Romans 9

Romans 9:1

But to him that worketh not. Does not trust his works for acceptance with God. But believeth, etc. Trusts in the mercy of him who justifies sinners who come to him penitent and believing. His faith, etc. It is made the ground of his acceptance with God. By faith he clings to Christ, the Savior.

Romans 9:2

Even as David also. Paul has shown that Abraham’s justification which is not due to our own righteousness, but to God’s mercy. Such names as that of Abraham, the father of their race, and David, the great king, would be authoritative with the Jews.

Romans 9:3

Saying. The quotation is from Psalms 32:1,2. David himself had been a great sinner, and had been forgiven. Blessed [are] they. The class described as blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, counted righteous because their sins are blotted out.

Romans 9:4

Blessed [is] the man, etc. This is another form of the thought of Ro 4:7. One whose sins have been forgiven will not find them imputed to him at judgment. We obtain this blessedness by a faith in Christ which leads us to accept the gospel.

Romans 9:5

[Cometh] this blessedness upon the circumcision [only]. The next question is, Who shall enjoy this blessing of forgiveness? Shall it be Jews only, or shall the uncircumcision also, the Gentiles, enjoy it? Abraham’s faith was counted for righteousness; will this be true of all, both Jews and Gentiles?

Romans 9:6

How was it then reckoned? To settle the question, whether this blessedness applies to Gentiles as well as Jews, the inquiry is made whether Abraham was a Jew or Gentile when it was said of him, “His faith was counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). He was not circumcised for at least fourteen years after this statement was made of him. Compare Genesis 15:6 with Genesis 17:25. He was then justified, without circumcision, while yet a Gentile.

Romans 9:7

He received the sign of circumcision. The outward mark in the flesh. A seal. A seal is often appended to a legal document as a proof. The covenant is made before the seal is annexed. Circumcision was not the covenant, but an outward mark of a covenant that before existed. The righteousness, of which it was a seal, had been acknowledged many years before. That he might be the father of all them that believe. Both Jews and Gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised. The righteous, uncircumcised Abraham belonged to the latter class.

Romans 9:8

The father of circumcision. The circumcision described in Romans 2:29. Abraham is the “great father”, the father, not of the circumcision only, but of all who have such faith as he had before he was circumcised. When Abraham was “counted righteous through faith”, there was no difference between Jew and Gentile. Christianity, by its revelation of “righteousness through faith”, leads back to the same condition.

Romans 9:9

For the promise. The reference is to the substance of various promises to Abraham for himself and his seed. See Genesis 12:7 13:14 15:18. [Was] not . . . through the law. Was not through law, the article being wanting in the Greek. No body of law had been given. The Mosaic law was given many years afterward. The law of circumcision had not been enacted. It was through the righteousness of faith, not of law, or works of law, that Abraham secured the promise.

Romans 9:10

For if they who are of the law [are] heirs. “Of law”, the article wanting. If keeping law makes men heirs, then faith is made void. It sets aside God’s plan of “counting faith as righteousness”, and destroys the promise which depends on faith.

Romans 9:11

Because the law worketh wrath. The law threatens punishment to all who break its enactments, and since none keep it perfectly, it works punishment for all. For where no law is, [there is] no trangression. Whereas, if no law had been given, there could be “no transgression” of its demands.

Romans 9:12

Therefore [it is] of faith. The inheritance promised to Abraham and his seed. It comes through faith, and hence is a free gift (of grace). That [it might be] . . . sure. It could not be sure if it had to be secured by the righteousness that is of law, since none can keep the law perfectly. But all can secure it through faith. To all the seed. To all children of Abraham, whether those of the law, the Jews, or those of the faith of Abraham, who become his children by exercising his faith, whether Jew or Gentile. See Galatians 3:7.

Romans 9:13

As it is written. See Genesis 17:5. A father of many nations. The name of the patriarch was changed from Abram (“a father”) to Abraham (“father of a multitude”). Before him whom he believed. This is to be joined with Romans 4:16, “who is the father of us all . . . before . . . God”. Who giveth life to the dead. Abraham had to believe that the Divine power, which can give life to the dead, would give new life to his aged body and that of Sarah.

Romans 9:14

Who against hope. Though an old man, and his wife an aged woman, far beyond the time of child-bearing, he yet believed the promise that he would have numerous offspring.

Romans 9:15

Being not weak in faith. Strong in faith, though weak in body. His own body now dead. Its vital powers exhausted. But God could quicken the dead, and he had the promise of God.

Romans 9:16

He staggered not. He accepted the promise with unfaltering faith.

Romans 9:17

Being fully persuaded. He was certain that God not only could, but would do what he promised.

Romans 9:18

And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. The faith that secures God’s righteousness is a faith that does not falter, but accepts and acts upon God’s promise.

Romans 9:19

Now it was not written for his sake alone. But in order that we might have an example of God’s plan of justification.

