Romans 9:1-5

Romans 9:1-Deuteronomy : . 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 prayer—“ that 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-Haggai :. “ Of whom,” not whose as in former clauses— a case of origin, not possession—“ is 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-Zechariah :).

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-Joel :), while Israel rejects His way of righteousness ( Romans 9:30 to Romans 10:21); in the end Israel will be saved (Romans 11).