Romans 9–11: The Place of Israel in Salvation History (Part 3a): Israel Needs the Gospel

Israel’s Condemnation is Their Own Fault 

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom. 10:1-4, ESV).

Paul’s spiritual bond of kinship with his multi-ethnic Christian brethren is much more significant than his historical and cultural connection to the third-person “them,” although his passion expressed in 9:1-4 remains. His “heart’s¹ desire and prayer to God” for his fellow Israelites “is that they may be saved,” i.e., delivered from God’s wrath (5:9), even though he knows “only a remnant of them will be saved” (9:27). Paul is a man of prayer (12:12; 15:30),² and here he uses the term δέησις in reference to petitionary prayer³ (its only occurrence in Romans), which seems superfluous if the Calvinistic doctrine of unconditional election, surmised by many from the previous chapter, were true. 

Since God has done so much to save people (5:6-10) and provided so many advantages to the Jews (3:1-2; 9:4-5), why are so many of them missing out? Paul explains with successive uses of the explanatory conjunction “for” [γάρ] (vv. 2, 3, 4, 5). Their well-intentioned “zeal” [ζῆλος]⁴ is acknowledged, which Paul too had exhibited in the past (Acts 22:3; Gal. 1:14; Phil. 3:6), albeit misplaced and not according to “knowledge” [ἐπίγνωσις], i.e., adequate or full knowledge.⁵ Reiterating what has already been established in 9:30-31, they are “ignorant of the righteousness of God” and therefore “did not submit to God’s righteousness.” They have failed to comply in obedient faith to the gospel of Christ, wherein the righteousness of God is revealed (cf. 1:5, 16, 17). Instead, they are “seeking to establish” a righteousness of “their own” through meritorious works of the Mosaic “law” (cf. 3:19-20; 4:4, 13-15; 9:32). 

The “end” [τέλος] (emphatic!) of the law is “Christ” [Χριστός]—the “anointed one” in fulfillment of the messianic prophecies of the Jewish scriptures (cf. v. 5; 1:1-6)—who has carried the law to its fruition and is now the one through whom righteousness is made available. The Law of Moses pointed to Christ, brought us to Christ, and its binding precepts have been terminated in Christ (cf. 8:4; 13:8-10; Gal. 3:19-26). In the discussion that follows, “Paul examines the character of national Israel’s idolatry, namely, how they could have come to be devoted to the idol of Torah observance instead of God.”⁶

Accessing God’s Righteousness

With v. 3 serving as “the conceptual center of the paragraph,” v. 4 “is justly famous as one of the most succinct yet significant theological assertions in all of the Pauline letters.”⁷ As true as this may be, due attention must be given to the translation, meaning, and application of the expression “every believing one” [παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι], conveying more than just “everyone who believes” in the sense of accepting a cognitive belief. Contextually “every believing one” describes the penitent baptized believer who has responded to the gospel in “obedience of faith” (cf. 1:5, 16; 3:22; 4:3-24; 6:3-4). 

“For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim)” (Rom. 10:5-8).

Again citing “Moses,”⁸ Paul loosely quotes Lev. 18:5 (cf. Gal. 3:12),⁹ which in its original context is concerned with the observance of God’s statutes and avoiding the sexual perversions of the Egyptians and Canaanites. The law’s purpose was to show how to live a God-pleasing and God-honoring life if one “does the commandments” (cf. 2:13, 23, 25).¹⁰ But this cannot be maintained as if it were equivalent to “the righteousness” revealed in the gospel “based on faith” (1:16-17; 3:22-31; 4:9–5:2; 9:30-32), a concept not entirely foreign to the writings of Moses. 

Paul then borrows wording from and comments on Deut. 9:4 and 30:12-14, but instead of carefully exegeting the respective passages he simply draws a parallel between the past and present, using biblical language to make his point. In the setting of Deut. 9:4-6, the land inheritance of ancient Israel was not to be gained as a result of their own “righteousness” but would confirm “the word of the Lord.” Likewise, Paul speaks concerning the Israelites of his own day, “Do not say in your¹¹ heart [καρδία] …” (cf. 2:5, 29) in thinking righteousness can be appropriated apart from faith (cf. v. 3), as discussed since the beginning of the letter.