Romans 9:20

For us also. If we believe our faith shall save us. On him that raised Jesus. The same God who quickened Abraham’s body, as good as dead, “raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead”.

Romans 9:21

Who was delivered for our offences. “He died for us” (Romans 5:8 1 Thessalonians 5:10); “was made sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was to be “cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26). Raised again for our justification. The resurrection of Christ was his own justification against the condemnation of the world. In his justification, all for whom he died, who have laid hold on him by faith and are found in him, are justified with him, in that their sins are forgiven. Without the resurrection, the sepulcher of Christ would be the grave of all our hopes. This is beautifully symbolized in baptism. “We are buried by baptism into death” (Romans 6:4), his death, “planted in the likeness of his death” (Romans 6:5), figuratively die with him. We are also “planted in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). We rise with him, “new creatures” (2 Corinthians 5:17), justified by his resurrection.

Romans 9:23

Reconciliation Through Christ SUMMARY OF ROMANS 5: Justification by Faith. Peace, Hope, and Joy. Christ Died for the Ungodly. His Surpassing Love. Death Through Adam’s Sin. Life Through Christ’s Righteousness. Law and Grace. Therefore being justified by faith. Paul has just shown that men are counted righteous before God, not through obedience to the law, but through faith in Christ. Not law, but faith justifies. The faith that justifies is (1) a faith in Christ; (2) a faith of the heart (Romans 10:9) which brings the whole life into obedience (Romans 1:5). Peace with God. While sinners, we are rebels against God. When our rebellion ceases and we are forgiven we are at peace. This blessed peace with God, which brings peace to the soul, is through Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:24

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace. Two things are essential before one can enter into the state of peace (“grace”): (1) Christ, our Mediator; (2) a living faith in him. Having entered into this covenant relation, we can rejoice in hope of enjoying “the glory of God” in heaven.

Romans 9:25

We glory in tribulations also. The peace of Christ is so sweet, and the hope of the saint so glorious, that the Christian can even exult in present sufferings, since he has assurance that even these minister to his eternal joy. Knowing that tribulation worketh patience. Various steps of progress are named here in order. Affliction works out “patience”, and patience secures “approval”. Such is probably the meaning of the word rendered in the Common Version “experience” (Romans 5:4). So Macknight and Schaff render it. Patient endurance of affliction secures the divine approval.

Romans 9:26

Experience, hope. The sense of the divine approval fills the soul with hope.

Romans 9:27

And hope maketh not ashamed. A hope disappointed would fill with shame, but that we will not be put to shame is shown by the fact that the love of God is shed abroad, diffused in our hearts, by means of his Spirit given us. This may mean that our hearts are filled with the love of God; or it may mean that our hearts are conscious of the love of God. What follows seems to point to the second meaning.

Romans 9:28

For when we were yet without strength. Were powerless to save ourselves. In due time. In God’s own chosen time. Christ died for the ungodly. For sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). He came to save, not the righteous, but to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Romans 9:29

Scarcely. The great love of Jesus is now set forth. If “scarcely for a righteous man will one die”, who will die for the ungodly? Yet peradventure. One might die for a good man. The world had instances of those who would die for their friends. The “righteous” man is one who is regarded just; the good man is benevolent.

Romans 9:30

But God commendeth his love. His love is not like human love. Christ died, not for friends, but for enemies. It was “while we were yet sinners” that he died for us.

Romans 9:31

Much more then. The argument is: If while “we were yet sinners” (Romans 5:8), God loved us so well that Christ died for us, much more now shall we, being now justified, freed from sin, by his blood, be saved from the displeasure of God. By his blood. By dying for us. The keynote is “Christ died for us”.

Romans 9:32

For if . . . we were reconciled to God. As sinners, we are the enemies of God, rebels, under his divine displeasure. Through the gospel of the Crucified Redeemer, we obtain peace with God. We turn to him, and are reconciled to him, obtaining forgiveness through faith, God is not reconciled to us, but we to him. His love ever shines, and is shown in his gospel. He is ever ready to pardon, and when we cease our rebellion, and come to him, through Christ, for mercy, he receives us. We shall be saved by his life. He who gave his blood for our reconciliation, will not leave his work incomplete. He died, has risen and ascended on high, and he will not leave us in the grave, but we shall rise with him (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Romans 9:33

We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The ground of rejoicing is the reconciliation with God which has been effected through Jesus Christ. By whom we have now received the atonement. “Atonement”, in the Common Version, is rendered, as it should be, in the Revised Version, “reconciliation”. The same Greek word, “katallage”, is found also in Romans 5:10. The thought is the same as that when “peace with God” is spoken of in Romans 5:1. The steps of the divine plan, as shown in these verses, are (1) The death of Christ for us. (2) The satisfaction thus made to the demands of justice. (3) The propitiation, or God’s acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice for us. (4) Reconciliation. Our acceptance of Christ. “We love God because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). (5) Forgiveness of sin, or justification. Our sins are blotted out. (6) Our redemption from the grave. (7) Our glorification in heaven.