Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 9:23
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
23. and that he might ] Some such clause as “so acted,” or better, “so had patience,” must be mentally supplied. The idea of the patience of God seems to attach here to both parts of the statement: so far from acting in haste, He bore both with the persistent rebellion of the lost, and with the once equal rebellion, and then frequent failures, of the saved.
the riches of his glory ] Same word as Eph 1:18; Eph 3:16; Col 1:27; (in the last two places, however, the reference is different from that here). For comment, see Rom 8:18. The “glory” of God here is the bliss and exaltation in eternity which He will give to His saints. In that better life His endless “riches” of blessing will be evermore “made known” among the glorified, by being evermore conferred on them. For similar phrases, see Rom 2:4, Rom 11:33; Eph 1:7; Eph 2:7; Eph 3:8; Php 4:19.
on ] See on Rom 8:18, last note.
afore prepared ] By the Divine process traced Rom 8:29-30. See also note above, Rom 9:22, on “fitted.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. And that he might make known] God endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath:
1. To show his wrath, and to make his power known. And also,
2. That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy.
Which he had afore prepared unto glory] The Jews were fitted for destruction long before; but the fittest time to destroy them was after he had prepared the believing Gentiles unto glory. For the rod of the Messiah’s strength was to be sent out of Zion, Ps 110:2. The Jewish nation was to supply the first preachers of the Gospel, and from Jerusalem their sound was to go forth into all the earth. Therefore the Jewish state, notwithstanding its corruptions, was to be preserved till the Messiah came, and even till the Gospel preached by the apostles had taken deep root in the Gentile world. Another thing which rendered the time when the Jewish polity was overthrown the most proper, was this, because then the immediate occasion of it was the extensiveness of the Divine grace. They would not have the Gentiles admitted into the Church of God; but contradicted, and blasphemed, and rejected the Lord that bought them: thus, then, the extensiveness of the Divine grace occasioned their infidelity, Ro 9:33; Ro 10:3; Ro 11:11; Ro 11:12; Ro 11:15; Ro 11:28; Ro 11:30. Thus the Jews were diminished by that abundance of grace which has enriched the Gentiles. And so the grace of God was illustrated; or, so God made known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy-the apostles and primitive believers among the Jews, and the Gentile world, which received the Gospel by the preaching of the apostles and their successors.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
q.d. Again, on the other side, what hast thou to say, if he proceed more mercifully with others? Seeing:
1. He thereby manifesteth the riches of his glory, or his glorious grace; and seeing:
2. They are vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory; i.e. he had done it by election from eternity, and by regeneration and sanctification of the Spirit in time. He speaks here of two sorts of vessels, some of wrath, and some of mercy, as he had before spoken of vessels of honour, and of dishonour. Concerning the latter, he speaks passively, that they are fitted to destruction: see Rom 9:22. Concerning the former, he speaks actively, that God hath prepared them unto glory.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. And that he might make known theriches of his glory on the vessels of mercythat “gloriousexuberance of Divine mercy” which “was manifested inchoosing and eternally arranging for the salvation of sinners.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And that he might make known the riches of his glory,…. That is, his glorious riches, the perfections of his nature, his love, grace, and mercy, his wisdom, power, faithfulness, justice, and holiness; all which are most evidently displayed in the salvation of his people, here called
vessels of mercy, which he hath afore prepared unto glory. They are said to be vessels, and so considered as creatures, made and brought into being; “vessels of mercy”, and so fallen creatures, and by sin become miserable, for only such are objects of mercy: they are not called so, because deserving of mercy more than others, they are in no wise better than others, and are by nature children of wrath, even as others; but because God of his infinite goodness fills them with his mercy, displays it in them, in the redemption of them by his Son, in the regeneration of them by his Spirit, and in their eternal salvation: and these are by him “afore prepared unto glory”; to everlasting happiness, which he has chosen them to before time, and calls them to in time; to this glory he does not take them, until he has prepared them for it; which act of preparation does not regard the eternal predestination of them to eternal life, but an act of his grace towards them in time; and which lies in putting upon them the righteousness of his Son, and in putting his grace in them; or in other words, in justifying them by the imputation and application of the righteousness of his Son unto them, and by the regeneration, renovation, and sanctification of their hearts, by his Spirit. Now what if God willing to make known his glorious perfections, by displaying his mercy to such sinners, and by preparing them for heaven in a way consistent with his holiness and justice, what can any man that has the exercise of his reason object to this? The whole of his conduct is free from blame and censure; the vessels of wrath he shows his wrath upon, are such as fit themselves for destruction, and whom he endures with much longsuffering and patience, and therefore he cannot be chargeable with cruelty; the vessels of mercy he brings to glory, none of them are taken thither, until they are prepared for it, in a way of righteousness and holiness, and therefore he cannot be charged with acting contrary to the perfections of his nature.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Vessels of mercy ( ). Objective genitive like .
