Romans 9: Romans 9:12-Paul Cites Genesis 25:23 That Contains The Prophecy That Esau s Descendants Will Be In Subjection To Jacob s

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1 Romans 9:12-13 Romans 9:12-Paul Cites Genesis 25:23 That Contains The Prophecy That Esau s Descendants Will Be In Subjection To Jacob s In Romans 9:6, Paul presents the premise that not all Israel is Israel and that God s Word has not failed and for the rest of the chapter he illustrates this premise. In Romans 9:7, he cites Genesis 21:12 to prove this point with his readers that being a spiritual child of Abraham is not a birthright or in other words it is not based upon one s racial heritage but rather it is based upon faith in the promises and in particular faith in the promised Messiah. Then, in Romans 9:8, Paul teaches that the racial descendants of Abraham are not considered by God to be His children but rather He considers the children of the promise as being such. Next, in Romans 9:9, Paul paraphrases Genesis 18:10 and 14 to identify specifically the content of the Lord s promise to Abraham, which was that the Lord would fulfill His promise to Abraham and Sarah and they would have a son named Isaac. In Romans 9:10, Paul teaches that the story of Rebekah and her twins illustrates the principle that true Israel is based upon God s sovereign grace rather than race and that the rejection of Christ by the majority of Jews did not constitute a failure on God s part since He had not broken any promises to the patriarchs and their descendants. Paul in Romans 9:11 teaches that God s choice of Jacob s descendants over Esau s in forming spiritual Israel was in order that the Father s predetermined plan, which is in accordance with election would remain immutable. He goes on to say in the verse that this is never based upon human merit as constituting this plan s source but rather based upon the Father who effectually calls as constituting this plan s source. Thus, in this verse Paul supports his argument that there is a distinction between racial or ethnic and spiritual Israel and that the latter was founded upon God s sovereign grace rather than race. He continues to support his premise in Romans 9:6 although the majority of Jews had rejected Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah, God has not reneged on any of His promises. So in Romans 9:11, Paul is teaching that God s choice of Jacob s descendants over Esau s is in accordance with the Father s immutable predetermined plan and sovereign will. Next, we will note Romans 9:12 and in this passage, Paul cites Genesis 25:23, which contains the prophecy that Esau s descendants would be in subjection to Jacob s William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

2 Romans 9:11 interrupts the flow of Paul s argument and thus leaves Romans 9:10 syntactically incomplete. The thought begun in Romans 9:10 is continued in Romans 9:12 and completed in Romans 9:13. In Romans 9:12, we have an exact quotation from the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew in Genesis 25:23, which records the Lord s prophecy to Rebekah concerning the nations that Jacob and Esau would be the progenitors of. Romans 9:12, It was said to her, THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER. It was said is the third person singular aorist passive indicative form of the verb eipon (ei@pon) (i-pon), which means, to say with the implication that what is said is a prediction or a prophecy. The aorist tense of the verb is constative describing in summary fashion the moment when the Lord said to Rebekah that the descendants of Esau (Edom) would serve the descendants of Jacob (Israel). The passive voice is a divine passive. The passive voice means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. Therefore, the passive voice means that the subject, Rebekah receives what is said by the Lord who is the unexpressed agency. The indicative mood is declarative presenting the Lord s assertion that appears in the quotation from Genesis 25:23 as an unqualified statement of fact and Bible doctrine. We will translate the verb it was said. To her is the dative feminine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (au)tov$) (ow-tos), which refers of course to Rebekah and functions as a dative of indirect object and the quotation from Genesis 25:23 functions as the direct object and is that which is received by the indirect object, Rebekah. We will translate the personal pronoun autos, to her. Not translated is the conjunction hoti (o^ti) (hot-ee), which is employed with the indicative mood of the verb douleuo, WILL SERVE in order to form a recitative hoti clause in direct discourse that is a specialized form of a direct object clause after verb of perception (eipon, it was said ), which contains direct speech. In direct discourse, the conjunction hoti should not be translated but rather in its place there should be quotation marks. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:12: It was said to her... Romans 9:12, It was said to her, THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER. THE OLDER is the articular nominative masculine singular form of the comparative adjective meizon (meivzwn) (mide-zone), which refers to Esau s descendants, the Edomites and not Esau himself since this quotation from Genesis 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2

