Paul’s Heartbroken Love for Israel
Romans 9:1–5 (NLT)
1 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. 2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief 3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. 4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. 5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
Message
Paul declares that what he is about to say is utterly truthful and confirmed by his conscience and the Holy Spirit (1). See verse 2–3.
2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief 3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.
Paul’s sorrow and grief for his people, his Jewish brothers and sisters, are due to their unbelief and rejection of Christ. They are supposedly physically more qualified for salvation as descendants of Abraham (4-5). He even would give up his salvation if that could save his people (3). This shows how much he loves them.
Physically and historically, they are the people of Israel who were chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed His glory to them. God made covenants with them and gave them His law. God gave them the privilege of worshiping Him and receiving His wonderful promises. (4)
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors. Christ Himself was an Israelite as far as His human nature is concerned. He is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. (5)