Afore prepared (). First aorist active indicative of , old verb to make ready (from , ready) and , before, in N.T. only here and Eph 2:10. But same idea in Ro 8:28-30.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
And that He might make known. The connection is variously explained. Some make and that dependent on He endured : “If, willing to show His wrath…. God endured… and also that.” Others make that dependent on fitted : “Vessels fitted to destruction and also that He might make known,” etc. Godet supplies He called from ver 24 “And called that He might make known,” etc. The difficulty is resolved by the omission of kai and. So Westcott and Hort, on the single authority of B. See Rev., in margin.
His glory. See on ch. Rom 3:23. Godet thinks the phrase was suggested by Moses ‘ request, “Show me thy glory,” Exo 33:18.
Afore prepared [] . Only here and Eph 2:10. The studied difference in the use of this term instead of katartizw to fit (ver. 22), cannot be overlooked. The verb is not equivalent to foreordained [] . Fitted, by the adjustment of parts, emphasizes the concurrence of all the elements of the case to the final result. Prepared is more general. In the former case the result is indicated; in the latter, the previousness. Note before prepared, while before is wanting in ver. 22. In this passage the direct agency of God is distinctly stated; in the other the agency is left indefinite. Here a single act is indicated; there a process. The simple verb eJtoimazw often indicates, as Meyer remarks, to constitute qualitatively; i e., to arrange with reference to the reciprocal quality of the thing prepared, and that for which it is prepared. See Luk 1:17; Joh 14:2; 1Co 2:9; 2Ti 2:21. “Ah, truly,” says Reuss, “if the last word of the christian revelation is contained in the image of the potter and the clay, it is a bitter derision of all the deep needs and legitimate desires of a soul aspiring toward its God. This would be at once a satire of reason upon herself and the suicide of revelation. But it is neither the last word nor the only word; nor has it any immediate observable bearing on the concrete development of our lives. It is not the only word, because, in nine – tenths of Scripture, it is as wholly excluded from the sphere of revelation as though it had been never revealed at all; and it is not the last word, because, throughout the whole of Scripture, and nowhere more than in the writings of the very apostle who has faced this problem with the most heroic inflexibility, we see bright glimpses of something beyond. How little we were intended to draw logical conclusions from the metaphor, is shown by the fact that we are living souls, not dead clay; and St. Paul elsewhere recognized a power, both within and without our beings, by which, as by an omnipotent alchemy, mean vessels can become precious, and vessels of earthenware be transmuted into vessels of gold” (Farrar). See note at end of ch. 11.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And that he might make known,” (kai hina gnorise) “and in order that he might make known,” for the purpose of making known, revealing in men now and at the coming of Jesus Christ, that he might disclose in the redeemed by their light (influence) and testimony, Mat 5:15-16; Act 1:8; Joh 15:13-15.
2) “The riches of his glory,” (ton plouton tes dokses autou) “the plutocracy (excelling riches) of his glory”; the abounding state and experience of bliss and exaltation of the redeemed in eternity, Rom 2:4; Eph 1:7; Eph 1:18; Eph 2:7; Eph 3:8; Col 1:27.
3) “On the vessels of mercy”, (epi skeue eleous) upon vessels of mercy”, those who have accepted his mercy-sacrifice, as the publicans did, Luk 18:9-14. The term “vessels of mercy,” means those who have come to and received his mercy, Isa 55:6-7; men who have sought, willed to have, asked for his mercy believed in Jesus Christ, Tit 3:5.