3 25:23 was made by Lord in the context of the nations that Jacob and Esau would be the progenitors of. Genesis 25:19-22, Now these are the records of the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham became the father of Isaac; and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is so, why then am I this way? So she went to inquire of the LORD. By indicating that there is to be more than one child, the narrator, Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit takes the reader into his confidence. Of course, Rebekah at the time did not know that she was carrying twins and that they were struggling with each other in her womb. Struggle is the verb ratsats (Jx^r*) (raw-tsats), which is in the rare hithpoel stem meaning to crush each other. The verb ratsats implies an extraordinary violent struggle taking place in the womb of Rebekah, which she understood to be far greater than normal, and thus of great significance. This struggle among the fetuses in Rebekah s womb foreshadowed the relationship of the children and their descendants later on in history. So Rebekah is experiencing an unusually difficult pregnancy and fears of miscarrying. Rebekah thought she was simply carrying the next generation but little did she know that she was carrying twins. The rivalry of Jacob and Esau begins in the womb of Rebekah and would progress from her womb to the troubled delivery of the twins (25:26), and to their differences in profession (25:27) as well as to the opposing preferences of the parents (25:28). This struggle in the womb of Rebekah would also foreshadow Jacob s struggle with the preincarnate Christ (32:22-32). The struggle of the twins, Esau and Jacob foreshadows the struggles between Jacob and Esau in the following events: (1) Jacob secures the birthright (Genesis 25:27-34). (2) Jacob steals Esau s blessing (Genesis 27:1-40). (3) Jacob prevails with Esau and secures his good will (Genesis 32:1-33:16). The rivalry between Jacob and Esau spilled over into conflicts between their parents, Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 27:1-46) and it also effected Jacob and his wives as well as his wives with each other (Genesis 30:1-24) and Jacob and Laban (Genesis 29:14b-31:55). So because of the violent and unusual way that the fetuses were struggling within her, Rebekah inquires of the Lord in prayer as to the meaning of it all William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3

4 The fact that Rebekah is recorded as having went to inquire of the Lord indicates that she sought out the Lord in prayer in order to ascertain the meaning of this struggle taking place in her womb. Of course, Rebekah was unaware that she was carrying twins. Genesis 25:22, But the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is so, why then am I this way? So she went to inquire of the LORD. The question Rebekah asks is elliptical meaning that words such as copulas ( is ) are left out because of Rebekah s anxiety and urgent desire to find relief from this problem pregnancy and to understand the significance of it. If is the conditional particle `im (sa!) (eem), which introduces the protasis of a 1 st class condition, which indicates the assumption of truth for the sake of argument. A conditional sentence has an if part and a then part. The if introduces the protasis and then introduces the apodasis. Often, the protasis often introduces the cause and the apodasis the effect. In Genesis 25:22, the particle `im, if is introducing a protasis, which presents the cause of Rebekah s pregnancy, which is of course, the sovereign will of God. Now, remember the question of Rebekah s is elliptical and so therefore, we can translate or paraphrase the interrogative particle as if, it is Your will. Rebekah recognizes that children are a gift from the Lord. Psalm 127:3, Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. The adverb ken (/K@) (kane), so introduces the apodasis, which presents the effect of her getting pregnant by the sovereign will of God. Why is the interrogative particle lammah (hm*l*), which is a compound word composed of the preposition l e (l+), to me and the adverb mah (hm*), why therefore, the word literally means, why to me. The preposition l e is called a lamed of disadvantage meaning that Rebekah considers this unusual and difficult pregnancy to be to her disadvantage or uncomfortable. Therefore, she is saying in effect, Why am I having this happen to me, which is very uncomfortable. The demonstrative pronoun zeh (hz#), this is pointing to Rebekah s unusual and difficult pregnancy. The interrogative particle lammah becomes emphatic when it is used with the demonstrative pronoun zeh (hz#), this. The demonstrative pronoun zeh, this when attached to the interrogative pronoun lammah strengthens the meaning of the interrogative, adding directness and force and emphasizing the close personal involvement of the speaker William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4

5 I is the pronoun `anokhi (yk!n)a*) (aw-no-kee), which refers to Rebekah of course. Again, the question is elliptical so we could translate this expression, why am I having this happen to me, which is very uncomfortable? Therefore, Rebekah is saying in effect to the Lord in prayer, If this is Your will that I get pregnant, then why am I having this struggle take place in my womb, which is very uncomfortable? Rebekah asks this question because she fears that she might be miscarrying and doesn t understand why the Lord would permit her to get pregnant but then lose the children through a miscarriage. The Lord s response to Rebekah s question appears in Genesis 25:23. Genesis 25:23, The LORD said to her, Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger. The Lord s statement to Rebekah that two nations are in your womb implies that she is pregnant with twins and refers to the fact that these twins are twin progenitors of two nations. The oldest son Esau would be the progenitor of the Edomites (See Genesis 36:1-43) whereas the younger son Jacob would be the progenitor of the Israelites. The Edomites and the Israelites fought continuously. From Rebekah s womb, Jacob and Esau would be at odds with each other. The Lord s prediction that two peoples will be separated from your (Rebekah s) body indicates that Jacob and Esau would be separated, divided and hostile towards one another and would have nothing in common. The Lord s prediction that one people shall be stronger than the other refers to the fact that the Israelites would prevail over the Edomites in history. Also this prophecy indicates that Jacob and not Esau would be in the Messianic line and would inherit the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. Normally, the oldest would receive the father s inheritance and estate but the Lord does not always subscribe to this. In Genesis 25:23, the Lord declares that the older shall serve the younger indicating that the younger son, Jacob would receive the inheritance and not Esau who was older. Esau, the older, did not actually serve Jacob, his younger twin but rather Esau s descendants did (see 1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Samuel 8:14; 1 Kings 11:15-16; 22:47; 2 Kings 14:7). Therefore, Paul s statements in Romans 9:11 regarding God s predetermined plan and election are made in the context of the nation of Israel! This prophecy that one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger indicates that the sovereign will of God has 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5

