Romans 9:1-3
Summary for Rom 9:1-11:32: 9:1–11:36 a In this section, Paul takes up the problem raised by the unbelief of so many Jews. If God had promised salvation to Israel yet so few Jews were being saved, how could Jesus truly be the fulfillment of God’s plan (9:1-5 b)? In his response to this objection, Paul cites the Old Testament as evidence that God had always intended to save only a remnant of Israel (9:6-29 c), and he faults the Jews for refusing to embrace Christ (9:30–10:21 d). Paul then shows that God has not discarded Israel from his plan of salvation. Many Jews have already believed in Christ (11:1-10 e), and many more will believe in the future (11:12-26 f).Summary for Rom 9:2-3: 9:2-3 g Paul does not explicitly say why he has such bitter sorrow for his Jewish brothers and sisters. Yet his willingness to become cursed on their behalf if that would save them makes clear that the failure of most Jews to respond to Jesus and be saved stimulated his agony (see also 10:1 h).
9:3 i I would be willing to be forever cursed (Greek anathema): Anathema is used in the Greek Old Testament to translate a Hebrew expression that means “set apart for God,” which usually has the negative sense of something destined to be destroyed as an offering to God (see Lev 27:28-29 j; Josh 6:17-18 k; 7:1 l, 11-13 m; 22:20 n; 1 Sam 15:3 o; 1 Chr 2:7 p). Paul knows that he cannot, in fact, be cut off from Christ. Paul is echoing the offer of Moses, who pled with God to kill him but to spare the people (Exod 32:30-32 q).
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