9

ROMANS
AND THE STORY
PAUL WAS TELLING

Jonathan Williams
 Copyright © 2013 Jonathan Williams
All rights reserved.
ISBN-13: 978-1491034439
ISBN-10: 1491034432

All Scripture quoted is from the New American Standard Bible unless
otherwise noted. New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright ©
1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The
Lockman Foundation
 CONTENTS

Introduction – 1

1 The Historical Setting for Romans 7

2 The Story and the Stories Behind Romans 9 17

3 The Patriarchal Stories 9:6-13 29

4 The Exodus Stories 9:14-18 41

5 The Exile Stories 9:19-29 49

6 The End of the Story Should Match 65

the Story Being Told 9:30-33

Postscript – “Yes, But What About…?” 75

 INTRODUCTION

Words are crucial! But I think we would all agree that

as important as words are, we must look at them
within the context of the sentence in which we find
them if we are going to receive their full weight. I know
we would agree that sentences are important, but as
important as they are, we must look at them within
the paragraph in which they reside if we are to receive
their full weight. I think also we would agree that
paragraphs are important, but as important as they
are, if we are going to receive their full weight, we
must understand them in the context of the chapter in
which we find them.

OK! I think you know where I am headed with this, and

I hope you will indulge me one more level in my
opening statement. As important as chapters are, we
must look at them within the context of the story

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being told in the book.

Words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and the story

– if we don’t know the story being told, the chances
are, the deeper we drill from chapter to paragraph to
sentence to word,
the greater
tendency we will
have to isolate
parts of Scripture
and fit them into a
different
framework or a
different story
than the one being
told by the writer, and we run the risk of badly missing
the storyteller’s intent.

Imagine if you had only a page of the Bible. Imagine if

you had only Matthew 2 and you read about this
special baby that wise men worshipped and
egomaniacal kings feared. What would you do with
that information, if that is all you had? You would want
to know the background of the baby’s family and what
happened when he grew up. You would want to know
the storyline into which he was born for clues to
discover why some worshiped and others tried to
destroy him.

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 Romans 9

Such, I believe, is the case with Romans 9. This chapter

has often been the center of a stormy debate between
God’s people, some called Calvinists and some called
Arminians, regarding the doctrines of election and
predestination. It has been a favorite passage,
especially for the Calvinist position. I remember
reading an article a few years back by a Calvinist, a
well-educated theologically minded brother with a
website of his own and many theologically rich articles.
He stated that he would probably not be a Calvinist
were it not for Romans 9. But Romans 9 was there, he
said, and he therefore was a Calvinist in his view of
election and predestination.

He is right about at least this – Romans 9 is there! Like

a tall mountain looming suddenly before travelers on a
grassy plain, it beckons people to deal with it. I have
dealt with it through the years. In my early years of
delighting in debate (taking the Calvinist side) and
bludgeoning my brothers with Scripture (in love of
course), it was a favorite weapon, I mean, passage, to
consider. But a funny thing happened as I grew in
character and in my understanding of God’s word. I
discovered that I, along with many others, was using
Romans 9 as an ammunition supply for proof texting
arguments on issues that, frankly, Paul probably wasn’t
talking about. As I continued to learn from my own
reading of God’s word and from the observations of

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others, I discovered that Paul may have had something

completely different in mind. I don’t mean a different
viewpoint on election and predestination. I mean that
those issues were only marginally related, if at all, to
what Paul was trying to say. Once I came to that
conviction, I thought it was a pretty good idea to
continue exploring Romans 9, and chapters 10 and 11,
and the whole book of Romans to discover the mind of
Paul and the reasons for which he wrote.

This small book is my understanding of what Paul wrote

in Romans 9 and why he wrote it. As you begin, I want
to make sure you understand what this book is and is
not. This book is not a detailed verse-by-verse exegesis
of Romans 9. I might do that at another time, joining
the thousands of others who have labored up this great
slope. But that is not what this book is. Instead, it is
more of a helicopter ride around the great mountain
where I point out its interesting features. Periodically,
we rope down to the mountain itself and take a close
look at some words and sentences, but we quickly rope
back up in order to take a long look at them within the
story, the story in which this great chapter with all its
paragraphs, sentences, and words resides. It is like
looking at the countryside and learning about the
geographical features of the whole land for answers as
to why this mountain stands as it does in the midst of
its grassy plain. Once we see how and why the

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 Romans 9

mountain sits where it does, then, we can start

exploring in greater detail its more specific features.
So what is the story from which Romans 9 emerges?
That is the subject of chapters 1 and 2, and in those
chapters we will discover that in the great story Paul is
telling, he identifies three smaller, but highly
significant stories in the history of his people – the
story of the Patriarchs, the story of the Exodus, and the
story of the Exile. These form chapters 3-5. We finish
with chapter 6, considering how Paul concluded his
stories. It is important to understand that the end of a
story must match up with the story being told, or we
come to confusion and … endless debates.

I first presented these ideas at the Great Commission

Churches National Pastors’ Conference in 2012. It was
an afternoon-long seminar where four pastors gave
their viewpoints on Romans 9. I was honored to be one
of the four. I have modified that original presentation
into its present form. Whatever your perspective on
Romans 9 has been, and whatever it may become, I
hope this small book will assist you in some way in
understanding God’s Word better, and in
understanding God’s Word better, it will cause you to
love him, his people, and the lost even more.
– Jonathan Williams

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Jonathan Williams

6
 1 THE HISTORICAL SETTING
FOR ROMANS

Is there a situational context for the book of Romans?

For centuries, scholars and students have thought
Romans to be purely, or at least, primarily, a
theological treatise. It is as if Paul locked himself in a
room for a few days and hammered out his theology
without much thought of any particulars in any church
that he was overseeing.

We read 1 and 2 Corinthians and see the numerous

problems that evoked Paul’s urgent letters. We read 1
& 2 Thessalonians and see how Paul wrote to these
young believers to help them through some
understandable confusion about the return of Christ.

But Romans? After his introduction in the first 15

verses, he appears to present a treatise of his thoughts

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on the Gospel, sort of like a project he had saved for a

rainy day (or a prison term!) that he could not get to
with the press of urgent matters from the churches he
oversaw. Once he found time, he could turn to the
great theological project of his heart. Not that this
project would be without use. What could be more
useful than explaining the Gospel! But the prevailing
thought for generations was that Romans was not so
much about meeting needs in a local congregation and
more about Paul setting forth his apostolic message.

More recent scholarship does not see Romans in this

way. John Stott said,

The older commentaries tended to assume that

Paul was providing in Romans what Philip
Melanchthon termed ‘a compendium of Christian
doctrine’, somewhat detached from any particular
socio-historical context…. Nevertheless all New
Testament documents (the gospels, the Acts and
the Revelation as well as the letters) were written
from within a particular situation. And this situation
concerned partly the circumstances in which the
author found himself, partly those of his intended
readers, and usually a combination of both. It is
these which help us to grasp what prompted each
author to write and why he wrote what he did
write. Romans is no exception to this general
rule….” 1

1
The Message of Romans, John R.W. Stott, pp. 31-32.

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 Romans 9

If this is the case, it is imperative that we learn why

Paul was writing. It may prove crucial in interpreting
the entire book, and for our purposes, chapter 9.

Several options have been presented to explain the

situational purpose of the book. For example, James
Dunn says that Paul had three purposes in mind,
missionary (his forthcoming trip to Spain), apologetic
(setting forth the true Gospel), and pastoral (uniting
Jew and Gentile in one body). He said, “…all three of
these main emphases and purposes hang together and
indeed reinforce each other when taken as a whole.”2

While these ideas form part of the rationale for Paul’s

writing, the suggestion from N.T. Wright seems to
strike at the heart of what was happening in Rome.3

In the year AD 48 or 49 the emperor Claudius expelled

Jews from Rome due to riots in Jewish quarters of the
city over “Chrestus.” This extreme action, documented
in Acts 18:2 and by the Roman writer Suetonius, shows
indirectly the powerful influence the Gospel was
making in the Jewish community in Rome for

2
James D.G. Dunn, Word Biblical Commentary, Romans 1-8, p. lviii
and see the entire discussion on liv-lviii. See also Douglas Moo,
The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The
Epistle to the Romans, pp. 16-22 for some helpful comments.
3
N.T. Wright, The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume X, Romans, pp.
406-408.

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 Jonathan Williams

“Chrestus” can be none other than Christ and the

impact of the Gospel message in the Jewish
synagogues. As we know from our reading of Acts,
“riots in Jewish quarters” were a frequent occurrence
as Paul took the message of Jesus Messiah to the
synagogues throughout the Roman world.4

We are not talking about heated arguments and hurt

feelings, but civil unrest. This happened among the
Gentiles in Acts 19 when the worshippers of Artemis
felt threatened by this new religion centered around
Jesus and proclaimed their allegiance to her instead of
him. Such was the civil disturbance that the city
authorities feared that if Rome got wind of that day’s
events, the emperor might impose severe penalties
upon the city.