Availability of the Word of Faith

The next quotations come from Deut. 30:12 and 14 in the context of the Lord’s blessings and cursings consequential to whether or not his commands are obeyed. The divine will was clearly communicated with the expectation of obedience “with all your [circumcised] heart and with all your soul” (vv. 2, 6, 8, 10; cf. 2:28-29). It was not necessary for anyone to “ascend into heaven”¹² or “descend into the abyss”¹³ to retrieve the Lord’s directives. Rather, according to his gracious providential and revelatory work, his “word [ῥῆμα] is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”¹⁴ In the same way, none of Paul’s contemporaries has to journey to either extremity “to bring Christ down” (incarnation) or “to bring Christ up from the dead” (resurrection and exaltation). All that needs to be known is readily available through “the word [τὸ ῥῆμα] of faith [τῆς πίστεως] that [ὃ] we proclaim [κηρύσσομεν]” – present tense, on a current and ongoing basis (cf. 1:1-6; 6:17-18).

Proclamation of the Word of Faith

Paul’s use of the first person plural, “we proclaim,” raises the question of whether the referential proclaimers are inclusive or exclusive of the readers.¹⁵ Although most of the first person plurals in the letter are employed inclusively, this statement follows an extended section of scripture quotations, rhetorical argumentation, and third-person discourse. Paul typically uses the plural form of κηρύσσω when writing in the first person (1 Cor. 1:23; 15:11; 2 Cor. 1:19; 4:5; 11:4; 1 Thess. 2:9).¹⁶ In almost every occurrence its meaning is exclusive of his addressees by a contrast with “you” and/or an explicit reference to Paul’s ministerial colleagues. Moreover, throughout his correspondence to the Romans he seems to consider them primarily as recipients of the gospel rather than proclaimers (cf. 1:15; 6:17). In light of its usage elsewhere, κηρύσσομεν here seems to be limited in its application to Paul and his fellow preachers as distinct from the reading audience.

Conclusion

With much more to be said, Paul has made clear that the unbelief characteristic of so many of the Israelite people since the beginning of the Christian movement is the cause of their hopeless predicament before God. Their only hope, like everyone else in the world, is still available through “the word of faith.” To be continued …   

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Note the heavy concentration of καρδία (“heart”) in this chapter: vv. 1, 6, 8, 9, 10.  

     ² Paul prayed regularly, especially for his fellow-Christians (Rom. 1:9-10; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3-4; Col. 1:9-12; cf. 1 Thess. 1:2; 3:10; 2 Thess. 1:11), and often requested prayers on his own behalf (Rom. 15:30-32; 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:19-20; Col. 4:3, 4; Philem. 22; cf. 1 Thess. 5:25; 2 Thess. 3:1-2).

     ³ B. M. Newman, Concise Greek Dictionary 39; H. K. Moulton, Analytical Greek Lexicon 89. Used three times in the Gospel of Luke (1:13; 2:37; 5:33), once in Romans (10:1), twice in 2 Corinthians (1:11; 9:14), twice in Ephesians (6:18), four times in Philippians (1:4, 19; 4:6), twice in 1 Timothy (2:1; 5:5), once in 2 Timothy (1:3), and once each in Hebrews (5:7), James (5:16), and 1 Peter (3:12).  

     ⁴ Cf. John 2:17; 2 Cor. 7:7, 11; 2 Cor. 9:2; 11:2; as opposed to the negative sense of “jealousy” or “envy” (Acts 5:17; 13:45; Rom. 13:13; 2 Cor. 12:20; Gal. 5:20), or “fury” (Heb. 10:27). 

     ⁵ 1 Cor. 13:12; Eph. 4:13, Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9, 10; 2:2; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25.

     ⁶ A. Sherwood, Romans 546.

     ⁷ D. J. Moo, Romans 631.

     ⁸ Note also v. 19; 5:14; 9:15; 1 Cor. 9:9; 10:2; 2 Cor. 3:7, 13, 15; 2 Tim. 3:8.

     ⁹ The Lev. 18:5 citation is at variance with the LXX (slightly) and the Hebrew text where they agree (E. E. Ellis, Paul’s Use of the OT 150-52). Some English versions (ESV, NASB) do not mark this as a quotation, whereas others do (ISV, NIV, NKJV).  

     ¹⁰ Also Gal. 3:12; Luke 10:26-28. On the difference between “doing” the law and “fulfilling” the law, see K. L. Moore, “Fulfilling the Law,” Moore Perspective (6 May 2012), <Link>.

     ¹¹ The second person references here and in the following verses are singular, in line with the OT passages quoted, wherein the singular pronominal references apply to all of Israel as a collective unit. 

