---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"
author: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 694 of 927
url: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/694/
cite: "Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, section 694. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/694/"
---

# Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

*Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown*

The Victorian standard commentary, critical and practical, from Genesis to Revelation.

## 694. Romans · 11 of 22

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/694/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/jamieson-fausset-brown-commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/694/#p-N

[¶0] we know, &c.--The order in the original is more striking: "We know that to them that love God" (compare [1Co 2:9]; [Ep 6:24]; [Jas 1:12]; 2:5) "all things work together for good [even] to them who are the called (rather, 'who are called') according to His (eternal) purpose." Glorious assurance! And this, it seems, was a "household word," a "known" thing, among believers. This working of all things for good is done quite naturally to "them that love God," because such souls, persuaded that He who gave His own Son for them cannot but mean them well in all His procedure, learn thus to take in good part whatever He sends them, however trying to flesh and blood: and to them who are the called, according to "His purpose," all things do in the same intelligible way "work together for good"; for, even when "He hath His way in the whirlwind," they see "His chariot paved with love" ([So 3:10]). And knowing that it is in pursuance of an eternal "purpose" of love that they have been "called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ" ([1Co 1:9]), they naturally say within themselves, "It cannot be that He 'of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things,' should suffer that purpose to be thwarted by anything really adverse to us, or that He should not make all things, dark as well as light, crooked as well as straight, to co-operate to the furtherance and final completion of His high design."

[¶1] 29. For--as touching this "calling according to his purpose" ([Ro 8:28]).

[¶2] whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate--foreordain. In what sense are we to take the word "foreknow" here? "Those who He foreknew would repent and believe," say Pelagians of every age and every hue. But this is to thrust into the text what is contrary to the whole spirit, and even letter, of the apostle's teaching (see [Ro 9:11]; [2Ti 1:9]). In [Ro 11:2], and [Psa 1:6], God's "knowledge" of His people cannot be restricted to a mere foresight of future events, or acquaintance with what is passing here below. Does "whom He did foreknow," then, mean "whom He foreordained?" Scarcely, because both "foreknowledge" and "foreordination" are here mentioned, and the one as the cause of the other. It is difficult indeed for our limited minds to distinguish them as states of the Divine Mind towards men; especially since in [Ac 2:23] "the counsel" is put before "the foreknowledge of God," while in [1Pe 1:2] "election" is said to be "according to the foreknowledge of God." But probably God's foreknowledge of His own people means His "peculiar, gracious, complacency in them," while His "predestinating" or "foreordaining" them signifies His fixed purpose, flowing from this, to "save them and call them with an holy calling" ([2Ti 1:9]).

[¶3] to be conformed to the image of his Son--that is, to be His sons after the pattern, model, or image of His Sonship in our nature.

[¶4] that he might be the first-born among many brethren--"The First-born," the Son by nature; His "many brethren," sons by adoption: He, in the Humanity of the Only-begotten of the Father, bearing our sins on the accursed tree; they in that of mere men ready to perish by reason of sin, but redeemed by His blood from condemnation and wrath, and transformed into His likeness: He "the First-born from the dead"; they "that sleep in Jesus," to be in due time "brought with Him"; "The First-born," now "crowned with glory and honor"; His "many brethren," "when He shall appear, to be like Him, for they shall see Him as He is."

[¶5] 30. Moreover--"And," or "Now"; explanatory of [Ro 8:29]--In "predestinating us to be conformed to the image of His Son" in final glory, He settled all the successive steps of it. Thus

[¶6] whom he did predestinate, them he also called--The word "called" (as Hodge and others truly observe) is never in the Epistles of the New Testament applied to those who have only the outward invitation of the Gospel (as in [Mt 20:16]; ). It always means "internally, effectually, savingly called." It denotes the first great step in personal salvation and answers to "conversion." Only the word conversion expresses the change of character which then takes place, whereas this "calling" expresses the divine authorship of the change, and the sovereign power by which we are summoned, Matthew-like, Zaccheus-like, out of our old, wretched, perishing condition, into a new, safe, blessed life.

[¶7] and whom he called--thus.

[¶8] them he also justified--brought into the definite state of reconciliation already so fully described.