We must remember separation of church and state

was unthinkable in ancient life. Everything in life was
integrated and to challenge one’s religion was to
challenge one’s identity. Thus, civil unrest would not
be unexpected if a new religion threatened to
undermine a community’s life-long, perhaps,
centuries-long political, social, economic, and spiritual
loyalties.

The same was true among the Jewish people. Their

4
See Acts 13:49-52; 14:1-4; 14:19; 17:4-5; 17:13; 18:12-13; 22:22.

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 Romans 9

identity as the unique people of God was at stake.

When Paul preached that the crucified Jesus rose from
the dead and was enthroned as Israel’s King and
Messiah in fulfillment of Israel’s promises,5 that all
Jews should embrace him,6 and open their arms to
Gentile believers as equal members in the covenant
and fellow-heirs of the promises,7 they perceived this
as a challenge to their identity, their loyalty to the God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their loyalty to the
Law of Moses. It’s not just that Paul stated a few
random prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus, that he was
therefore the Savior of the world and the only way to
heaven. Paul’s message was far broader. He was
stating that Israel’s identity and centuries-long
purposes were now finding their climax in this Jesus.
The Jews understood very well what he was saying
which is why we read of riots in city after city where he
preached and in the Temple precincts8 that nearly cost
Paul his life on many occasions. How could they
embrace a crucified Messiah? How could they embrace
non law-keeping Gentiles? How could their long-
suffering history be fulfilled by a Roman-crucified

5
As in Acts 13:32-37. See also Acts 2:22-36 for the same emphasis
by Peter.
6
As in Acts 13:38-39. Peter preached the same in Acts 2:37-39.
7
As decreed in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem Council and expounded
upon in Ephesians 2:11-3:6.
8
See Acts 21:27-31 and 22:22-23.

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Messiah when the Romans were still in charge? These

were the questions every Jewish community had to
answer as Paul proclaimed the Gospel. Some believed
in Jesus. Others did not, and Israel was split.

While Paul did not initiate the Gospel in Rome, it is not

inconceivable that social unrest was the experience of
other apostles and messengers who were declaring to
Israel that their Messiah had come and Israel would
find the completion of its story and mission in his
death, resurrection, enthronement and Spirit-
empowered proclamation of God’s kingdom to the
nations.

Would the emperor Claudius involve himself over a

theological debate among Jews about their Messiah?
He would not. The particulars of Jewish theology were
of little concern to him, except when that theology
threatened the social order that the Romans, and any
government for that matter, so highly prized. Thus,
when riots in Jewish quarters broke out over Chrestus,
it was time for him to step in, and the Jews to step out
of Rome.

In addition, we must remember that much anti-Jewish

sentiment existed throughout the Roman empire
because of their high moral and ethical standards and
because of their refusal to acknowledge the gods of
Rome. So Claudius expelled Jews from Rome, but this
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 Romans 9

was short-lived for when he died in AD 54, Nero, his

successor, rescinded the decree allowing their return.

Sounds simple enough, but life is rarely so simple. As

the Jews returned home they found that more of their
Jewish brethren, in contact with Jesus followers
scattered throughout the Roman world, were now
believers in Jesus as the Messiah – among them
Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:2; Romans 16:3) – and they
would find that more Gentile god-fearers, who once
attended their synagogues as Gentiles were also
believers in Jesus as the Messiah and claiming
membership with full privilege in the covenant people
of God. The cause of their expulsion from Rome had
not gone away. Rather it had been exacerbated by the
increase in the number of the followers of Jesus!

Paul loved his Jewish brethren – his kinsmen according

to the flesh – and he loved his brethren in Christ, Jew
and Gentile. He greatly desired to have an audience
with those Jews who did not yet follow Jesus as the
Christ and so he stated in Romans 1:15 that he was
eager to preach the Gospel in Rome. He does however,
have an audience with the Jewish and Gentile believers
in Rome and thus he writes the book of Romans – for
many reasons, to be sure – but also to speak into this
historical situation that I have just described.

As Paul writes his book, he wants to address this

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question – What should be the attitude of Gentile

believers toward the returning Jews who still do not
believe in Jesus as Messiah? Well, one thing is for sure,
they must guard against breathing in the atmosphere
of their day, of anti-Semitism, and so Paul in writing his
great letter to Rome must address the issue of Israel in
the plan of God. He must address how to think about
those Jews who do not believe in Jesus Messiah.

But as I said, some returning Jews do believe in Jesus

Messiah, and there is confusion among many about
how these two groups, Jew and Gentile, relate to one
another in the Body of Christ. Often, this confusion
turns into tension and Paul must address this as well.

Thus, for the latter issue – how Jew and Gentile believers
in Jesus Messiah are to relate to one another, especially
because of long-held Jewish practices such as Sabbath
observance and dietary laws, practices that marked
them out as God’s people, – Paul writes Romans 14-15
with the great climactic statement of 15:7-9.
7
Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also
accepted us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that
Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on
behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises
given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify
God for His mercy; as it is written,“ THEREFORE I WILL
GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING
TO YOUR NAME.”

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 Romans 9

For the former issue – how Gentiles are to relate to the

returning Jews who do not believe – Paul writes
Romans 9-11 with his great statement in 11:18
warning the Gentiles – “Do not be arrogant toward the
branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is
not you who supports the root, but the root supports
you!”

The book of Romans then, among its many purposes, is

a detailed theological explanation of how God has
provided a way for Gentile and Jew to live together as
one family with a righteous standing before him, not
on the basis of the works of the Law, but on the basis
of faith in what Jesus the Messiah has done for Israel
and the whole world. He also writes with the hope that
all Jews will come to faith in Jesus. It is, at once, a
pastoral letter urging unity in the Body and an appeal
for an evangelistic heart toward those not yet believing
– worthy endeavors for all of us to imitate, and
perhaps, a prerequisite of the heart if we are to
understand the heart of Paul and the words he wrote
in this great chapter.

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 2 THE STORY AND THE STORIES
BEHIND ROMANS 9

Most commentators will agree that the key passage of

Romans is 1:16-17 which says:
16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the
power of God for salvation to everyone who
believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from
faith to faith; as it is written, “ BUT THE RIGHTEOUS
man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

But what is the righteousness of God? We must learn

to think like Old Testament prophets and first century
apostles because the righteousness of God is not just
His moral attributes of which we fall short but also his
faithfulness to his covenants. The prophets in
numerous places say that God will save his people
because he is merciful, but they also say that he will

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 Jonathan Williams

save by his righteousness and justice. Consider these

passages from Isaiah. Notice the many times where
righteousness/justice and salvation parallel.

1:27 – Zion will be redeemed with justice and her

repentant ones with righteousness.

30:18 – Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to

you, and therefore He waits on high to have
compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.

46:13 – “I bring near My righteousness, it is not far

off; and My salvation will not delay. And I will grant
salvation in Zion, and My glory for Israel.

51:5-8 – 5“My righteousness is near, My salvation

has gone forth, and My arms will judge the peoples;
The coastlands will wait for Me, and for My arm
they will wait expectantly. 6 “Lift up your eyes to the
sky, then look to the earth beneath; for the sky will
vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a
garment and its inhabitants will die in like manner;
But My salvation will be forever, and My
righteousness will not wane. 7 “Listen to Me, you
who know righteousness, a people in whose heart is
My law; do not fear the reproach of man, nor be
dismayed at their revilings. 8 “For the moth will eat
them like a garment, and the grub will eat them like
wool. But My righteousness will be forever, and My
salvation to all generations.”

59:11 – All of us growl like bears, and moan sadly

like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none,
for salvation, but it is far from us.

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 Romans 9

Isaiah and other prophets spoke of salvation as an act

of God’s justice or righteousness. What they mean is
that because God is just, because he is righteous, he
will be faithful to the covenant promises that he made
with the patriarchs and that he affirmed through the
prophets. Paul emphasized this covenant faithfulness
in his climactic statement in Romans 15:8 – that Christ
has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of
the truth9 of God to confirm the promises given to the
fathers.

But how does God fulfill the promises? How does God
demonstrate his righteous covenant fulfillment to his
people and to the nations? This is what Romans is
about. In chapters 1-4, after showing that Gentile and
Jew are both guilty before God, Paul explains that God
righteously fulfills his covenant promises to Abraham
through the Messiah Jesus by faith, not through Torah
observance. In chapters 5-8, Paul explains how God
solved the sin of Adam and of Israel, of all people,
through the Messiah’s death and vindicating
resurrection. Those who unite with the Messiah
through baptism/faith move from their status of
condemnation and death to the status of justified
children. They are dead to sin and alive to God.

9
Here, truth, has the idea of faithfulness, as in someone being
true to his word.

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As we look at the first eight chapters of Romans, we

notice that Paul has hinted at the topic of Israel. He
talked about the Jews in chapter 2 and how they were
as guilty as the Gentiles. In chapter 3 he starts to
answer the question, “if Israel is just as guilty as
Gentiles, what advantage did Israel have in receiving
the Law?” But Paul does not fully answer this question
at this point. He makes other references to Israel and
the Law in chapters 4-8,10 but before he can get into
his full blown explanation of Israel in the plan of God,
he must first explain how the Messiah of Israel brought
salvation to Israel and all the nations of the world
through his death and resurrection and that the
benefits of his death and resurrection come to us not
by the works of the Law but by faith.