4) “Which he had afore prepared unto glory,” (ha proetoimasen eis doksan) “which he previously prepared unto glory;- the “previous preparation” means previous to disclosing the riches of his glory, both in providing and offering redemption and help in life, and at the appearing of Jesus Christ, 1Pe 1:18-19; Heb 13:5. God’s preparing men to glory includes his calling, convicting, forbearing, converting, and perfecting to resurrection glory, Tit 3:3-7; 1Pe 1:2-4; Rom 8:29-30; Eph 2:8-10; Php_1:6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
23. That he might also make known the riches of his glory, etc. I doubt not but the two particles καὶ ἵνα, is an instance of a construction, where the first word is put last; ( ὕστερον πρότερον) and that this clause may better unite with the former, I have rendered it, That he might also make known, etc. ( Ut notas quoque faceret , etc.) It is the second reason which manifests the glory of God in the destruction of the reprobate, because the greatness of divine mercy towards the elect is hereby more clearly made known; for how do they differ from them except that they are delivered by the Lord from the same gulf of destruction? and this by no merit of their own, but through his gratuitous kindness. It cannot then be but that the infinite mercy of God towards the elect must appear increasingly worthy of praise, when we see how miserable are all they who escape not his wrath.
The word glory, which is here twice mentioned, I consider to have been used for God’s mercy, a metonymy of effect for the cause; for his chief praise or glory is in acts of kindness. So in Eph 1:13, after having taught us, that we have been adopted to the praise of the glory of his grace, he adds, that we are sealed by the Spirit of promise unto the praise of his glory, the word grace being left out. He wished then to show, that the elect are instruments or vessels through whom God exercises his mercy, that through them he may glorify his name.
Though in the second clause he asserts more expressly that it is God who prepares the elect for glory, as he had simply said before that the reprobate are vessels prepared for destruction; there is yet no doubt but that the preparation of both is connected with the secret counsel of God. Paul might have otherwise said, that the reprobate give up or cast themselves into destruction; but he intimates here, that before they are born they are destined to their lot.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
23. Make known Reveal in living instances.
Riches A beautiful term. These obedient vessels of mercy are filled up and laden with the very affluence of glory.
He had afore God had prepared them by glory for future glory beforehand. By the us of the next verse the apostle will show who these obedient vessels are, and so imply who the disobedient are.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand to glory, even us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?’
Having purposed that certain vessels would be made in such a way that they were fitted for destruction, God also purposed to make known the riches of His glory on vessels which were prepared with mercy in mind, vessels which He prepared beforehand for glory (like ‘honourable vessels’ such as ornamental vases). That these vessels are Christians is indicated by the word ‘us’ and confirmed by the references to the glory awaiting Christians in Rom 8:17-18; Rom 8:21; Rom 8:30. These Christians are then defined as those who are called, not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles. They are the called ones of God and come out from both Jews and Gentiles. Thus behind his whole argument is not simply that only the elect of Israel will be saved, but that the elect also includes believing Gentiles
All this, of course, indicates that the vessels fitted for ‘destruction’, (a word which in Paul always refers to ‘eternal destruction’), are the remainder of the Jews and the Gentiles, the unbelieving ones who have not been ‘called’ (in Romans ‘called’, when God is in mind, is a salvation word, Rom 1:6-7; Rom 8:28; Rom 8:30; Rom 9:7; Rom 9:11; Rom 11:29). That salvation and judgment are concerned can hardly be doubted, confirming that both some Jews (the spiritual Israel of Rom 9:6) and Gentiles will be saved (those called out), and that the remainder of both Jews (the physical Israel excluding the spiritual Israel) and Gentiles will be lost. Thus Paul’s arguments all the way through have had this in mind.
This is the first reference to Gentiles in the chapter, for the purpose of the chapter up to this point has been in order to bring out that only a proportion of Israel were God’s elect, and thus chosen to be saved, the Israel within Israel’ of Rom 9:6. But all along he has had the intention of introducing Gentiles in order to demonstrate that God’s elect include Gentiles. Paul thus now emphasises that God’s call reaches out, not only to the Jews but to Gentiles.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rom 9:23. And that he might make known Mr. Locke thinks the sense of the place requires, that the and should be left out, as it is in some manuscripts: but the and seems essential to the text, and to the Apostle’s meaning; as it connects the second reason, why God delayed the destruction of the Jewish nation, with the first reason given, Rom 9:22 thus;God endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath, first, to shew his wrath, and to make his power known; and also, 2nd, that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy. It is added, which he had before prepared unto glory. See Colossians 1 and particularly Rom 9:27. The Jews were fitted for destruction long before; but the fittest time to destroythem was, after he had prepared many of the faithful among the Gentiles unto glory. For the rod of the Messiah’s strength was to be sent out of Sion, Psa 110:2. The Jewish nation was to supply the first preachers of the Gospel; and from Jerusalem their sound was to go forth into all the earth. Therefore the Jewish state, under all its corruptions, was to be preserved till the Messiah came, and, even till the Gospel, propagated by the Apostles, had taken deep root in the Gentile world. Another thing which rendered the time when the Jewish polity was overthrown the most proper, was this; because then the immediate occasion of it was the extensiveness of the divine grace. The extensive-ness of God’s grace occasioned that infidelity of the Jews, which filled up the measure of their iniquity; Rom 9:33 ch. Rom 11:11-12; Rom 11:15; Rom 11:28; Rom 11:30. Thus they were diminished by that abundance which has enriched us; and so the grace of God was illustrated; or so God made known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy. See Locke.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Ver. 23. And that he might ] He rejected some, that his mercy might the more appear in the election of others.
