The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Romans 9

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Romans 9:1

I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,

(a) I am telling the truth in Christ. “I am about to tell you something (in verse 3) you may find hard to believe (see Rom. 9:3), but I assure you I am speaking the truth.”

(b) Conscience. Your conscience is that inner voice that lets you know whether you are walking in God’s will or have departed from it; see entry for Rom. 2:15.

(c) Testifies with me. “My conscience is submitted to the Spirit of truth when I tell you I am not lying or exaggerating.”

(d) The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Christ; see entry for Rom. 5:5.

Romans 9:2

that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.

Great sorrow. The glorious hope of Romans 8 gives way to grief and sadness as Paul expresses his heartbreak for his fellow Jews. Though Jews were God’s chosen people, they rejected his Son, causing Paul great anguish.

Romans 9:3

For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

(a) Accursed. Paul wished he could be cut off from Christ and condemned if it meant the salvation of his fellow Jews (Rom. 10:1). His heart was for restoration, not retribution (Rom. 11:11–12). Like Christ, he would gladly surrender his life to save those he loved.

(b) My kinsmen according to the flesh. “My people” or “my Jewish brothers and sisters” (see next verse).

Romans 9:4

who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,

(a) Israelites. The Israelites were the descendants of Abraham’s grandson Jacob, also known as Israel. The Israelites were considered the natural heirs of the promises of God.

(b) Adoption as sons. Paul lists six privileges that Israel received, and top of the list is their adoption as sons (Ex. 4:22). “When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” (Hos. 11:1). God treated the nation of Israel as an adopted son and a treasured possession (Deu. 26:18–19). He conferred on the Jews blessings and promises given to no other nation.

(c) The glory. Israel had witnessed the visible glory of God on several occasions: in the bright cloud that led them during the Exodus, on Mt. Sinai during the giving of the Ten Commandments, in the tabernacle of Moses, and in Solomon’s temple (e.g., Ex. 16:10, 24:16–17, 40:34–35, 1 Kgs. 8:10–11, Ps. 26:8). The visible glory was a reminder that God’s presence was with them.

(d) The covenants God made with Abraham, the patriarch, and his descendants (e.g., Gen. 17:4, 19, Ps. 89:28, Mal. 2:4).

(e) The giving of the Law. The Israelites considered the Law of Moses a great treasure that distinguished them from other nations (Deu. 4:5–8).

(f) The Law refers to the Law of Moses, the commandments, ordinances, punishments, and ceremonial observances given to the nation of Israel through Moses (Jos. 8:31, John 1:17). This law is sometimes referred to as the law of commandments (Eph. 2:15) or the law of the Jews (Acts 25:8). See entry for The Law.

(g) The temple. The word is in italics to show it is not in the original text but has been added for clarity by the translators.

(h) The service refers to the rituals, sacrifices, and ceremonies of the Jewish religion, which were intended to be signposts to the coming Messiah (Col. 2:16–17, Heb. 8:5).

(i) The promises of blessing and salvation given to Abraham and his descendants; see entry for Rom. 4:13.

Romans 9:5

whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

(a) Whose are the fathers. The fathers or patriarchs of Israel—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—were part of Christ’s family tree.

(b) From whom is the Christ. The promised Messiah was not born into a Roman, Egyptian, or Persian family but a Jewish one. Israel had a front-row seat and a backstage pass to God’s great Redemption Story. The Jews knew God’s will better than anyone else did, which makes their rejection of the Messiah all the more astonishing.

(c) Who is over all, God. Jesus is God (John 1:1). He is the Creator who made all things and is above all things (Eph. 1:22, Col. 1:16). To the Jews, such a claim was blasphemy (John 10:30–31). But to the believer, the divinity of Christ is the basis for our salvation (Tit. 2:13, 2 Pet. 1:1). The Christian is the one who confesses, “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Rom. 10:9).

(d) Blessed. The original adjective eulogetos means “praiseworthy.”

(e) Amen or “so be it.” See entry for Rom. 1:25.

In the New Testament, the word amen typically concludes expressions of praise and prayers to God (Matt. 6:13, Rev. 7:12). See also the entry for Matt. 6:13.

Romans 9:6

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;

(a) The word of God is the way by which God makes himself and his will known. In context, Paul is referring to the promises of blessing and salvation that God made to Abraham and Israel.

(b) Has not failed. God’s promises are as good as ever.