Once he has finished that, he is ready to give his full

discourse on Israel. This is the subject of Romans 9-11.
This is the story being told, and here is the question
that Paul will answer when he gets to chapter 9.

If God has been faithful to his covenant with

Israel which is the necessary prerequisite for
the unfolding of his plan to bring salvation to
the nations, why is it that so many Jews do not
believe? Why isn’t Israel saved?

I believe these questions and their answers form the

10
4:13-15; 5:13-14; 6:14-15; 7:7-8:12.

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theme of Romans 9-11. But before I unpack this theme

I must make a crucial statement about one of its
phrases. In the theme I state that God’s faithfulness to
Israel was the necessary prerequisite to the unfolding
of his plan to bring salvation to Gentiles. It is important
that we understand this in order to approach Romans
9 correctly. What do we mean by God’s faithfulness to
Israel being the necessary prerequisite for the
unfolding of his plan for the nations? We answer this
question, first, by stating that God, from the time of
Abraham forward, planned on saving the world
through Israel.

God elected Abraham and his descendants, not to

bless them and condemn the nations, but as the
means by which salvation would come to the world.
Tragically, God’s appointed means to bring salvation to
the world failed. Israel became enslaved morally to the
gods of Canaanite fertility religions. Then it became
enslaved politically to the Assyrians, Babylonians,
Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Israel, the light of the
world, lived in darkness. Israel, the chosen means of
salvation for the nations, was in need of salvation
itself. Thus, before the nations could be saved, Israel
had to be saved. What was once a one-stage plan for
the world – the nations through Israel – became a two-
stage plan – first Israel, then the nations.

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To this the prophets and apostles testify abundantly.

Isaiah 49:5-6 present this two-fold sequence:

And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the

womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him,
so that Israel might be gathered to Him (for I am
honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My
strength), 6 He says, “It is too small a thing that You
should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will
also make You a light of the nations so that My
salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Notice the sequence, the Servant brings Jacob back to

God. He regathers Israel. But the restoration of God’s
covenant people is too small a task. God has
something much bigger in mind, the nations of the
world! This is the passage along with Isaiah 42:611
quoted by Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:46-47 in the
ministry to the Jew first, and then the Gentile.

46
Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It
was necessary that the word of God be spoken to
you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves
unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to
the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I
HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU
MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’”

11
“I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also
hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You
as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations.” Notice the
sequence, first “the people” (Israel), then “the nations.”

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Notice in 13:46 that Paul, in his preaching in Pisidian

Antioch said it was necessary for the Gospel to go to
the Jews first. Why necessary? Why did Paul emphasize
in his letter to Rome that the Gospel would go to the
Jew first and then to the Gentiles?12 It is because God’s
plan for the whole world became a two-stage plan,
first, the salvation of sinful Israel, then the salvation of
the world. God would restore his people according to
the promises of the prophets and then use this
restored people to reach out to all the nations, his
ultimate objective. Israel was always the means to the
bigger end – the reconciliation of the nations.

Peter showed the same sequence in the concluding

words of his sermon in Acts 3.

25
It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of
the covenant which God made with your fathers,
saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES
OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ 26 For you first, God
raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by
turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”

Notice that Peter appeals to the Jews as sons of the

prophets and sons of the covenant made with the
patriarchs. He wants them to tie their prophetic and
covenant identity and promises with the death,
resurrection, and enthronement of Jesus. He then

12
Romans 1:16; 2:9-10.

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quotes from the first proclamation of these covenant

promises in Genesis 12 and its climax – God using the
seed of Abraham to bring blessing to all the nations.
But blessing to the nations was stage two in God’s
sequence. Stage one was the restoration of his
covenant people. Thus, Peter said, “For you first, God
raised up his Servant, Jesus and sent him to bless you
by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”
First Israel, then the nations.

This was also the conclusion of the first Church Council,

in Jerusalem. The debate was about the inclusion of
the Gentiles in the covenant people as Gentiles. The
apostles concluded that this was happening in their
day and that the restoration of his covenant people
was leading to salvation among the nations. James
grounded this conclusion by appealing to the
prophecies of Amos 9:11-12 quoted in verses 16-18.
13
After they had stopped speaking, James
answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. 14 Simeon
has related how God first concerned Himself about
taking from among the Gentiles a people for His
name. 15 With this the words of the Prophets agree,
just as it is written,

16
‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD
THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL
REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, 17 SO THAT THE
REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE

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GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’ 18 SAYS THE

LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.

Once again we have the two-stage sequence of

salvation, first Israel, then the nations. In this passage,
Israel’s salvation is depicted in the rebuilding of David’s
tabernacle. The rebuilding of the temple or tabernacle
was thought to be an identifier of the Messiah. The
true Messiah would save his people, i.e., he would
deliver them from their enemies, restore them from
captivity, and rebuild the temple.13 James presents the
rebuilding imagery to denote the salvation of God’s
covenant people which led to the turning of Gentiles to
the God of Israel. First Israel, then the nations.

This, then, is why I say in my thematic statement that

God’s faithfulness to his covenant with Israel was the
necessary prerequisite for the unfolding of his plan for
the nations. One does not happen without the other.

Having elaborated on this phrase of my thematic

statement for Romans 9, let me repeat what I see to
be the theme and key question of Romans 9.

If God has been faithful to his covenant with

Israel which is the necessary prerequisite for

13
See N.T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, 481-486 for an
insightful discussion on the tie-in between Messiahship and
Temple building.

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 Jonathan Williams

the unfolding of his plan to bring salvation to

the nations, why is it that so many Jews do not
believe? Why isn’t Israel saved?

This is what Paul will address in Romans 9-11. With this

background before us, we are now ready to address
the text. Paul, in the opening words of chapter 9
expresses grief and sorrow over Israel’s unbelief.
1
I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my
conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that
I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
3
For I could wish that I myself were accursed,
separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren,
my kinsmen according to the flesh. (9:1-3)

He then says that the wonderful blessings that are now

the possession of Gentiles in Jesus the Messiah, the
blessings he has been describing in Chapters 1-8, are
really the blessings he promised to Israel.14
4
… who are Israelites, to whom belongs the
adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants
and the giving of the Law and the temple service
and the promises, 5 whose are the fathers, and from
whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is
over all, God blessed forever. Amen. (9:4-5)

How can this be? How do we explain this strange

historical situation that the salvation of Israel has gone

14
Paul also states this in Romans 15:27 where he says the Gentiles
have shared in the spiritual things of Israel.

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 Romans 9

to the nations but Israel itself is not saved? This is what

Paul will answer starting in 9:6 and going through 11:36.
In this book, we will limit ourselves to Romans 9.

Chapter 9 breaks down like this:

 9:6-13 tells the story of the patriarchal foundation

and answers the question previously asked in 3:3,
“Does Israel’s unbelief nullify God’s faithfulness to
his promises?”
 9:14-18 tells the story of the Exodus and answers
the question already asked in 3:5, “Is God unjust?”
 9:19-29 tells the story of God’s judgment that led
to exile and through exile to the fulfillment of
God’s prophetic promises and answers the
question already asked in 3:7, “Why does he find
fault?”
 9:30-33 presents Paul’s initial conclusion to his
initial topic, his full conclusion being in 11:25-36.

These sections with their questions and Paul’s initial

conclusion form the next chapters of this book and the
explanation of Romans 9.

I hope you are beginning to see, at least a bit, the

importance of understanding the background story
that Paul had in mind. His background story will
provide the context to understand the chapter, its
paragraphs, its sentences, and its words.

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Jonathan Williams

28
 3 THE PATRIARCHAL STORIES – 9:6-13

In Romans 9-11, Paul gives his explicit explanation of

what has happened to Israel. He has hinted at this
subject earlier in his letter, most notably 2:1-3:8. He
begins 9 by expressing his sorrow for the unbelief of
his Jewish brethren, even wishing that he could bear
the curses of the covenant that are drawing near to
them for their unbelief. Then he lists the blessings of
Israel – the adoption, the glory of the kingdom, the
covenants, the Law, the service of the Temple, the
promises, and above all, the Messiah. These things,
this Person, belonged to the Jews but they were in
danger of forfeiting it all. What has happened? It is
obvious the salvation of Israel has gone out to the
nations – stage two in God’s plan for the world. But
stage one – the salvation of Israel doesn’t seem to
have occurred. Why? What has happened? Was God
not faithful to his promises to his historic people?
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 Jonathan Williams

We begin with 9:6 – “But it is not as though the word

of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are
descended from Israel.”

What does Paul mean by his statement it is not as

though the word of God has failed? Paul is saying that
even though Israel has failed and missed out on its
blessings, God’s word, God’s promises to Israel have
not failed. Instead, as he will say later in 15:8, Christ
has confirmed the promises made to the fathers. The
problem is, it looks different than everyone thought it
would look. But Paul is not daunted by appearances
and from this point he will tell several stories to show
how God worked in the history of his people. This
ancient work formed a paradigm for the apostolic work
occurring in his day in Israel. These stories will help
unseeing eyes see and answer perplexing questions
that formed stumbling blocks for many.

