Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 9 · Section 3 · Subsection 8 – Subsection 12
Quest. 8. The causes which made the Apostle to be so much grieued for the Iewes, v. 4.5.
He recounteth diuerse priuiledges and immunities of the Iewes, which made him the more to desire their conversion. 1. in respect of himselfe, they were his brethren, not so properly called, but they were his kinsmen after the flesh: though in other respects they were not his brethren: this phrase after the flesh, is afterward, v. 5. beeing spoken of Christ taken in an other sense: it sheweth him to be of an other nature, then that which he had after the flesh: here it sheweth not a diuersitie of nature, but a differēce of brotherhood in Paul & thē.
2. Then he reckoneth vp their priuiledges with relation vntounto God. 1. they are the Israelites: they are rather called by that name of Iacob, then by the name of Abraham and Izaac, for that these had sonnes, which belonged not to the people of God, but all Iacobs sonnes were the fathers of the Lords people, and they are named of Israel rather then Iacob, because it was the more worthie name, both for that the Lord imposed it, and for the more excellent signification: Israel signifieth one prevailing with God. 2. Theirs was the adoption, that is, they were adopted to be a peculiar people vntounto God, selected from all the world: and therefore they are called, Exod. 4.22. the Lords first borne: there is an other adoption, when we are adopted to be the sonnes of God by grace, Rom. 8.15. but the Apostle speaketh here of the outward adoption and calling to be the people of God. 3. the glorie which Chrysostome vnderstandeth, in that they were the peculiar people of God, so also Haym. Gor. gloss. interl. Theodoret, of the miracles and great works whereby they became famous and glorious: Lyranus of the diuine visions and apparitions: but it is better referred vntounto the Ark of the couenant, which is called the glorie of God, 1. Sam. 4.21.22. Gryn. Calv. Mart. Tol. Pareus. 4. The couenants, giuing of the law, the seruice of God: Origen by the couenants or testaments vnderstandeth the diuerse renewing of Gods couenant with his people, so Mar. Osian. Hier. in epist. ad Algas. qu. 9. of the old and newe Testament, so Haymo, but the new testament is afterward expressed in the word promises: the couenants were rather the two tables of couenant, as the Apostle calleth them, Heb. 9.4. and so here the Apostle reckoneth vp three kind of lawes which Israel had, the morall, contained in the tables of the lawe, the iudiciall, called here foreign, the giuing of the lawe, and the ceremoniall, which consisted of the priesthood and sacrifices, called here the seruice. 5. the promises: which were of two sorts, either temporall, as touching the inheriting of the land of Canaan, or spirituall of the Messiah, Gryn. both legall promises and Euangelicall, Mart. both of this life and the next, Pellican. these promises first belonged vntounto them, and vponupon their reiecting, they were fulfilled vponupon the Gentiles, Osiander.
3. The third sort of priuiledges are with relation vntounto the fathers, thence were the fathers, that is, of that nation were the honourable patriarkes, of whom they are descended: and God promised to be their God, and of their seede, Gen. 7.4. yea to a thousand generations, Exod. 20.6. though they were degenerate children, yet vntounto them belonged the promise made vntounto their fathers.
4. The forth kind of priuiledge is with relation to Christ: and of whom Christ came: some leaue out the coniunction and, and vnderstand the fathers of whom Christ came, so Orig. Haymo, Lyran. following the vulgar Latine: But the better reading is with the coniunction, and of whom, that is, of the Israelites came Christ: so Chrysost. Theophyl. Tertul. l. de Trinit. Iren. l. 3. c. 8. Hilarie lib. 8. Trinit. with others: according to the Greeke originall: for it is a commendation of the whole nation of Israel, and an excellent prerogatiue that Christ came of them according to the flesh.
Quest. 9. Of the excellencie of the Israelites, and of true nobilitie.