A Jew who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus Christ might be tempted to conclude that God had failed the nation of Israel. In the following chapters, Paul explains that God’s word has not failed; it was unbelieving Israel who failed. God’s word was a reliable road map, but Israel had taken a wrong turn. “Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?” (Rom. 3:3).

(c) Not all Israel who are descended from Israel. Paul reiterates his earlier point: a true Israelite is someone who shares the faith of Abraham and has been circumcised inwardly by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 2:28–29, 4:11–12). A true Israelite believes God raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Rom. 4:24).

Since the Israelites cut themselves off from God through unbelief (Rom. 11:20), God’s promises would not be fulfilled in the natural branches (the natural descendants of Abraham, the Jews) but through the grafted-in branches (the spiritual descendants of Abraham, believers; Rom. 11:17).

Romans 9:7

nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “Through Isaac your descendants will be named.”

(a) Nor are they all children. “Not all of Abraham’s descendants are considered heirs of the promise.” Such a statement would no doubt offend a Jew, but it was not without precedent. Abraham’s first son, Ishmael, was not given a share in the inheritance (Gen. 21:10–12).

(b) Abraham was Israel’s great patriarch; see entry for Rom. 4:1.

(c) Isaac, not Ishmael, was the son promised by God (Rom. 9:9, Gal. 4:23). The “through Isaac” quote comes from Genesis 21:12.

Romans 9:8

That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

(a) It is not the children of the flesh. Israelite identity is not determined by biology (as with Ishmael) but by the promises of God (as with Isaac). In the same way, the children of God are not those who share Abraham’s DNA but those who share his faith (Rom. 4:16).

(b) The children of God. Believers; see entry for Rom. 8:16.

(c) The children of the promise. God told Abraham he would be the father of many nations (Rom. 4:17). That promise is fulfilled in the large, multicultural family of God, the church.

(d) Regarded. The original verb logízomai is related to the word “logic.” It is translated elsewhere as “credited” (Rom. 4:3–6) and “considered” (Rom. 9:8). Those who have faith in God and his promises are counted or considered to be the righteous children of God.

Romans 9:9

For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”

(a) Sarah. Abraham’s wife; see entry for Rom. 4:19.

(b) “Sarah shall have a son.” This promise, which is recorded in Genesis 18:10 and 14, came after the birth of Ishmael. God was saying, “My word will be fulfilled through Sarah and her son, not Hagar and her son.” Why was Hagar’s son excluded? Because he was a child of the flesh and not a child of the promise (Gal. 4:22–23).

Romans 9:10

And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;

(a) Not only this. To reinforce his argument that not all Abraham’s descendants would inherit the promise, Paul mentions another occasion where a natural heir was excluded from his birthright.

(b) Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, was the mother of the twins Esau and Jacob. Here, too, it was the second son who received the inheritance. Paul cites these stories to show that God’s purposes are not based on the flesh but on his promises.

Romans 9:11

for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,

(a) The twins born to Rebekah and Isaac were Esau and Jacob (Gen. 25:25–26).

(b) Were not yet born. The God who sees the end from the beginning knew that Esau would reject his birthright, just as he knew Israel would reject his Son. However, their actions would not thwart his purposes since he had already chosen to include Jacob and the Gentiles in his redemptive plan.

(c) Had not done anything good or bad. Our works, good or bad, have no bearing on God’s eternal purposes. Our actions merely determine whether we benefit from his grace. Those who reject God’s grace miss out. Those who receive God’s grace are blessed.

(d) According to his choice. God chose to bless the younger son to demonstrate that his favor is not determined by pedigree (Jacob was not the natural heir) or morality (Jacob was a cheat). God’s blessings are based wholly on his goodness.

Esau and Jacob’s grandfather Abraham received promises of blessing from God. When Esau turned his back on his birthright, he took himself and his unborn descendants out of that good inheritance. He became a “godless” man (see Heb. 12:16), and God’s promises to Abraham were fulfilled through his younger brother Jacob.

(e) Choice. Some Bibles have “the purpose of God according to election.” The original noun eklogē means “choice” or “chosen.” “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen (eklogē) you” (1 Th. 1:4).

Does this mean God chooses some people and rejects others? That is not what Paul is saying. Paul’s point is that if the natural heir (e.g., Esau, Israel) rejects his inheritance, God will choose another heir (i.e., Jacob, the Gentiles). Either way, God’s purposes will come to pass.

(f) Works. God’s call is on the basis of his grace, not our works (Rom. 11:6).