He begins by saying this: they are not all Israel who are
descended from Israel. This is a shocking statement for
our sensitive post-holocaust ears but it was not an
uncommon thing to say in the first century. For
example, the Essenes in the wilderness said the same:
“We are Israel. The rest of those people living in
Jerusalem and Galilee are apostate. We are Israel.”
Sects within Israel would lay claim to being the true
Israel while other so-called brands of Judaism were

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 Romans 9

under the curse of God. Just because a person was a

physical descendant of Abraham did not guarantee
status in what the sect regarded to be the “true
Israel.”15

Paul says the same. “Look around at Israel. Not all of

them are really Israel. We have to define what Israel
really is to God.” This was not the first time for Paul to
speak like this. Already, in this letter he talked about
this strange reality. In 2:28-29 he says “he is not a Jew
who is one outwardly but he is a Jew who is one
inwardly.” He will now in chapter 9 fully explain that
provocative statement in chapter 2 and he ties them
together with the equally provocative statement,
“They are not Israel who say they are Israel.”

Paul gives several examples from the patriarchal

history to prove his point. In 9:7 Paul says, “nor are
they all children because they are Abraham’s
descendants but through Isaac your descendants will
be called.”

Abraham had two sons – Ishmael by Hagar and Isaac

by Sarah – but according to 9:8, Ishmael is regarded as
a child of the flesh and is therefore not regarded as
Abraham’s true descendant and a child of God. He

15
See N.T. Wright, The New Testament and the People of God, The
Essenes: Spotlight on a Sect, pp. 203-209.

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 Jonathan Williams

says, “It is not the children of the flesh who are

children of God….” Instead, “the children of the
promise are regarded as descendants.” Paul then, in
verse 9, quotes Genesis 18:10 which was the word of
promise from God to Sarah and Abraham, “At this time
I will come and Sarah will have a son.”

Taking inventory of verses 6-9 we find these contrasts.

Israel 9:6 Not Israel

Children 9:7 Not children
Isaac 9:7 Ishmael
Children of God 9:8 Children of the flesh
Promise 9:8-9 No promise

The point of these contrasts is this: not all of

Abraham’s physical children were considered “children
of promise.” As it was in Abraham’s time, so it was in
Paul’s day – they are not all Israel who are descended
from Israel.

By this time, some of you may be thinking – “Wait, this

is supposed to be a book on Romans 9 and its
relationship to election and predestination, but you
seem to be talking about something different.”

Exactly!

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 Romans 9

This will be my point for Romans 9. Most scholars and

theologians talk about election and predestination,
Calvinism and Arminianism, and beat a path to Romans
9 with its various words and phrases to support their
positions. They are off point. Paul in Romans 9 is not
talking about what they are talking about. They are
talking about abstract theological issues that
peripherally, if at all, entered Paul’s mind as he wrote
these words in 9-11. This will become more apparent,
at least to me, as we continue.

Paul continues with Example 2 from the patriarchal

story in verses 10-11.

10
And not only this, but there was Rebekah also,
when she had conceived twins by one man, our
father Isaac; 11 for though the twins were not yet
born and had not done anything good or bad, so
that God’s purpose according to His choice would
stand, not because of works but because of Him
who calls,

He speaks about Rebekah who gave birth to two boys,

Esau and Jacob, from Isaac. Paul then says that God
chose one of them and not the other. His choice was
not based on works but it was made before either of
them had done anything good or bad. His choice was
made by grace. It was his sovereign choice. Ah – now
we are getting to election! Or, or are we? Notice that

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 Jonathan Williams

the verse does not say that God’s salvation according

to His choice would stand but God’s purpose according
to His choice might stand.

What was God’s purpose? We have a choice (no pun

intended) at this point! We can read our theological
frameworks into it or we can go back to Genesis and
let the Patriarchal Story inform us about God’s
purpose. When we go back to Genesis, we discover a
story about God’s work in history to bring salvation
through some of the descendants of Abraham for the
sake of the whole world, not a story about how God
limits his salvation to a select number. Remember, the
exclusive covenant with Abraham was that it might
one day be inclusive for all the families of the earth
(Genesis 12:3).

The election of God to use Jacob rather than Esau is

underscored in 9:12-13, a quote from Genesis 25:23
about who gets the birthright and blessing and who,
therefore, advances the purpose of God for the
salvation of the nations. “It was said to her, “THE OLDER
WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” Just as it is written, “JACOB I
LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.”

The older (Esau) serves the younger (Jacob). But when

we read the Patriarchal story, we discover this did not

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 Romans 9

happen in the lifetime of these two men.16 Esau never

served Jacob. Instead, we see this purpose worked out
in their descendants for, as it says in 9:13, “JACOB I
LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.” Though the names of two men
are used, God is talking about two nations.

In this verse, at least, Paul is thinking corporately and

nationally, not individually. We know this because
Paul’s words in Romans 9:13 are a quote from Malachi
1:2 which is not a statement about God loving one
man and hating the other, predestining one to
salvation and the other to damnation. This is a
statement showing how God worked out his purposes
in history long after Jacob and Esau died! God loved
Jacob, i.e. Israel, because his saving purposes for the
nations were advancing through them. God hated
Esau, i.e., Edom because they were working against
God’s saving purposes. The quote from Malachi shows
God’s attitude toward Jacob’s nation and Esau’s
nation. God will build up Israel but tear down Edom.

God is therefore speaking of the election of nations,

not of individuals. God is speaking of his purposes to
bring salvation to all the families of the earth as he
promised to Abraham in the covenant. This includes

16
I am indebted to Pastor Dave Bovenmeyer of Stonebrook
Community Church in Ames, Iowa for this insight.

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 Jonathan Williams

the nations not chosen to advance God’s plan. God’s

love for Jacob and hatred of Edom included salvation,
ultimately, for the Edomites – the very ones he says he
hates! We know this because the prophecy of Amos
9:11-12 is about the Edomites. This is the passage
James quoted in Acts 15:15-18 as the theological basis
to bring salvation to the nations – the ones God says
he hates! The ones who are supposedly not elected to
salvation!

To summarize 9:6-13 – God works through Isaac and

not Ishmael, Jacob and not Esau, Israel and not Edom.
Even though all are descended from Abraham, all are
not really his “children,” that is, children of promise.
Even though they all are descended from Abraham, all
are not considered Jews or part of Israel whose
purpose and identity was to be a blessing to the
nations. What Paul said earlier in 2:28-29 – “he is not a
Jew” and now in 9:6, “they are not Israel,” he
illustrates from the Patriarchal Story, not all of
Abraham’s physical descendants are really his
“children.” They are of the flesh.

At this point, I must make some mention of 9:11, a

much quoted verse in the Calvinism/Arminianism
debate.

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 Romans 9

For though the twins were not yet born and had not
done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose
according to His choice would stand, not because of
works but because of Him who calls…

Here we have an explicit statement about God’s

sovereign choice for one and not the other, for Jacob
and not Esau. Yet, is this about salvation? I mentioned
earlier that some have a tendency to read-in the word
“salvation” rather than let the text stand. Some read
in, “God’s salvation according to his choice.” But the
text says “purpose” and the story of Genesis is about
God’s purpose in electing some to make salvation
available for all.

Why, then, did Paul write these words? Paul’s

statement that God chose Jacob and not Esau without
any reference to their works would serve his purpose
of dealing a glancing blow at the legalists who said
they were the elect nation because of their physical
connection with Abraham and because of their
adherence to the Law of Moses. But Paul said God
sovereignly chose Jacob and not Esau with no
reference to their works, thus undercutting the
presumption of basing one’s elect status on Torah
observance. Paul used a similar line of argument in
Romans 4 when he stated that Abraham became an
heir of the promises before he was circumcised, a

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 Jonathan Williams

requirement of covenant membership according to the

Law. This is one of Paul’s strategies in the book – to
use Old Testament pre-Law stories as a paradigm to
explain his current ministry and to combat the
opponents to the Gospel, those who tenaciously held
onto law-keeping as their badge of membership rather
than faith in the crucified and risen Messiah.

Paul’s “opponent” in Romans is not an Arminian! To

assume that and to use this verse in this way would
make the mistake of reading 16th and 17th century
debates (and modern ones!) into the text. Paul’s
opponents17 are those who held onto their physical
lineage, their circumcision, their dietary requirements

17
When we speak of Paul’s opponents we must keep in mind that
throughout the book he uses a rhetorical style called diatribe.
Diatribe employs fictional conversations and debates, rhetorical
questions, and the use of me genoito in order to press home a
point with creativity. Dennis E. Johnson states that Paul addresses
“debating opponents whom he does not necessarily expect to be
in the Roman Christian congregations to whom his epistle is
addressed (e.g. 2:1-5, 17-24). He also anticipates, articulates, and
answers the objections and false conclusions that have often been
evoked by his gospel of grace (3:3-4, 5-6, 30-31; 6:1-2, 14-15; 7:5-
7, 11-13; 9:11-14; 10:19;11:1, 9-11),” The Function of Romans
7:13-25 in Paul’s Argument for the Law’s Impotence and the
Spirit’s Power, and Its Bearing on the Identity of the Schizophrenic
“I”, Resurrection and Eschatology, Theology in Service of the
Church, Tipton & Waddington, eds., p. 17, P&R Publishing,
Phillipsburg, NJ, 2008.

