Romans 9

Romans 9:3

Rom. 9:3. “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” In the original it is “that myself were ‘anathema’ from Christ.” The Apostle’s meaning probably is, that he was willing that Christ should so order it that he should in the world be cut off from the society and privileges of His visible people, as an excommunicated person, and also be cut off from the earth by an accursed death at last, dying under the hidings of God’s face and dreadful fruits of His displeasure for a time, as Christ did; and thus to suffer from Christ for the Jews, as Christ, who was made a curse for us, suffered from God the Father, who was despised and rejected of men, cast out of the synagogue as an accursed person while He lived, and at last died an accursed death for us. As Christ loved us so the Apostle loved his brethren.

Rom. 9:4

Romans 9:4

Rom. 9:4. “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises.” The same glory is doubtless here meant, whose departure was lamented when the ark was taken, when it was said by the true friends of Israel, The glory is departed from Israel, meaning the ark and the cloud of glory in which God appeared above upon it, or rather Jesus Christ, with respect to these tokens of His friendly presence.

Rom. 9:22-23

Romans 9:22-23

Rom. 9:22, 23. “What if God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory.” He does not say to show His justice or righteousness, for that is as much observed in God’s glorifying and making happy the saints, and much more in some respects. God’s justice is more gloriously manifested in the sufferings of Christ for the elect, than the damnation of the wicked.

Rom. 10:3