(g) Him who calls. In the first half of Romans, Paul highlights the call of God that goes out to both Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 9:24–26). “You are the called of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:6), “called as saints” (Rom. 1:7). In the second half of Romans, Paul will highlight our call to God. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). The Lord abounds in riches for all who call on him (Rom. 10:12), but how will they call if they have not heard (Rom. 10:14)? Believers are those who, having heard the call of God, call to God and are saved.

Romans 9:12

it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”

The older. When Rebekah experienced difficulties during her pregnancy, she asked the Lord, “Why is this happening?” The Lord replied, “Two nations are in your womb… One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:23). This prophecy was about the descendants of her two sons. Esau’s tribe, the Edomites, were conquered by the Israelites and became servants or tributaries to Israel under King David (2 Sam. 8:14).

Romans 9:13

Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.”

(a) It is written. The quote comes from Malachi 1:2–3.

(b) Jacob I loved. “Jacob” refers to the descendants of Jacob or Israel. God loved Israel (2 Chr. 9:8).

(c) Esau I hated. Paul quotes an Old Testament prophecy to make a new covenant point, which is that God’s word has not failed (verse 6). God invites all people to trust in his promises. If some people choose to walk away (e.g., Esau and unbelieving Israel), God’s purposes will still come to pass (verse 11).

Malachi’s words, which Paul quotes here, have led some to say, “God loves some people and hates others,” or “God predestines some for salvation and condemns the rest.” This kind of thinking distorts the character of God and misses the point. When Esau traded his inheritance for a bowl of lentils (Gen. 25:29–34), he turned his back on the promises God had given to his grandfather Abraham. It was a monumentally foolish act that foreshadowed the Jews’ rejection of Christ. But even though Esau rejected God, God did not reject him (Deu. 2:5, 23:7–8). Nor has God rejected Israel (Rom. 11:1–2).

Romans 9:14

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!

(a) What shall we say then? Some might say God chooses some people and rejects others because he is sovereign and mysterious. He is harsh because he hardens some and smashes others like a potter smashes pots. “It’s not true,” says Paul. “God is not unjust. He is merciful (see next verse).”

(b) Injustice. God is just. He treats everyone the same.

Scholars tie themselves in knots trying to explain why God hates some people (like Esau) or hardens others (like Pharaoh). Paul pre-empts these conclusions by saying, “There is no partiality with God” (Rom. 2:11). God loves the whole world (John 3:16). He offers mercy and grace to all (Rom. 11:32). He is not willing that any perish but that all might come to salvation (2 Pet. 3:9).

Romans 9:15

For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”

(a) He says. The “I will have mercy” quote comes from Exodus 33:19 as it appears in the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament. God told Moses he would show mercy and compassion to whomever he liked.

(b) Moses; see entry for Rom. 5:14.

(c) I will have mercy. The Jews might have been puzzled when God showed mercy to the Gentiles. Paul’s response is twofold: First, God doesn’t need your permission to show mercy to others. Second, God showed mercy to them so that he might show mercy to you (Rom. 11:31–32).

(d) Mercy… compassion. Mercy is showing compassion to those in need.

In these verses, Paul is riffing on the words of Moses, something he does frequently in this letter (e.g., Rom. 10:6–8, 19). He interprets old covenant prophecies through a new covenant lens to show that God is faithful in keeping his promises. The wrong way to read these words is to latch onto the old covenant bits (e.g., “Esau I hated”; verse 13) and miss Paul’s new covenant conclusions (“God shows mercy to all,” Rom. 11:32).

Romans 9:16

So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

(a) The man who wills… who runs. In context, “the man who wills and runs” refers to Paul’s fellow Jews who pursued a kind of righteousness based on the law (Rom. 9:31). God’s grace and mercy are not given to those who strive or try to earn it. His mercy is for those who receive it by faith.

(b) God who has mercy. Paul recounts the stories of Israel’s history to illuminate a great truth: God is merciful. “The Lord your God is a merciful God” (Deu. 4:31). Indeed, he abounds in mercy (Eph. 2:4). The Israelites had cut themselves off through unbelief, but God had no intention of punishing them. His plan was to show them mercy (Rom. 11:31). He would do this by first showing mercy to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:30).

Those who have been raised under a merciless law imagine God to be harsh and unforgiving. But God is not like this. “He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps. 103:8). It is on account of his mercy that we are saved (Tit. 3:5).

Romans 9:17

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.”

(a) The Scripture is Exodus 9:16.