The riches of his glory ] That is, of his mercy wherein he principally glorieth, and for the which he is most of all glorified.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rom 9:23 f. The sentence beginning with is not grammatically completed, but Rom 9:23 is an irregular parallel to Rom 9:22 . God’s purpose is regarded as twofold. It is on the one hand to show His wrath and make known His power; it is on the other hand to make known the riches of His glory ( cf. Eph 3:16 ). The first part of it is carried out on those who are , the latter on those who are ; but, in carrying out both parts alike, God acts in a way which is so far from giving man room to complain that it commands his wonder and adoration; for the there is much long-suffering, for the a preparation and a calling in which God’s free unmerited mercy is conspicuous. : This is mentioned as a principal purpose of God. : the glory is conceived as something shed upon the persons concerned; they are irradiated with the Divine brightness. Cf. 2Th 1:10 . in such connections has usually a super-sensible eschatological meaning; its content was fixed for Paul by his vision of Christ as Lord of Glory. The end of God’s ways with the vessels of mercy is to conform them to the image of His exalted Son. : Paul does not shrink from introducing God as subject here. The vessels of mercy, in whom the Divine glory is to be revealed, are such as God prepared before for that destiny. That Paul is not speaking here abstractly, as in his discussion of the relations of creature and Creator in Rom 9:21 f., but on the basis of experience, is shown by the words which immediately follow: = whom he also called in us . The , in other words, are not a mere theological conception = “God’s elect”: they are the actual members of the Christian Church, Jew and Gentile; and it is not a deduction from the necessities of the Divine nature, but an account of real experiences of God’s goodness, which is given both in and in . How much is covered by is not clear, but the text presents no ground whatever for importing into it the idea of an unconditional eternal decree. Those who are called know that the antecedents of their calling, the processes which lead up to and prepare for it, are of God. They know that in all these processes, even in the remote initial stages of them, to the significance of which they were blind at the time, glory was in view. The fact that both Jews and Gentiles are called shows that this preparation is not limited to any one nation; the fact that the called are from among both Jews and Gentiles shows that no one can claim God’s mercy as a right in virtue of his birth in some particular race.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
riches. See Rom 2:4.
afore prepared. Greek. proetoimazo. Only here and Eph 2:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rom 9:23. , that) Denotes more distinctly the end and aim, without excluding means.-, might make known) This verb is applied to things not formerly known; it is therefore put both here and in the preceding verse, but , to show, is only used in verse 22 concerning wrath; of which even the Gentiles have some knowledge.-, upon) The sentence is thus quite consistent. But if God that He might make known the riches of His glory, supply, did this, or, in other words, made known the riches [of His glory] on the vessels of mercy; respecting the apodosis, see the beginning of the note, Rom 9:22.- ) of His glory: of His goodness, grace, mercy, wisdom, omnipotence, Eph 1:6.-) of mercy, Rom 9:15-16; Rom 9:18; Rom 9:25, which presupposes the former misery of those, styled vessels.-, previously prepared) antecedently to works, Rom 9:11, by the arrangement of all the external and internal circumstances, which he, who is called, finds tending to his salvation, at the first moment of his call. This is implied by the preposition in . So a vessel unto honour, prepared, 2Ti 2:21.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 9:23
Rom 9:23
and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory,-Is it strange that he, while rejecting these vessels of wrath, should show the riches of his glory to the vessels fitted to receive his mercy? He had prepared them for glory when, in consequence of their obedience to the gospel, he forgave their sins.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
might: Rom 2:4, Rom 5:20, Rom 5:21, Eph 1:6-8, Eph 1:18, Eph 2:4, Eph 2:7, Eph 2:10, Eph 3:8, Eph 3:16, Col 1:27, 2Th 1:10-12
he had afore: 1Ch 29:18, Luk 1:17, Eph 2:3-5, Col 1:12, 1Th 5:9, 2Th 2:13, 2Th 2:14, 2Ti 2:21, Tit 3:3-7, 1Pe 1:2-5
