God's Sovereignty is not Unjust
Rom. 9:14-18
God's sovereignty is not unjust because God has the sovereign authority to show compassion and to withhold it.
#sovereignty
#election
#sovereign
Published September 15th, 2022; Updated September 28th, 2022
Arc Rom.9:14-18
Diagram Rom.9:14-18
Main Point
Commentary Rom. 9:14-18
Arc Rom.9:14-18
editing
NT
Romans 9:14-18
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esv
Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν;
What shall we say then?
μὴ ἀδικία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ;
w Is there injustice on God’s part?
questionanswer
μὴ γένοιτο.
By no means!
τῷ Μωϋσεῖ γὰρ λέγει•
For he says to Moses,
ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ καὶ
x “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
οἰκτιρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτίρω.
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
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ideaexplanation
ἄρα οὖν οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος
So then it depends not on human will or exertion, 1
ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεῶντος θεοῦ.
but on God, who has mercy.
negativepositive
inference
λέγει γὰρ ἡ γραφὴ τῷ Φαραὼ ὅτι εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε-
For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, y “For this very purpose I have raised you up,
ὅπως ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου
that I might show my power in you,
καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὂνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ.
and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
actionpurpose
ἄρα οὖν ὃν θέλει ἐλεεῖ,
So then he has mercy on whomever he wills,
ὃν δὲ θέλει σκληρύνει.
and he hardens whomever he wills.
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Diagram Rom.9:14-18
scripturetext
components
Romans 9:14-18
sbl
subjectverb
solid
drop
equal
revrocket
line
pred
ἐροῦμεν
directobject
Τί
equals
μὴ
predicate
ἀδικία
prepphrase
pstack
cword
παρὰ
τῷ
θεῷ
vsnum
Romans 9:14
γένοιτο
μὴ
λέγει
indirectobj
τῷ
Μωϋσεῖ
shelf
vertical
rocketship
οἰκτιρήσω
ὃν
obtuse
οἰκτίρω
ἂν
Ἐλεήσω
ὃν
ἐλεῶ
ἂν
καὶ
Romans 9:15
Romans 9:16
οὐ
participle
θεοῦ
τοῦ
θέλοντος
τοῦ
τρέχοντος
οὐδὲ
table
τοῦ
ἐλεῶντος
ἀλλὰ
ἄρα
οὖν
γὰρ
γὰρ
Romans 9:17
ἡ
γραφὴ
λέγει
τῷ
Φαραὼ
ἐξήγειρά
σε
Εἰς
τοῦτο
αὐτὸ
ἐνδείξωμαι
τὴν
δύναμίν
μου
ἐν
σοὶ
διαγγελῇ
τὸ
ὄνομά
μου
ἐν
τῇ
γῇ
πάσῃ
ὅπως
καὶ
ὅπως
ὅτι
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smartline
dashed
free
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ttext
Romans 9:18
ἄρα
οὖν
ἐλεεῖ
ὃν
θέλει
σκληρύνει
ὃν
θέλει
δὲ
diagram
notes
Main Point
Paul Argues The fact that God's purpose as revealed in election depends entirely on God away from human effort does not render God unjust because Scripture teaches that God has the sovereign authority to show compassion and to withhold it.
Commentary Rom. 9:14-18
in verses 14 to 18 Paul asks a hypothetical question that anybody who has read verses 1–13 will be inclined to ask: "Is God unjust?" That is, why will he arbitrarily favor Jacob and detest Esau without regard to Esau's or Jacob's own righteousness? Why does God choose to save some people (the elect) but not others? In response, Paul argues that God, in his sovereignty, reserves the right to extend compassion to anyone he wills and to harden whomever he wills. When one deliberates over these concerns, he can be tempted to assume that God is unjust or unfair. But Paul according to Paul He (God) is not unjust.
Comments
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.