29 is made, therefore as Esaias said. "Had not the Lord of hosts left us a seed, we must have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.*" 30 (J) What then are we to infer? (A) That the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, 31 attained righteousness, but it was a righteousness because of belief; but Israel pursuing a law of righteousness did not come up to the law of righteousness. 32. (J) Why? (A) Because they sought it not from belief; but as if at 33 tainable by works of law. For they stumbled at the stumbling stone. As it is written, "Behold I lay in Sion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence." And "whosoever believeth in him shall not be shamed."+ X. Brethren, the earnest desire of my heart and my sup 2 plication to God for Israel is, that they may be saved. For I 3 bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God's appointment, and seeking to establish a righteousness of their own, they did not submit themselves to 4 God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for 5 righteousness to every one who believeth: For Moses describeth the righteousness which is from the law, thus-"The man who doth these things shall live thereby;" but the righteousness because of believing speaketh in this manner-Say 6 not in thy heart, Who will ascend up to heaven (that is to 7 bring Christ down); or who will go down to the abyss (that 8 is to bring up Christ from the dead) But what doth it say? The matter is near thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart§— 9 That is, the matter of this belief, which we proclaim, That if thou wilt acknowledge with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and 10 believe with thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth for righteousness, and with the mouth acknowledgment is 11 made for salvation. For the scripture saith, "Whosoever be 12 lieveth in him shall not be shamed."|| For there is no distinc. tion of Jew and Greek; for he is Lord of all, abounding in 13 riches for all who call upon him; "For whosoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."* 14 (J) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a pro15 claimer? and how shall they proclaim, unless they be sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them who proclaim the joyful message of peace-who proclaim the glad tidings of good things."+ 16 (A) But all have not duly hearkened to the good news, 17 for Esaias saith, "Lord, who hath believed this report of ours."+ The believing is indeed because of hearing, and what they heard is by the order of God. But I say, Have they not heard? (J) What! Is their sound then gone forth to every land; and their doctrines to the limits of the world? 18 19 20 XI. (A) But I say, Hath not Israel known? First Moses saith, But Esaias is more explicit, and saith, "I was found by them who sought me not, I became manifest to them who inquired not for me." "I have stretched out my hands all the day long "To a disobedient and gainsaying people."¶ (J) I say then, Hath God utterly rejected his people? (A) No, by no means. For even I myself am an Israel2 ite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not utterly rejected his people whom he heretofore ac3 knowledged. Do you not know by Elias what the scripture saith? When he is pleading with God against Israel, saying, "Lord, they have slain thy prophets and demolished thine al4 tars; and I alone am left, and they seek my life." What doth the divine oracle say to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed a knee to Baal."** In * Joel 2. 32. † Es. 52. 7, &c. Es. 65. 1, &c. Es. 53. 1. Ps. 19. 4. **1 K. 19. 14, &c. 5 like manner, therefore, at this present time there is a remnant 6 according to a choice of favour. Now if it be by favour, it is 7 no more in consideration of works, since in this case the favour is no favour: but if it be in consideration of works it is no more of favour, otherwise the work is no work. (J) What is the inference? (A) That which Israel sought he did not obtain; but the 8 chosen obtained it and the rest were blinded. As it is written, "God hath given them a spirit of stupefaction, eyes not to see 9 and ears not to hear even to this day."* And David saith, "Let their table be for a snare and for a trap, and for a stumbling block, and for a retribution to them. 10 11 Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, (J) I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? (A) No, by no means. But on this lapse of theirs the 12 Gentiles have this salvation to provoke them to emulation. Now if this lapse of theirs is the riches of the world and the 13 diminution of them is the riches of the Gentiles, how much more will their fulness be! (For I tell you, Gentiles, inasmuch 14 as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I honour my office, if I can any how excite to emulation them who are my flesh and 15 save some of them). For if the casting of them off is the re concilement of the world, what must the taking of them back 16 be, but life from the dead? Now if that portion which is set 17 apart from an offering is holy, so will the mass be. And if the root is holy, so are the branches: And if some of the branches are broken off, and thou being a wild olive art ingraffed among them and become a partaker of the root and fatness of 18 the olive tree, boast not against the branches. But if thou boast [remember that] thou dost not support the root, but the root supporteth thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I 20 might be ingraffed. Well! They were broken off for their 21 disbelief, and thou standest for thy belief. Be not high mind22 ed; but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, *Es. 29. 