6 ordained the following: (1) Jacob to be in the Messianic line and not Esau. (2) Jacob would be the beneficiary of the divine promises enumerated in the Abrahamic Covenant and not Esau. (3) Jacob would receive his father s estate and not Esau. Just as the Lord had chosen Isaac who was younger over Ishmael to receive Abraham s inheritance so the Lord had chosen Jacob who was younger than Esau. In the Messianic line, Seth, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and David were not first-born sons. Therefore, we see the Lord is expressing His sovereign will for Rebekah s twin sons, Esau and Jacob and that He has ordained from eternity past, that Jacob would be in the line of Christ and not Esau and that Jacob and not Esau would be the progenitor of the nation of Israel. Jacob did not merit this privilege, nor did Esau do anything to not merit it but rather, it was all based upon God s grace and mercy and sovereign will. That Esau was born first and then Jacob is taught in Genesis 25: Genesis 25:21-26, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is so, why then am I this way? So she went to inquire of the LORD. The LORD said to her, Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger. When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them. Genesis 25:27 gives us a description of Esau. Genesis 25:27, When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents. As the twins grew, the difference in their characters, which God in His omniscience already knew of, began to be apparent through their respective interests and activities. Skillful is the yadha (ud^y*), which is in the qal active participle form of the verb meaning, one who is knowledgeable and therefore, skilled in a particular endeavor. Hunter is the noun tsayidh (dy!x^) (tsah-yid), which refers to the act of hunting wild game. Therefore, Genesis 25:27 describes Esau as being a man who was skilled in hunting wild game. Esau is also described as a man of the field, which refers to the fact that he searched for game by roaming the territories situated outside cities and towns 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 6

7 where wild animals roamed. Therefore, we see that the Bible describes Esau as the rugged outdoor type, which would endear him to his father Isaac who did not possess these qualities himself. He was a skillful hunter and spent his time out in the fields searching for game in the open country. The fact that Esau was a skillful hunter really did not help his family at all since his family was not endangered by wild beasts, nor did they, with their extensive flocks and herds, have any need to slaughter deer and other wild animals for food. There was no over population of animals that needed thinning out for the sake of a balanced ecology since Esau had to become a skillful hunter to find them! In fact, hunting does not receive a favorable description in the Bible. Even though the Law made provision for hunting and eating game, the biblical writers commend pastoralists and condemn predators. Deuteronomy 14:4-5 demonstrates that hunting was sometimes an economic necessity in Israel since the Lord permits Israel to eat certain wild animals. Deuteronomy 14:4-5, These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. The only hunter other than Esau mentioned in the Bible is Nimrod who is described in Genesis 10:9 as a mighty hunter against the Lord meaning that he was a rebel against the Lord who hunted for the souls of men whereas Esau was a sportsman unconcerned with God. Esau preferred playing in the fields even long before he was a grown man, to working for his family and serving the Lord. Hebrews 12:16 describes Esau also as a fornicator and a profane person and an unbeliever. Therefore, Esau was not qualified to inherit the responsibilities attached to the Lord s covenant promises. The biblical ideal for a leader is symbolized by that of a shepherd (Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34; John 10:1-18; 1 Peter 5:3-4). True Israel, like his God, behaves like a shepherd and not as a hunter. In Genesis 27:39-40, Isaac s predicated that Esau would live by his weapons and be a wild, restless and undisciplined man, seeking sport and adventure. Genesis 27:39-40, Then Isaac his father answered and said to him, Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, and away from the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, that you will break his yoke from your neck. Esau was born into a family with a great spiritual heritage since his grandfather was Abraham and his father was Isaac, both of whom were in the line of Christ and covenant partners with God. Remember, Abraham lived to see his grandchildren Esau and Jacob grow up to be fifteen years of age. This is indicated in that 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7

