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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - Romans 9:15 - 9:15
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Rom 9:15. Τῳ γὰρ Μωσῇ, for to Moses) Many are of opinion, that the objection extends from this verse to Rom 9:18; in which view the for, is used, as in ch. Rom 3:7, and thus thou wilt say then, Rom 9:19, concludes the objection, which was begun at Rom 9:14. And indeed by this introduction of a person speaking there would be a fitting expression of that ἀνταπόκρισις (rejoinder of the opponent), which is censured at Rom 9:20, and is subsequently refuted by taking up the words themselves or their synonyms. In the meantime Paul so expresses himself, as to make ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος, the objector whilst replying at the same time answer himself; and therefore the words in this verse may be also taken, without injury to the sense, as spoken in the person of the apostle, as we shall now endeavour to show. Moses, Exodus 33, had prayed for himself and the people by חן, the grace of the Lord, Rom 9:12-13; Rom 9:16-17, and had concluded with, show me thy glory. The Lord answered: I will make all My goodness pass in the presence of thy face, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thy face. וחנתי את־אשר אחן ורחמתי את־אשר ארחם, And will be gracious, to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy, to whom I will show mercy, Rom 9:19. The Lord did not disclose even to Moses without some time intervening, to whom He would show grace and mercy, although the question was respecting Moses and the people of Israel alone, not respecting the Gentiles. To this Moses, then, not merely to others by Moses (Μωσῇ, says Paul, as presently after, τῷ Φαραὼ) the Lord spoke thus: By My proclamation, and by My most abundant working, subsequently, I will designate [mark out] him, as the object of grace and mercy, whosoever he be, whom I make the object of grace and mercy. By these words He intimated, that He would make proclamation [would reveal His own character] as regards grace and mercy; and He shortly after accordingly made proclamation. Exo 34:5, רחום וחנון [ΟΙΚΤΙΡΜΩΝ καὶ ΕΛΕΗΜΩΝ κ.τ.λ. εἰς χιλιάδας], merciful and gracious, etc., to thousands; and added [καὶ τὸν ἔιοχον οὐ καθαριεῖ, ἐπάγων ἁμαρτίας πατέρων, κ.τ.λ.], and He will not clear the guilty, etc. Therefore according to the subsequent proclamation itself, the following meaning of the previous promise comes clearly out: I will show thee the most abundant grace, even to that degree that thou mayest see concerning Me [see centred in Me] all whatsoever thou dost both desire and canst receive [comprehend] in order that thou mayest furthermore understand, that it is [all of] grace; and for this reason inasmuch as I have once for all embraced thee in grace, which thou acknowledgest to be grace; and as to the rest of the people, I will show them the most abundant mercy, in not visiting them with immediate destruction for their idolatry, that they may further understand it to be mercy; and for this reason inasmuch as I have once for all embraced them in mercy, which thou in their behalf acknowledgest to be mercy. The LXX. Int. and Paul have expressed the meaning of this sentence by the difference between the present and future tense: ἐλεήσω ὅν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτειρήσω ὅν ἂν οἰκτείρω, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. And there is the figure Ploce [en.], which nearly signifies the same as below, ch. Rom 13:7, and here it expresses the liberty of the Agent, of whom the apostle is speaking, as in Exo 16:23. Moreover, each of the two verbs, placed in the two clauses [i.e. repeated twice], contains the emphasis in the former clause; [i.e. the emphasis is on the verb in each of the two clauses on its first mention, not on it when repeated; I will have mercy, on whom I have mercy, etc.]: although generally in other passages the emphasis is on the verb in the latter clause [i.e. on its repetition] Gen 27:33; Gen 43:14; 2Ki 7:4. That the acknowledgment of grace and mercy, on the part of Moses, and the true Israelites, is entwined together, is evident from this, that Paul, Rom 9:16, speaks, on the opposite side, of the man that willeth and that runneth, to whom grace is not grace, and mercy is not mercy. את אשר ὅν ἄν is put twice, and intimates in the former passage that Moses (to whom the word חן, grace, is repeated in reply, taken from his own very prayers from Exodus 33. Rom 9:13 : where there occurs the same Ploce), and that in the latter passage, the others, were εἰς χιλιάδας among the thousands [as to whom God said of Himself, keeping mercy for thousands], to whom sinners, their children, grandchildren, etc., are opposed, Exo 34:7. And thus, this testimony is extremely well fitted to prove, that there is no unrighteousness with God. This sentiment is manifest to believers. But in regard to those, who maintain the efficacy of good works, it sounds too abrupt: the reason why God should be merciful, is none other than His own mercy, for no other is mentioned in the writings of Moses, concerning Moses and Israel. I will have mercy, i.e. no one can extort anything by force; all things are in My hand, under My authority, and dependent on My will, if I act otherwise, no one can charge Me with injustice. This answer is sufficient to give to the defender of good works; and if any farther answer is given to him, it is superfluous.