IN CHRIST (εν Χριστω). Paul really takes a triple oath here so strongly is he stirred. He makes a positive affirmation in Christ, a negative one (not lying), the appeal to his conscience as co-witness (συνμαρτυρουσης, genitive absolute as in Romans 2:15 which see) "in the Holy Spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
SORROW (λυπη). Because the Jews were rejecting Christ the Messiah. "We may compare the grief of a Jew writing after the fall of Jerusalem" (Sanday and Headlam).UNCEASING PAIN IN MY HEART (αδιαλειπτος οδυνη τη καρδια). Like _angina pectoris_. Οδυνη is old word for consuming grief, in N.T. only h... [ Continue Reading ]
I COULD WISH (ηυχομην). Idiomatic imperfect, "I was on the point of wishing." We can see that ευχομα (I do wish) would be wrong to say. Αν ηυχομην would mean that he does not wish (conclusion of second class condition). Αν ηυχομην would be conclusion of fourth class condition and too remote. He i... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO (οιτινες). The very ones who, inasmuch as they.ISRAELITES (Ισραηλειτα). Covenant name of the chosen people.WHOSE (ων). Predicate genitive of the relative, used also again with ο πατερες. For "the adoption" (η υιοθεσια) see Romans 8:15.THE GLORY (η δοξα). The Shekinah Glory of God (Roman... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM (εξ ων). Fourth relative clause and here with εξ and the ablative.CHRIST (ο Χριστος). The Messiah.AS CONCERNING THE FLESH (το κατα σαρκα). Accusative of general reference, "as to the according to the flesh." Paul limits the descent of Jesus from the Jews to his human side as he did in... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IT IS NOT AS THOUGH (ουχ οιον δε οτ). Supply εστιν after ουχ: "But it is not such as that," an old idiom, here alone in N.T.HATH COME TO NOUGHT (εκπεπτωκεν). Perfect active indicative of εκπιπτω, old verb, to fall out.FOR THEY ARE NOT ALL ISRAEL, WHICH ARE OF ISRAEL (ου γαρ παντες ο εξ Ισρ... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE (τα τεκνα της επαγγελιας). Not through Ishmael, but through Isaac. Only the children of the promise are "children of God" (τεκνα του θεου) in the full sense. He is not speaking of Christians here, but simply showing that the privileges of the Jews were not due to their... [ Continue Reading ]
A WORD OF PROMISE (επαγγελιας ο λογος ουτος). Literally, "this word is one of promise." Paul combines Genesis 18:10; Genesis 18:14 from the LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING CONCEIVED OF ONE (εξ ενος κοιτην εχουσα). By metonomy with cause for the effect we have this peculiar idiom (κοιτη being bed, marriage bed), "having a marriage bed from one" husband. One father and twins.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN BEING NOT YET BORN (μηπω γεννηθεντων). Genitive absolute with first aorist passive participle of γενναω, to beget, to be born, though no word for children nor even the pronoun αυτων (they).NEITHER HAVING DONE ANYTHING GOOD OR BAD (μηδε πραξαντων τ αγαθον η φαυλον). Genitive absolut... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT OF HIM THAT CALLETH (αλλ' εκ του καλουντος). Present active articular participle of καλεω in the ablative case after εκ. The source of the selection is God himself. Paul quotes Genesis 25:33 (LXX).... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul quotes Malachi 1:2.BUT ESAU I HATED (τον δε Εσαυ εμισησα). This language sounds a bit harsh to us. It is possible that the word μισεω did not always carry the full force of what we mean by "hate." See Matthew 6:24 where these very verbs (μισεω and αγαπαω) are contrasted. So also in Luke 14:26... [ Continue Reading ]
IS THERE UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WITH GOD? (μη αδικια παρα τω θεωι?). Paul goes right to the heart of the problem. Μη expects a negative answer. "Beside" (παρα) God there can be no injustice to Esau or to any one because of election.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SAYS TO MOSES (τω Μωυσε γαρ λεγε). He has an Old Testament illustration of God's election in the case of Pharaoh (Exodus 33:19).ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY (ον αν ελεω). Indefinite relative with αν and the present active subjunctive of ελεαω, late verb only here and Judges 1:23 in N.T. "On whom... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN (αρα ουν). In view of this quotation.IT IS NOT OF (ου). We must supply εστιν ελεος with ου. "Mercy is not of." The articular participles (του θελοντοσ, του τρεχοντοσ, του ελεωντος) can be understood as in the genitive with ελεος understood (mercy is not a quality of) or as the predicate... [ Continue Reading ]