     ¹² “In the OT, the language of ‘ascending into heaven’ becomes almost proverbial for a task impossible for human beings to perform” (D. J. Moo, Romans 654). Cf. Isa. 14:13; Amos 9:2; Psa. 139:8; Prov. 30:4.

     ¹³ Also rendered “the deep” (NIV, KJV), the depths” (ISV), “the place of the dead” (NLT). The MT reads, “beyond the sea.” 

     ¹⁴ Contrast Rom. 1:21, 24; 2:5; 16:18. 

     ¹⁵ The few commentators who address this question are not in agreement. C. K. Barrett treats κηρύσσομεν as an epistolary plural (Romans 199-200), B. Byrne suggests that it is inclusive of Christians in general (Romans 318), and V. B. Pickett maintains that it excludes Christians in general (“A Study” 5).

     ¹⁶ “He does not see his preaching as idiosyncratic, but as an expression of the gospel held in common, which unites the new movement round the one ‘word of faith’ – an important expression of solidarity with the relatively unknown Roman church (so vv 14-15)” (J. D. G. Dunn, Romans 2:606-607). Paul uses κηρύσσω only three times as a first person singular (1 Cor. 9:27; Gal. 2:2; 5:11). In 1 Cor. 9:27 it comes at the end of his lengthy self-defense that is saturated with fifty-six first person singulars.

Related Posts: Rom 9:19-32, Rom 10:9-11

Romans 9–11: The Place of Israel in Salvation History (Part 2b): Israel’s Rejection (continued)

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice (cont’d from 9:15-18)

“You will say to me then, ‘Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’ But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?” (Rom. 9:19-24, ESV).  

Paul returns to second person dialogue.¹ Using the potter-clay analogy (cf. Isa. 29:16; Jer. 18:6), he responds to someone who might be spiritually short-sighted and oblivious (like the misguided Jew), having the audacity to question the Creator’s sovereign purpose and work (vv. 19-20). God’s thoughts and ways are much higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9). The Lord could have created each person as a pre-programed robot, unconditionally predestined for either honor or dishonor (the Calvinistic reading of the text). Or God could have designed each person as a free moral agent and predetermined that the submissive and obedient ones are destined for honor and the rebellious and disobedient ones are destined for dishonor (same “lump,” different results). 

The fact that God “endured with much patience vessels of wrath” (v. 22) indicates that sinful persons are afforded sufficient opportunity to repent and alter their destructive course (cf. 2:3-4). God “prepared beforehand” condemnation (“wrath” and “destruction”) for the defiant and “glory” for the compliant (2:4-11),² regardless of Jew/Gentile ethnicity (vv. 22-33; cf. 2:1–15:33; Acts 10:34-35; 2 Pet. 3:9).

“As indeed he says in Hosea, ‘Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God’” (Rom. 9:25-26).

God’s blessings were always meant to include every ethnic group among all nations (cf. 2:17-20), as foretold by the ancient prophets. Quoting the prophetic words of Hosea 1:10 and 2:23, the counting of Gentiles among God’s “people,” “beloved,” and “sons” is fulfilled in Christ (cf. 1:7; 8:14-23, 37; 15:10).

“And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: ‘Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.’ And as Isaiah predicted, ‘If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah’” (Rom. 9:27-29).

Now quoting Isaiah 10:22 and 1:9, it was also foretold that “only a remnant” of the people of Israel “will be saved” or delivered from divine wrath (5:9), with the rest cut off according to God’s righteous judgment (cf. 2:5-6). This lays the groundwork for and qualifies what will later be affirmed, “in this way” [οὕτως]—“through faith … if they do not continue in their unbelief”—“all Israel will be saved” (11:20-26). Sadly, not all, only a remnant, qualify (cf. vv. 30-32; 11:5, 14).

Israel’s Present Condition

“What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame’” (Rom. 9:30-32).

On the rhetorical question, “What shall we say?” – see also v. 14; 3:5; 6:1. The fundamental issue that has been addressed all along is that “righteousness” is obtained “by faith” (cf. 1:16–5:2) rather than pursuance of “a law” and its “works” (cf. 3:20–4:16). Following a number of OT citations, the chapter ends with a blended quote from Isaiah 28:16 and 8:14, wherein the “rock of offense” is Yahweh, applicable here to Christ (v. 5a; 10:4).³ Paul sees in the Hebrew Bible the distinction between the law of Moses and the gospel of Christ, “manifesting his concern to prove that the gospel that has proved a stumbling block for so many Jews and a foundation stone for so many Gentiles is in continuity with the OT.”⁴

The phrase “whoever believes in him” (ESV) is lit. “the one believing upon [the ground or supporting basis of] him” [ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ], descriptive not merely of what saved people have done to get saved but essentially who we are, penitent baptized believers (6:1-18) who have submitted to “obedience of faith” (1:5; 16:19).

