- Non solum autem hic, sed et Rebecca,
quae ex uno conceperat, patre nostro Isaac: - And not only this; but when Rebecca also
had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; - Qunm enim nondum nati es-sent pueri,
nec quidpiam boni aut mali egissent, ut secundum
electio-nem propositum Dei maneret, - (For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand,
not of works, but of him that calleth;) - Non ex operibus, sed ex vo-cante, dictum
est ei, Major serviet minori; - It was said unto her, The elder shall serve
the younger. - Quemadmodum scriptum est, Jacob
dilexi, Esau autem odio habui. - As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but
Esau have I hated. - And not only, etc. There are in this chapter some broken sentences, such as this is, — But
Rebecca also, who had conceived by one, our father Isaac; for he leaves off in the middle, before
he comes to the principal verb. The meaning, however, is, that the difference as to the possession
of the promise may not only be seen in the children of Abraham, but that there is a much more
evident example in Jacob and Esau: for in the former instance some might allege that their condition
was unequal, the one being the son of an handmaid; but these were of the same mother, and were
even twins: yet one was rejected, and the other was chosen by the Lord. It is hence clear, that the
fulfilment of the promise does not take place in all the children of the flesh indiscriminately.
And as Paul refers to the persons to whom God made known his purpose, I prefer to regard a
masculine pronoun to be understood, rather than a neuter, as Erasmus has done: for the meaning
is, that God’s special election had not been revealed only to Abraham, but also to Rebecca, when
she brought forth her twins.^292
11.For when the children, etc. He now begins to ascend higher, even to show the cause of this
difference, which he teaches us is nowhere else to be found except in the election of God. He had
indeed before briefly noticed, that there was a difference between the natural children of Abraham,
that though all were adopted by circumcision into a participation of the covenant, yet the grace of
God was not effectual in them all; and hence that they, who enjoy the favor of God, are the children
(^292) Here is a striking instance of a difficulty as to the construction, while the meaning of the whole passage is quite evident.
The ellipsis has been variously supplied; “and not only this,” i.e., what I have stated; “and not only he,” i.e., Abraham to whom
the first communication was made; “and not only she,” i.e., Sarah, mentioned in the preceding verse; “but Rebecca also is another
instance.” But it may be thus supplied, — “and not only so,” i.e., as to the word of promise; “but Rebecca also had a word,” or
a message conveyed to her. That the verse has a distinct meaning in itself is evident, for the next begins with a , “for;” and to
include Romans 9:11, in a parenthesis, seems by no means satisfactory. The three verses may be thus rendered, —
- And not only so, but Rebecca also received a message, when she conceived by the first, (i.e., son or seed,) even our
father Isaac: - for they being not yet born, and having not done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might
stand, not - through works, but through him who calls, it was said to her, “The elder shall serve the younger.”
The words , rendered commonly “by one,” have never been satisfactorily accounted for. It. seems to be an instance of
Hebraism; the word , “one,” means also “first.” We have other instances of this in the New Testament; μ — “on
the first (i.e., day) of the week,” Matthew 28:1; see also Mark 16:2; John 20:19. “The first day” in Genesis 1:5, is rendered by
the Septuagint, μ μ . Isaac was the first son or seed of promise: and a difference was made in the children of the very first
seed. But this meaning of is said by Schleusner to be sanctioned by Greek writers, such as Herodotus and Thucydides There
is no necessity of introducing the word “children,” at the beginning of Romans 9:11; the antecedent in this case, as it sometimes
happens, comes after the pronoun; and it is the “elder” and “younger” at the end of Romans 9:12. — Ed.