8 Genesis 25:7 records that Abraham died at 175 years of age and Genesis 21:5 records that Abraham was 100 years of age when Isaac was born and so Isaac was 75 when his father died and was 60 years of age when Rebekah gave birth to Esau and Jacob according to Genesis 25:26. Therefore, if we do the math and subtract Isaac s age when Isaac had Jacob and Esau from his age when his father died, we can see that Abraham had 15 years to spend with his grandchildren at Hebron. For fifteen years both Jacob and Esau sat at the feet of their grandfather as they listened to him describe the Lord calling him from Ur of the Chaldeans, and the personal, national and universal promises that the Lord made to him. Their grandfather would have described the covenant relationship that the Lord established with him, and how the Lord remained faithful to him whether he was faithful or unfaithful. Abraham would have told the boys about the miraculous birth of their father Isaac and of the Lord testing his faith by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac. He would have told the boys of God providentially guiding his servant Eliezer to their mother Rebekah in Paddan Aram. Their parents, Isaac and Rebekah undoubtedly taught the boys about their own covenant relationship with the Lord as well and the Lord s power and faithfulness and providential care of them throughout the years of their marriage. Isaac would also have spoke to the boys about his lying down on the altar in obedience to his father Abraham and how the Lord intervened and had Abraham sacrifice a ram in his place. Isaac and Rebekah would have spoke to both boys of their amazing births and the prophecies concerning them. Yet, even though both Esau and Jacob heard their grandfather Abraham and their father Isaac teach both of them about the Lord and that their family had been chosen by Him to be His covenant people and had the same opportunity to believe in the Lord, only one, Jacob expressed faith in the Lord. Thus, we see that Esau s life was a great tragedy since even though he was born into a home of great privilege and with a great spiritual heritage and was exposed to the teaching of his grandfather Abraham and his parents, Isaac and Rebekah, he never came to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ! Esau s negative attitude towards his spiritual heritage was best expressed when he agreed to exchange his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of red lentil stew. Genesis 25:29-33, When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished. Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, First sell me your birthright. Esau said, Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me? And Jacob said, First swear to me ; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8

9 Sold is the verb makhar (rk^m*) (maw-kar), which in context means, to exchange since Jacob did not give money to Esau but rather offered him the red lintel soup in exchange for the birthright. Genesis 25:34, Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Birthright is the noun b e khorah (hr*k)b+) (bek-o-raw), which refers to the rights of the first-born in a family (See Exodus 4:22). In the family of Abraham and Isaac, the birthright included the privilege of carrying on the line of Christ that would bring salvation and therefore blessing to the entire world. The birthright also involved inheriting by faith the blessings, promises, responsibilities and privileges of the Abrahamic Covenant. Despised is the verb bazah (hz*b*) (baw-zaw), which means, to the act of according little worth to something, to undervalue something implying contempt. Therefore, by exchanging his birthright for a bowl of red lintel soup, Esau was demonstrating that he valued little his firstborn status in the family of Isaac, which involved inheriting the blessings, promises, privileges and responsibilities of the Abrahamic Covenant and thereby expressed his contempt for the plan of God. The exchanging of the birthright for a bowl of red lintel soup demonstrated that Esau was a psuchikos, soulish man and not a pneumatikos, spiritual man since he was expressing his dislike of the plan of God. 1 Corinthians 2:14, But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. Since the birthright concerns the future, its value is appropriated by faith and so by exchanging his birthright for a bowl of red lintel soup, Esau was demonstrating his unbelief in the promises contained in the Abrahamic Covenant and thereby forfeited the blessings of this covenant (Hebrews 12:16-17). Esau s lack of faith in the Lord and His promises manifested the fact that he was an unbeliever. Therefore, he is thus described in Scripture as a godless person. Hebrews 12:15-17, See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. Due to his rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ, upon his death, Esau entered a compartment of Sheol/Hades, which is called Torments, which is the temporary fire for the souls of unbelievers from all dispensations (Lk. 16:19-31). At the 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9

10 conclusion of human history, all unbelievers will be transferred to the Great White Throne Judgment and from there will be cast in the Lake of Fire forever (Rev. 20:11-15). Hebrews 9:27, And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. We must remember that it was not God s will that Esau s eternal destiny would be the Lake of Fire, but rather it was God s will that Esau be saved and live with God forever, which is God s desire for all men. 1 Timothy 2:4, (God) desires all men to be saved. 2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to a change of mind (about Christ). In Romans 9:13, the apostle Paul quotes Malachi 1:3, which contains the statement from God, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated, which does not refer to the fact that Esau was elected to the eternal Lake of Fire and Jacob was elected to be saved. But rather it refers to the fact that Esau s descendants were not elected as God s covenant people but rather Jacob s. Therefore, the statement Jacob I loved but Esau I hated does not refer to the fact that Esau was not saved and Jacob was since that would imply that God hates sinners and elects some people to be saved and others to eternal condemnation. Such an interpretation would contradict the teaching of Scripture that God s will is for all men to be saved (See 1 Timothy 2:4, 4:10, 2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16-18, 1 John 2:2). In Romans 9:12, the comparative adjective meizon functions as a nominative subject meaning that it is receiving the action of the passive form of the verb eipon, it was said and this function is indicated by its articular construction. The articular construction of the word also indicates that the oldest of Rebekah s twins is well-known to the reader since they were taught about him through their Christian instruction in the Word of God. We will translate the word, the older. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:12: It was said to her, The older... Romans 9:12, It was said to her, THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER. WILL SERVE is the third person singular future active indicative form of the verb douleuo (douleuvw) (dool-yoo-o), which refers to the descendants of Esau, the nation of Edom having the status or the condition of being a servant of Jacob s descendants, the nation of Israel William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10

