Daily Thoughts from Romans: Anguish for Israel (9:1-13)

Daily Thoughts from Romans: Anguish for Israel

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”  (Romans 9:1-13 ESV)

Paul must now defend his gospel against the claim that the very people who should be embracing the Jewish Messiah are the Jews, whereas only relatively few Jews, like Paul, have believed.  Paul acknowledges that it is true that the nation as a whole has not embraced his gospel and he has anguish in his heart that so many are perishing.  The Jews had all the advantages of relationship with Yahweh, and the Christ came through their DNA.

But the Jews themselves should remember that being a true Israelite was never just a matter of birth or genealogy.  Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, but only one of them was chosen to have a special relationship with Yahweh.  And if it be objected that they had different mothers and that could account for God’s choice, Paul brings exhibit B.  Isaac’s wife Rebekah had twins and God chose the second born to have this special relationship.  He blessed (loved) Jacob above Esau.

The implication is that God has only chosen relatively few Jews to see the truth about Messiah.  So God’s word has not failed in its promises to His people.  Paul will expand upon this but must first deal with the objection that God choosing people is not fair.  As to the objection that Paul is not talking about God’s choice to salvation but His choice of whose lineage will bear the Messiah, it is true that the examples he gives are about whose line will bear Messiah.  But Paul’s whole concern here is to answer the challenge about why so few Jews are being saved.  The principle that answers the challenge is God’s sovereign choice.  And as we’ll see, this is the question he addresses in what follows.

Paul’s answer to the question of whether God has failed the Jews is no.  That being said, it means he believes God still has a future for the Jewish people.  They have not forfeited their promises to the church.  If your eschatology (your view of the future) does not include the Jews you are not on the same page as Paul.  This means you must have a solid perspective on how God views the nation and the nation’s role as a bellwether of divine prophecy fulfilled.  And, like Paul, you must have a heart for the evangelism of Israel.