Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas. ~ KD
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.” – Romans 9:2-4 (NIV)
After Paul writes of overwhelming victory in Romans 8, his mood turns somber as he reflects upon Israel and its rejection of Jesus the Messiah.
Chapters 9-11 are best presented as a unit. Each of these chapters start with a lament, but end with a doxology.
Shepherd’s Notes observes: Paul’s stance regarding Israel was similar to that of Moses when Israel sinned by creating the golden calf. “But now, if Thou wilt, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Thy book which Thou has written!” (Exodus 32:32, NASB)
Although Paul’s primary mission was to the Gentiles, his heart ached for the salvation of his Jewish brethren.
Verses 4-5 show how tragic the Jews’ rejection of Christ the Messiah was in light of their many advantages:
Paul’s concern for his Jewish brothers demonstrated great love and compassion. Like Christ, he was willing to sacrifice in order that they might find eternal life by placing their faith in Him.
Are we as concerned for those who haven’t placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Paul was?
Trying to figure out God is like trying to catch a fish in the Pacific Ocean with an inch of dental floss.”
– Matt Chandler, The Explicit Gospel
I was searching for some profound quote about God’s sovereignty when Matt Chandler’s funny observation caught my attention from goodreads.com. Often asking, why, I relate to his insight— especially with difficult passages like this one.
The first section isn’t too hard to understand. Paul defends God by declaring that His covenant promises didn’t fail, even though the majority of the Jews didn’t believe Jesus was the Christ. For the true children of Abraham—“the children of the promise”—are those who trust in God and Jesus’ work on the cross (vs. 6-8).
Verses 11-13 affirm God’s promised blessing through Abraham and Sarah’s son, Isaac. But the following verses take some sifting:
“Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by Him who calls—she [Rebeka] was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
The NIV Study Bible helps connect the dots: “Was it right for God to choose Jacob, the younger, to be over Esau? In Malachi 1:2-3, the statement ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated’ refers to the nations of Israel and Edom rather than to the individual brothers . . . . He did not exclude Esau from knowing and loving Him.”
In God choosing Jacob over Esau before their birth, Shepherd’s Notes suggests: “The selection could not have been based on their doing of right or wrong.”
Paul also anticipated a charge of God’s unfairness in verse 14. He reminds us that God will act according to His will and wisdom, regardless of our desire or efforts. He cites God’s message to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy”.
Paul then reminds of God’s dealings with Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” (vs.15).
The NIV Study Bible suggests: “God’s judgment on Pharaoh’s sin was to harden his heart to confirm his disobedience, so that the consequences of his rebellion would be his own punishment.”
Because this post is getting long—and my brain feels like a minnow in the Pacific Ocean—I’ll pick up with verses 19-29 next time.
Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.” – Romans 9:1, NIV
This passage—like last week’s—is difficult to understand.
After Paul attributes God’s dealings of mercy and judgment by using Moses and Pharaoh as examples, he continues his defense as if he is sparring with an imaginary opponent.
Paul writes (of his imaginary opponent): “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists His will?” (vs. 19).
Paul answers: But who are you, O man, to talk back to God?
“Then I went to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” – Jeremiah 18:3-6, NASB
“Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? (vs. 20-21).
In this context Paul asks the hypothetical question in verses 22-24: What if God makes His power known to those He bestows mercy through His judgment on those destined for His wrath?
Paul refers to Old Testament passages in verses 25-29 to show: 1) God will redeem some Gentiles (Hosea 2:23; 1:10), and 2) only a remnant of believing Jews will be saved (Isaiah 10:22-23; 1:9).
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be a righteousness for everyone who believes.” – Romans 10:1-4
This section echoes Romans 9:1-5 as Paul longs for the salvation of his Jewish people. Paul, who knew firsthand of the Jews’ zeal (Galatians 1:13-14), was pained that they lacked knowledge of Jesus’ identity and mission. Instead of accepting that Jesus fulfilled the Law and opened a way for right standing before God through faith in Him (Romans 3:21; Galatians 3:19-4:7), they sought righteousness through their traditions and through Law keeping. They failed to recognize God’s plan of redemption through Christ.
The NIV Life Application Study Bible observes: “Christ is the end of the Law in two ways. He fulfills the purpose and goal of the Law (Matthew 5:17) in that He perfectly exemplified God’s desires on earth. But He is also the termination of the Law because in comparison to Christ, the Law is powerless to save. In order to be saved by the Law, a person would have to live a perfect life, not sinning once. Why did God give the Law when He knew people couldn’t keep it? According to Paul, one reason the Law was given was to show people how guilty they are (Galatians 3:19). The Law was a shadow of Christ—that is, the sacrificial system educated the people so that when the true sacrifice came they would be able to understand His work (Hebrews 10:1-4). The Law points to Christ, the reason for all those animal sacrifices.”
Paul ends this section by emphasizing belief: 
“Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (vs. 17).
Shepherd’s Notes comments: “Nowhere in Scripture is the universal scope of salvation presented with greater clarity. Although God’s redemptive plan was worked out in history through one particular race, it was meant from the beginning for the benefit of all people. Romans 10:9-10 has long served as one of the most helpful portions of Scripture for pointing out the way of salvation: confession that Jesus is Lord and belief in one’s heart that God has raised Him from death. This belief is not merely verbal assent, but staking one’s entire being on this truth.”
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