Romans 9:18

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. THEREFORE HATH HE (or, 'So then He hath') - the result is that He hath MERCY ON WHOM HE WILL [HAVE MERCY] - rather, 'on whom He will,' without any supplement, AND WHOM HE WILL HE HARDENETH - by judicially abandoning them to the hardening influence of sin itself (; ; : Psalms 81:11; ; ; ), and of...

18._To whom he wills then he showeth mercy, etc. _Here follows the conclusion of both parts; which can by no means be understood as being the language of any other but of the Apostle; for he immediately addresses an opponent, and adduces what might have been objected by an opposite party. There is therefore no doubt but that Paul, as we have already reminded you, speaks these things in his own person, namely, that God, according to his own will, favors with mercy them whom he pleases, and unsheathes the severity of his judgment against whomsoever it seemeth him good. That our mind may be satisfied with the difference which exists between the elect and the reprobate, and may not inquire for any cause higher than the divine will, his purpose was to convince us of this — that it seems good to God to illuminate some that they may be saved, and to blind others that they may perish: for we oug...

14-24 Whatever God does, must be just. Wherein the holy, happy people of God differ from others, God's grace alone makes them differ. In this preventing, effectual, distinguishing grace, he acts as a benefactor, whose grace is his own. None have deserved it; so that those who are saved, must thank God only; and those who perish, must blame themselves only, Hosea 13:9. God is bound no further than he has been pleased to bind himself by his own covenant and promise, which is his revealed will. And this is, that he will receive, and not cast out, those that come to Christ; but the drawing of souls in order to that coming, is an anticipating, distinguishing favour to whom he will. Why does he yet find fault? This is not an objection to be made by the creature against his Creator, by man against God. The truth, as it is in Jesus, abases man as nothing, as less than nothing, and advances God...

Verse 18. _THEREFORE HATH HE MERCY ON WHOM HE WILL_] This is the apostle's conclusion from the facts already laid down: that God, according to his own will and wisdom, in perfect righteousness, bestows _mercy_; that is to say, his blessings upon one part of mankind, (the Jews of old, and the Gentiles of the present time,) while he suffers another part (the _Egyptians_ of old, and the _Jews_ of the present day) to go on in the abuse of his goodness and forbearance, hardening themselves in sin, till he brings upon them a most just and exemplary punishment, unless this be prevented by their deep repentance and general return to God through Jesus the promised, the real _Messiah_....

THEREFORE HATH HE MERCY ... - This is a conclusion stated by the apostle as the result of all the argument. WHOM HE WILL HE HARDENETH - This is not stated in what the Scripture said to Pharaoh, but is a conclusion to which the apostle had arrived, in view of the case of Pharaoh. The word “hardeneth” means only to harden in the manner specified in the case of Pharaoh. It does not mean to exert a positive influence, but to leave a sinner to his own course, and to place him in circumstances where the character will be more and more developed; see the note at John 12:40. It implies, however, an act of sovereignty on the part of God in thus leaving him to his chosen course, and in not putting forth that influence by which he could be saved from death. Why this is, the apostle does not state. We should, however, not dispute a fa

EXPOSITION ROMANS 11:1 2. _The present position and prospects of the Jewish nation con-sidereal._ ROMANS 9:1 (1) _Deep regret expressed for the present exclusion of the Jewish nation from inheritance of the promises. _This section is not necessary for the main argument of the Epistle, which would have been complete without it for an exposition of God's righteousness, Romans 12:1. following naturally the conclusion of Romans 8:1., and these intervening chapters having no immediate connection with the preceding or succeeding context. But it was a subject too deeply

THEREFORE HATH HE MERCY ON WHOM HE WILL,.... These are the express words of the former testimony: it follows, AND WHOM HE WILL HE HARDENETH; which is the just and natural consequence of what is contained in the latter; for if God could, or he did, without any injustice, raise up Pharaoh, and harden his heart against him and his people, that he might rise up against him and destroy him by his power for his own glory, then he may harden any other person, and even whom he will: now this hardening of men's hearts may be understood in perfect agreement with the justice and holiness of God: men first harden their own hearts by sinning, as Pharaoh did; what God does, is by leaving them to the hardness of their hearts, denying them that grace which only can soften them, and which he is not obliged to give, and therefore does them no injustice in withholding it from them; by sending them both me...

The Jews thought that God must certainly save them. They thought they had a birth claim. Were they not the children of Abraham? Surely they had some right to it. This chapter battles the question of right. No man has any right to the grace of God. The terms are inconsistent. There can be no right to that which is free favor. We are all condemned criminals, and if pardoned, it must be as the result of pure mercy, absolute mercy, for desert there is none in any one of us. Romans 9:1. _I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart._ He never thought about his unbelieving brethren, without the deepest imaginable regret. How far is this from the spirit of those who look upon the ungodly without tears settle it down as a matter that cannot be altered, and take it as a q

II. DISPENSATIONAL. GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ISRAEL. Chapter s 9-11. 1. Israel and God's Sovereignty. CHAPTER 9 _ 1. Paul's Yearning over Israel. (Romans 9:1 .)_ 2. What Israel Possesseth. (Romans 9:4 .) 3. God's Unconditional Election. (Romans 9:6 .) 4. God's Sovereignty. The Vindication of His Justice and Mercy. (Romans 9:14 .) 5. Mercy for the Remnant. (Romans 9:27 .) 6. Israel's Rejection of God's Righteousness. (Romans 9

GOD'S FREE ELECTION. Romans 9:6. We must distinguish: to be of Israel, is not to be Israel. Mere physical heredity counts for nothing: Isaac was the proper seed of Abraham, designated as the child of promise (Genesis 21:12, etc.). Here Isaac's case illustrates the sovereignty of God; in Romans 4:18, the efficacy of faith. Romans 9:10. The case of Esau and Jacob is equally significant. Twin offspring of the same parents, the unborn babes had done nothing to achieve merit or display worth, when God said, The elder shall serve the younger, an election governing the history of the descendant peoples ...