TO PHARAOH (τω Φαραω). There is a national election as seen in verses Romans 9:7-13, but here Paul deals with the election of individuals. He "lays down the principle that God's grace does not necessarily depend upon anything but God's will" (Sanday and Headlam). He quotes Exodus 9:16.MIGHT BE PU... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HARDENETH (σκληρυνε). Pharaoh hardened his own heart also (Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:34), but God gives men up also (Romans 1:24; Romans 1:26; Romans 1:28). This late word is used by the Greek physicians Galen and Hippocrates. See on Acts 19:9. Only here in Paul.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY DOTH HE STILL FIND FAULT? (τ ετ μεμφεται?). Old verb, to blame. In N.T. only here and Hebrews 8:8. Paul's imaginary objector picks up the admission that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. "Still" (ετ) argues for a change of condition since that is true.WITHSTANDETH HIS WILL (τω βουληματ αυτου αν... [ Continue Reading ]
NAY, BUT, O MAN, WHO ART THOU? (Ο ανθρωπε, μεν ουν γε συ τις ει?). "O man, but surely thou who art thou?" Unusual and emphatic order of the words, prolepsis of συ (thou) before τις (who) and μεν ουν γε (triple particle, μεν, indeed, ουν, therefore, γε, at least) at the beginning of clause as in R... [ Continue Reading ]
OR HATH NOT THE POTTER A RIGHT OVER THE CLAY? (η ουκ εχε εξουσιαν ο κεραμευς του πηλου?). This question, expecting an affirmative answer, is Paul's reply to the previous one, "Why didst thou make me thus?" Πηλος, old word for clay, is mud or wet clay in John 9:6; John 9:11; John 9:14. The old wor... [ Continue Reading ]
WILLING (θελων). Concessive use of the participle, "although willing," not causal, "because willing" as is shown by "with much long-suffering" (εν πολλη μακροθυμια, in much long-suffering).HIS POWER (το δυνατον αυτου). Neuter singular of the verbal adjective rather than the substantive δυναμιν.... [ Continue Reading ]
VESSELS OF MERCY (σκευη ελεους). Objective genitive like σκευη οργης.AFORE PREPARED (προητοιμασεν). First aorist active indicative of προετοιμαζω, old verb to make ready (from ετοιμος, ready) and προ, before, in N.T. only here and Ephesians 2:10. But same idea in Romans 8:28-30.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ALSO FROM THE GENTILES (αλλα κα εξ εθνων). Paul had already alluded to this fact in Romans 9:6 (cf. Galatians 3:7-9). Now he proceeds to prove it from the Old Testament.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN HOSEA (εν τω Hωσηε). He quotes Romans 2:23 with some freedom. Hosea refers to the ten tribes and Paul applies the principle stated there to the Gentiles. Hosea had a son named _Lo-ammi_ = ου λαος. So here ο ου λαος μου "the not people of mine." Ου with substantives obliterates the meaning of t... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE NOT MY PEOPLE (ου λαος μου υμεις). Quotation from Hosea 1:10 (LXX Hosea 2:1).THERE (εκε). Palestine in the original, but Paul applies it to scattered Jews and Gentiles everywhere.... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH (Εσαιας). Shortened quotation from Isaiah 10:22 (LXX).IT IS THE REMNANT THAT SHALL BE SAVED (το υπολειμμα σωθησετα). First future passive of σωζω. Literally, "the remnant will be saved." Late word from υπολειπω, to leave behind (Romans 11:3), here only in N.T. Textus Receptus has καταλει... [ Continue Reading ]
FINISHING IT AND CUTTING IT SHORT (συντελων κα συντεμνων). Present active participles and note συν- with each (perfective use of the preposition, finishing completely as in Luke 4:13, cutting off completely or abridging and here only in N.T.) The quotation is from Isaiah 28:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH SAID BEFORE (προειρηκεν). Perfect active indicative of προειπον (defective verb). Stands on record in Isaiah 1:9.HAD LEFT (εγκατελιπεν). Second aorist active indicative of old verb εγκαταλειπω, to leave behind. Condition of second class, determined as unfulfilled, with αν εγενηθημεν and αν... [ Continue Reading ]
ATTAINED (κατελαβεν). Second aorist active indicative of καταλαμβανω, old verb, to grasp, to seize, to overtake (carrying out the figure in διωκω (to pursue). It was a curious paradox.WHICH IS OF FAITH (την εκ πιστεως). As Paul has repeatedly shown, the only way to get the God-kind of righteous... [ Continue Reading ]
DID NOT ARRIVE AT THAT LAW (εις νομον ουκ εφθασεν). First aorist active indicative of φθανω, old verb to anticipate (1 Thessalonians 4:15), now just to arrive as here and 2 Corinthians 10:14. The word "that" is not in the Greek. Legal righteousness Israel failed to reach, because to do that one h... [ Continue Reading ]
We must supply the omitted verb εδιÂωξα (pursued) from verse Romans 9:31. That explains the rest.THEY STUMBLED AT THE STONE OF STUMBLING (προσεκοψαν τω λιθω του προσκομματος). The quotation is from Isaiah 8:14. Προσκοπτω means to cut (κοπτω) against (προς) as in Matthew 4:6; John 11:9. The Jews fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul repeats the phrase just used in the whole quotation from Isaiah 8:14 with the same idea in "a rock of offence" (πετραν σκανδαλου, "a rock of snare," a rock which the Jews made a cause of stumbling). The rest of the verse is quoted from Isaiah 28:16. However, the Hebrew means "shall not make has... [ Continue Reading ]