Chapter 9:
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| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Luther
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Acts 1 Corinthians
Romans 9
There remained one important question to be considered, namely, how this
salvation, common to Jew and Gentile, both alienated from God-this doctrine
that there was no difference-was to be reconciled with the special promises
made to the Jews. The proof of their guilt and ruin under the law did not
touch the promises of a faithful God. Was the apostle going to do away with
these to place the Gentiles on the same footing? They did not fail also to
accuse the apostle of having despised his nation and its privileges.
Chapters 9, 10 and 11 reply to this question; and, with rare and admirable
perfection, set forth the position of Israel with respect to God and to the
gospel. This reply opens, in itself, a wide door to intelligence in the
ways of God.
The apostle begins by affirming his deep interest in the blessing of
Israel. Their condition was a source of constant grief to him. Far from
despising them, he loved them as much as Moses had done. He had wished to
be anathema from Christ for them. [
51]
He acknowledged that all the privileges granted by God until then, belonged
to them. But he does not allow that the word of God had failed; and he
develops proof of the free sovereignty of God, conformably to which,
without trenching upon the promises made to the Jews, He could admit the
Gentiles according to His election.
In the first place, this truth displayed itself in the bosom of Abraham's
own family. The Jews alleged their exclusive right to the promises in
virtue of their descent from him, and to have their promises by right, and
exclusively, because they were descended from him. But they are not all
Israel which are of Israel. Neither because they were of the seed of
Abraham were they therefore all children. For in that case Ishmael must
have been received; and the Jews would by no means hear of that. God then
was sovereign. But it might be alleged that Hagar was a slave. But Esau's
case excluded even this saving thought. The same mother bore both sons of
one father, and God had chosen Jacob and rejected Esau. It was thus on the
principle of sovereignty and election, that God had decided that the seed
should be called in the family of Isaac. And before Esau and Jacob were
born, God declared that the elder should serve the younger. The Jews must
then admit God's sovereignty on this point.
Was God then unrighteous? He plainly declared His sovereignty for good to
Moses as a principle. It is the first of all rights. But in what case had
He exercised this right? In a case that concerned that right of Israel to
blessing, of which the Jews sought to avail themselves. All Israel would
have been cut off, if God had dealt in righteousness; there was nothing but
the sovereignty of God which could be a door of escape. God retreated into
His sovereignty in order to spare whom He would, and so had spared Israel
(justice would have condemned them all alike, gathered round the golden
calf which they set up to worship)-this, on the side of mercy; on that of
judgment, Pharaoh served for an example. The enemy of God, and of His
people, he had treated the claims of God with contempt, exalting himself
proudly against Him-"Who is Jehovah, that I should obey him? I will not let
his people go." Pharaoh being in this state, Jehovah uses him to give an
example of His wrath and judgment. So that He shews mercy to whom He will,
and hardens whom He will. Man complains of it, as he does of the grace that
justifies freely.
As to rights, compare those of God and those of the creature who has sinned
against Him. How can man, who is made of clay, dare to reply against God?
The potter has power to do as he will with the lump. No one can say to God,
What doest Thou? God's sovereignty is the first of all rights, the
foundation of all rights, the foundation of all morality. If God is not
God, what will He be? The root of the question is this; is God to judge
man, or man God? God can do whatsoever He pleases. He is not the object for
judgment. Such is His title: but when in fact the apostle presents the two
cases, wrath and grace, He puts the case of God shewing long suffering
towards one already fitted for wrath, in order to give at last an example
to men of His wrath in the execution of His justice; and then of God
displaying His glory in vessels of mercy whom He has prepared for glory.
There are then these three points established with marvellous exactitude;
the power to do all things, no one having the right to say a word;
wonderful endurance with the wicked, in whom at length His wrath is
manifested; demonstration of His glory in vessels, whom He has Himself
prepared by mercy for glory, and whom He has called, whether from among the
Jews or Gentiles, according to the declaration of Hosea.
The doctrine established, then, is the sovereignty of God in derogation of
the pretensions of the Jews to the exclusive enjoyment of all the promises,
as being descended from Abraham; for, among his descendants, more than one
had been excluded by the exercise of this sovereignty; and it was nothing
less than its exercise which, on the occasion of the golden calf, had
spared those who pretended to the right of descent. It was necessary
therefore that the Jew should recognise it, or else that he should admit
the Idumeans in full right, as well as the Ishmaelites, and renounce it
himself, the families of Moses and Joshua alone perhaps excepted. But if
such was the sovereignty of God, He would now exercise it in favour of the
Gentiles, as well as Jews. He called whom He would.
If we look closely into these quotations from Hosea, we shall find that
Peter, who writes to converted Jews alone, takes only the passage at the
end of chapter 2, where Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah become Ammi and Ruhamah.
Paul quotes that also, which is at the end of chapter 1, where it is
written, "In the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people,
there shall they be called-not 'my people,' but-' the children of the
living God.'" It is this last passage which he applies to the Gentiles
called by grace.
But further passages from the prophets amply confirm the judgment which the
apostle pronounces by the Spirit on the Jews. Isaiah declared formally
that, if God had not left them a little remnant, they would have been as
Sodom and Gomorrah;numerous as the people were, a little remnant only
should be saved; for God was cutting the work short in judgment on the
earth. And here was the state of things morally: the Gentiles had obtained
the righteousness which they had not sought, had obtained it by faith; and
Israel, seeking to obtain it by the fulfilment of a law, had not attained
to righteousness. Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but by works of
law. For they had stumbled at the stumbling-stone (that is, at Christ), as
it is written, "I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence: and
whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed."
[
51] Read, "I have wished." Moses, in his anguish, had said, "Blot me out of thy book." Paul had not been behind him in his love.
Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Luther
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Acts 1 Corinthians
This version of Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1995 by L. Hodgett. Used by permission. This material may be freely copied for private use or for distribution without charge but must not be used commercially without written permission from the compiler--L. Hodgett. A special thanks to L. Hodgett for permission to create and post this version of Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