(b) Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to free the Hebrew slaves did not thwart God’s plans. Instead, God used Pharaoh’s intransigence as an opportunity to display his power.

(c) I raised you up. Pharaoh was one of the most wicked and murderous tyrants to walk the earth. To the enslaved Hebrews, it might have seemed like Pharaoh had been raised up to exterminate God’s people. (In the original quote, God tells Pharaoh, “I allowed you to remain” (Ex. 9:16).) But what Pharaoh intended for evil, God used for good.

(d) Demonstrate my power. Because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness, the whole world heard about God’s powerful signs and wonders. We still talk about them today.

(e) Power; see entry for Rom. 1:16.

Further reading: “Did God Harden Pharaoh’s Heart?”

Romans 9:18

So then he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.

(a) So then, God can do whatever he likes. He’s God. No unbeliever (Esau) or tyrant (Pharaoh) can hinder his purposes.

If God wishes to include the Gentiles in his rescue plan, he can. If he wants to show mercy to all, he can. He does not need our permission.

(b) Mercy; see entry for Rom. 11:32.

(c) He hardens whom he desires. Refuse to trust in the goodness of God, and your stubborn heart will become calloused (Eph. 4:18–19). You will become insensible to the things of God.

Moses tells us that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Ex. 4:21, 7:3, 9:12, 10:1, 14:4), but he also says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Ex. 8:15, 32, 9:34). Which is it? Pharaoh is not the Lord. In the Old Testament, people said that God hardened hearts (e.g., Jos. 11:20). But people harden their own hearts by resisting the Holy Spirit and yielding to the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13). It is pride that hardens stubborn hearts (cf. Rom. 11:8).

Along with verse 13 (“Esau I hated”), this verse has led some to say, “God saves some and damns the rest.” Paul never says this. Instead, he says God is free to show mercy or harden hearts, and he chooses mercy (see verses 15–16). He is a God of mercy, not hardening (Eph. 2:4, Jas. 5:11). See also the entry for Rom. 11:7.

Romans 9:19

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who resists his will?”

Why does he still find fault? “If we are all puppets bending to the will of God, how can we be held accountable for our actions?” Paul anticipates this misinterpretation and offers two responses. First, we are in no position to judge our Creator (see verses 20–21). Second, contrary to popular belief, God’s default nature is one of mercy and compassion, not wrath. He consistently shows patience to those who reject him (verse 22).

Romans 9:20–21

On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?

(a) Who answers back to God? It is presumptuous to question our Creator or second-guess his plans.

(b) Molder… potter. These illustrations are drawn from Isaiah 29:16 and 45:9, and Jeremiah 18:6. The original prophecies were directed to a recalcitrant Israel who refused to be molded into the shape intended by God. Paul uses these prophecies to say, “God does not have to explain himself to us.”

Paul is not saying, “God is sovereign and mysterious. Who can figure him out?” He is saying, “God is good and merciful, and you better get used to it.” The mercy of God offends some people. They cannot accept that he loves sinners and justifies the ungodly. But God will remain true to his character.

(c) Honorable use… common use. Just as God had the right to choose Israel to be the recipient of his favor (Rom. 9:4), he has the right to extend his favor to the Gentiles. What gives him this right? He is the Creator. He can do what he likes. “God does whatever he pleases” (Ps. 115:3).

Romans 9:22

What if God, although willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?

(a) What if. Paul poses a hypothetical question. “What if, instead of unleashing his wrath on sinners and heathens, God chose such people to reveal his patience and mercy?” For those raised under the merciless law, this is a stunning claim. It is good news where bad news was expected.

(b) Although willing to demonstrate his wrath. God has every right to rid the world of the ungodly, the unrighteous, and those who suppress the truth and worship idols. But he doesn’t do that. Instead of hating sinners, he loves them (Rom. 5:8).

(d) Power; see entry for Rom. 1:16.

(e) Endured with much patience. The surprising lesson of history is that God is patient with us. He did not end Adam and Eve when they rebelled. Nor did he slay Cain when he murdered his brother. He did not destroy those who worship creatures instead of him (Rom. 1:18–23), and he bore with patience all the sins committed prior to the cross (Rom. 3:25). God withheld his righteous judgment because he is patient and kind, and he does not deal with us according to our sins (Ps. 103:10).

