Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 11 · Section 3 · Subsection 4
Quest. 4. Of Elias complaint vntounto God concerning Israel.
1. S. Paul alledging the Scripture, as an interpreter, doth not tie himselfe strictly to so many words, nor to the same order: in the place which is here cited, 1. King. 19. Elias saith, they hauehave killed thy Prophets (with the sword,) which clause is here omitted, and he saith in the first place, and hauehave destroied thine alters, which the Apostle rehearseth in the second place: likewise in these words, they seeke my life (to take it,) these last are omitted: and the Lord in his answer in that place, maketh mention of 7. thousand which neither had bowed the knee to Baal, nor kissed him with his mouth, which latter is here omitted also by the Apostle.
2. Chrysostome noteth how the Apostle in great discretion bringeth in the example of Elias, that great Prophet, qui omnibus erat in pretio, who was highly esteemed of them all: whose authoritie they could not gainesay. And Saint Paul by this example of Elias, doth secretly meete with an obiection: because he had giuen instance onelyonly of himselfe before, they might hauehave imputed it to S. Paul, as an insolent part, as though the whole condition and state of Israel rested in him onelyonly: whereunto he answeareth, that there might be many more beleeuing Israelites, though not knowne vntounto them, as in the daies of Elias.
3. How he maketh request against Israel. 1. there are two kinds of request or complaint against one, either in complaining of the faults or sinnes committed, or in crauing punishment & vengeance for the sinne; some thinke that Elias complained against them the latter way, as Leviben Gorson, thinketh that the fire, wind, and earthquake, which were sent before, did signifie impitum Eliae, the heat & earnestnes of Elias, that would hauehave incensed the Lord to punish his people: Pet. Martyr also consenteth, and would excuse it thus, the Prophet was not angrie with their persons, but would hauehave their sinnes punished, and he had the spirit of prophesie, whereby he knew that the Lord would punish them, and so therein his praiers concurre with Gods will: Lyranus thus helpeth the matter, that he did it not zelo vindictae sed amore iustitiae, not with desire of reuenge, but in a zeale of iustice: non vt punirentur, sed corrigerentur, not that they should be so much punished, as corrected and amended, Gorrhan. But herein Elias had beene much vnlike Moses that praied for the people, and Samuel which said, God forbid, that I should cease to pray for the people, 1. Sam. 12. and our Sauiour, Matth. 15. biddeth vsus to praie for our enemies. 2. Therefore Beza to mitigate the matter, translateth the word foreign, talked with God, and thinketh, he did only id simpliciter dicere, &c. rehearse that simply without any other intent, which made against Israel: But S. Paul vseth this word in the other sense, which is to make request, as c. 8.16. the spirit is said to make request for vsus, and v. 34. Christ maketh request for vsus. 3. Wherefore this was onelyonly a complaint of the great decaie of religion, and of the great impietie of the people, Pareus. M. Calvin thinketh that he did imprecari interitum, wish their destruction: so also Gryneus, that beside the complaint of the apostasie of Israel, there was tacita imprecatio, a secret imprecation: but this I refused before: I therefore rather consent to them which thinke that the Prophet onelyonly vttereth here his complaint vntounto God of the generall falling away of the people, Osiand. postulabat illius auxilium, &c. he entreated his helpe against the rebellious people, Tolet annot. 2. Deum interpellat iudicem, he calleth God to be iudge betweene them, Gorrhan: Pet. Martyr obserueth that there are two kinds of expostulation with God, one when as simply complaint is made of the iniquitie of the times, and the sinnes of the people, which it is lawfull to doe: the other when as men so expostulate with God, as that they shew their discontent, and doe charge God, as it were with negligence in the regiment of the world: but the Prophet here expostulateth with God after the first manner.
4. They hauehave broken downe thine altars, &c. 1. These were not the altars of the high places, for they are commended, which cast them downe: 2. Nor yet the altars, which Ieroboam set vp for his golden calues; for they were not the Lords altars. 3. Nor yet the altars in the temple at Ierusalem, for they were not vnderunder the dominiō of Israel, against whom Elia complaineth. 4. Pet. Martyr thinketh they were the altars, which had beene erected by Abraham and other of the Patriarkes, the memorie whereof yet remained: but it is not like, that they continued so long. 5. and to vnderstand by these altars, by a figuratiue speach, the true worship of God, as Faius, Gryneus, Pareus, it seemeth not to be so proper. 6. Haymo thinketh they were such altars, as the godly among the tenne tribes, Deo edificarunt, did build vntounto God, because they could not goe downe to Ierusalem: but these could not be called Gods altars, which were built by a priuate authoritie. 7. Therefore Osiander better vnderstandeth the altars, tuo iussa erecta, which had beene erected at the Lords commandement, as by the Prophets Samuel, Elias, who had the Lords extraordinarie direction for the erecting and building of altars.
5. And I am left alone: wherein Elias error appeared, both in complaining, as though all the people were fallen away, & that he himselfe was left alone; whereas the Lord had reserued to himselfe a great number, though they were not knowne: Lyranus giueth the reason, quia spiritus non semper tangit corda Prophetarum, the spirit alwaies mooueth not the hearts of the Prophets: as Elisha saith, 2. King. 4.27. Her spirit is vexed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from me.
6. But it will be obiected, how Elias could say that none were left but himselfe, when Obadiah had hid an hundred of them: the answear is, that Elias might thinke, that they were all destroied by Iezabel, from whom he also fled… Faius, Pareus.