[¶9] and whom he justified, them he also glorified--brought to final glory ([Ro 8:17], ). Noble climax, and so rhythmically expressed! And all this is viewed as past; because, starting from the past decree of "predestination to be conformed to the image of God's Son" of which the other steps are but the successive unfoldings--all is beheld as one entire, eternally completed salvation.

[¶10] 31. What shall we then say to these things?--"We can no farther go, think, wish" [Bengel]. This whole passage, to [Ro 8:34], and even to the end of the chapter, strikes all thoughtful interpreters and readers, as transcending almost every thing in language, while Olshausen notices the "profound and colossal" character of the thought.

[¶11] If God be for us, who can be against us?--If God be resolved and engaged to bring us through, all our enemies must be His; and "Who would set the briers and thorns against Him in battle? He would go through them. He would burn them together" ([Is 27:4]). What strong consolation is here! Nay, but the great Pledge of all has already been given; for,

[¶12] 32. He--rather, "He surely." (It is a pity to lose the emphatic particle of the original).

[¶13] that spared not--"withheld not," "kept not back." This expressive phrase, as well as the whole thought, is suggested by [Ge 22:12], where Jehovah's touching commendation of Abraham's conduct regarding his son Isaac seems designed to furnish something like a glimpse into the spirit of His own act in surrendering His own Son. "Take now (said the Lord to Abraham) thy son, thine only, whom thou lovest, and ... offer him for a burnt offering" ([Ge 22:2]); and only when Abraham had all but performed that loftiest act of self-sacrifice, the Lord interposed, saying, "Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou HAST NOT WITHHELD THY SON, THINE ONLY SON, from Me." In the light of this incident, then, and of this language, our apostle can mean to convey nothing less than this, that in "not sparing His own Son, but delivering Him up," or surrendering Him, God exercised, in His Paternal character, a mysterious act of Self-sacrifice, which, though involving none of the pain and none of the loss which are inseparable from the very idea of self-sacrifice on our part, was not less real, but, on the contrary, as far transcended any such acts of ours as His nature is above the creature's. But this is inconceivable if Christ be not God's "own (or proper) Son," partaker of His very nature, as really as Isaac was of his father Abraham's. In that sense, certainly, the Jews charged our Lord with making Himself "equal with God" (see on [Joh 5:18]), which He in reply forthwith proceeded, not to disown, but to illustrate and confirm. Understand Christ's Sonship thus, and the language of Scripture regarding it is intelligible and harmonious; but take it to be an artificial relationship, ascribed to Him in virtue either of His miraculous birth, or His resurrection from the dead, or the grandeur of His works, or all of these together--and the passages which speak of it neither explain of themselves nor harmonize with each other.

[¶14] delivered him up--not to death merely (as many take it), for that is too narrow an idea here, but "surrendered Him" in the most comprehensive sense; compare [Joh 3:16], "God so loved the world that He GAVE His only-begotten Son."

[¶15] for us all--that is, for all believers alike; as nearly every good interpreter admits must be the meaning here.

[¶16] how shall he not--how can we conceive that He should not.

[¶17] with him also--rather, "also with Him." (The word "also" is often so placed in our version as to obscure the sense; see on [He 12:1]).

[¶18] freely give us all things?--all other gifts being not only immeasurably less than this Gift of gifts, but virtually included in it.

[¶19] 33-34. Who shall lay anything to the charge of--or, "bring any charge against."

[¶20] God's elect?--the first place in this Epistle where believers are styled "the elect." In what sense this is meant will appear in next chapter.

[¶21] 35-36. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?--This does not mean "our love to Christ," as if, Who shall hinder us from loving Christ? but "Christ's love to us," as is clear from the closing words of the chapter, which refer to the same subject. Nor would the other sense harmonize with the scope of the chapter, which is to exhibit the ample ground of the believer's confidence in Christ. "It is no ground of confidence to assert, or even to feel, that we will never forsake Christ; but it is the strongest ground of assurance to be convinced that His love will never change" [Hodge].

[¶22] shall tribulation, &c.--"None of these, nor all together, how terrible soever to the flesh, are tokens of God's wrath, or the least ground for doubt of His love. From whom could such a question come better than from one who had himself for Christ's sake endured so much? (See [2Co 11:11-33]; [1Co 4:10-13]). The apostle says not (remarks Calvin nobly) "What," but "Who," just as if all creatures and all afflictions were so many gladiators taking arms against the Christians [Tholuck].