1. The nobilitie of the Israelites diuersly appeareth. 1. one thing that maketh a nation noble, is to hauehave genus purum & impermixtum, to come of a pure and vnmingled stockes as the Athenians boasted that they came of themselues, without the mixture of any other nation, but it was most true of the Hebrewes, they were descended of Abraham, and ioyned not in marriage but with themselues. 2. that is counted a noble nation, which hath a perfect gouernement within it selfe, and liue by their owne lawes, as the Hebrewes did, who had their lawes giuen them of God. 3. they were also of great antiquitie. 4. and many excellent and worthie men came of that nation.
2. Some make small account of nobilitie, and vrge much that saying of Iphicoabes, who beeing but a coblers sonne, grewe to be a famous captaine, which beeing obiected vntounto him, answeared, meum genus à me incipit, tuum in te definit, my nobilitie beginneth in me, and thine endeth in thee: and nobilitie they say is but an outward thing, euen as the garments and robes of honour, which make not a man honourable.
Contra. 1. True it is that vertue without nobilitie is more commendable, then nobilitie without vertue; but when vertue is incident to them, that are descended of a noble race, it is so much the more glorious. 2. some may much degenerate from their noble ancestours, as corne and stockes transplanted may growe wild: as of such as hauehave beene ingenious and valorous, may descend cruell and sauage ympes, as the posteritie of Alcibiades, so degenerated: and of such as were gentle and affable may some come, that are dull and blockish, as the ofspring of Cymon and Socrates. 3. yet there is a threefold priviledge to be descended of noble and worthie parents. 1. there doe remaine some seedes of generous mindes, which one way or other will in time shewe themselues in the posteritie. 2. the example of the vertues of the ancestours is much to mooue and encline the posteritie. 3. and beyond all this, the Lord hath promised to be the God of the faithfull, and of their seede to a thousand generations: so that they which are descended, though diuerse degrees off from true noble progenitors, are beloued of God for their fathers sakes.
Quest. 10. Of the meaning of these words, v. 5. who is God ouer all, blessed for euer.
1. Erasmus is blamed both by Protestants, as Beza, and Papists, as Tolet annot. 9. for …tering and changing the reading of this verse, making this the sense, God who is ouer all, be blessed for euer: and will not hauehave this clause referred to Christ: but that the Apostle doth conclude generally with a doxologie, giuing praise vntounto God: likewise he thinketh that this word (God) is inferted, vrging that neither Hillarie hath it in Psal. 122. not Cyprian lib. 6. …. Iudeos: whereas notwithstanding, Origen, Chrysost. Theophyl. and generally all expositors doe so read, and manny of them vse this place to prooue the diuinitie of Christ.
2. S. Paul concludeth with this doxologie for two reasons. 1. both as Chrysostome saith to set forth the praise of Christ; whom the Iewes blasphemed: 2. and as Haymo, to shewe, that although he was sorrie for the reiection of the Iewes, yet he gaue thanks to God for all, and rested in his good pleasure.
Quest. 11. Of the meaning of these words, v. 6. all they are not Israel, which are of Israel.
The Apostle here answeareth an obiection, that if it so be that the Israelites are cast off and forsaken, then it should seeme that the word of God is of no effect, and his promises made void, hereunto the Apostle maketh answear by a distinction of the Israelites, that some are so onelyonly in respect of their carnall generation, some are the true Israelites, which are the children of the promise, and of the faith of Abraham: But here is some qu…ion about the scope and purpose of the Apostle.
1. Some thinke that the Apostle intendeth chiefely to prooue the vocation of the Gentiles, that they are the true Israel of God, and so the promises of God are not made void: and these make the example of Izaak onelyonly typical, thereby shadowing forth the difference betweene the true beleeuers and those onelyonly which hauehave the outward calling: to this purpose Chrysostome, who applyeth this example to the Gentiles, which are called by the word, and regenerate by baptisme: so the ōrdinar. gloss. and Tolet annot. 16. But if the Apostle intended onelyonly to shew by this distinction, the calling of the Gentiles, he had not sufficiently answeared the obiection, which concerned the promises made to the Israelites his kinred after the flesh.