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 Romans 9

– the works of the Law – as the proof of covenant

membership rather than faith in the Messiah. This is
what he is dealing with.

We must also keep in mind the story of Genesis – God

forming a covenant with some in order that he might
bless all. God’s sovereign choice of Jacob was a choice
to use him to advance his plan for the nations. Paul’s
purpose in writing Romans 9 and the entire book must
be in line with this revealed purpose – to include,
ultimately, the Ishmaels, the Esaus, and the Edomites
of this world. Paul is drawing in 9:6-13 from a story of
God’s saving purpose for all the nations, not an
abstract discussion of election and predestination.

But why these examples from the stories of Abraham,

Isaac, and Jacob? We will see shortly, that Paul used
them to establish a paradigm for interpreting what was
happening in his day. Paul will conclude that God was
working in the same way in his time as he worked in
the ancient past of his nation’s history.

We are now ready to move to the next epoch in history

and the next chapter in this book. Paul will now use
the Exodus story to advance the paradigm for what
was happening in his day. This is in 9:14-18.

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Jonathan Williams

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 Romans 9

4 THE EXODUS STORIES 9:14-18

Paul moves to a new epoch in his people’s history,

from the Patriarchal Age to the greatest event in their
story – the Exodus. Paul provides two examples from
the Exodus Story, the worship of the golden calf and
the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart. It will be a story of
two rebellions and how God met one with mercy and
the other with judgment. But we will see that the
ultimate objective of both was the same.

Example 1 is an episode of Israel’s unfaithfulness

recorded in Exodus 32-34. It is the sad story of the
just-delivered people worshipping a golden calf.

Just at the point where Moses was receiving the Law

and the instructions for the worship of God, Israel was
bowing before a cow! Because of this great sin of

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 Jonathan Williams

idolatry, in spite of the fact that the people had already

heard the warning against idolatry recorded in Exodus
20, God set out to destroy Israel, but Moses interceded
for them and God heard his prayer.

God still wanted to punish his people for this quick and
flagrant violation of his law. He told Moses,

“Depart, go up from here, you and the people

whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt,
to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2 I
will send an angel before you and I will drive out the
Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite,
the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing
with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your
midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I
might destroy you on the way.” (Exodus 33:1-3)

This was heartbreaking for Moses. An angel was good,

but unless God himself was in their midst, Moses knew
there was no chance of success in their journey. So
Moses prayed again, “Lord, you must go with us,” and
again God relented. He said, “My presence shall go
with you and I will give you rest.” When Moses heard
these words he was stirred by such compassion and
mercy. He was overwhelmed with the grace of God in
the face of the rebellion of his people and he said, “O
Lord, show me your glory!” God replied:

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 Romans 9

I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you,

and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you;
and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,
and will show compassion on whom I will show
compassion. (Exodus 34:18-19)

It is a moving story, and one from which God’s people

have drawn inspiration for centuries. What does Paul
draw from this story? Why does he include it in this
section about who is a Jew and who is not a Jew? He
draws from it because he wants to establish the first of
two critical points in this new story – God’s saving
purposes for the world go forward through acts of
mercy. God did not strike down the Jews on the spot
even though that is what they deserved. Thus we have
Paul quoting from Exodus 33:19 which says, “I will be
gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will have
compassion on whom I have compassion” and then he
concludes this first point with 9:16, “So then, it does
not depend on the man who wills or the man who
runs, but on God who has mercy.” I will comment on
this important verse shortly, but first let me finish the
thought of the section. Paul’s statement in verse 16 is
a concluding statement for his first example from the
Exodus account and a bridge to his next example.

Example 2 pertains to Pharaoh’s hardness of heart and

presents the second critical point in the Exodus story.

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 Jonathan Williams

God’s saving purposes for the world go forward

through acts of hardening. Pharaoh initially disobeyed
the Lord, and God judged his rebellion by hardening his
heart further, which literally in the Hebrew means “to
make one’s heart heavy, or strong.” This means that
God strengthened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would be
able to withstand the judgments of God allowing God
to proclaim his superiority over the gods of Egypt18 and
his name to all the earth19 by the plagues. Paul quotes
Exodus 9:16 in verse 17 of Romans 9 and then
concludes this section with verse 18. Here are Paul’s
words.

17
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY
PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN
YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” 18 So then He has
mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom
He desires.

Paul has pulled two stories from the Exodus event; the
worship of the golden calf and the hardening of
Pharaoh’s heart. Why did he use these two and what
was his purpose? It was this:

God advanced his purposes in the world, on the

one hand by mercy to his rebellious covenant

18
Against the gods of Egypt – Exodus 12:12; Numbers 33:4.
19
The Canaanites heard of God’s power – Joshua 2:8-11.

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 Romans 9

people, and on the other hand by hardening a

rebellious pagan king. Yet, it was the same plan
of salvation that was advancing. Just as God
worked through mercy and hardening in the
Exodus event, he was advancing his plan in the
same ways in Paul’s time – by mercy and
hardening.

With this in mind, we now turn to 9:16 which has

received so much attention through the years. “So
then it does not depend on the man who wills or the
man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”

The mistake we make in this verse is that we think the

word, it, refers to salvation. But it does not. In fact, the
word, it, is not even in the Greek. A literal, rough
translation of the Greek is – “so then, not the willing,
not the running, but showing mercy, God.” Our
translation smooths the Greek into readable English,
but the mistake of many has been to read a theological
topic into the verse, such as unconditional election.
Such topics are foreign to Paul’s immediate purposes.
The mistake has been to pour theological content into
the word, “it” that is foreign to Paul’s carefully
constructed conversation dealing with first century
issues. I suggest we let Paul’s purposes in Romans 9, in
the whole book, and the Old Testament framework
determine the meaning of the verse. The story, then

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 Jonathan Williams

the chapters, paragraphs, sentences, and words.

Let’s review this framework. Paul has now quoted from

Genesis 21:12; 18:10; 25:23; and Malachi 1:2-3 in the
Patriarchal Story and Exodus 33:19 and 9:16 in the
Exodus Story. What is the story being told in these two
epochs? The story is threefold.

 First, it is a story of God using some and not all

to advance his purposes for all. This is the point
of the Patriarchal story.
 Second, it is the story of God showing mercy to
advance his purposes. God uses Israel in spite
of Israel’s sin. Look at Jacob’s sin. Look at
Israel’s sin! God has mercy upon them for the
sake of the world. This is the first point of the
Exodus story.
 Third, it is the story of God using pagan rulers
to advance his purpose. He hardens them in
their rebellion and uses their hard hearts to
proclaim his name among the nations. This is
the second point of the Exodus story.

God has had mercy upon some and hardened others,

according to his matchless wisdom. He knows what is
best for each situation. But each situation of mercy or
hardening in the Exodus story was not to individual

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 Romans 9

salvation or judgment but to nations or to

representatives of nations in order to advance His
saving plan for all.

This is the story being told in the Old Testament. I

suggest it is the story in Paul’s mind and the story he
was telling in Romans 9 as he observed God giving
mercy to some sinners who repented and hardening
others who disobeyed. Paul uses these stories of his
people’s history as a paradigm for what was happening
in his day and to set up his main points. Remember,
Romans 9 is primarily answering the question,

If God has been faithful to his covenant with

Israel which is the necessary prerequisite for
the unfolding of his plan to bring salvation to
the nations, why is it that so many Jews do not
believe? Why isn’t Israel saved?

The Exodus stories answer the question this way:

no matter what man throws against God, whether
idolatry in Israel’s case or stubbornness in Pharaoh’s,
God’s purposes for the world will prevail. On the one
hand he meets the rebellion of his covenant people
with mercy. On the other hand, he meets the rebellion
of a pagan ruler with judgment. But in either case,
God’s covenant promises and plans go forward. They
went forward in the Exodus Story. They were going
forward in Paul’s time. He was meeting the rebellion of
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 Jonathan Williams

repentant people with mercy. He was meeting the

rebellion of unrepentant people with hardening.

These history lessons form an important piece of his

argument – what happened in the ancient history of
his people was happening again in his time. The Exodus
story was a paradigm for interpreting the strange
events happening in his day. Mercy was being
extended to some and hardening to others just as in
the days of Moses. Yet, through it all, God was working
in Israel for the sake of all the nations.20

It is noteworthy also that in both stories, we find great

concern for the name of God in the world. In the story
of the golden calf, the story of mercy, we find Moses
interceding to spare Israel for the sake of God’s name
among the nations.21 In the story of the hardening of
Pharaoh’s heart we find God stating that he did this
that he might proclaim his name among the nations. 22
Thus, in both stories we find the same purpose
advancing, God’s desire to reach the nations of the
world.

