Did not Israel know?— In this and the next verses, St. Paul seems to introduce the Jews as arguing, that they did not deserve to be cast off, because they did not know that the Gentiles were to be admitted; and so might be excused if they did not embrace a religion wherein they were to mix with the Gentiles: to which he answers in this and the following verses; First, Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy. Jealousy is an affection of the mind excited by another's being our rival, or sharing in those honours or enjoyments which we highly esteem, which we account our own property, and which we are greatly desirous of securing to ourselves. Thus the Jews moved God to jealousy, by giving to idols the honour and worship due to him alone, or by acting towards God in such a manner as usually creates jealousy in a man. For which reason it is predicted, Deuteronomy 32:21 that they should be repaid in their own coin, and be moved to jealousy:—How?—By transferring from them the honours and privileges in which they gloried, to those whom they despised;—to a lo-am, a no-people; that is, to the Gentiles. Lo-am, a no-people, or not a people, is the character of the heathen world, as not interested in the peculiar covenant of God. Therefore this text, as it lies in Deuteronomy, is full to the Apostle's purpose; and does not relate to their being conquered by heathen nations, but to their being stripped of boasted honours, and seeing them conferred upon those whom they contemned as the vilest people. How much the Jews were irritated at the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles is well known. See Matthew 21:43; Matthew 21:46. Acts 22:21-22. 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16.
Inferences.—It is certain, that we ought not to infer from the two last Chapter s, that God is a despotic, arbitrary sovereign, whose mere will, without the most perfect coincidence of all his moral perfections, is the only rule of all his actions. The great God, though he be supreme and accountable to none, always governs himself by the eternal and unalterable rules of wisdom, equity, and goodness. His will is not itself, abstractedly considered, the standard and measure of the divine conduct; but there is an intrinsic necessary difference, in the nature of things, between just and unjust, beneficence and cruelty, which cannot be altered. Indeed, what God wills is always right and fit; always, upon the whole, fittest and best. But why? not merely because he wills it, but because he is necessarily wise, just, and good. For can any man imagine, that if he should will to deceive, to vex and torment his innocent creatures, and employ his infinite power only to make them miserable, (which is a very possible supposition, if his will alone, in this abstract sense, be the rule of his proceedings,) such a conduct would be justifiable? Nay,—for ever this must be maintained, as a necessary consequence from such principles, that it would be better, and more praiseworthy, than righteousness, truth, and mercy?
There cannot be a more dishonourable reflection on God, than to suppose that he acts without a reason, merely from humour, and arbitrary pleasure. It represents him as a tyrant, not as a wise and righteous governor. It renders him frightful to our contemplation, the object of aversion and horror, and destroys all rational esteem and love of him, and confidence in him. All reasonable expectations of favour from him must sink and vanish at once: for who knows how such a capricious being, who is not determined by reason and justice, but makes his mere will his only law,—who can know in what manner he will act? What possible assurance can there be, that he will not resolve on the misery and ruin of his rational creatures at all events and without any reason? Nay, if he has promised the contrary, can we have any certainty that the same arbitrary will that made, will not also break the promise? Mere will and humour are fickle, uncertain, changeable things; but truth and goodness are steady principles, and a solid foundation for our trust and hope. We may add, that the representing of God in this manner, renders him infinitely more formidable than any earthly tyrants ever were or can be; even those who have been the greatest scourges and plagues of mankind; because he is possessed of almighty and uncontrollable power; and the thought of almighty power, that is not directed by wisdom and goodness, must fill the considerate mind with the utmost astonishment and terror. Shall we then give such a reproachful character of the most perfect, the most amiable of all Beings? Shall we picture the very best of Beings as the very worst? And represent Him, in whose unerring wisdom, strict impartial justice, and universal unchangeable goodness, the whole rational world have the highest reason to rejoice, as one whom every wise man must wish not to exist?
We may next consider to what cases the words of ch. Romans 9:20 may be properly applied: we hope it appears sufficiently from what has been said in the course of the foregoing notes, that the passages before us, which have been so confounded and darkened by many expositors, relate only to God's dealings with national and collective bodies of men; and not to his favour or displeasure towards particular persons, and determining absolutely, without any regard to their actions, their eternal state hereafter. The argument which St. Paul pursues is only this: "That God might dispense his extraordinary favours as he saw fit; and consequently eminently distinguish one nation, and pass by others, without the least injustice; and to censure such a way of proceeding, in the Proprietor and sovereign Disposer of all things, was arrogant and presumptuous." And hence we learn to what questions the words in ch. Romans 9:20 may be properly and justly applied; namely, to such as these:—Why God vouchsafes a revelation of his will to some nations and not to others? Why, for example, he has not made the Christian revelation universal?—Why does he permit moral and natural evil?—Why has he not made all creatures of the highest order, and communicated to all equal degrees of perfection and happiness?—Nothing of this can be shewn to be contrary to justice, because they are all favours, which his creatures have no right to claim. And therefore in these, and all other cases of a like nature, it is very pertinent to say to an objector, Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?