Conclusion

Thus far in this three-chapter discourse, Paul has biblically established that the divine plan, including the current state of affairs, has long been foreseen by God and foretold by his writing prophets. Demonstrated through the ages by his profound forbearance (cf. 2:4; 3:25), God is perfectly righteous, never arbitrary or unfair. Paul is gradually developing a case that continues through the end of chap. 11. Therefore, before drawing definitive conclusions about doctrinal peculiarities, we should allow context, flow of thought (incl. the first eight chapters), and awareness of different aspects of the subject matter to clarify what has been affirmed so far.⁵

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Note Rom. 2:1-5, 17-29; 3:1-9; 9:19-21; 11:17-24; 14:4, 10; 1 Cor. 6:12-20; 15:29-41; Gal. 2:17-19; 3:1-9, 19-22.

     ² E. F. Harrison points out the ambiguity of the expression “prepared for destruction” (v. 22), which does not necessarily implicate God in the action (in contrast to v. 23). Harrison comments: “The preparation for destruction is the work of man, who allows himself to deteriorate in spite of knowledge and conscience” (“Romans,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary [Ed. F. E. Gaebelein] 10:107).

     ³ Cf. 1 Peter 2:4-7. See K. L. Moore, “The Exegetical Challenge of Romans 9:5b,” Moore Perspective (1 May 2024), <Link>.

     ⁴ D. J. Moo, Romans 644.

     ⁵ W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 267. 

Related Posts: Rom 9:6-18; Rom 10:1-8 

 

The Secure Life of the Redeemed (Romans 8:28-39)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Rom. 8:28-30, ESV).

God’s Providence

Sandwiched between talk of the Spirit’s intercession (vv. 26-27) and of Christ’s intercession (v. 34) is a glimpse of the providential working of the One “who searches hearts” (v. 27a). Among the many things “we know” (cf. v. 22; 2:2; 3:19; 6:6, 9; 7:14)—if not the specifics of how, what, and when, at least the reality thereof—is the divine promise “for those who love God,” a phrase placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. The present tense “loving” [ἀγαπῶσιν] is a current and persistent reality. 

While Paul speaks of the love God (5:5, 8; 8:39), the love of Christ (8:35-37), the love of the Spirit (15:30), and our love for one another (12:9; 13:8-10; 14:15), this is the only time in Romans he explicitly references our love for God. Considering all that has been said leading up to this text about God’s love, not to mention what follows, J. A. Beet reminds us, “I ought to have loved God always. It is of His mere mercy that I love Him now” (Romans 237). Since genuine love is demonstrated by observable action (5:8; 12:9-11),¹ our love for God is shown through the devoted and faithful submission of our fallible will to his holy will (1:5; 2:6-13; 6:16-17; 16:19).

The accompanying description refers to those “being” [οὖσιν] (present tense: the ongoing initiative of God) “called” [κλητοῖς] (cf. v. 30).² The “according to his purpose” phrase (cf. 9:11) is essentially the same as the aforementioned “according to [the will of] God” in regard to “the saints” (v. 27), recalling the letter’s address to “you who are called [κλητοί] of Jesus Christ, to all the ones in Rome loved [ἀγαπητοῖς] of God called [κλητοῖς] saints [ἁγίοις]” (1:6-7). Paul employs expressions from the καλέω (“call”) word group particularly for those who, pursuing God’s purpose, respond in obedient faith to the gospel call.³

But we must not suppose that they who obey the Gospel have received a call not given to those who reject it…. the difference of the results arises, not from special inward influences brought to bear on some men and not on others, but from the faith or unbelief of those who hear…. believers are described as ‘called ones’ because in them, and in them only, the call has been effectual.⁴

The assurance given is that “all things” [πάντα], including the bad things (vv. 18, 35-36), “work together” [συνεργεῖ] for “good” [ἀγαθόν]. Assuming “God” (vv. 27a, 29-33) is the One working behind the scenes,⁵ Paul takes for granted that his readers already “know” [οἶδα] these things “because they have come to know God in Christ and experienced the fullness of his grace in their lives…. it is the sovereign guidance of God that is presumed as the undergirding and directing force behind all the events of life.”⁶ The apostle goes on to speak more directly, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (v. 37). What happens in a Christian’s life is not always enjoyable or pleasant, but God providentially ensures that it is in fact “good” in the sense of advantageous (cf. 5:3-5; 13:4; 15:2).⁷

