With the eighth chapter, the discussion of the plan of salvation, and of its immediate consequences, was brought to a close. The consideration of the calling of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews, commences with the ninth, and extends to the end of the eleventh. Paul, in the first place, shows that God may consistently reject the Jews, and extend the blessings of the Messiah’s reign to the Gentiles, ix. 1—24; and in the second place, that he has already declared that such was his purpose, vs. 25—29. Agreeably to these prophetic declarations, the apostle announces that the Jews were cast off and the Gentiles called; the former having refused submission to the righteousness of faith, and the latter having been obedient, vs. 30—33. In the tenth chapter, Paul shows the necessity of this rejection of the ancient people of God, and vindicates the propriety of extending the invitation of the gospel to the heathen, in accordance with the predictions of the prophets. In the eleventh, he teaches that this rejection of the Jews was neither total nor final. It was not total, inasmuch as many Jews of that generation believed, and it was not final, as the period approached when the great body of that nation should acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, and be reingrafted into their own olive tree. So that we have in this and the following chapters, 1st. Paul’s lamentation over the rejection of the Jews, ix. 1—5. 2d. The proof that God had the right to deal thus with his ancient people, ix. 6—29. 3d. The proof that the guilt of this rejection was on the Jews themselves, ix. 30—33, and x. 1—21. 4th. The consolation which the promises and revealed purposes of God afford in view of this sad event.
CONTENTS.
In entering on the discussion of the question of the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles, the apostle assures his brethren of his love for them, and of his respect for their national privileges, vs. 1—5. That his doctrine on this subject was true, he argues, 1. Because it was not inconsistent with the promises of God, who is perfectly sovereign in the distribution of his favours, vs. 6—24. And secondly, because it was distinctly predicted in their own Scriptures, vs. 25—29. The conclusion from this reasoning is stated in vs. 20—33. The Jews are rejected for their unbelief, and the Gentiles admitted to the Messiah’s kingdom.
ROMANS IX. 1—5.
ANALYSIS.
As the subject about to be discussed was of all others the most painful and offensive to his Jewish brethren, the apostle approaches it with the greatest caution. He solemnly assures them that he was grieved at heart on their account; and that his love for them was ardent and disinterested, verses 1—3. Their peculiar privileges he acknowledged and respected. They were highly distinguished by all the advantages connected with the Old Testament dispensation, and, above all, by the fact that the Messiah was, according to the flesh, a Jew, verses 4, 5.
COMMENTARY.
VERSE 1. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, &c. There are three ways in which the words in Christ, or by Christ, may here be understood. 1. They may be considered as part of the formula of an oath, I (swear) by Christ, I speak the truth. But in oaths the preposition πρός, and not ἐν, is used. In a few cases, indeed, where a verb of swearing is used, the latter preposition occurs, but not otherwise. In addition to this objection, it may be urged that no instance occurs of Paul’s appealing to Christ in the form of an oath. The case which looks most like such an appeal is 1 Tim. v. 21, “I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels,” &c. But it is evident from the mention of the angels, that this is not of the nature of an oath. Paul merely wishes to urge Timothy to act as in the presence of God, Christ, and angels. This interpretation, therefore, is not to be approved. 2. The words in Christ may be connected with the pronoun I. ‘I in Christ,’ i. e., as a Christian, or, ‘In the consciousness of my union with Christ, I declare,’ &c. So the words are used in a multitude of cases, “You in Christ,” “I in Christ,” “We in Christ,” being equivalent to you, I, or we, as Christians, i. e., considered as united to Christ. See 1 Cor. i. 20, “Of whom are ye in Christ,” i. e., ‘By whom ye are Christians, or united to Christ;’ Rom. xvi. 3, 7, 9, 1 Cor. iii. 1, and frequently elsewhere. 3. The words may be used adverbially, and be translated after a Christian manner. This also is a frequent use of this and analogous phrases. See 1 Cor. vii. 39, “Only in the Lord,” i. e., only after a religious manner, in the Lord being equivalent with in a manner becoming, or suited to the Lord. Rom. xvi. 22, “I salute you in the Lord.” Philip. ii. 29, “Receive him, therefore, in the Lord;” Eph. vi. 1, Col. iii. 18. The sense of the passage is much the same, whether we adopt the one or the other of the last two modes of explanation. Paul means to say that he speaks in a solemn and religious manner, as a Christian, conscious of his intimate relation to Christ. I say the truth, and lie not. This mode of assertion, first affirmatively, and then negatively, is common in the Scriptures. “Thou shalt die, and not live,” Isaiah xxxviii. 1. “He confessed, and denied not,” John i. 20. There is generally something emphatic in this mode of speaking. It was a solemn and formal assertion of his integrity which Paul here designed to make. My conscience also bearing me witness; συμμαρτυρούσης, my conscience bearing witness with my words. In the Holy Ghost. These words are not to be taken as an oath, nor are they to be connected with the subject of οὐ ψεύδομαι, ‘I, instructed, or influenced by the Holy Ghost, lie not;’ but rather with συμμαρτυρούσης, his conscience bore this testimony guided by the Holy Spirit, Spiritu Sancto duce et moderatore, as Beza expresses it.