Romans 9 is perhaps the passage which most lends itself to interpretations which portray God as a capricious, arbitrary tyrant. This passage had long troubled me, because if "Love" has any meaning that relates to desiring the good of others, then it was hard to reconcile these interpretations with the Scripture that "God is Love".
I have found a commentary which to me is very helpful in interpreting correctly this difficult passage. It does so by examining the context and the overall flow of what Paul is really talking about in Romans 9, which is an objection by Jews that if Paul's gospel is true that God's promises to the Jews have failed. Paul shows that this is not the case, and explains at least two things: viz. that God has a sovereign right to choose a people for Himself according to His choice, and that being a physical descendant of Abraham does not make you a child of God. Paul's argument is rather complex and the passage could be interpreted in isolation to make God seem capricious, but when looked at in both the immediate context and in the broader one of Scripture, this can be seen to be false.
Nevertheless, we have to acknowledge that there are things about God's Ways which we will never understand this side of eternity. We need to make sure that we are not those who harden ourselves against God, lest we find that one day God confirms us in our hardness of heart and we no longer have any ability or desire to repent towards God. That is the ultimate tragedy for an individual, but not for God's overall purposes. God can use even evil individuals in the unfolding of His plan. There always seem to be plenty of willing candidates for these kind of roles, sadly. God has foreseen all that would be, and He has planned in advance for us good works to do, but that DOES NOT mean that He makes all men do certain sins and harden their hearts from Him.
The commentary to which I refer is on the www.e-sword.net site is called the People's New Testament commentary. Since it seems to be in the public domain, I will post here what is says on the relevant passages of Romans 9. I will denote quotes from this commentary by the letters 'PNT'.
Rom 9:1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
Rom 9:2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.
Rom 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,
Rom 9:4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;
Rom 9:5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
My comment: We can see that the context of this passage is all about a concern for Israelites. It is not a concern for individual salvation.
PNT:
I say the truth in Christ. This affirmation is made so solemn because the Jews charged Paul with having forsaken his race. He speaks as in the presence of Christ, with a conscience enlightened by the Holy Spirit.
That I have great heaviness, etc. Not so much that his countrymen are estranged from him, as that they were without the blessing of Christ.
For I could wish myself accursed from Christ. He could wish this, if that would avail anything, to save his Jewish brethren.
Accursed. "Anathema," in the Revision. Rejected from Christ and lost.
My brethren. His Jewish brethren, those of the same Jewish stock as himself.
Who are Israelites. He now enumerates some of the glories of the Jewish race. Jacob, their ancestor, had been called Israel (Gen_32:28) by the angel. This means a Prince with God, and this proud title was borne by his descendants.
Whose is the adoption. Six high privileges of the chosen people are named in Rom_9:4-5. They were adopted as the chosen people (Deu_7:6).
And the glory. The presence of the ark of God and the glory of the Divine Presence (1Sa_4:21).
The covenants. The covenants made with Abraham and at Sinai.
The giving of the law. The law of Moses given to the children of Israel.
And the service of God. The worship of the tabernacle and temple.
And the promises. Especially the blessed promise of Christ.
Whose are the fathers. The patriarchs and prophets.
Of whom . . . Christ came. Greatest of all, Christ, in his fleshly nature, was of their race, of the tribe of Judah, and of the seed of David.
Who is over all. See Mat_28:18. He is our King and our Judge.
God blessed forever. More than man; Divine.
Rom 9:6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
Rom 9:7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED."
Rom 9:8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
Rom 9:9 For this is the word of promise: "AT THIS TIME I WILL COME AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON."
PNT
Rom 9:10-13 -
And not only this. The first argument is that the true seed are children of the promise, a spiritual seed rather than of the flesh. The second argument, now begun, is that God has the right to reject what nation he will, including the Jews, and to choose other races if he will. This is shown by facts from history. He did exercise the right of choice when he chose Jacob as the chosen nation, instead of Esau. The facts are recited to show this.
For the children. The children, yet unborn, were both Isaac's seed according to the flesh; hence, according to the flesh, of the promised seed, and both equally without works, neither having done good nor evil.
That the purpose of God according to election might stand. That it might stand forth that he made the choice of his own will, freely. Of his own will he chose Jacob, yet unborn, to become the head of the chosen race, rather than Esau. Note that this election was not to eternal salvation, but to become the head of a people. As Moses, Samuel, and John the Baptist were raised up for a great work of God, so was Jacob.
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. See Gen_25:23. It was said to Rebecca, "Two nations are in thy womb, . . . one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder (people) shall serve the younger" Esau never served Jacob, but the Edomites, descended from Jacob, served the Israelites. The election here is that of a race.
As it is written. In Mal_1:2-3. The language of Malachi, in its connection, shows that this is spoken of the two races. Mal_1:3 says, "I hated Esau and laid waste his mountains and his heritage." This was not true of Esau as a person, but was true of his descendants. One race was loved and the other race hated. God has then asserted his right to freely choose or to reject races. There is not the slightest hint of electing some persons to eternal salvation and others to damnation.
Rom 9:10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac
Rom 9:11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
Rom 9:12 it was said to her, "THE OLDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER."
Rom 9:13 As it is written, "JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED."
Rom 9:10-13 - PNT
And not only this. The first argument is that the true seed are children of the promise, a spiritual seed rather than of the flesh. The second argument, now begun, is that God has the right to reject what nation he will, including the Jews, and to choose other races if he will. This is shown by facts from history. He did exercise the right of choice when he chose Jacob as the chosen nation, instead of Esau. The facts are recited to show this.
For the children. The children, yet unborn, were both Isaac's seed according to the flesh; hence, according to the flesh, of the promised seed, and both equally without works, neither having done good nor evil.
That the purpose of God according to election might stand. That it might stand forth that he made the choice of his own will, freely. Of his own will he chose Jacob, yet unborn, to become the head of the chosen race, rather than Esau. Note that this election was not to eternal salvation, but to become the head of a people. As Moses, Samuel, and John the Baptist were raised up for a great work of God, so was Jacob.
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. See Gen_25:23. It was said to Rebecca, "Two nations are in thy womb, . . . one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder (people) shall serve the younger" Esau never served Jacob, but the Edomites, descended from Jacob, served the Israelites. The election here is that of a race.
As it is written. In Mal_1:2-3. The language of Malachi, in its connection, shows that this is spoken of the two races. Mal_1:3 says, "I hated Esau and laid waste his mountains and his heritage." This was not true of Esau as a per
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