11 In Romans 9:12, the verb douleuo means, to be in subjection and refers to the status or condition of Esau s descendants, the nation of Edom being servants to the descendants of Jacob, the nation of Israel. Paul does not employ the verb douloo but rather douleuo. The former emphasizes the act of being made a slave whereas the latter emphasizes the relationship between the slave and the master and the position of being a slave. Therefore, Paul chooses douleuo here because he wants to emphasize the position or relationship that the descendants of Edom would possess in the future in relation to the descendants of Jacob. The verb speaks of the descendants of Esau being under the dominion, rule and authority of the descendants of Jacob. The future tense of the verb is a predictive future indicating that this condition or status of the descendants of Esau being in subjection to the descendants of Jacob will take place or come to pass and emphasizes that this will take place in the future. The active voice is stative indicating that the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb douleuo. Therefore, the stative active voice indicates that the descendants of Esau as the subject will in the future exist in the state of being in subjection to the descendants of Jacob. The indicative mood is employed with the conjunction hoti, which is omitted due to Paul s use of the figure of ellipsis, though it is implied. Together, they form a recitative hoti clause in direct discourse that is a specialized form of a direct object clause after verb of perception (eipon, it was said ), which contains direct speech. We will translate douleuo, will be in subjection. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:12: It was said to her, The older will be in subjection... Romans 9:12, It was said to her, THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER. THE YOUNGER is the articular dative masculine singular form of the comparative adjective elatton (e)lavttwn) (el-ar-t\one), which refers to the descendants and not Jacob himself since this quotation from Genesis 25:23 was made by Lord in the context of the nations that Jacob and Esau would be the progenitors of. The word functions as a dative of advantage meaning that this subjection of Esau s descendants to Jacob s will be for the benefit of the latter. The articular construction of the word also indicates that the younger of Rebekah s twins is well-known to the reader since they were taught about him through their Christian instruction in the Word of God. We will translate elatton, to the younger William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11

12 Completed corrected translation of Romans 9:12: It was said to her, The older will be in subjection to the younger. This quotation from Genesis 25:23 that appears in Romans 9:12 serves to illustrate to Paul s Jewish readers that the nation of Israel was founded upon God s sovereign grace and not race or human merit. It also serves to illustrate that God has kept His promises and that the nation of Israel is responsible for their own failure in accepting by faith Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah. Lastly, it supports his argument from Romans 9:6 that the rejection of Christ by the majority of Jews did not constitute a failure on God s part since He had not broken any promises to the patriarchs and their descendants William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12

13 Romans 9:13-Paul Cites Malachi 1:2-3 That Records God s Selection Of Jacob s Descendants To Be His Covenant People And His Rejection Of Esau s In Romans 9:6, Paul presents the premise that not all Israel is Israel and that God s Word has not failed and for the rest of the chapter he illustrates this premise. Romans 9:6, Now, this does not by any means imply that the word originating from God is nullified because each and every person who descended from Israel, these are, as an eternal spiritual truth, by no means, Israel. In Romans 9:7, he cites Genesis 21:12 to prove this point with his readers that being a spiritual child of Abraham is not a birthright or in other words it is not based upon one s racial heritage but rather it is based upon faith in the promises and in particular faith in the promised Messiah. Romans 9:7, Nor because they are, as an eternal spiritual truth, Abraham s biological descendants are they, as an eternal spiritual truth, spiritual children. On the contrary, by means of the line of Isaac for your benefit, spiritual descendants will be effectually called. Then, in Romans 9:8, Paul teaches that the racial descendants of Abraham are not the considered by God to be His children but rather He considers the children of the promise as being such. Romans 9:8, This means these biological children by no means are, as an eternal spiritual truth, God s children. On the contrary, the promised children are, as an eternal spiritual truth, regarded as spiritual descendants. Next, in Romans 9:9, Paul paraphrases Genesis 18:10 and 14 to identify specifically the content of the Lord s promise to Abraham, which was that the Lord would fulfill His promise to Abraham and Sarah and they would have a son named Isaac. Romans 9:9, Specifically, this is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the word, which is a divine promise: At this time next year, I will intervene and for the benefit of Sarah there will be a son. In Romans 9:10, Paul teaches that the story of Rebekah and her twins illustrates the principle that true Israel is based upon God s sovereign grace rather than race and that the rejection of Christ by the majority of Jews did not constitute a failure on God s part since He had not broken any promises to the patriarchs and their descendants. Romans 9:10, In fact, not only this, but also Rebekah, while having been pregnant by means of one man as a source, our father Isaac. Paul in Romans 9:11 teaches that God s choice of Jacob s descendants over Esau s in forming spiritual Israel was in order that the Father s predetermined plan, which is in accordance with election would remain immutable. He goes on to say 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13