(f) Patience. The original noun makrothymia can be translated as “longsuffering.” We are not to consider the Lord’s patience as delayed justice but as an opportunity for the salvation of the lost (2 Pet. 3:9, 15). God’s patience is meant to lead us to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

(g) Vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. The vessels of wrath were the sinful Gentiles. According to the Jewish worldview, the Gentiles were irredeemable idol-worshipers who deserved divine wrath. But God was patient with the Gentiles. Instead of wiping them out, he wrote them into his great Redemption Story. Instead of shutting them out of his kingdom, he invited them to his banqueting table.

Romans 9:23

And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,

(a) He did so. God’s great patience set the stage for the glorious revelation of his mercy and compassion.

(b) Riches; see entry for Rom. 2:4.

“The riches of his glory” is a phrase Paul uses to emphasize God’s abundant supply of mercy (Rom. 9:23), strength (Eph. 3:16), and whatever else you need (Php. 4:19). This phrase is also used to describe the treasure that is found in our union with Christ (Col. 1:27), and his glorious inheritance in us, his saints (Eph. 1:18).

(d) Vessels of mercy. Thanks to the wondrous grace of God, the vessels of wrath (the godless Gentiles) became the vessels of mercy.

(e) Which he prepared beforehand. This was God’s plan all along.

(f) Glory. The original noun (doxa) means majesty, magnificence, splendor, preeminence, and exalted. See entry for Rom. 1:22.

Romans 9:24

even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.

(a) Even us. Those God called. God calls everyone to repentance, Jew and Gentile alike (Is. 45:22, Acts 17:30, 1 Cor. 1:24, 1 Tim. 2:3–4). “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth” (Is. 45:22). Those who respond in faith are referred to as “the called of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:6).

(b) Gentiles. Non-Jews; see entry for Rom. 1:5.

Romans 9:25-26

As He says also in Hosea,
“I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’
AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’” “And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not my people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living God.”

(a) Hosea. These quotes come from two of Hosea’s prophecies (Hos. 1:10, 2:23).

(b) I will call. “None of this should surprise you,” says Paul. “Through the prophets, God told us he was going to include the Gentiles in his rescue plan.”

Through the prophet Hosea, the Lord told the rebellious Jews that they would be rejected and then restored. They would be “not my people,” and then they would be “children of the living God.” Paul extends the prophecy to include those who were never God’s people. The Gentiles had been excluded from the covenants and promises given to Israel. They were “without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). But now, in Christ, the promises of God were theirs for the taking. Formerly, we were strangers, but now we are the people of God (1 Pet. 2:10). We were orphans, but now we are the children of God (1 John 3:1).

(d) Beloved. The word “beloved” is not in the original prophecy. Paul is paraphrasing. In the Septuagint translation (and some English Bibles), Hosea says, “I will love her that was not loved” (Hos. 2:23).

(e) In the place. Where Gentiles were once told, “You are not God’s people,” they shall be called “Sons of the living God.” The Gentiles did not need to go to Jerusalem to hear the good news, for the good news would come to them, carried by messengers such as Paul. What a wonderful promise for those who had been excluded from the favor of God.

(f) They shall be called sons of the living God. Whoever puts their faith in Christ Jesus is called a son of God (Gal. 3:26).

Romans 9:27–28

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; for the Lord will execute his word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.”

(a) Isaiah. The “remnant” quote comes from Isaiah 10:22–23.

(b) Sand. The Lord told Abraham that his descendants would be countless, like the sand on the seashore (Gen 22:17). Isaiah quoted this prophecy, and so did Hosea (Hos. 1:10).

(c) The remnant that will be saved. Isaiah prophesied that although Israel may become a large nation, only those who put their faith in the Lord (the “remnant”) would be saved. From those believing Jews, a new Israel would be reborn. See entry for Rom. 11:5.

(d) Saved. Rescued; see entry for Rom. 5:9.

(e) The Lord will execute his word on the earth. God’s final judgment, when it comes, will be swift and thorough.

(f) Quickly. The original verb syntemnō means “to cut short” or “bring to an end quickly.” Isaiah’s prophecy emphasizes the totality rather than the timing of God’s final judgment.

Romans 9:29

And just as Isaiah foretold, “UNLESS THE LORD OF SABAOTH HAD LEFT TO US A POSTERITY,
WE WOULD HAVE BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED GOMORRAH.”

(a) Isaiah foretold. The prophecy comes from Isaiah 1:9.

(b) Sabaoth is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “hosts” or “heavenly armies.” In the Old Testament, God is known as the “Lord of hosts,” meaning he is the Almighty Ruler of all powers (e.g., Zec. 4:6).

