the Promise discerned

Wow!  What a come down for Paul from the end of Chapter 8 to the beginning of Chapter 9!  He was speaking in the absolute when he rejoiced that he is persuaded “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38, 39).

But with Chapter 9 we find him dealing with the Israelites, the people who believe they have inherited the promise to Abraham and Isaac.  He seems to be saying that they have the wrong idea of the promise – it does not come through the seed of generations from human fathers to human sons, but through the spiritual discernment of the children of promise.  The Message (Eugene Petersen) has: “It wasn’t Abraham’s sperm that gave identity here, but God’s promise.”

Interestingly, a couple of women are cited as receiving the promise – Sarah would have a son in extreme old age; Rebecca would have twins and that, “The elder shall serve the younger” (Rom. 9:13).

How exciting is that!  The golden thread passing along the female line!

I like The Message's interpretation of the last couple of verses of Chapter 9:

            Careful!  I’ve put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion,

                 a stone you can’t get around.

            But the stone is me!  If you’re looking for me,

                 you’ll find me on the way, not in the way.

No doubt, Paul will keep on with his loving shepherding of the Israelites.

 

Joyce Voysey