion of both parts; which can by no means be understood as being the language of any other but of the Apostle; for he immediately addresses an opponent, and adduces what might have been objected by an opposite party. There is t... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Thou wilt then say, etc. _Here indeed the flesh especially storms, that is, when it hears that they who perish have been destined by the will of God to destruction. Hence the Apostle adopts again the words of an opponent; for he saw that the mouths of the ungodly could not be restrained from bol... [ Continue Reading ]
20._But, O man! who art thou? etc. _(303) As it is a participle in Greek, we may read what follows in the present tense, _who disputest, _or contendest, or strivest in opposition to God; for it is expressed in Greek according to this meaning, — “Who art thou who enterest into a dispute with God?” Bu... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Has not the worker of the clay? etc. _The reason why what is formed ought not to contend with its former, is, that the former does nothing but what he has a right to do. By the word _power, _he means not that the maker has strength to do according to his will, but that this privilege rightly and... [ Continue Reading ]
22._And what, etc. _A second answer, by which he briefly shows, that though the counsel of God is in fact incomprehensible, yet his unblamable justice shines forth no less in the perdition of the reprobate than in the salvation of the elect. He does not indeed give a reason for divine election, so a... [ Continue Reading ]
23._That he might also make known the riches of his glory, etc. _I doubt not but the two particles καὶ ἵνα, is an instance of a construction, where the first word is put last; ( ὕστερον πρότερον) and that this clause may better unite with the former, I have rendered it, _That he might also make know... [ Continue Reading ]
24._Whom he also called, etc. _From the reasoning which he has been hitherto carrying on respecting the freedom of divine election, two things follow, — that the grace of God is not so confined to the Jewish people that it does not also flow to other nations, and diffuse itself through the whole wor... [ Continue Reading ]
25._As he says in Hosea, _(310) _etc. _He proves now that the calling of the Gentiles ought not to have been deemed a new thing, as it had long before been testified by the prediction of the prophet. The meaning is evident; but there is some difficulty in the application of this testimony; for no on... [ Continue Reading ]
26.]_I will call them my people which are not a people _This is said with respect to the divorce, which God had already made with the people, by depriving them of all honor, so that they did not excel other nations. Though they indeed, whom God in his eternal counsel has destined as sons to himself,... [ Continue Reading ]
27._And Isaiah exclaims, etc. _He proceeds now to the second part, with which he was unwilling to begin, lest he should too much exasperate their minds. And it is not without a wise contrivance, that he adduces Isaiah as exclaiming, not, speaking, in order that he might excite more attention. But th... [ Continue Reading ]
28._For I will finish and shorten the matter, etc. _(312) Omitting various interpretations, I will state what appears to me to be the real meaning: The Lord will so cut short, and cut off his people, that the residue may seem as it were a consumption, that is, may have the appearance and the vestige... [ Continue Reading ]
29._And as Isaiah had before said, etc. _(314) He brings another testimony from the first chapter, where the Prophet deplores the devastation of Israel in his time: and as this had happened once, it was no new thing. The people of Israel had indeed no pre-eminence, except what they had derived from... [ Continue Reading ]
30._What then, etc. _That he might cut off from the Jews every occasion of murmuring against God, he now begins to show those causes, which may be comprehended by human minds, why the Jewish nation had been rejected. But they do what is absurd and invert all order, who strive to assign and set up ca... [ Continue Reading ]
31._But Israel, by pursuing, etc. _Paul openly states what seemed incredible, — that it was no wonder that the Jews gained nothing by sedulously following after righteousness; for by running out of the way, they wearied themselves in vain. But in the first place it seems to me that the law of righte... [ Continue Reading ]
32._Not by faith, but as it were by works, etc. _As false zeal seems commonly to be justly excused, Paul shows that they are deservedly rejected, who attempt to attain salvation by trusting in their own works; for they, as far as they can, abolish faith, without which no salvation can be expected. H... [ Continue Reading ]
33._And every one who believes in him shall not be ashamed. _He subjoins this testimony from another part for the consolation of the godly; as though he had said, “Because Christ is called the stone of stumbling, there is no reason that we should dread him, or entertain fear instead of confidence; f... [ Continue Reading ]