Romans 9:28

Romans 9:28. This verse presents unusual difficulties, both as to the Greek text, the English translation, and the principle of citation which led the Apostle to use it

The weight of authority supports the briefer reading, although that reading can be explained as due to an oversight on the part of a transcriber. The longer reading may be translated thus: ‘For he (i.e., the Lord) is finishing and cutting short his word in righteousness, because a short (lit, cut-short) word will the Lord execute upon the earth.' This longer reading does not vary materially from the LXX.; hence it may have been enlarged to correspond with that. But the variations from the Hebrew are considerable, as may be seen from the following translation:

‘Consumption (extirpation) is decided, flowing with righteousness;

For a consumption and decree shall the Lord of hosts make,

In the midst of all the land.'

The question is whether the LXX. has varied from the meaning of the original prophecy as well as from its form. We think that the LXX., especially as here applied by the Apostle, has preserved most fully the thought of the original prophecy, in fact conveying it to the mind of a reader familiar with Greek more clearly than could have been done by a literal rendering of the Hebrew.

For is inserted by the Apostle to strengthen the connection.

Finishing and cutting short his word, not, ‘work,' as in the E. V. The Greek word has been rendered ‘decree,' to correspond more closely with the Hebrew, but this is not its meaning, though the idea of such a decree underlies Paul's use of the passage. ‘Word' is preferable, i.e., a word of promise and threatening (to the remnant and the mass respectively). Others prefer in view of the reference to numbers, to translate ‘make a reckoning,' instead of ‘execute a word,' but it is doubtful whether the phrase has this meaning. ‘His' is properly supplied in English. ‘Finishing and cutting short' then refer to the rapid accomplishment of the word uttered by the Lord. This applies, as we think, to both the threatening and the promise, and that too, whichever reading be accepted. Some have interpreted the whole of God's mercy, of His cutting short judgment. But this explanation gives to ‘righteousness' the sense of mercy. Moreover it is foreign to the Hebrew, and quite inappropriate here, where the Apostle is emphasizing the fact that only a remnant will be saved. The fathers had the fantastic notion that the ‘short word' is ‘the gospel as an abridged doctrine of salvation, in antithesis to the elaborateness of the Old Testament' Other fanciful interpretations are all too numerous. While the original reference was to the Jews in the time of Isaiah, the Apostle here makes a prophecy of more general validity, applying it to the sad fact, discussed in this part of the Epistle, that most of the Jews were cut off, but including the other fact that the remnant should be saved. Both points are closely connected with the great thought of this section, the freedom of God in election, and this application does no violence to the original sense of the prophecy.