Romans 9:1-33

After the first 8 chapters of his letter, Paul must, in rather strong words, underline that he truly cares about his Jewish compatriots:

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. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. [Rom. 9:2-5]

The idea that Paul would want to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his brothers who do not follow Christ, underlines that it has dramatic consequences for Jews to not believe in Christ. In his first 8 chapters, Paul has worked this out carefully. Without Christ, all people, including Jews, are lost.

The little list that Paul gives (adoption as sons, etc) can therefore not be applicable to all Israelites. Naturally, they are attributes of the people of God, because God chose them, but they are not applicable to any Jew who is not attached to Christ.

So what about the promises of God? Had he not promised that with the coming of the Messiah, all Israel would be saved? Has God’s word failed? No, says Paul. The word of God has not changed, or failed, but it does need good exegesis. Paul explains:

For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. [Rom. 9:6-8]

The Greek word pas, used for all in ‘thus all Israel shall be saved’ occurs here in Romans 9:6 and 7. Paul says that not all who are offspring of Israel are truly Israel. And not all are to be considered Abraham’s children who are his physical descendants.

In previous chapters, Paul has discussed this issue, so he is not saying anything new here. In Rom 9:9-13 he explains it further by pointing to the fact that in the Old Testament God chose certain descendents of Jacob, not all. So: even in the Old Testament it was clear that not all physical posterity of the one who received the promise, enjoyed the covenantal blessings of God.

Is this unjust of God? This was very likely the argument of many Jews who heard Paul speak. But Paul does not consider God unjust, and point to the full right of God to be merciful to anyone he likes, or to harden the heart of anyone he chooses. [Rom 9:18]

To prove that God indeed chooses whom he likes, Paul uses an example from the most formative history in the nation of Israel – that is, the exodus from Egypt. God says to Moses: "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So, Paul says, it is not a matter of what someone wants or does, but of God’s compassion. [Rom. 9:15-16].

Pharaoh is an example of someone whose heart is hardened by God in order for God’s name to be become known on earth .[Rom. 9:17]

Later, in Rom. 11:29-32, Paul picks this thought up again. Looking at that verses, it seems clear to me that Paul uses the example of Moses and Pharaoh in Rom. 9:17-18 to show that when God hardens someone (or Israel), this is meant to make sure that the whole world gets to know Him. These verses, therefore, are not a general theological statement about election or predestination, but in the first place a discussion of a concrete moment in salvation history. That is also clear from the next words of Paul. Again he mentions that God is entitled to do as He pleases:

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? 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? [Rom. 9:20-21]

In the words ‘why did you make me like this (houtoos)’, we see the word that is later used in the text: ‘thus (houtoos) all Israel shall be saved.’ In Rom. 9:20 this means ‘thus, in this manner, in this way.’

In Romans 9:22-23 Paul says important things in complicated sentences. I will try to follow his argument:
1. God bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction
2. He was patient, even though He wanted to show his wrath and power
3. He was patient because He wanted to reveal the riches of his glory
4. He reveals this glory to the objects of his mercy
5. He has prepared these objects of his mercy to (participate in) this glory.

By speaking about wrath and objects of mercy, Paul continues with his metaphor of the potter and his pots. To understand what Paul is saying, we start with Rom. 9:24, where he speaks of the objects of mercy that he has prepared for glory:

[those are we], whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles.

This is the church of Christ. Paul shows that already Hosea had a vision for the fact that God would one day say to gentiles: you are my people, those while once you were not loved, now you are. Those who were not Gods people, will be called sons of the living God. These words of Hosea harmonize with Isaiah, who says that only a remnant from Israel will be saved. Not all Jews will be saved, says Paul here.

Back to Rom. 9:22-23. The objects of mercy are Jews and gentiles who follow Jesus Christ. The objects of wrath are the unbelievers from Israel and the nation. Paul says nothing that he did not discuss before in this letter! See for instance Rom. 1:18-2:4. Paul speaks there about the history of mankind; a history of rebellion against God. God has restrained his wrath because He has a plan to show his glory to those who would become followers of Christ.

In Rom. 1 and 2, where Paul speaks of the wrath of God and of these evil people, he never suggests that these people cannot convert and change their life; he calls them to faith and conversion.
The apostle then summarizes what he has said in previous chapters. People from the nations have found righteousness through faith, while Israel complete missed this grace of God, because it focused on so-called good works, not on faith. [Rom. 9:30-32]

Christ is the stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. [Rom. 9:33]