20
I find it interesting that God’s ultimate plan for Egypt was their
salvation. See Isaiah 19:23-25 for the prophecy of Egypt’s
salvation.
21
See Deuteronomy 9:26-29.
22
See Exodus 9:16.

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 5 THE EXILE STORY 9:19-29

We come to the final story section of Romans 9, verses

19-29. Here, Paul invokes images from the prophets
and tells the story of judgment and exile. He begins
with a question based upon his previous story from
Israel’s history, the Exodus – if God advances his plan
by showing mercy upon some rebellious people and by
hardening other rebellious people, then is not
everyone advancing the plan of God, the rebellious as
well as the righteous? Here is the text of verse 19. “You
will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For
who resists His will?”

Who does resist his will? His will advanced in spite of

Israel’s idolatry and Pharaoh’s stubbornness. If such
was the case, why even try? Why not be stubborn, or
to put this in the words of a previous issue Paul

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 Jonathan Williams

addressed, “why not sin so that grace may abound?”23

and “why not do evil so that good may come?”24 For
the third time in his book Paul will show this to be
foolish thinking. In 3:8, he answered this foolish
question with “Their condemnation is just.” In 6:1-2 he
answered with, “God forbid.” Now in chapter 9, he
answers with, “Who are you O man who answers back
to God?” After his quick retort in 9:20, Paul then
alludes to the image of potters and clay from Old
Testament prophets. Paul puts it this way in 9:19-21.

19
You will say to me then, “Why does He still find
fault? For who resists His will?” 20 On the contrary,
who are you, O man, who answers back to God?
The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why
did you make me like this,” will it? 21 Or does not
the potter have a right over the clay, to make from
the same lump one vessel for honorable use and
another for common use?

What are Paul’s primary sources for this imagery? I

have discovered these four:

Isaiah 29:16 – You turn things around! Shall the

potter be considered as equal with the clay, that
what is made would say to its maker, “He did not
make me”; Or what is formed say to him who
formed it, “He has no understanding”?

23
Romans 6:1
24
Romans 3:8

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 Romans 9

Isaiah 45:9-10 – 9“Woe to the one who quarrels

with his Maker— An earthenware vessel among the
vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter,
‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making
say, ‘He has no hands’? 10 “Woe to him who says to
a father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to a woman,
‘To what are you giving birth?’”

Jeremiah 18:6 – “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal

with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD.
“Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are
you in My hand, O house of Israel.”

Jeremiah 19:10-11 – “Then you are to break the jar

in the sight of the men who accompany you 11 and
say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Just so
will I break this people and this city, even as one
breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be
repaired; and they will bury in Topheth because
there is no other place for burial.”

These passages would be familiar, of course, to Paul

and formed the pictorial background to his statement.
They make this point: God is in charge of Israel and he
will judge Israel’s rebellion. He will also advance his
plan in spite of Israel but this does not give Israel a
right to keep on sinning for he will judge and they have
no right to speak in this manner to God. He is the
potter and they are the clay. God can make one vessel
for honor and one vessel for common use. He can do
what he wants in the arranging of people and nations

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to advance his purpose. He is sovereign.

What has God done to advance his purpose? God has

endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared
for destruction. Paul says it this way in 9:22-24.

22
What if God, although willing to demonstrate His
wrath and to make His power known, endured with
much patience vessels of wrath prepared for
destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the
riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He
prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us, whom He
also called, not from among Jews only, but also
from among Gentiles.

God has been willing to judge, Paul says, and his

judgment would show his power in the world, but he
has withheld judgment upon Israel. He has endured
with great patience these vessels of wrath prepared
for destruction. He withheld judgment in the
wilderness when his people deserved it. He was
withholding judgment in Paul’s time when his people
deserved it again. He withheld it that he might show
mercy to the world.

The phrase, vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

could take a whole chapter in itself but for the
purposes of not losing the thread of my argument, I
will say only these few words. One of the themes in

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 Romans 9

the Old and New Testaments is that God prepares

people for judgment, not by some judicial decree
before time began, but he prepares them in history
through their choices and historical events, as he did
with Pharaoh.

The word prepared means to knit together or to set a

broken bone. This is word used in Mark 1:19 for the
apostles mending their nets and is the word used in
Ephesians 4:12 that God gives gifted men to equip the
saints. The idea in Romans 9 is that God prepares, knits
together the circumstances and choices of life in
disobedient people to move them toward judgment.
This is a theme found frequently in the prophets where
God rewards rebellion with hardness of heart causing
more sin leading to judgment.

The premier passage on this is Isaiah 6 where God

commissioned Isaiah to preach to the half-hearted
covenant nation in order to harden them, so they
would go further in rebellion and come under the just
judgment of God. We find it also in Isaiah 63 and
Lamentations 3.

Why, O Lord, do you cause us to stray from Your

ways and harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of
your heritage. (Isaiah 63:9)

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You will recompense them O Lord, according to the

work of their hands. You will give them hardness of
heart, your curse will be on them. You will pursue
them in anger and destroy them from under the
heavens of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:64-66)

But we must see that this is the way God dealt with his
covenant nation, Israel. He hardened them, ironically,
as he did with the pagan Pharaoh in order to advance
his plan through them. Once again, we must safely
assume that Paul was familiar with the ways of God
with his covenant people in ancient times and that he
was using this familiar imagery to connect those events
with what was happening in his time.

Thus, Paul is now talking about Israel, his covenant

nation, being fitted for judgment because of its
continued rebellion and apostasy toward God. Israel
deserved the judgment of God, but God was patient,
holding off his judgment and extending mercy to those
who believed but preparing the rebellious for
judgment by hardening them further in their wicked
choices.25

But we ask again, “why was God continuing to be

patient? Why was he holding off his judgment against
these vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?” Paul
25
Yet, as we shall, holding out hope even for these hardened ones
to be grafted back in.

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answers in 9:23 when he speaks of God making his

riches known upon vessels of mercy. God was holding
off judgment until he finished his work of extending
mercy to the remnant, those who believed in Jesus the
Messiah. Paul also says that these vessels of mercy
were prepared beforehand for glory, showing that this
was God’s original plan, even before the foundation of
the world, that his people would be glorified. Paul had
already talked about him foreknowing his people in
8:29, about their foreordained destiny of being
conformed to the glorious image of the Messiah. He
alluded to it in 9:4 when he spoke of “the glory” as one
of Israel’s possessions. This was God’s design for Israel!
Indeed, this was God’s design for the world –
glorification and conformity to the image of Christ.

But as Paul speaks of this foreordained glory in 9:23 it

is noteworthy that he does not lead into a discourse on
election and predestination. Instead, Paul speaks of
God’s saving purpose for the nations. He does not go
into an emphasis on an excluding unconditional
election, but a work of God that includes Gentiles as
well as Jews. Paul points out that this was God’s plan
all along. Let’s look at verses 25-26 and see how Paul
develops his thought. In these verses Paul quotes from
Hosea 2:23 and 1:10.

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25
As He says also in Hosea, “I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE
NOT MY PEOPLE, ‘MY PEOPLE,’ aND HER WHO WAS NOT
BELOVED, ‘BELOVED.’” 26 “AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE
WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, ‘YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,’
THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

What are these verses about? They are about God

showing mercy to his people on the other side of
judgment! God had become so disgusted with his
people for their idolatry and immorality that he said,
“You are no longer my people!” God said he would
pour out his wrath upon them. But on the other side of
his wrath, God promised to restore them and those
who were “not my people” once again became “my
people.”

Paul’s purpose in quoting from Hosea was to show that

God’s plan in Hosea’s day and in his own day was to
bring salvation to his rebellious people who had been
fitted for judgment. Some were responding in the
present to the Gospel and were receiving mercy. These
were the vessels of mercy prepared for the glory God
had decreed for his people before the foundation of
the world – to be like his Son Jesus. Others were
responding with hardness of heart and were being
further hardened (fitted for destruction) but the goal
with them was not eternal judgment. After their
judgment they could repent just as God promised in

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Hosea that those who were “not my people” would

become, once again, “my people.”

Interestingly, Paul also applies these prophecies of

Israel’s salvation to Gentiles as he says in 9:24, “Even
us, whom he also called, not from among Jews only,
but also from among Gentiles.” It was God’s plan all
along that his people not be limited to ethnic Israel,
but that it be a family of nations. God was always after
all the descendants of Adam, and not just the
descendants of Abraham, for that, after all, was why
he elected Abraham – that he might be a blessing to all
the nations.

This, then is the Exile Story. A story of sin, of God

hardening most of the nation, of his mercy advancing
through a few, but on the other side of judgment the
promise of restoration. Paul finishes this judgment,
exile, and restoration story in 9:27-29 where he quotes
from Isaiah 10:22-23 and 1:9 to finish his argument. His
purposes are crucial and climactic for his argument in
Romans 9.

27
Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the
number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea,
it is the remnant that will be saved; 28 for the Lord will
execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.”
29
And just as Isaiah foretold, “Unless the Lord of

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Sabaoth had left to us a posterity, We would have

become like Sodom, and would have resembled
Gomorrah.”

