Rom 9:29, 11:5 | JFB | STEP | 29. And as Esaias said —"hath said" before —that is, probably in an earlier part of his book, namely, . Except the Lord of Sabaoth —that is, "The Lord of Hosts": the word is Hebrew, but occurs so in the Epistle of James ( ), and has thence become naturalized in our Christian phraseology. had left us a seed —meaning a "remnant"; small at first, but in due time to be a seed of plenty (compare ). we had been —"become" as Sodom, &c.—But for this precious seed, the chosen people would have resembled the cities of the plain, both in degeneracy of character and in merited doom.

Romans 9:29

29. And as Esaias said—"hath said"

before—that is, probably in an earlier part of his book, namely, Isa 1:9.

Except the Lord of Sabaoth—that is, "The Lord of Hosts": the word is Hebrew, but occurs so in the Epistle of James (Jas 5:4), and has thence become naturalized in our Christian phraseology.

had left us a seed—meaning a "remnant"; small at first, but in due time to be a seed of plenty (compare Ps 22:30, 31; Isa 6:12, 13).

we had been—"become"

as Sodom, &c.—But for this precious seed, the chosen people would have resembled the cities of the plain, both in degeneracy of character and in merited doom.

Romans 11:5

5. Even so at this present time—"in this present season"; this period of Israel's rejection. (See Ac 1:7, Greek).

there is—"there obtains," or "hath remained"

a remnant according to the election of grace—"As in Elijah's time the apostasy of Israel was not so universal as it seemed to be, and as he in his despondency concluded it to be, so now, the rejection of Christ by Israel is not so appalling in extent as one would be apt to think: There is now, as there was then, a faithful remnant; not however of persons naturally better than the unbelieving mass, but of persons graciously chosen to salvation." (See 1Co 4:7; 2Th 2:13). This establishes our view of the argument on Election in Ro 9:1-29, as not being an election of Gentiles in the place of Jews, and merely to religious advantages, but a sovereign choice of some of Israel itself, from among others, to believe and be saved. (See on Ro 9:6.)