God’s Family

“For” [ὅτι], substantiating and elaborating on what God has done “according to his purpose” for those being called (divine initiative) and loving him (human response), two aorist tense verbs speak of the ones “he foreknew” [προέγνω] (cf. 11:2)⁸ and “predestined” [προώρισεν] (cf. v. 30).⁹ This predetermination of God’s plan, according to his perfect will and eternal foreknowledge, concerns everyone responding in obedient faith to his universal gospel call, demonstrating love for him, and consequently “conformed to the image of his Son,” both in holiness (now) and in glory (not yet). This relates specifically to all who are “in Christ Jesus” (vv. 1-2). The biblical doctrine of predestination does not pertain to anyone outside of Christ. It rather applies to “those who love God” in choosing to respond to the gospel in “obedience of faith” (1:5; 16:26).¹⁰

As we are “conformed to the image of his Son,” having been adopted into God’s family as “sons” and “fellow heirs with Christ” (vv. 14-19), Jesus gathers around himself a family of the redeemed. He is thus “firstborn” [πρωτότοκος] among many “brothers” in regard to both his brotherhood with humanity¹¹ and his preeminence. The term “firstborn” here obviously does not refer literally to the first one to have been born. The Greek πρωτότοκος instead signifies priority or superiority.¹² The future tense of Psalm 89:27 (LXX), applied to David as the youngest son of Jesse, shows that “firstborn” is a title of preeminence rather than a statement of origin. Ephraim is also designated “firstborn” (Jer. 31:9), even though he was the youngest brother (Gen. 48:14). In Col. 1:15-18 Christ is called “firstborn” because he is superior to all created things, since “by him all things were created,” and “the firstborn from the dead,” not the first to have been raised but “that in all things he may have the preeminence.”

All the redeemed in Christ are counted among those whom God “predestined” (in Christ), “called” (by the gospel), “justified” (through obedient faith), and “glorified” (future hope), categorically affirming this as God’s work. Each verb is in the aorist tense, summarizing in linear fashion the divine purpose traced by Paul from the beginning of the letter. Even the last verb in the list, “he glorified” [ἐδόξασεν], is spoken of in the aorist tense, not that it is limited to the past or completed but these divine activities altogether are spoken of as a collective whole, from beginning to end. On both sides of eternity and all in between, God’s love for his chosen ones never ceases. To humankind is “addressed the call to leave their worldly lives and devote themselves to His service. And when they obeyed that call He treated them as righteous men, with their past no longer reckoned against them. And so accounted righteous He let them participate (partially now as they will do more completely hereafter) in His Divine perfection.”¹³

Christ’s Intercession

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Rom. 8:31-34). 

Seven rhetorical questions in rapid succession emanate from the apostle’s passionate heart, serving as further inspired commentary on v. 28. Reference to “these things” surely includes our suffering with Christ in this present age, along with the above-mentioned reminder concerning those “predestined … called … justified … glorified.” The statement “If God is for us …” does not imply uncertainty or doubt. The conjunction “if” [εἰ] introduces a conclusion that is absolutely certain, rhetorically equivalent to “since” (cf. 6:5; 11:6). The apodosis, then, is a resolute assertion that, with God on our side, no one “can be against us.” The proof is the sacrificial gift of “his own Son” (cf. v. 3; also 5:1-11), convincingly attesting that most assuredly he will “with him graciously give us all things” (cf. v. 17) in the benificial sense of v. 28. “The Christian’s faith in providence is an inference from redemption.”¹⁴

The “elect” ones [ἐκλεκτοί]¹⁵ are those “in Christ” (v. 1; cf. vv. 28-30). Allusion to accusatory charges to condemn is reminiscent of 2:1-3 and lays the groundwork for 14:1–15:7. Reassurance is given that it is “God who justifies” (1:16-17; 2:13–5:18) through Christ’s death (3:25; 5:6-10; 6:3-10; 14:9a, 15), especially his resurrection (1:4; 4:24-25; 6:4-5, 9; 7:4; 8:11; 14:9b; 10:9), and his exaltation “at the right hand of God.”¹⁶ As the Holy Spirit intercedes in prayer from within the hearts of the justified (vv. 26-27), in heaven Christ Jesus “is interceding for us” in the mediatorial role of Advocate and supreme High Priest.¹⁷

God’s Victorious Love in Christ

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:35-39).