(c) A posterity. The original noun sperma is usually translated as “seed” or “descendants” (e.g., Rom. 4:13, Gal. 3:16). In context, Paul is referring to the “remnant” of verse 27. The original prophecy reads, “Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom and Gomorrah” (Is. 1:9).

(d) Like Sodom. Paul is reiterating his claim that God is merciful. If the Lord of heavenly armies had not shown mercy to Israel in saving a remnant, the nation would have ended up like Sodom and Gomorrah. The same is true of all of us. Without God’s mercy, we are lost.

Romans 9:30

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;

(a) What shall we say then? What other conclusion can we draw? Obviously, it was God’s intention all along to include the Gentiles in his salvation plan (Rom. 9:24–25).

(b) Gentiles. Non-Jews; see entry for Rom. 1:5.

(c) Did not pursue righteousness. The Gentiles didn’t follow the Law of Moses, worship in the temple, or do any of the things that the Jews did. They did not pursue righteousness, yet when it was offered to them as a gift, they took it eagerly.

(d) Righteousness is the state of being right with God. By trusting in his Son we are made righteous and are included in his new creation family; see entry for Rom. 4:3.

(e) Attained. The original verb katalambanō means “to seize” or “take eagerly.” The Gentiles enthusiastically responded to the good news and eagerly took hold of the gift of righteousness.

(f) The righteousness which is by faith is the righteousness of God that is received by faith (see entry for Php. 3:9).

(g) Faith is being persuaded or convinced that God is good and he loves you. Faith is the conduit through which we receive God’s grace. See entry for Rom. 1:8.

Romans 9:31

but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

(a) Israel. Unlike the Gentiles, who were made right with God through faith, the Jews tried to make themselves acceptable to God through law-keeping.

(b) A law of righteousness. Trying to get right with God through the law is futile because the law is not of faith (Gal. 3:12, Php. 3:9). Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6).

(c) Did not arrive at that law. No one was ever justified or made righteous through their observance of the law (Gal. 3:11). If righteousness could be obtained through the law, Christ died for nothing (Gal. 2:21).

Romans 9:32

Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

(a) They did not pursue it by faith. There are two paths to righteousness—faith and works—and Israel chose the wrong path. They tried to make themselves righteous through their works of law.

(b) Faith; see entry for Rom. 1:8.

(d) They stumbled. The Jews fell from their privileged position by rejecting the Savior God sent.

(e) The stumbling stone. Jesus is the cornerstone (Ps. 118:22, Is. 28:16, Zech. 10:4), the capstone (Zech. 4:7), and the living stone (1 Pet. 2:4) who stands in the path of every person. Either we will fall on the stone broken in repentance (Matt. 21:44), or we will fall over the stone offended (see next verse). The unbelieving Jews were in the second group.

Romans 9:33

just as it is written, “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

(a) Written: Paul mashes together two of Isaiah’s messianic prophecies (Is. 8:14, 28:16).

(b) Zion is another name for the city of God. It is the place God dwells, which in the new covenant is the body of Christ (see entry for Heb. 12:22).

In this verse there are Greek words that denote obstacles or things that cause us to fall. The first word, proskomma, which appears here as “stumbling” and elsewhere as “obstacle” (Rom. 14:14) and “offense” (Rom. 14:20), is an impediment. It’s something that gets in the way and causes you to stumble. The second word, skandalon, which appears here as “offense” and elsewhere, somewhat confusingly, as “stumbling block” (Rom. 11:9, 14:13), is a snare or trap. It’s something more serious that can lead to your downfall.

(d) A rock of offense. The religious Jews were offended by Jesus. They dismissed him as a glutton and a drunkard because he ate with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 7:34). They did not see how those “sinners” were being transformed by the love and acceptance of God.

Those who have invested in works of righteousness are offended by the message of grace. They accept that grace is for “sinners” and “losers,” but they do not want to hear that their good works count for nothing in the economy of grace.

(e) He who believes in him. Again, Paul reminds us that the only proper response to Christ is to believe in him; see entry for Rom. 4:5.

(f) Will not be disappointed. In the Septuagint version of this prophecy, Isaiah says, “He that believes shall by no means be ashamed.” Paul interprets this as “not be disappointed,” and so does Peter (1 Pet. 2:6). Bet your life on Christ, and you will never be disgraced, disappointed, or put to shame. He will never abandon you, never let you go, and never let you down.

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Romans 9