Reciprocal: Exo 14:4 – I will be Exo 33:19 – I will be Exo 34:7 – that will by no means clear the guilty Jos 11:20 – it was 1Ki 6:7 – built of stone Ezr 1:11 – the vessels Est 1:4 – the riches Psa 31:16 – save Psa 86:2 – holy Psa 101:1 – I will sing Ecc 3:18 – that God Isa 22:24 – vessels of small Isa 43:7 – for my Zec 14:16 – that every Mat 25:41 – prepared Joh 10:16 – other Act 11:17 – as God Rom 2:7 – glory Rom 2:10 – glory Rom 4:9 – Cometh Rom 8:28 – the called Rom 8:30 – Moreover Rom 9:21 – one vessel Rom 10:12 – rich Rom 11:2 – which he foreknew Rom 11:7 – but the election Rom 11:12 – the world Rom 11:22 – therefore Rom 11:33 – riches Rom 12:1 – by the Rom 15:8 – truth Eph 1:4 – as Eph 1:7 – to Phi 3:14 – the high Phi 4:19 – according 1Th 2:12 – who 2Th 1:11 – calling 1Ti 6:12 – whereunto 2Ti 2:10 – with Heb 2:10 – glory
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rom 9:23. And that, or, also that, in order that the omission of and by some authorities was probably due to an effort to relieve the difficult construction. The simplest view is to translate also that, and connect the verse with endured. Besides His great long-suffering toward the vessels of wrath, He had another purpose in the endurance, one with reference to vessels of mercy. To this it is objected that it makes the purpose in reference to the vessels of mercy secondary, but in our view the long-suffering suggests the thought of the revelation of Gods glory, which is fully carried out here. Alford supplies what if this took place, others repeat willing, which is inadmissible if although willing is the correct explanation in Rom 9:22. To join this verse with fitted for destruction gives an unwarranted sense. Some would supply if, taking this verse as the purpose of the calling mentioned in Rom 9:24; but this only increases the grammatical difficulties.
The riches of his glory. This phrase, which Godet thinks was suggested by the request of Moses (comp. Rom 9:15): Shew me thy glory (Exo 33:18), refers to the fulness of the divine glory, in its beneficence, in its bestowal of blessing; riches of goodness, grace, mercy, wisdom, omnipotence (Bengel). This making known is something which occurs throughout the gospel dispensation, as Rom 9:24 indicates.
On vessels of mercy. This may be joined with make known, or, with riches; the former being preferable. The vessels are the object of divine mercy in every age, but especially in the gospel dispensation.
which he before prepared. The verb does not mean predestined, nor is it to be explained as prepared by providence and grace, since the latter involves a process, while the tense here used points to a single act, which takes place before these providential and gracious dealings, probably referring to the actual constitution of the individual, as clay in the hands of the potter, the result of election, yet distinct from it.
For glory. The end of the preparation is the possession of the full and eternal glory of the kingdom of heaven. Alford remarks, that the theological difficulties here are inherent, not in the Apostles argument, nor even in revelation, but in any consistent belief of an omnipotent and omniscient God. Yet, the variations between the description of the two classes are so marked, as to show that the Apostle distinguishes between Gods agency in the salvation of the one class and in regard to the destruction of the other. Two different words are chosen to express the preparation; in this verse we have before, which is wanting in Rom 9:22; here He is mentioned as preparing the objects of mercy, there the indefinite passive is used; here a single act (in eternity) is spoken of, there a process, the former referring to the beginning of a development, the latter to its result. These differences cannot be accidental.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 23. Here God is presented to us as the potter, laboring to form the vessels of honor.
How are we to construe the proposition: And that He might make known? The most forced construction is that of Ewald, Hofmann, and Schott, who find here the principal clause on which depends the subordinate: Now, if God, willing…ver. 22. The sense would in that case be: Now, if God, willing to show…, endured…, He also () acted that (). Such an ellipsis seems inadmissible.
Calvin, Grotius, Meyer, Lange leave nothing to be understood, but make the , and that, directly dependent on the: He endured, in the preceding sentence: If, willing to show His wrath…, God endured…, and also that…Here on this view would be a second aim in God’s long-suffering, added by Paul as subsidiary to the first. The principal proposition on which the if depends would remain understood, as we said in the outset; it would be: What can be said? Canst thou find fault? The meaning is nearly the same as in the previous construction; only the grammatical form is a little more flowing. But it is difficult to believe that God’s dealing with the vessels of honor should be given as a mere appendix, supplementary to His dealing with the vessels of wrath. The two things ought at least to be put on an equal footing, as in Rom 9:21.