Continuing the thought of the previous verse, Paul speaks of “the love of Christ,” even though the focus so far has been on the love “of God” (vv. 28, 31; cf. 5:5, 8). And yet any attempt at strict partitioning misses the point of perfect unity and what is almost certainly an intentional merging of “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Absolutely nothing outside ourselves can “separate us from” such an unyielding bond of love!

Having mentioned in passing “the sufferings of this present time” (v. 18), Paul now lists multiple hardships about which he can speak from personal experience.¹⁸ Quoting Psalm 44:22 (LXX), a text relating to the afflictions of God’s people, the apostle confirms that the trials we face are utilized by God, according to his purpose, in our being “conformed to the image of his Son” (vv. 28-29). As we endure sufferings for his sake, “we suffer with him” (v. 17), “and that is the very situation in which the love of Christ is most real, near, and sure to the soul.”¹⁹ Further, we “rejoice in our sufferings” (5:4) knowing that “all things work together for good.”

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ See also John 3:16; 14:15; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 4:1-3; 1 John 3:16-18.

     ² See also Rom. 1:6, 7; 9:11, 24-26; 11:29. 

     ³ Cf., e.g., 1 Cor. 1:2, 9, 24, 26; 7:15-24; Eph. 1:18; 4:1, 4; Phil. 3:14; 2 Thess. 2:14.

     ⁴ J. A. Beet, Romans 254-55.

     ⁵ At least three early MSS, including the two oldest (P⁴⁶ B), have the nominative ὁ θεὸς (“God”) as the subject; cf. NASB, NIV, CEV, NLT.  “It is God who turns everything to good; it is not just that everything works out for the good” (P. W. Comfort, Commentary on the Text and Manuscripts of the NT 306). It is reasonable to conclude that this reading “came into being at an early date to clarify the meaning by tracing this activity definitely to God. Otherwise it is hard to explain how ‘God’ could have dropped out of the majority of witnesses to the text” (E. F. Harrison, “Romans” 100). See also B. M. Metzger, Textual Commentary (2nd ed.) 458.

      ⁶ D. J. Moo, Romans 527-28. “The lovers of the Lord are indeed unable to explain, to themselves or others, how this occurrence of ‘all things’ works out its infallible issues in them. And the observer from outside cannot understand their certainty that it is so. But the fact is there, given and assured, not by speculation upon events, but by personal knowledge of an Eternal Person’ (H. C. G. Moule, Romans 235).

      ⁷ Cf. 2 Cor. 12:10; Phil. 1:12; Heb. 12:11; Jas. 1:2-4.

      ⁸ See also 1 Pet. 1:20, along with the cognate noun πρόγνωσις (“foreknowledge) in Acts 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:2. “In the everlasting past we stood before the mind of God” (J. A. Beet, Romans 255).

      ⁹ Elsewhere in the NT, Acts 4:28; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11. 

      ¹⁰ See esp. Eph. 1:1-14, noting the key phrase “in Christ” and comparable expressions in vv. 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 20. See also Mark 16:15-16; Gal. 3:22-28; 1 Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2. On the Calvinistic doctrine of unconditional election, see K. L. Moore, “Unconditional Election,” Moore Perspective (8 July 2015), <Link>.

      ¹¹ See esp. Heb. 2:9-18; cf. K. L. Moore, “Jesus Christ: the Son of Man,” Moore Perspective (25 Jan. 2017), <Link>. 

     ¹² Cf. LXX Gen. 48:17-20; Ex. 4:22; Deut. 21:15-17.

     ¹³ W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans 215.

     ¹⁴ J. Denney, “Romans” 652.

     ¹⁵ Cf. Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10; Tit. 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1; 2:9; Rev. 17:14; cf. also the verbal ἐκλέγω in 1 Cor. 1:27-28; Eph. 1:4.

     ¹⁶ In fulfillment of Psa. 110:1; cf. Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33; 5:31; Phil. 2:9; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Pet. 3:22.

     ¹⁷ Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Tim. 2:3-6; Heb. 2:17-18; 3:1-6; 4:14-15; 5:5-10; 6:17-20; 7:25-26; 8:1-2; 9:11-12; 10:19-25; 1 John 2:1-6.

     ¹⁸ Acts 9:23–28:31; 1 Cor. 4:9-13; 2 Cor. 6:4-10; 7:5; 11:23-33; 1 Thess. 2:2. 

     ¹⁹ J. Denney, “Romans” 654.

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