14 in the verse that this is never based upon human merit as constituting this plan s source but rather based upon the Father who effectually calls as constituting this plan s source. Romans 9:11, For you see, when they had not yet been born nor practiced anything good or evil in order that God the Father s predetermined plan, which is in accordance with election would remain immutable. Never based upon meritorious actions as constituting its source, but rather based upon the one who effectually calls is the one who constitutes its source. So in Romans 9:11, Paul is teaching that God s choice of Jacob s descendants over Esau s is in accordance with the Father s immutable predetermined plan and sovereign will. Again in this passage, he continues to support his argument from Romans 9:6 that the rejection of Christ by the majority of Jews did not constitute a failure on God s part since He had not broken any promises to the patriarchs and their descendants. In Romans 9:12, the apostle cites Genesis 25:23, which contains the prophecy that Esau s descendants would be in subjection to Jacob s. Romans 9:12, It was said to her, The older will be in subjection to the younger. Next, we will note Romans 9:13 and in this passage Paul quotes Malachi 1:2-3, which records God s selection of Jacob s descendants to be His covenant people rather than Esau s. Romans 9:11 interrupts the flow of Paul s argument and thus leaves Romans 9:10 syntactically incomplete. The thought begun in Romans 9:10 is continued in Romans 9:12 and completed in Romans 9:13. In Romans 9:13, Paul quotes Malachi 1:2-3, which records the Lord s selection of the descendants of Jacob to be His covenant people and his rejection of Esau s. Romans 9:13, Just as it is written, JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED. Just as is the comparative conjunction kathos (kaqwv$) (kath-oce), which is used with the indicative mood of the verb grapho, it is written. Together, they introduce a comparative clause that indicates a comparison with the prophecy from Genesis 25:23 that is quoted by Paul in Romans 9:12 that Esau s descendants would serve Jacob s descendants. The conjunction kathos, as with the indicative mood of grapho, it is written introduces an Old Testament passage, namely, Malachi 1:2-3, which supports Paul s argument that spiritual Israel is selected based upon God s sovereign grace rather human merit. Malachi 1:1-3, The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi. I have loved you, says the LORD. But you say, How have You loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? declares the LORD. Yet I have loved 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14

15 Jacob; but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness. So to validate his assertion that spiritual Israel is selected by God based upon His sovereign grace rather than human merit, Paul quotes Malachi 1:2-3. The quotation in Romans 9:12 from Genesis 25:23 was made by the Lord to Rebekah in the context of the nations that would descend from her twins. The conjunction kathos, as with the indicative mood of grapho, it is written indicates the quotation in Romans 9:13 from Malachi 1:2-3 is comparable to the quote in Romans 9:12 from Genesis 25:23 in the sense that both are speaking of the national election of the nation of Israel. It is written is the third person singular perfect passive indicative form of the verb grapho (gravfw) (graf-o), which means, to write. The perfect tense of grapho is an intensive perfect emphasizing the results or present state produced by a past action. Therefore, it emphasizes the present permanent and authoritative state of the Old Testament Scriptures that was produced by the past action of the Holy Spirit supernaturally guiding the writer of Malachi 1:23 to record in writing with perfect accuracy. The passive voice indicates that the subject receives the action of the verb. Thus, it indicates that the human authors of Scripture received the inspiration from the Holy Spirit to write in perfect accuracy God s complete and connected thought to man. Therefore, the passive voice indicates that God the Holy Spirit inspired Malachi 1:2-3. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this assertion as an unqualified statement of historical fact and Bible doctrine. Therefore, we will translate the verb grapho, it stands written for all of eternity. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:13: As it stands written for all of eternity Romans 9:13, Just as it is written, JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED. JACOB is the articular accusative masculine singular form of the proper name Iakob ( Iakwvb) (ee-ak-obe), which refers to the descendants of Jacob and not Jacob himself since this quotation from Malachi was made by Lord with reference to the descendants of Esau, the nation of Edom. The articular construction of the word is anaphoric meaning it indicates that its synonym was used in the previous context, which was elatton, the younger that appears in Romans 9:12. The word also functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb agapao, I LOVED, which expresses God s selection of Jacob s descendants to be His covenant people William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15

16 Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:13: As it stands written for all of eternity, Jacob Romans 9:13, Just as it is written, JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED. LOVED is the first person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb agapao (a)gapavw), which refers to God choice s of entering into a covenant relationship with Jacob s descendants rather than Esau s. The verb in the Hebrew translated I have loved is in the perfect tense and therefore, expresses not only God s past relationship with Israel but also His historical and present dealings (in Malachi s day) with these peoples. Both Israel and Edom received judgment from God at the hands of the Babylonians in the sixth century B.C. (Jer. 27:2-8). However, God promised to restore Israel over and over again because of His covenant promises (Deut. 4:29-31; 30:1-10) but He condemned Edom to complete destruction, never to be restored (Jer. 49:7-22; Ezek. 35). In Romans 9:13, Paul quotes Malachi 1:3 to demonstrate that God elected Jacob s descendants, the nation of Israel as His covenant people and He rejected the Edomites as His covenant people who were descendants of Esau. That this passage is speaking of the nations descended from Jacob and Esau and not to them as individuals is clearly indicated by the fact Malachi 1:2-3 is clearly speaking of the nation of Edom rather than Esau the person. Furthermore, Paul quoted Genesis 25:23 in Romans 9:12 and the former was also a reference to the nations that would descend from Jacob and Esau rather than referring to them as individual personalities. Also, this is further indicated in that Paul s statements in Romans 9:7-13 are supporting his major premise in Romans 9:6 that not all Israel is descended from Israel, i.e. Jacob. The first person singular form of the verb refers to the Father. The aorist tense of the verb is a culminative or consummative aorist tense, which is used to emphasize the cessation of an act or state. This type of aorist views an event in its entirety but regarding it from the viewpoint of its existing results. Therefore, the culminative aorist views the election of Jacob s descendants to be His covenant people rather than Esau s but regards it from the standpoint of its existing results, which is that Jacob s descendants are the covenant people of God rather than Esau s. The active voice indicates that the Father is performing the action of electing Jacob s descendants to be His covenant nation. The indicative mood is employed with the conjunction hoti, which is omitted due to Paul s use of the figure of ellipsis, though it is implied. Together, they form a recitative hoti clause in direct discourse that is a specialized form of a direct 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16