[¶23] 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us--not, "We are so far from being conquered by them, that they do us much good" [Hodge]; for though this be true, the word means simply, "We are pre-eminently conquerors." See on [Ro 5:20]. And so far are they from "separating us from Christ's love," that it is just "through Him that loved us" that we are victorious over them.

[¶24] 38-39. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers--whether good or bad. But as the bad are not called "angels," or "principalities," or "powers," save with some addition to show that such are meant ([Mt 25:41]; [Col 2:15]; [Ep 6:12]; [2Pe 2:4]--except perhaps [1Co 6:3]), probably the good are meant here, but merely as the same apostle supposes an angel from heaven to preach a false gospel. (So the best interpreters).

[¶25] nor things present, nor things to come--no condition of the present life and none of the unknown possibilities of the life to come.

### Chapter 9

### Ro 9:1-33. The Bearing of the Foregoing Truths upon the Condition and Destiny of the Chosen People--Election--The Calling of the Gentiles

[¶28] Too well aware that he was regarded as a traitor to the dearest interests of his people ([Ac 21:33]; ; ), the apostle opens this division of his subject by giving vent to his real feelings with extraordinary vehemence of protestation.

[¶29] 1-2. I say the truth in Christ--as if steeped in the spirit of Him who wept over impenitent and doomed Jerusalem (compare [Ro 1:9]; [2Co 12:19]; [Php 1:8]).

[¶30] my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost--"my conscience as quickened, illuminated, and even now under the direct operation of the Holy Ghost."

[¶31] 3. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for--"in behalf of"

[¶32] my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh--In proportion as he felt himself severed from his nation, he seems to have realized all the more vividly their natural relationship. To explain away the wish here expressed, as too strong for any Christian to utter or conceive, some have rendered the opening words, "I did wish," referring it to his former unenlightened state; a sense of the words too tame to be endured: others unwarrantably soften the sense of the word "accursed." But our version gives the true import of the original; and if it be understood as the language rather of "strong and indistinct emotions than of definite ideas" [Hodge], expressing passionately how he felt his whole being swallowed up in the salvation of his people, the difficulty will vanish, and we shall be reminded of the similar idea so nobly expressed by Moses ([Ex 32:32]).

[¶33] 4. Who are Israelites--See [Ro 11:1]; [2Co 11:22]; [Php 3:5].

[¶34] to whom pertaineth--"whose is"

[¶35] the adoption--It is true that, compared with the new economy, the old was a state of minority and pupilage, and so far that of a bond-servant ([Ga 4:1-3]); yet, compared with the state of the surrounding heathen, the choice of Abraham and his seed was a real separation of them to be a Family of God ([Ex 4:22]; [De 32:6]; [Is 1:2]; [Jr 31:9]; [Ho 11:1]; Mal 1:6).

[¶36] and the glory--that "glory of the Lord," or "visible token of the Divine Presence in the midst of them," which rested on the ark and filled the tabernacle during all their wanderings in the wilderness; which in Jerusalem continued to be seen in the tabernacle and temple, and only disappeared when, at the Captivity, the temple was demolished, and the sun of the ancient economy began to go down. This was what the Jews called the "Shekinah."

[¶37] and the covenants--"the covenants of promise" to which the Gentiles before Christ were "strangers" ([Ep 2:12]); meaning the one covenant with Abraham in its successive renewals (see [Ga 3:16], ).

[¶38] and the giving of the law--from Mount Sinai, and the possession of it thereafter, which the Jews justly deemed their peculiar honor ([De 26:18], ; [Psa 147:19], ; [Ro 2:17]).

[¶39] and the service of God--or, of the sanctuary, meaning the whole divinely instituted religious service, in the celebration of which they were brought so nigh unto God.

[¶40] and the promises--the great Abrahamic promises, successively unfolded, and which had their fulfilment only in Christ; (see [He 7:6]; [Ga 3:16], ; [Ac 26:6], ).

[¶41] 5. Whose are the fathers--here, probably, the three great fathers of the covenant--Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--by whom God condescended to name Himself ([Ex 8:6], ; [Lu 20:37]).

[¶42] and--most exalted privilege of all, and as such, reserved to the last.

[¶43] of whom as concerning the flesh--(See on [Ro 1:3]).

[¶44] Christ came--or, "is Christ"