What are these prophecies about? They tell us that

God’s saving purposes in the world would not go
forward through every Jew but only through a portion
of the nation known as the remnant. Only some of the
descendants of Abraham would advance the plan of
God for the salvation of the world, not all.

Paul’s argument has now come full circle. He started

by using the Patriarchal story showing that God chose
some and not all to make salvation available to all.
Ishmael, Esau, and the Edomites were not chosen to
advance the purpose of God. Isaac, Jacob, and Israel
were. Though Ishmael, Esau, and the Edomites were
physical descendants of Abraham, God did not
consider them children of promise.

What God did in those events and what he promised

through the prophets – that God would work through
some (the remnant) and not all – was happening again
in Paul’s day. He and others were surrounded by the
descendants of Abraham who were not embracing
Jesus as the Messiah. Some were embracing him,
indeed many thousands were, but multitudes still were
not. Israel was divided. Paul said those who did not

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believe in Jesus were not the children of promise. They

were not Israel. They were not the true children of
Abraham. Ironically, in a strange turn of history, they
had become Ishmael, Esau, and the Edomites. They
had become Pharaoh, the object of God’s hardening
work!

What God did in ancient times by using Isaac and not

Ishmael, Jacob and not Esau, Israel and not Edom, was
the paradigm for what he was doing in Paul’s time by
using the remnant, and not the whole nation to
advance the plan of God. Just as God had mercy upon
Israel in the golden calf incident and hardened
Pharaoh’s heart leading to the destruction of Egypt
and its army, so in Paul’s day God was having mercy
upon those who repented and hardening others who
rebelled. But through it all he was advancing his
purpose for the whole nation of Israel and, indeed, for
the whole world. Thus, Paul, in 9:6 says the word of
God, his promises, have not failed. Quite the opposite!
The promises of God have been fulfilled as he states in
15:8.
 Christ has become a servant to
 the (true) circumcision (Romans 2:28-29)
 on behalf of the truth (faithfulness) of God
 to confirm the promises (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18;
26:24; 28:13-14)
 given to the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob).

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It’s time to come back to the theme I have proposed

for Romans 9.

If God has been faithful to his covenant with

Israel which is the necessary prerequisite for
the unfolding of his plan to bring salvation to
the nations, why is it that so many Jews do not
believe? Why isn’t Israel saved?

Here is the answer. God’s saving plan for the nations

that he advanced throughout the Patriarchal story, the
Exodus story, and in the prophets before and after the
Exile story was going forward through some of God’s
people and not all in Paul’s day. It was going forward
through the remnant of Israel, just as the prophets
said.

God’s two-stage plan was intact – first Israel, then the

nations. But stage one did not advance through all the
physical descendants. It advanced only through those
who embraced the promises through Jesus the
Messiah. It advanced through the remnant. Stage one
was the salvation of Israel, not the whole nation, but a
portion, a remnant. Jewish believers in Jesus as
Messiah were Israel. As the remnant took shape, the
Gospel could then go to the nations.

This is exactly what Paul experienced in city after city.

He would go to the synagogues first and preach to the

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Jewish people. Some would believe. They became the

remnant, the true children of Abraham, Israel, the true
olive tree. Those who did not believe were cut off
(Romans 11:17) and were no longer constituted as his
covenant people. Then, with the remnant saved, Paul
would turn to the Gentiles with his preaching. Notice
this sequence in these Acts narratives.

Acts 13:46 – Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly

and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be
spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge
yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are
turning to the Gentiles.

Acts 18:6 – But when they resisted and

blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to
them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am
clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Acts 19:8-9 – And he entered the synagogue and

continued speaking out boldly for three months,
reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom
of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened
and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before
the people, he withdrew from them and took away
the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of
Tyrannus.

Acts 28:23-28 – When they had set a day for Paul,

they came to him at his lodging in large numbers;
and he was explaining to them by solemnly
testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to

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persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law

of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning
until evening. 24 Some were being persuaded by the
things spoken, but others would not believe. 25 And
when they did not agree with one another, they
began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting
word, “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah
the prophet to your fathers, 26 saying,

‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING,

BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING,
BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 27 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE
HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY
HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY
MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I
WOULD HEAL THEM.”’26

28
Therefore let it be known to you that this
salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they
will also listen.”

As Paul went to his people throughout the Diaspora in

the Roman world, preaching in synagogues, he sought
to discover the remnant through whom the plan of
God would go forward. Once the remnant was
identified and established, the Gentiles would be
gathered in, just as the prophets foretold. Paul
elaborated on this in Romans 15 which is the climax of
his overall argument and the reason why Jew and

26
Paul quotes from the classic hardening passage in Isaiah 6 about
God hardening his people for their unbelief.

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Gentile should accept one another in the Body of

Christ.

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also

accepted us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that
Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on
behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises
given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify
God for His mercy; as it is written,

“THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE

GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.”

10
Again he says, “REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS
PEOPLE.”

11
And again, “PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES,
AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.”

12
Again Isaiah says, “THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF
JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES,
IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.”

Romans 15:7-12 repeats the classic pattern of God’s

saving work – first Israel, then the nations. The
promises to the fathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob –
were going forward in spite of disobedience by so
many in Israel and because of faith by some in the
faithful work of the Messiah! God, therefore, was
faithful to his promises to those Jews who became the
Israel of promise. As a result, the families of the

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nations were being gathered into the one family of

God as elaborated on in 15:9-12. This was the goal of
the original covenant promise in Genesis 12:3 – “in you
all the families of the nations will be blessed.”

Paul has now completed his initial arguments. We have

seen that they are formed around the stories of his
people. But what initial conclusion does he draw from
these stories? This is the topic of our final chapter.

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 6 THE END OF THE STORY
SHOULD MATCH THE STORY
BEING TOLD 9:30-33

You may not agree with my interpretation of Romans

9. That’s OK. I hope though, at least, you will
acknowledge that we must not bring our theological
arguments to a passage, but we must let the passage
form our theology. I hope you will also notice the
extensive number of references to the Old Testament,
that Paul was not proof-texting but creating a
paradigm through which he and others could
understand the work of God in their time.

I hope also that you will see that we must understand

the context of the Old Testament stories. Not just the
context, but the story that was unfolding in history. We
must see that Paul was quoting from a storyline, and

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not a book of abstract theological propositions. He was

using examples from the story of his people to explain
what was happening in his day, the same story
unfolding in his time and in his ministry because the
Messiah had come.

Two more observations will conclude this book. When

Paul concludes this initial section of his full argument
in 9-11, his story-theology to help the believers in
Rome understand God’s work among his covenant
people in Judea, throughout the Mediterranean world
of the Diaspora, and specifically in Rome, he doesn’t
conclude by saying, “And so we see that God can do
anything he wishes in the area of election and
predestination. He can choose one and overlook
another. Praise God who is sovereign.”

Instead, in 9:30-33, Paul talks about the inclusion of

Gentiles into the people of God, the exclusion of some
of God’s ancient people who are “not Israel,” and he
reinforces it by saying this inclusion/exclusion is based
upon faith in the Messiah, not the works of Torah. He
said:

30
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did
not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness,
even the righteousness which is by faith; 31 but
Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not

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arrive at that law. 32 Why? Because they did not

pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.
They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 just as it
is written, “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING
AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM
WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

Paul did not say anything in his conclusion about

predestination and election the way that Calvinists and
Arminians talk about it. He was talking about how the
plan of God and a right standing with God among his
covenant people were gained by faith in the work of
the Messiah and not by the works of the Law, an
argument he makes throughout the whole book.

I find it interesting that in the 90 verses of chapters 9-

11, we find the word elect only 4 times (9:11; 11:5;
11:7; 11:28). Three of these four are the national
election of Israel. The other is the election of Jacob
instead of Esau which could be considered the election
of Israel for we saw that Paul applied this to the
Israelites and Edomites.

We also find two phrases that could speak of some

type of predestination (11:22-23 – prepared for
destruction; prepared beforehand for glory) although
we found in context that Paul did not have an eternal
decree in mind for those prepared for judgment but
spoke in the language of Old Testament prophets who
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 Jonathan Williams

spoke of God preparing his people for judgment within

time, a judgment that would lead ultimately to
salvation.

However, we find the word, faith, and faith words such

as confessing and calling upon the Lord 23 times! Why
then is Romans 9-11 not the great passage of personal
responsibility to believe which Paul himself will
emphasize in 11:23, that the rebellious, hardened
Israelites who were cut out can be grafted back in, if
they believe?

But I am once again getting a bit ahead. Let me get

back to my point. For our proper interpretation of this
passage, I believe it is important that we follow Paul’s
train of thought and not impose our own train of
thought or someone else’s train of thought.

Another way of approaching this is that we must let

the topic of Paul’s conclusion help us understand and
determine the topic of the arguments that led to his
conclusion. If the conclusion in 9:30-33 is about some
believing and others not believing, about the
relationship of Jew and Gentile, and about the
prophecy of stumbling being fulfilled upon unfaithful
Israel, why do we make 9:6-29 about predestination
and election? That would be like telling the story of

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears and having the

conclusion be about Jack and the Beanstalk. Try that
with your children or grandchildren and see what kind
of response you get.

