Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 11 · Section 3 · Subsection 5 – Subsection 6
Quest. 5. Of Gods answer vntounto Elias.
1. Concerning the word here vsed foreign. 1. though it properly signified the oracle or answer of God giuen in the Tabernacle from the merciemercy feare, yet it generally is taken for any diuine answer or oracle giuen by God, Faius. 2. it commeth of the word foreign, which either hath a large signification, which is to be named, or called, as Act. 11.26. the brethren of Antioch were first called Christians: or it is taken more strictly, for a diuine answer or direction receiued from God, Beza. 3. which may be done diuerse waies, either in dreame, as Matth. 2.11. or by any other revelation, as Noah is said to be warned of God, Heb. 11.7.
2. The Apostle doth not repeate the whole answer of the Lord vntounto Elias in that place, but so much onelyonly as was pertinent to his purpose: Elias made three complaints: 1. of the cruell outrage of the idolaters in breaking downe the altars, and killing the Lords Prophets. 2. of the small number of true worshippers, I am left alone. 3. and they fought his life also, to take it away, that there should not be one Prophet left. To eueryevery one of these complaints, the Lord maketh answer, giuing Elias a speciall remedie for each of them: touching the first, he biddeth him to anoint Hasael King of Aram, that should be reuenged of the idolatrous Israelites: and for the third, he must anoint Eliseus, to be Prophet in his place, that therein the Idolaters should faile of their desire, thinking vtterly to root out the Lords Prophets: and for the second, the Lord putteth the Prophet in comfort, that he had reserued many thousand beside himselfe: and this part of Gods answer the Apostle onelyonly alleadgeth as sufficient for his purpose.
3. By seauen thousand God would notifie, multitudinem, a multitude, which he had reserued to himselfe, Calvin: as other numbers are also vsed to be put, the certaine for vncertaine: as the fiue wise and fiue foolish virgins, Matth. 25. and the rich mans fiue brethren, Luk. 16. but the number of seuen is vsually taken for the whole, as Dauid saith, seuen times a day will I praise thee, Haymo: But Origen is somewhat curious, who thinketh the number of seuen is vsed, because the seuenth, was the day of rest, to signifie those which came vntounto Christ, and by faith had rest in him: Gorrhan also descanteth in like manner, how the number of seven, is mentioned, to signifie the vniversalitie, because all things were made in seuen daies, and of a thousand, to shew their perfection; because that is a perfect and absolute number.
4. Though the Lord onelyonly spake of 7000. men, yet thereby are vnderstood women, and all other which continued in the true worship of God: the rest beeing comprehended vnderunder the more worthie sex, Gryneus.
5. The word Baal signifieth a Lord, or an husband, for so their Idols they made their Lords, and did as it were espouse themselues vntounto them: and so the superstitious Papists at this day doe make the Saints and their images, their Lords and patrons: But whereas in the originall, there is added the article of the feminine gender, foreign to Baal, it is euident that the word foreign, imagini, image, must be supplied, as Erasmus and Beza well obserue. Wherein the Rhemists doe bewray their cavilling spirit, for taking here exception to our translations; that insert the word, image: Tolet here well obserueth that though Baal were a generall name to all their idols, whereupon they were called in the plurall baalim, yet here it specially signifieth the idole of the Sodomites, which now the Israelites worshipped.
Quest. 6. Of the Apostles collection inferred out of this answear made to Elias.
1. Euen so then, &c. S. Paul maketh his times in all things like vntounto those daies, wherein Elias thus complained. 1. both in the thing it selfe: for as then Elias seemed to be alone in Israel that worshipped God, and yet there were many true worshippers beside: so now it may be thought that I Paul onelyonly beleeue in Christ: but God hath a great remnant beside. 2. The Apostle maketh the similitude to agree euen in the phrase also, and manner of speach: for there the Lord saith, foreign, I hauehave left, and here he calleth them, foreign, a remnant: vt omnia faciat similia, to make all things alike, Calvin: and as here the Apostle saith, according to the election of grace, so there the Lord saith, I hauehave reserued vntounto my selfe, which is as much in effect: for it was the worke of Gods election and grace, that they were so reserued.
2. A remnant. 1. The vulgare latine, and so Origens translator read, a remnant is saued: but in the originall it is onelyonly (and so Chrysostome and Theophylact reade) there is a remnant saued. 2. which remnant was not so small a number, (though in respect of the vnbeleeuers it was small) but it made many thousands: as Iames said to Paul, Act. 21.20. Thou seest brother, how many thousand Iewes there are, which beleeue. 3. They are called reliquiae, a remnant, not because they seemed vile in respect of others, Gorrhan: but they were like rather vntounto the wheate, quod eiectis paleis purius residet, which remaineth more pure, the chaffe beeing cast out: but rather in regard of the smalnes of their number: as our B. Sauiour saith, many are called, but few chosen.
3. According to the election of grace. 1. Here Origen in his wandring speculation would make a difference betweene those which are called by grace, which are they that beleeue in Christ, and those which are called by election of grace, which beside faith, hauehave good workes, &c. as though a iustifying faith could be without workes. 2. Chrysostome saith that election is added to shew how God calleth some of grace, but such as he foresaw, would beleeue: so the Greeke scholiast, indicat plurimā partem gratiae fuisse, &c. he sheweth that the greatest part was of grace: But the Apostle sheweth in the next verse, that all is of grace, there is no place for workes. 3. Therefore Haymo better interpreteth, according to the election of grace, secundum praedestinationis donum, according to the gift of predestination: and the interliniarie glosse, per gratiam, qua electi sunt, by the grace whereby they were elected: and here the Apostle vseth an hebraisme, the election of grace, for gracious election, Beza, Pareus.