CHAPTER 9
Romans 9:1-5
- Veritatem dico in Christo, non mentior,
testimonium simul mihi reddente mea conscientia
eum Spiri-tu sancto, - I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my
conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy
Ghost, - Quod dolor sit mihi magnus, et assiduus
cruciatus cordi meo: - That I have great heaviness and continual
sorrow in my heart. - Optarim enim ego ipse anathema esse a
Christo pro fratribus meis, cognatis inquam meis
secundum car-nem; - For I could wish that myself were accursed
from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen
according to the flesh: - Qui sunt Israelitae, quorum est adoptio, et
gloria, et testamenta, et legislatio, et cultus, et
promissiones; - Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the
adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and
the giving of the law, and the service of God, and
the promises; - Quorum sunt Patres, et ex quibus est
Christus secundum car-nem, qui est super omnia
Deus bene-dictus in secula. Amen. - Whose are the fathers, and of whom as
concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over
all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
In this chapter he begins to remove the offences which might have diverted the minds of men
from Christ: for the Jews, for whom he was appointed according to the covenant of the law, not
only rejected him, but regarded him with contempt, and for the most part bated him. Hence one of
two things seemed to follow, — either that there was no truth in the Divine promise, — or that
Jesus, whom Paul preached, was not the Lord’s anointed, who had been especially promised to the
Jews. This twofold knot Paul fully unties in what follows. He, however, so handles this subject, as
to abstain from all bitterness against the Jews, that he might not exasperate their minds; and yet he
concedes to them nothing to the injury of the gospel; for he allows to them their privileges in such
a way, as not to detract anything from Christ. But he passes, as it were abruptly, to the mention of
this subject, so that there appears to be no connection in the discourse.^283 He, however, so enters
on this new subject, as though he had before referred to it. It so happened in this way, — Having
finished the doctrine he discussed, he turned his attention to the Jews, and being astonished at their
unbelief as at something monstrous, he burst forth into this sudden protestation, in the same way
as though it was a subject which he had previously handled; for there was no one to whom this
thought would not of itself immediately occur, — “If this be the doctrine of the law and the Prophets,
how comes it that the Jews so pertinaciously reject it?” And further, it was everywhere known, that
(^283) The connection seems to be this: he had been speaking of the impossibility of separating God’s people from the protecting
influence and preserving power of his love; he had clearly shown, that no divorce or separation can take place through any
possible circumstances. Then the Jews might say, “If this be true, then we are safe, we are still God’s people.” Hence he proceeds
to remove this objection, and in order to prepare their mind to receive what he is going to say and to prove, he speaks first of
his deep concern for their welfare: and then he resumes the doctrine he touched upon in Romans 8:28, 29, and 30, and illustrates
it by a reference to the past dealings of God with the Jews, and proves it by passages from the ancient Prophets. He shows that
God’s people are the called according to his purpose, and not all who wear the outward symbol of his covenant — Ed.