Romans 9:4 - Barnes' Notes

Romans 9:4

2 ^athat I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.

3 For ^aI could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my¹ countrymen according to the flesh,

4 who are Israelites, ^ato whom pertain the adoption, ^bthe glory, ^cthe covenants, ^dthe giving of the law, ^ethe service of God, and ^fthe promises;

5 ^aof whom are the fathers and from ^bwhom, according to the flesh, Christ came, ^cwho is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose

6 ^aBut it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For ^bthey are not all Israel who are of Israel,

7 ^anor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ^b“In Isaac your seed shall be called.”

8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but ^athe children of the promise are counted as the seed.

9 For this is the word of promise: ^a“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

10 And not only this, but when ^aRebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

<< Romans 9:3

Romans 9:5 >>

Romans 9:4

Who are Israelites - Descended from Israel, or Jacob; honored by having such an ancestor, and by bearing a name so distinguished as that of his descendants. It was formerly the honorable appellation of the people of God.

To whom pertaineth - To whom it belongs. It was their elevated external privilege.

The adoption - Of the nation into the family of God, or to be regarded as His special people; Deuteronomy 7:6.

And the glory - The symbol of the divine presence that attended them from Egypt, and that finally rested over the ark in the first temple - "the Shechinah;" Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 25:22.

And the covenants - The various compacts or promises which had been made from time to time with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with the nation; the pledges of the divine protection.

The giving of the law - On Mount Sinai; Exodus 20; compare Psalms 147:19.

And the service of God - The temple service; regarded by them as the pride and ornament of their nation.

And the promises - Of the Messiah; and of the spread of the true religion from them as a nation.

Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Romans 9:4:

Psalms 119:53
Joel 3:1
Jonah 4:3
Micah 2:4
Malachi 1:2
Ephesians 2:12
Hebrews 9:16

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Romans 9:5 >>

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Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose

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