Paul, when the refutation was at hand and easy, would have suffered the Scripture to be treated
with gross mockery? But such subterfuges have they laid hold on, who absurdly measured this
incomparable mystery of God by their own judgment. To their delicate and tender ears this doctrine
was more grating than that they could think it worthy of an Apostle. But they ought rather to have
bent their own stubbornness to the obedience of the Spirit, that they might not surrender themselves
up to their gross inventions.
- For the Scripture saith, etc. He comes now to the second part, the rejection of the ungodly,
and as there seems to be something more unreasonable in this, he endeavours to make it more fully
evident, how God, in rejecting whom he wills, is not only irreprehensible, but also wonderful in
his wisdom and justice. He then takes his proof from Exodus 9:16, where the Lord declares that it
was he who raised up Pharaoh for this end, that while he obstinately strove to resist the power of
God, he might, by being overcome and subdued, afford a proof how invincible the arm of God is;
to bear which, much less to resist it, no human power is able. See then the example which the Lord
designed to exhibit in Pharaoh!^299
There are here two things to be considered, — the predestination of Pharaoh to ruin, which is
to be referred to the past and yet the hidden counsel of God, — and then, the design of this, which
was to make known the name of God; and on this does Paul primarily dwell: for if this hardening
was of such a kind, that on its account the name of God deserved to be made known, it is an impious
thing, according to evidence derived from the contrary effect, to charge him with any
unrighteousness.
But as many interpreters, striving to modify this passage, pervert it, we must first observe, that
for the word, “I have raised,” or stirred up, (excitavi,) the Hebrew is, “I have appointed,” (constitui,)
by which it appears, that God, designing to show, that the contumacy of Pharaoh would not prevent
him to deliver his people, not only affirms, that his fury had been foreseen by him, and that he had
prepared means for restraining it, but that he had also thus designedly ordained it, and indeed for
this end, — that he might exhibit a more illustrious evidence of his own power.^300 Absurdly then
(^299) “For,” at the beginning of this verse, connects it with Romans 9:14; it is the second reason given for what that verse contains:
this is in accordance with Paul’s manner of writing, and it may be rendered here, moreover, or besides, or farther. Macknight
renders it “besides.” Were rendered thus in many instances, the meaning would be much more evident. — Ed.
(^300) It is somewhat remarkable, that Paul, in quoting this passage, Exodus 9:16, substitutes a clause for the first that is given by
the Septuagint: instead of “ on this account thou hast been preserved,” he gives, “ — for this very
end have I raised thee.” The Hebrew is, “And indeed for this end have I made thee to stand, ” The verb used by Paul is found
only in one other place in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 6:14; where it refers to the resurrection. In the Septuagint it often
occurs, but never, as Stuart tells us, in the sense of creating, or bringing into existence, but in that of exciting, rousing from sleep,
or rendering active. References are made to Genesis 28:16; Judges 5:12; Psalm 7:7; Jeremiah 50:41; Joel 3:9, etc. Hence it is
by him rendered here, “I have roused thee up.” But to make the Hebrew verb to bear this sense is by no means easy: the three
places referred to, Nehemiah 6:7, and Daniel 11:11 and 13, do not seem to afford a satisfactory proof. Psalm 107:25, is more to
the point. Its first meaning is, to make to stand, and then, to present persons, Numbers 13:6, — -to establish or make strong a
kingdom or a city, 1 Kings 15:4, — to fix persons in office, 2 Chronicles 35:2, — to set up or build a house, Ezra 9:9, — to
appoint teachers, Nehemiah 6:7, — and to arrange or set in order an army, Daniel 11:13. Such are the ideas included in this
verb. “I have made thee to stand,” established, or made thee strong, may be its meaning in this passage. To establish or to make
one strong, is more than to preserve, the word used by the Septuagint: and hence it was, it may be, that Paul adopted another
word, which conveys the idea, that Pharaoh had been elevated into greater power than his predecessors, which the Hebrew verb
seems to imply.
Venema, as well as Stuart, thought that the idea of exciting, rousing in to action, or stimulating, is to be ascribed to the
verbs here used, and that what is meant is, that God by his plagues awakened and excited all the evil that was in Pharaoh’s heart
for the purposes here described, and that by this process he “hardened” him; and the conclusion of Romans 9:28 seems to favour
this view, for the hardening mentioned there can have no reference to anything in the context except to what is said in this verse.