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Tzedakah Moment Romans 9:1-5 Part Nine
Tzedakah Moment Romans 9:1-5 Part Nine
| Romans 9 Part Nine |
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The Privileges Which Belong to the Jewish People (Part One)who are Israelites, to whom (belongs) the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the law and the worship and the promises, 5who (are) the forefathers and from whom (is) Christ according to the flesh, who (is) over all God blessed for eternity, amen. Therefore, the gifts enumerated in verse four are for the nation of Israel and that nation alone. The privileges consequently follow a specific pattern of six blessings, divided into two columns, with the first, second, fourth and fifth privileges in the singular form while the third and sixth blessings are plural.1 John Piper believes that Paul chose this pattern for a specific purpose and that it was one that was known and perhaps “traditional” in form and structure.2 The first privilege of being an “Israelite” is the idea of “adoption.” An adoption that is built on the premise of “grace” and not on worthiness or strength.3 For Israel has never been the largest, grandest or strongest nation in the world; however, God in his panoramic view of history saw “something” which made them worthy of not only for being the Chosen People of God but also the forerunners and descendants of Messiah Jesus (see v. 5). The second privilege of being a Chosen People is the reality of “glory.” “Glory” would be a problem if one viewed this word from a human understanding; however, it is not a problem when one realizes that the focus of glory should not be the recipient but upon the giver of it.4 This is given credence by the Hebrew (Old Testament) concept of glory which indicates the heaviness of the Lord.5 Dunn and Piper agree with the Old Testament analysis of God’s glory but also remind the reader that “glory” for Israel is still to come because of the eschatological promises of God manifested to the nations “through Israel.”6 Piper explains the eschatological hope by reminding the reader that glory “look[s] to the future with roots in the past.”7 The third privilege of being a member of the Hebrew nation is “covenants.” A covenant(s) according to Calvin “is that which is expressed in distinct and accustomed words, and contains a mutual stipulation, as that which was made with Abraham.”8 He (Calvin) also makes a clear distinction between the covenants mentioned and the promises indicated in verse four.9 This is opposed to Thomas Schreiner who tries to incorporate the two words.10 One would agree with Calvin as opposed to Schreiner in this scenario, because while they might connected in the nominative feminine plural sense, they are disconnected because one is talking about commitment and the other (promises) is speaking of “what we meet with everywhere in Scripture.”11 1Piper, 20-21; and Osborne, 238. Piper also notes that all the nouns are of the feminine case and connected with the conjunction. 2Piper, 21. Bell (p. 174-75) concurs with Piper’s assumption that this was a form and structure which Paul had used many times before. 3Cranfield, 461; Williamson, A Guest in the House of Israel, 102; Jowett, 275; Garrett, 288, 289; Dunn, Romans 9-16, 526; and MacArthur, 13. MacArthur, unfortunately, instead of focusing on the graciousness of God in his choosing of this small, nomadic band of people, chooses to instead focus in on their failures as God’s Chosen People. Perhaps, this is why it made it easier for him to consider the Jewish people as “temporarily set aside.” 4Bell, 176-77; Cranfield, 461-62; and Hodge, 299. Specific references used for the glory of the Lord include: Ex. 40:34; Lev. 16:2; 2 Chron. 5:14; Isa. 6:3; Hab. 2:14; and 1 Kgs. 8:10. 5A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, 1951 ed. 6Dunn, Romans 9-16, 526-27; and Piper, 33-34. 7Piper, 34. 8Calvin, 340. 9Ibid. 10Schreiner, Romans, 484-85. Bell (p. 177) somewhat supports Schreiner’s position but stops short of a complete affirmation. Bell, however, prefers to focus on the future tense aspect of the covenants and not the ones from Old Testament past. 11Calvin, 340. |
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