Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Romans
(Challoner) --- St. Paul is here speaking of the reprobation of the Jews, and of the vocation of the Gentiles, and foretells that a remnant, or small number of the children of Israel shall be converted, and saved. In the sense of St. Paul, we sincerely hope, and confidently trust, that a remnant of all will be saved through a timely conversion. But we no where read, in the Old, or New Scriptures, that a remnant of all will be saved, as if it were a matter of indifference to what society or connexion a Christian was joined. (Haydock)
Ver. 30-32. What then shall we say? Or what shall we conclude from these testimonies of the Scripture, but this paradox, as St. Chrysostom calls it, that they who sought for justice, or sanctification, found it not, and they who did not seek it, found it; that is, the Jews, who sought for this justice by the works of their law, which they magnified so much, have not attained to that law that could make them just; whereas the Gentiles, who had no such written law to confide in, have only sought to be justified by the faith and law of Christ, by which they have met with justice, and sanctification? (Witham) --- Behold what was wanting to the justice of the Jews! Scrupulous observers of the ceremonial law: esteeming too much their power, and pretended justice, they regarded the gospel and faith in Christ as of no advantage. Running in the path of the commandments with zeal, but without circumspection, they struck against Jesus Christ, who became to them a stumbling-block. They rejected him: they refused to believe. Thus did their works become dead works, without any fruit for eternity. (Calmet)
Ver. 33. Why then have not the Jews been justified? because they stumbled at the stumbling-stone: that is, the doctrine of Christ crucified has been a scandal to the Jews, at which being offended, they would not own him for their Messias. Yet whosoever believeth in him, and follows his law and doctrine, shall not be confounded, but obtain justification and salvation. (Witham)
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[1] Ver. 3. Anathema esse a Christo, anathema einai apo tou Christou. From anathesthai. See anathema, and anathema in Legh's critic. sac. See St. Chrysostom, hom. xiv. p. 136. Ed. Sav. where he says, that to expound St. Paul, as if he wished to die for Christ's sake, is a childish exposition, not worthy of the great charity of St. Paul, that it deserves no confutation: ouk esti tauta, ouk esti....oude gar antilegein pros taouta axion. He thinks that St. Paul was willing to be separated, not from the love of Christ, (God forbid) but from the glory of the kingdom of heaven; Pag. 135. allotriothenai ouchi tes agapes autou, me genoito, alla tes apolauseos ekeines kai tes doxes.
[2] Ver. 5. Qui est super omnes Deus benedictus in sæcula. Amen. o on ep ponton theos eulogetos eis tous aionas, Amen.
[3] Ver. 18. Et quem vult indurat. &c. St. Augustine, lib. de Gra. & Lib. Arb. chap. 23. Deus induravit cor Pharaonis, & ipse Pharao per Liberum Arbitrium. Quærimus meritum obdurationis & invenimus: merito namque peccati, universa massa damnata est: nec obdurat Deus impertiendo malitiam, sed non impertiendo misericordiam:....quærimus autem meritum misericordiæ, nec invenimus: quia nullum est, ne gratia evacuetur, si non gratis donetur, sed meritis redditur. Obduratio Dei est, nolle miserere, &c. Pharao, says St. Chrysostom, was a vessel of anger, but this was from himself; kai par eautou.
[4] Ver. 20. O homo, tu quis es? &c. The apostle, says St. Chrysostom, (p. 141.) does not say, that this cannot be answered, but that such questions are impertinent, because we cannot understand what God does, &c. ou legei oti adunaton toiauta luein, &c.
[5] Ver. 21. Annon potestatem habet figulus, &c.? St. Chrysostom (p. 142.) expressly takes notice, that we must not by this comparison pretend that man has not free-will, &c. entautha ou to autexousion anairon. &c.
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The apostle's concern for the Jews. God's election is free, and not confined to their nation.
1 I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost:
2 That I have great sadness, and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 *For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh,
4 Who are Israelites, to whom belongeth the adoption of sons, and the glory, and the covenant, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the promises:
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6 Not as though the word of God hath failed. For all are not Israelites that are of Israel:
7 Neither are all they, who are the seed of Abraham, children: *but in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
8 That is to say, not they who are the children of the flesh, are the children of God: but they *that are the children of the promise, are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise: *According to this time will I come: and Sara shall have a son.
10 And not only she: *but when Rebecca also had conceived at once, by Isaac, our father.
11 For when the children were not yet born, nor had done any good or evil, (that the purpose of God according to election might stand)
12 Not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said to her:
13 *That the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written: Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses: *I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy: and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the Scripture saith to Pharao: *To this purpose have I raised thee up, that I may shew my power in thee: and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say, therefore, to me: Why doth he then find fault? For who resisteth his will?
20 O man, who art thou that repliest against God? *Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Or hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 And if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction,
23 That he might shew the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared unto glory.
24 Even us, whom also he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles,
25 As he saith in Osee: *I will call them my people, that were not my people: and her beloved, that was not beloved: and her, that had not obtained mercy, one that hath obtained mercy.
26 *And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them: you are not my people: there they shall be called the children of the living God.
27 And Isaias crieth out concerning Israel: *If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
28 For he shall finish his word, and cut it short in justice: because a short word shall the Lord make upon the earth.
29 And as Isaias foretold:* unless the Lord of sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been made as Sodom, and we had been like unto Gomorrha.
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who followed not after justice, have attained to justice: even the justice that is of faith.
31 But Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come to the law of justice.
32 Why so? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were of works: for they stumbled at the stumbling-stone;
33 As it is written: *Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and a rock of scandal: and whosoever believeth in him, shall not be confounded.
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*
3: Acts ix. 2.; 1 Corinthians xv. 9.
7: Genesis xxi. 12.
8: Galatians iv. 28.
9: Genesis xviii. 10.
10: Genesis xxv. 24.
13: Genesis xxv. 23.; Malachias i. 2.
15: Exodus xxxiii. 19.
17: Exodus ix. 16.
20: Wisdom xv. 7.; Isaias xlv. 9.; Jeremias xviii. 6.
25: Osee ii. 24.; 1 Peter ii. 10.
26: Osee i. 10.
27: Isaias x. 22.
29: Isaias i. 9.
33: Isaias viii. 14. and xxviii. 16.; 1 Peter ii. 7.