10. and 6. 10. † Ps. 69. 22, &c. perhaps he may not spare thee. Behold then the kindness and the severity of God-severity against them indeed who have fallen, and kindness to thee if thou continue in that kindness, 23 otherwise thou also wilt be cut off. And with respect to them, if they continue not in their disbelief, they shall be ingraffed. 24 For God is able to ingraff them again. For if thou hast been cut from a natural wild olive tree, and contrary to nature graffed on a good olive tree; how much more shall they that are natural branches be graffed on their own olive tree. For, 25 that you, brethren, may not have too high an opinion of yourselves, I would not have you ignorant of this secret, That a partial blindness hath come upon Israel until the fulness of the 26 Gentiles shall have come in, and then at length all Israel shall be saved. As it is written 27 28 "For the sake of Sion the Deliverer will come And turn away ungodliness from Jacob: And this shall be my covenant with them When I take away their sins. With respect to these glad tidings, they are enemies on your account; but with respect to the choice, they are be29 loved on account of the fathers. For the favours and choice 30 of God are not reversed. For as you for a while rebelled 31 against God, but have now obtained mercy at their rebellion; 32 so they also have now rebelled at the mercy shewn to you, that they also may be objects of mercy. For God hath shut ́ 33 all up for disobedience that he may have mercy on all. O the depth of the riches, and of the wisdom, and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways 34 not to be traced out! For who hath known the mind of the 35 Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, that in return he may receive a recompense? 36 XII. Because of him, and by him, and for him are all things; to him be the glory for ever, Amen; therefore I exhort you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living, holy, acceptable sacrifice to God as your rational, re2 ligious service; and be not conformed to this world; but *Es. 59. 20. transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may know experimentally what the will of God is, which is good and 3 acceptable and perfect. For by virtue of the favour which is granted to me, I charge every one who is among you not to have an overweening opinion of himself, but to bend his thoughts to the attaining of a sober and modest demeanour, as 4 God hath distributed a portion of faith to every one. For as we have many members in one body, and all the members 5 have not the same office; so we being many are one body in 6 Christ, but individually members of one another, and em ployed in exercising free gifts, according to the favour con7 ferred on us, different as they are, if prophesy, in conformity to that belief; if a ministerial office, in that office; and if one is a 8 teacher, in teaching; and the exhorter in exhortation; let him who giveth [do it] with sincerity; him who superintendeth, 9 with assiduity; him who sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be unfeigned: abhor what is evil; adhere closely to 10 what is good; in brotherly love be tenderly affectionate one 11 to another: in honour prefer one another; in business be not 12 slothful: Be fervent in spirit; constant in serving the Lord; 13 joyful in hope; patient in tribulation; stedfastly persevering 14 in prayer; administering to the wants of the saints; cultivat15 ing hospitality: Bless them who persecute you-bless and curse not. Set your hearts on this with respect to each other to rejoice with them who rejoice, and to weep with 16 them who weep. Set not your minds on high things, but ac commodate yourselves to things which are low. Be not ́wise 17 in your own conceits. Render to none evil for evil. Be pro18 vident in regard to things good in the sight of all men. If pos19 sible, that is, as far as in your power, be at peace with all men. Beloved, avenge not yourselves, but give place to the 20 wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine; I will requite, saith the Lord." Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him; if he be thirsty, give him drink; for by doing so thou wilt 21 use the means to melt him.† Be not overcome by evil; but *Deut. 32. 35. Prov. 25. 21. Literally, heap coals of fire on his head, a proverbial phrase taken from the melting of metals in a crucible. |