Tuesday 18 February 2014

Background

Here, Paul begins a new section of his letter to the Romans,where he wrestles with the theological and pastoral difficultiesarising from the unwillingness of many Jews to believe that Jesuswas the Messiah. For many years, this part of the letter (chapters9-11) was disregarded and seen as an irrelevant diversion, with thethrust of the letter understood to resume at chapter 12. Newresearch in the late 1970s enabled scholars to understand Paul inhis Jewish context much better, and now some would say that thesechapters are central to the whole letter, the practical applicationof the theological position set out in the first eightchapters.

After the high-octane celebration of God's unfailing love inChrist (Romans 8:31-39), Paul's lament comes back downto earth with a bump. He could not express his grief and concernmore strongly. Even though he has just said that nothing can divideus from God's love in Christ (Romans8:39), he says he would be ready to be cut off from Christ ifthat would save his people. Paul did not think of himself asbelonging to a different faith - the partings of the ways wouldcome later in Jewish/Christian relations. He was a Jew, whobelieved that God had sent the Messiah in Jesus and therebyfulfilled the promises of Judaism. Yet he found himself strugglingagainst the very people who were his brothers and sisters infaith.

His first argument points to the way God chose some and notothers as bearers of the promise of salvation. Isaac, the promisedchild, was chosen and not Ishmael (verse 7; Genesis 17:20-21), Jacob and not Esau (verse10; Genesis 27:27-29). Paul develops this secondexample, citing Malachi 1:2-3 and explaining that this decisionis simply God's choice, made before the babies were born andtherefore not dependent on their actions for good or bad (verse11). God is the one who calls, and we cannot know the basis forthese choices. Paul knew this from his own experience (eg Galatians 2:15). God called him despite hisharsh persecution of the Christians as a zealous Jew - why had Godchosen him and set him apart in this way, disregarding others?

God's actions are beyond our understanding. We have to trustthat where God calls, the calling is based on God's wisdom andlove.

To Ponder

• Have you ever found yourself wondering why God has calledsomeone - yourself, perhaps - to a particular task? To what extentdoes Paul's explanation here help you make sense of God'sunexpected choices?

• The promises of God play a big part in these verses. How farare you aware of the impact God's promises have on your life?