Hence then we learn, 1st, How necessary it is that we consider the uses to which passages of Scripture are applied,—without arguing generally from what is only adapted to a particular case. This is one reason why texts are so perverted, and strained to such absurd and unnatural senses, as are not only contrary to their true design, and the general scope and tenor of the revelation, but strike at the foundation of all religion.
2nd, Let us cultivate in our minds the higher reverence of God, especially the most honourable apprehensions of his moral character; and being persuaded that all his counsels are the result of infinite wisdom, and that his will is ever determined by the highest reason, let us humbly acquiesce in all the methods of his grace and providence. Survey the works of God, the exquisite beauty and harmony of the whole, the admirable connection and sub-serviency of the several parts; nay, survey thy own frame,—the curious and astonishing structure of thy body,—the noble faculties and capacities of thy mind;—and, from the surprising marks of wisdom and goodness, which thou canst not distinctly perceive, in thine own make, and in the whole constitution of things, draw the just and natural inference: that the great Author and Governor of the universe is possessed of these perfections, in the most absolute and complete manner; and consequently, that all things are contrived and ordered with the same wise and benevolent view; though in particulars it does not appear equally, and in some, perhaps, not at all, to thy limited understanding.
The improving constantly in our mind, worthy notions of God, as a Being supremely wise, and immutably just and good, will be attended with very great advantages. It will restrain that impertinent humour of scepticism and cavilling, which makes men oppose their ignorance and prejudices to his infinite wisdom: we shall always consider the great God as the most amiable and delightful object of our contemplation; neither as a weak, capricious being, whom we cannot reverence; nor as a rigid, tyrannical being, whom we cannot love. In short, our religion, built on the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, and embracing and coinciding with the whole round of his divine perfections, will be wise and rational, just and good, and holy; and there can be no foundation for any of those superstitious mixtures which expose the most excellent, most good and most useful thing in the universe, to the contempt and ridicule of the infidel and profane.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The Apostle here,
1. Expresses his fervent desire for the salvation of his countrymen. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Notwithstanding what he was, in the discharge of his office, compelled to say concerning the general rejection of the Jews, he was yet affectionately desirous of their salvation, and ceaseless in supplications at a throne of grace that they might yet be convinced and converted, and thereby plucked as brands from the burning. Notes; (1.) Those we preach to, we must fervently pray for, that God may give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth. (2.) They who know the value of immortal souls, will feel their eternal interests warm upon their hearts.
2. He speaks most respectfully of them, For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, a fixed aversion to idolatry, a strong attachment to his law and divinely instituted ordinances, and in their persecutions of Christianity really think they do God service: but they are misguided, and do not act according to knowledge; they understand not the nature and design of the law, and have imbibed the strongest prejudices against the true Messiah, and the way of salvation which he has brought to light by the Gospel. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, resting their acceptance before God on the footing of their own moral and ceremonial services, have not submitted to the righteousness of God, which he has provided and accepted in his dear Son, and which, embraced by faith, is, and can be, the only ground of the sinner's justification before God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. He alone immaculately fulfilled the moral law, and in his life and death fully satisfied the demands of divine justice; and he hath abolished the ceremonial law, bring himself the substance of which that was the shadow. He alone therefore, being embraced by faith, can justify the sinner before God. Note; Nothing is more fatally dangerous to the soul, than ignorance of the spirituality of God's law, and of our own inability to answer its demands.
2nd, There are two methods of justification.
1. By the law; and that justification is thus described by Moses, The man that doeth those things, all that is written in the book of the law, perfectly, universally, abidingly, without failure, flaw, or infirmity, shall live by them, and be entitled to life eternal. But no fallen creature ever did, or ever can do this; therefore justification and salvation are not this way attainable.