17 object clause after verb of perception (grapho, to write ), which contains direct speech. We will translate agapao, I loved. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:13: As it stands written for all of eternity, Jacob I loved Romans 9:13, Just as it is written, JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED. BUT is the adversative use of the conjunction de (dev) (deh), which introduces a statement that presents a contrast with Paul s statement that God the Father selected Jacob s descendants to be His covenant people. He doesn t employ the conjunction alla since he does not want to convey a strong contrast since he wants to emphasize the two alternatives that God had in forming His theocracy, namely, the descendants of Jacob and Esau. We will translate the word, however. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:13: As it stands written for all of eternity, Jacob I loved however Romans 9:13, Just as it is written, JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED. ESAU is the articular accusative masculine singular form of the proper name Esau ( Hsau~) (ay-sow), which refers to Esau s descendants, the Edomites and not Esau himself since this quotation from Malachi was made by Lord with reference to the descendants of Esau, the nation of Edom. The articular construction of the word is anaphoric meaning it indicates that its synonym was used in the previous context, which was meizon, the older that appears in Romans 9:12. The word also functions as, an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb miseo, I HATED, which expresses God s rejection of Esau s descendants to be His covenant people. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:13: As it stands written for all of eternity, Jacob I loved however Esau Romans 9:13, Just as it is written, JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED. I HATED is the first person singular aorist active indicative form of the verb miseo (misevw) (mis-eh-o), which refers to God s rejection of Esau s descendants in being His covenant people. In Romans 9:13, the apostle Paul quotes Malachi 1:2-3, which contains the statement from God, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated, which does not refer to the fact that Esau was elected to the eternal Lake of Fire and Jacob was elected to be saved. But rather it refers to the fact that Esau s descendants were not elected as God s covenant people but rather Jacob s William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17

18 In Romans 9-11, the apostle Paul discusses the future of the nation of Israel and teaches that God has temporarily set aside the nation at this time in history and will restore her in the future because she was elected by Him to be His covenant people. Therefore, when we see the statement Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated we must understand that Paul is not referring to individuals but rather to the nations which descended from Jacob (Israelites) and Esau (Edomites). This statement does not refer to the fact that Esau was not saved and Jacob was since that would imply that God hates sinners and elects some people to be saved and others to eternal condemnation. Such an interpretation would contradict the teaching of Scripture that God s will is for all men to be saved (See 1 Timothy 2:4, 4:10, 2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16-18, 1 John 2:2). As we noted with the verb agapao, the verbs in the Hebrew translated I have loved and I have hated are in the perfect tense and therefore, express not only God s past relationship with Israel and Edom but also His historical and present dealings (in Malachi s day) with these peoples. Both Israel and Edom received judgment from God at the hands of the Babylonians in the sixth century B.C. (Jer. 27:2-8). However, God promised to restore Israel over and over again because of His covenant promises (Deut. 4:29-31; 30:1-10) but He condemned Edom to complete destruction, never to be restored (Jer. 49:7-22; Ezek. 35). In Romans 9:13, Paul quotes Malachi 1:3 to demonstrate that God elected Jacob s descendants, the nation of Israel as His covenant people and He rejected the Edomites as His covenant people who were descendants of Esau. Therefore, the statement Jacob I loved but Esau I hated does not refer to the fact that Esau was not saved and Jacob was since that would imply that God hates sinners and elects some people to be saved and others to eternal condemnation. This would contradict the teaching of Scripture that God s will is for all men to be saved (See 1 Timothy 2:4, 4:10, 2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16-18, 1 John 2:2). As we noted earlier, the quotation in Romans 9:12 from Genesis 25:23 was made by the Lord to Rebekah in the context of the nations that would descend from her twins. The conjunction kathos, as with the indicative mood of grapho, it is written indicates the quotation in Romans 9:13 from Malachi 1:2-3 is comparable to the quote in Romans 9:12 from Genesis 25:23 in the sense that both are speaking of the national election of the nation of Israel. That the quotation in Malachi 1:2-3 is a reference to the national election of Israel and has nothing to do with Jacob and Esau as persons is indicated in that this passage is quoted by Paul in Romans 9:13 as he is discussing the origins and national election of Israel as a nation. In Romans 9:1-5, he expresses his sorrow and grief over the nation of Israel s rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah and 2009 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18

