Romans 9:3

For. could wish that. myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

'I could wish' -'I was on the point of wishing' (Robertson p. 380). 'So strongly did he feel for his people that he had found himself (at times) in the past, and even yet, musing with himself and saying..'if such were possible,. would buy the salvation of this nation at the price of my own salvation.' (McGuiggan p. 283/Lenski p. 583) 'Were Paul to act from his intense love for his Jewish brethren alone, it would prompt him to give up Christ himself, if thereby he could save them. But there are other considerations that would hinder his acting on these..' (Lipscomb p. 165)

"Anathema" -'accursed' (NASV), 331. anathema an-ath'-em-ah; from 394;. (religious) ban or (concretely) excommunicated (thing or person): -accused, anathema, curse,. great. (Galatians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 16:22) 'Set apart to destruction and so separated from Christ' (Vincent p. 100)

'But there is in him the heart of. Moses who felt so strongly about the Israelites that he wished to be cut off (Exodus 2:30). There is in him the heart of the Christ who radically longed for the salvation of his people to the point of laying down his life for them.'

***The Christian Church would never lack converts if all its members or even its ministers felt for their friends and fellow countrymen the deep concern expressed by the apostle Paul for his kinsmen the Jews. (Erdman p. 111)

***Do we even feel this way toward our own brethren?