2. By the Redeemer's substitution in our stead, accompanied with faith in him. The law of works, in our present condition, only preaches despair; but the righteousness which is of faith, which God has provided and accepted, and faith embraces, speaketh on this wise, to the conscience burdened with sin and guilt; Say not in thine heart, as if despairing of justification before God, Who shall ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from above to make atonement for sin: it is needless, seeing that by one oblation, once offered, he has completed the great atonement. Or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. This is already done, and God, by the resurrection of Jesus, has testified the full satisfaction which has been made to his law and justice; so that the bar to our acceptance before God is now removed. Instead, therefore, of the impossibilities which guilty fear and unbelief would suggest, the Gospel opens a door of hope to the miserable and the desperate. But what saith it? Why, all that we can wish and desire, to silence our terrors, and revive our drooping hearts. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; brought near in the Gospel revelation, acknowledged, and made effectual by the Spirit to the believing heart; that is the word of faith which we preach, holding up Christ as the glorious object, whom faith embraces: the tenor of our declarations, as authorized of God to speak, is this, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, as the true Messiah, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. No works of the law, nor other title whatever, is needful to justification, but this; and all who, renouncing themselves, repose their whole confidence upon Jesus, as delivered for their offences, and raised for their justification, are built on the only true foundation. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; faith is not a mere notion entertained in the head, but the cordial submission of the heart; and with the mouth confession is made of our faith before God and men unto salvation, there being an inseparable connection between true faith and real internal salvation; for the Scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed; whatever his condition has been, he will not now be ashamed of Christ; and however great his guilt has been, no condemnation now lies against him. Lord, in this faith may I be found, living and dying!
3rdly, Under the Gospel dispensation, mankind are in some sense on a level, without respect to any people or nation. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; both have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; both must be saved freely by grace, through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ, or perish everlastingly: for the same Redeemer, who is Lord over all, is rich in grace, and boundless in mercy unto all that call upon him, as perishing and helpless without him. For, so it was foretold, Joel 2:32. Whosoever (without exception) shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, depending faithfully upon his atonement, shall be saved, from guilt and sin. But if the Gentiles are included in the dispensation of the Gospel, then,
1. It was needful that the Gospel should be preached to them; and St. Paul's brethren had no just ground for their enmity against him, because he was appointed the Apostle of the Gentiles. For how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Faith is essential to the very being of prayer, and without it the service of the lip and the knee is vain and unprofitable; and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? They must hear of Jesus in his saving offices, before they can possibly trust in him: and how shall they hear without a preacher, to make known to them the revelation of God's will? and how shall they preach, except they be sent with a divine commission? Note; Before any presume to preach, let it be clear that they have a mission from God. To run unsent is insolent presumption.
2. The Gospel contains the best news that ever reached mortal ears, and should be matter of joy wherever it is carried; as it is written (Isaiah 52:7.), How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Which prophesy terminated not in the joyful messages of Israel's deliverance from Babylon, but looked forward to the great redemption of Jesus, and that Gospel which his ministers should publish, a Gospel of peace, where God was, in Christ, reconciling sinners to himself, and proclaiming the glad news of pardon and salvation to guilty and perishing souls; and they who feel the comfort of the message, cannot but, for its sake, delight in and honour the messengers.
3. Though the Gospel in itself contained such a welcome message, yet in general both among Jews and Gentiles, it has been rejected. But they have not all obeyed the Gospel, and yielded themselves up to the Saviour. No; contrariwise, the generality of those to whom it is preached harden their hearts. For Esaias saith, foreseeing the little comparative success which the ministers of Christ should meet with, Who hath believed our report? How few are found faithful among the many called? Yet the Gospel report is the favour of life unto life in them who are saved. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, this being the ordinary means, and made effectual by the Spirit's power, that arm of the Lord which reveals Christ to the hearts of all that will believe.
4. But I say, have they not heard, both Jews and Gentiles, the Gospel word? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. And this extensive spread of the Gospel, by those preachers whom God sent forth, however the multitude rejected the counsel of God, was a token of his good will to the Gentiles.
5. But I say, did not Israel know that God designed to shew mercy to the Gentiles? Had they attended to their own prophets, they would have seen how groundless their imaginations were, that the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom should be confined to them, and the Gentiles excluded. For first Moses saith, for whom they profess peculiar veneration, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. The Gentiles were long excluded from the peculiar privileges of God's people, and, amidst all their wisdom, were in general entirely ignorant of spiritual things: to have them therefore now brought into the peculiar kingdom of the Messiah, should have provoked a holy emulation in the Jewish nation; but it wrought a contrary effect, exciting the greater bitterness and enmity against the converted Gentiles. He produces another Scripture, strongly proving the divine determination with regard to the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jews. Moses had intimated it, but Esaias is very bold, and, with great plainness and freedom, foretels to his countrymen this mortifying event, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me, preventing the Gentiles with the blessings of his goodness, and the calls of his grace, when they were in general without one thought of the true God, worshipping their idols. But to Israel he saith, now to be rejected for their impenitence and obstinacy, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people; his patience therefore being wearied out, especially by their opposition to the Gospel, he abandons them to ruin. Note; (1.) If God had not first sought us, we should never have inquired after him. (2.) When the Lord has waited long to be gracious, and used the most powerful means to work upon the sinner's heart,—if he still rejects the counsel of God against his own soul, justly does God decree, "My Spirit shall not always strive," and leaves him to the destruction which he has chosen.