19 then in verse 6, he teaches that this rejection does not imply that God s promises to the nation have been nullified since not all racial Israel is considered by God to be spiritual Israel, i.e. His covenant people. Then, in verses 7-12, he illustrates this premise in verse 6. Secondly, in Malachi 1:1, Malachi says that the oracle in Malachi 1:2-3 is to the nation of Israel. In Malachi 1:2, the Lord says to the nation of Israel, I have loved you and Israel s response is how have You loved us? Therefore, the context clearly indicates that the Lord is addressing the nation of Israel and saying that He loved the nation as demonstrated by His electing them to be His covenant people rather than Esau s descendants, the Edomites and is emphatically not addressing them as individual human beings. The statement Jacob I loved but Esau I hated is not a reference to Jacob and Esau as individuals but rather it is a reference to the nations, which descended from them, namely, the Israelites from Jacob and the Edomites from Esau. Therefore, the statement refers to the national election of Israel as God s covenant people who are descendants of Jacob and the rejection of the Edomites as His covenant people who were descendants of Esau. The rejection of Esau s descendants as His covenant people does not mean that God elected the Edomites and the Gentiles to eternal condemnation and the Israelites to salvation since that would contradict the biblical doctrine of the unlimited atonement, which states that God desires all men to be saved. The election of the nation of Israel, like the choice of Jacob over Esau was non-meritorious meaning that there was nothing that the nation of Israel and Jacob did that secured God choosing them since many times both sinned and failed to obey God. In Romans 9:1, the first person singular form of the verb refers to the Father. The aorist tense of the verb is a culminative or consummative aorist tense, which is used to emphasize the cessation of an act or state. This type of aorist views an event in its entirety but regarding it from the viewpoint of its existing results. Therefore, the culminative aorist views the rejection of Esau s descendants but regards it from the standpoint of its existing results, which is that Esau s descendants are not the covenant people of God. The active voice indicates that the Father is performing the action of rejecting Esau s descendants to be His covenant nation. The indicative mood is employed with the conjunction hoti, which is omitted due to Paul s use of the figure of ellipsis, though it is implied. Together, they form a recitative hoti clause in direct discourse that is a specialized form of a direct object clause after verb of perception (grapho, to write ), which contains direct speech. We will translate miseo, I hated William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 19

20 Corrected translation thus far of Romans 9:13: As it stands written for all of eternity, Jacob I loved however Esau I hated. Some like Douglas Moo contend that Paul in Romans 9:13 is speaking of Jacob and Esau as individuals (The Epistle to the Romans, page 585; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K.). He believes that because Jacob and Esau s conception, birth and works in verses Romans 9:10-11 is not easily applied to nations. However, Moo fails to see that Paul is demonstrating to his readers that Jacob s descendants did not merit God s electing them due to any meritorious actions on the part of their progenitor and neither was Esau s descendants rejected from being God s covenant people because of anything that Esau did or didn t do. Also, he contends that words like election and call and works that are used elsewhere in Romans in relation to eternal salvation are difficult to apply to nations or peoples. Moo also believes that a description here of how God calls nations to participate in the historical manifestation of his salvific acts runs counter to Paul s purpose in this paragraph.in order to justify his assertion in verse 6b that not all those who belong to physical Israel belong also to spiritual Israel, and thus to vindicate God s faithfulness (v. 6a), he must show that the OT justifies a discrimination within physical Israel in terms of the enjoyment of salvation. An assertion in these verses to the effect that God has chosen Israel rather than Edom for a positive role in the unfolding of the plan of salvation would not contribute to this argument at all. (The Epistle to the Romans, page 585; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K.). In response to this, we must remember that in the introduction to Romans chapters nine, Paul is speaking of the Jewish people as corporate unit and sorrows over their rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as such (See Romans 10:1-3). His statements in Romans 9:1-5 preface his comments in Romans 9:6-13 indicating that he is speaking of Jacob and Esau in relation to the nations that descended from them. Also, in Romans 9:12, Paul quotes Genesis 25:23, which clearly states that the Lord was speaking to Rebekah regarding the nations that would descend from her twin boys, yet to be born. In Romans 9:13, Paul quotes Malachi 1:2-3, which is also clearly speaking of Esau s descendants and not Esau as an individual. God s selection of Israel rather than Edom illustrates perfectly that the election of Israel is based upon God s sovereign grace and never based upon human merit. Thus this contributes to Paul s argument that not all biological Israel are spiritual Israel since many in Israel erroneously believed that being a biological descendant of the patriarchs or performing meritorious works constitutes being a member of the covenant people of God William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 20