Finally, I come to the point that has been trying to

make itself known in this chapter. Even though this
short book is about Romans 9, we must look ahead to
some statements Paul makes in chapters 10-11 to help
us make a final observation about chapter 9. In
Romans 9, many have made much over the concept of
God’s hardening work and preparing vessels of wrath
for destruction. A pre-existing eternal decree has been
read into this, that God chose some for salvation and
others for damnation.

But when we look at the end of Paul’s story in chapters

10-11, we find Paul praying for their salvation and we
discover that the ones in chapter 9 who are “not
Israel”, who are hardened, and who are heading for
judgment are seen as salvable! Paul said a partial
hardening has happened until …! (11:25)

This is in line with the Old Testament prophets who

spoke of God hardening his people so they would be
judged and that through their judgment they would be
restored! The hardened ones, the non-elect ones,
could become elect again! This kind of thinking is

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based upon the words of the prophets in ancient Israel

when they said that God would again choose
Jerusalem and his people!

When the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and

again choose Israel, and settle them in their own
land, then strangers will join them and attach
themselves to the house of Jacob. (Isaiah 14:1)

Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of

hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity,
and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again
choose Jerusalem.”’” (Zechariah 1:17)

The LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the

holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
(Zechariah 2:12)

Why the prophetic emphasis on “again choosing

Israel”? It is because in their apostasy they ceased to
be his people, his beloved, his chosen ones. To use
Hosea’s terminology that Paul quotes, they ceased to
be “my people.” But in the restoration, they were
restored to their status as God’s elect nation. They
once again became “my people.” The judgment led to
their restoration.

Paul has this thought in mind when he says in 11:31-32

“so these also now have been disobedient, that
because of the mercy shown to you they also (the

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hardened, disobedient ones) may now be shown

mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that
He may show mercy to all.”

The non-elect, hardened, disobedient, Pharaoh-like

Jews who stumbled over the Stumbling Stone can once
again become elect, soft-in-heart, obedient, and god-
like if they will believe as Paul says in 11:23, “And they
also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be
grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” This
has always been the way of God. Isaiah, among many
others spoke of such mercy that sifted Israel in order
to restore.

24
Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts, the Mighty One
of Israel, declares, “Ah, I will be relieved of My
adversaries and avenge Myself on My foes.
25
“I will also turn My hand against you, and will
smelt away your dross as with lye and will remove
all your alloy. 26 “Then I will restore your judges as at
the first, and your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of
righteousness, a faithful city.” (Isaiah 1:24-26)

The hardening then is a temporal hardening that

advances the plan of God for the Jew and for the
Gentile to fulfill the covenant with Abraham to bless all
the nations and once that purpose is fulfilled the
hardening is lifted (11:25) so that the hardened ones
can come back into the family of God if they believe!

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This is no hardening from before the foundation of the

world to damnation! This is a partial and temporary
hardening for the sake of all people. What happened in
Old Testament times was happening in Paul’s time –
the same story and the same method – for the sake of
all mankind.

This, then is Romans 9 and the story Paul was telling. It

is a story of God’s work with his people Israel through
apostolic preaching. It is a story that had been
unfolding for centuries in Israel’s history through the
patriarchs, the Exodus, and the prophets and the exile.
It is a story of God’s elect nation and God using them in
spite of them to bring salvation to the nations. It is a
story of God advancing through some his purposes for
all, of God showing mercy and hardening according to
his infinite wisdom to advance his plan for the world.

As Paul concludes this masterful exposition of God’s

work in history to bring salvation to his people and the
nations, he contemplates how God works out his
purposes in history. He is moved to worship and says,

33
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom
and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For WHO
HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS
COUNSELOR? 35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT

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MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36 For from Him and

through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be
the glory forever. Amen.

May our hearts be so moved!

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74
 ~POSTSCRIPT ~
“YES, BUT WHAT ABOUT …?”
OK – I know some of you are thinking, “Yes, Jonathan, I
see your point about Romans 9 and how we must be
true to the story as Paul saw it and to the line of
thinking and purposes in which he was engaged. I
agree we must not impose our current debates or
theological frameworks upon it but let Paul’s agenda
form the interpretive grid. But you have failed to
consider many topics and verses related to the
Calvinism/Arminian debate. What about Acts 13:48?
What about Ephesians 1:4? What about the doctrine of
Total Depravity? How can people believe if they are
dead in their sins? What about John 6:44 and the
doctrine of Irresistible Grace?”

These are good questions and important verses. Many

other good questions and verses are standing in line to

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be heard. But my purpose in this brief overview of

Romans 9 was not to answer every question related to
Calvinism and Arminianism. It was only to explain what
Romans 9 is about and is not about. Perhaps Paul did
believe in the unconditional election of individuals to
salvation. Perhaps this thinking was foundational to all
of his thinking. But we would have to go elsewhere to
prove that. Romans 9, alone, does not prove it for Paul
believed that the non-elect, the hardened ones could
be grafted back in and become elect.

There are also only incidental references to these

topics as I showed in chapter 6. Surely there would be
an outcry if I, or anyone, used Romans 9-11 as the
basis to prove some type of doctrine of free will. Yet,
there are four times as many references to faith as
there are to election and predestination. No, we
should not go to Romans 9-11 for proof-texting a
theological argument about some type of free will.
That would miss the point of Paul’s essay. In the same
way, we should not go to Romans 9-11 for proof-
texting a theological argument about election and
predestination.

It is my belief that in our debates, we have blinded

ourselves to the times in which Paul was living and the
story he was telling. In missing his story and the
burden he was carrying for his people, we have also

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missed his passion and his heart.

1
I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my
conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that
I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.
3
For I could wish that I myself were accursed,
separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren,
my kinsmen according to the flesh. (9:1-3)

Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God

for them is for their salvation. (10:1)

We have also missed Paul’s hope.

And they also, if they do not continue in their

unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft
them in again. (11:23)
30
For just as you once were disobedient to God, but
now have been shown mercy because of their
disobedience, 31 so these also now have been
disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to
you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God
has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show
mercy to all. (11:30-32)

Yes, there are many other good verses to explore. There are
many “But what about this …?” type questions. I hope to
write about them some day. Until then, I pray all of us will
read Romans 9 with an eye to understand the story Paul
was telling and live with the passion for which he gave his
life as a living sacrifice and then paid the ultimate price.

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Jonathan Williams

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 About Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams served as a teaching pastor in Great
Commission Churches for over 30 years. He is now the
founder and president of Word of God, Speak (WGS).

His conviction is that one of the Church’s great needs is for

the clear teaching of Scripture. Using the truth of God’s
word, the purpose of WGS is to accelerate life change, build
a biblical worldview, and connect people to God’s Story.

WGS features Jonathan’s writings and worldwide

broadcasts with two radio programs. The Heaven and Home
Hour is Jonathan’s daily expository teaching program. Check
out www.heavenandhomehour.com to learn more.

Stories of the Master is his weekly storytelling program

where he tells the story of Christ and the stories he told,
bringing in cultural and historical details which make the life
of Christ come alive. You can learn more about these stories
at www.storiesofthemaster.com.

Bring Jonathan to one of your events, for expository

teaching or as a storyteller to help your people discover
Jesus in a fresh way.

Word of God, Speak!

PO Box 90047
San Antonio, TX 78209
210.717.6617 or 1.800.248.4687
www.WGSministries.org
Email: jonathan@WGSpeak.org

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 Also by Jonathan Williams
The Church faces a deadly and
double-edged sword – unholy living
on one side and biblical illiteracy on
the other. Dead Men Rising provides
a clear presentation of Paul’s
teaching in Romans 6 and practical
steps for the believer to live in a
God-glorifying way. It combines excellent biblical study
with sympathetic and warm appeals to present
ourselves to God for holy living.

“I highly endorse this fresh look at Romans 6. Dead Men

Rising challenged my thinking about what I had been taught
all my life. Very seldom does something new come along
that better matches the whole of Scripture and thus
influences me to change my perspective.” – Greg Van Nada,
National Campus Director, Collegiate Churches

The Dead Men Rising Study Guide

contains over 100 questions to guide
you in thinking through this pivotal
passage of Scripture.

Order Dead Men Rising and the Study

Guide at www.deadmenrising.com.

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 In this retelling of Jesus’ timeless
tale, Jonathan Williams reveals who
the true prodigal in the story is,
explains why forgiveness can be such
a hard gift to give, and how you can
experience forgiveness in all its
dimensions. The rich cultural and
historical insights from the first
century make the story come alive for readers today.

Why did Jesus rise from the dead?

Jonathan Williams examines the ten
reasons for the resurrection which
will equip you to make a strong
defense for the Gospel and build up
your own faith in the Lord.

The grace of God – it is for more than

salvation. The grace of God is
available to help us grow daily and to
take us all the way home with the
Lord. But how do we get grace? How
can we experience it every day? Learn
how in this Core Value Developer.

Order at www.WGSpeak.org/Resources

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