2. Neither yet is the Apostles scope to be restrained onelyonly to the nation of the Iewes: as Pet. Martyr seemeth to thinke, Israelitico populo promissionem propositam fuisse indefinite, that the promise was propounded indefinitely to the people of Israel, which came of Abraham after the flesh, &c. and therefore he misliketh Chrysostomes application to the Gentiles: for it is euident that the Apostle in the end of the chapter treateth of the vocation of the Gentiles, whereunto he maketh a way by this distinction.
3. So then vnderunder the name of the true Israel of God, the Apostle comprehendeth those which did imitate the faith of Abraham, whether they were of the flesh and carnall generation of Abraham, or not, Gryneus: And Haymo maketh three kind of children of Abraham, some are secundum fidem & gratiam, both according to faith and the flesh, as the beleeuing Iewes: some onelyonly according to the flesh, as the incredulous Iewes: some according …o faith but not in the flesh, as the beleeuing Gentiles.
4. Tolet well obserueth, annot. 16. that S. Pauls answear is not to the former obiection, that Gods promise tooke effect in some of the Iewes, though not in all, to whom it was made: for then in part it had not taken effect, but the promise was made onelyonly to the true Israelites, and so in all them, to whom it was made, it was effectuall.
5. And whereas the Apostle bringeth in the example of Isaac, to prooue that all are not the children of Abraham, that are of his seed, because Ismael was also of Abrahams seed, but was not the heire of promise: it must be obserued, that neither all that descended of Israel, were excluded from the promise, for of him came many beleeuing Gentiles, nor all included within the promise, that came of Izaak, for then all of Israel should be the true Israel: But these two are propounded as examples, Ismael onelyonly of tho… which are borne according to the flesh, and Izaak of those which are borne not by the force of nature, but by promise and grace.
Quest 12. Of the meaning of these words, v. 10. and not onelyonly, &c. but also Rebecca, &c.
1. This is an imperfect speach, and not onelyonly, and therefore somewhat must be supplyed: some therefore insert thus, and not onelyonly be, that is, Isaac, Beza, Genevens. some, and not only (illa) she, vnderstanding Sarah, that is, the onelyonly non accepit devinum responsum, receiued not a diuine answear, Ireneus lib. 4. …. or promissionem, … promise, gloss. ordinar. or a sonne by the helpe of grace, Lyranus… …t the better supply is to put it neither in the masculine or feminine, but in the neuter, a… not onelyonly (hoc) this, that is, it was not thus onelyonly in Ismael and Isaac, but in this other example, which he nowe pro…oundeth: see the like phrase before, c. 5.11. and 8.23.
2. For whereas diuerse exceptions might hauehave beene taken … former example: as that they were of two mothers, and al… same of diuerse conditions, the one free the other bound: now the Apostle produceth an other example, wherein neither of these two exceptions can hauehave place: for Iacob and Esau came of one mother, and they were borne at one birth.
3. The vulgar Latine readeth, Rebecca, ex vna concubitu, at one lying in conception, but in the Greeke it is not so, but she foreign, hauing conceiued by one: in the same sense the Syrian translator, companying with him: though it be not vnlike, but that as they were borne together, so they were conceiued together.
4. But Chrysostome here hath a strange opinion: that the Apostle leaueth this question vndiscussed, why the Lord did make choice of Iacob and refused Esau: he onelyonly answeareth one question by an other: for the Iewes might hauehave demanded, why they were reiected, and the Gentiles accepted, and he answeareth by the like question concerning the fathers, Isaac and Iacob were taken, Ismael and Esau refused: and goeth no further: like as in the 5. chapter, he sheweth that Christs righteousnesse is deriued to vsus, as Adams sinne is propag… ted, but there he leaueth, and proceedeth not to shewe, how sinne is propagated from Adam: But Chrysostome is in both deceiued, for both in that place he prooueth the propagation of sinne from Adam to his posteritie, by the effect thereof, namely, death, all is sinne in Adam, because by sinne death entered: and in this place he sheweth the first cause of the election of Iacob, and the reprobation of Esau, namely the free purpose of God, v. 11. that the purpose of God might remaine.