Beza, Rckert, and Beyschlag make the that dependent on , fitted to: Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and also that ( ) God might make known the riches of His grace. But how make the idea of the manifestation of grace, which is one of the two fundamental ideas of the whole passage, dependent on an expression so subordinate as this participle?
There remains only one possible construction, that of some ancients, and of Philippi, Reuss, and others, that is, to understand here the , if, of Rom 9:22, and to make Rom 9:23 a proposition parallel to the preceding: If willing…God endured…and [if] that…But where, in this case, is the verb dependent on this second if and parallel to He endured? Either there must be held to be a new ellipsis to be added to that of the principal verb,which is very clumsyor this verb must be found in the , He called, of Rom 9:24. Undoubtedly the relative pronoun , whom, whom He called, seems to be opposed to this solution. But we have already seenand it is a turn of expression not unusual in Greekthat Paul sometimes connects with a dependent proposition a member of the sentence which properly belonged to the principal proposition; comp. Rom 3:8, and especially Gal 2:4-5 : to whom we did not give place, for: we gave not place to them. It is precisely for this reason, no doubt, that he here adds to the relative , whom, the pronoun , us, this apposition being, as it were, the last remnant of the regular construction which had been abandoned. And why this incorrectness? Is it a piece of negligence? By no means. By this relative , whom, as well as by the , also, added to the verb He called, Rom 9:24, the apostle means to bring out the close bond which connects with one another the two acts of preparing beforehand, Rom 9:23, and calling, Rom 9:24; comp. Rom 8:30, where the same relation of ideas is expressed under the same form: Whom He did predestinate, them He also called. Our translation has rendered (Rom 9:24) this turn of the original as exactly as our language permits.
By the words: to make known the riches of His glory, Paul alludes to the example of Moses, Rom 9:15, who had asked God to show him His glory, exactly as by the expression of Rom 9:22 he had reminded his readers of those relative to Pharaoh. These riches of glory are the manifestation of His mercy which heaps glory on the vessels of honor, as the manifestation of wrath brings down perdition on the vessels that are worthless. Glory is here particularly the splendor of divine love.
Vessels of mercy: Vessels that are to be filled with salvation by mercy.
Which He prepared beforehand, . This expression means more than the ready or fitted for of the previous verse; it was God Himself who had beforehand prepared everything to make those beings the objects of His grace. This saying is explained by the analogous expressions Rom 8:29-30; comp. the , beforehand, which enters into the composition of the verb, as into that of the two verbs Rom 8:29; then the relation of the verbs prepared beforehand and call, which is the same as that between the verbs predestinate and call, Rom 9:30; and, finally, the , also, before , called, which reproduces that of Rom 8:30. Jesus expresses an idea analogous to this, Mat 25:34 : Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; with this difference, that in this saying it is the kingdom which is prepared in advance for believers, whereas here it is believers who are so for the kingdom. In this term: prepared beforehand, there are contained the two ideas of foreknowledge (prevision of faith) and predestination (destination to glory), expounded Rom 8:29. Let us further remark these four striking differences between this expression and the corresponding term of the preceding verse (): 1. The preposition , beforehand, is wanting in the participle of Rom 9:22. 2. There the passive form, instead of the active used here. 3. Here the aorist, referring to the eternal act, as in Rom 8:29, instead of the perfect (Rom 9:22), which denoted the present fact. 4. Here the verb , to prepare, which indicates the beginning of the development, instead of that of Rom 9:21, which indicated its result. These four differences are not accidental, and leave no doubt as to the apostle’s view.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
and [A copula of thoughts, rather than of clauses: God spared the wicked because of longsuffering mercy to them, and because they could be used to aid him in making known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy. Without attempting to show that God’s patience with the godless aids him to win the godly, we will let it suffice to say that God spares the wicked for the sake of the righteous, lest the hasty uprooting of the former might jeopardize the safety of the latter– Mat 13:28-30] that [he showed longsuffering to the wicked, in order that] he might make known the riches of his glory [God’s glory is his holiness, his perfection; “riches,” as Bengel observes, “of goodness, grace, mercy, wisdom, omnipotence”] upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory [It is much disputed whether the “glory” here mentioned is the temporal honor of being a church militant, a covenant people, a temple of the Spirit (Eph 2:22), a new dispensation of grace supplanting that of the law (glories won by the Gentiles, and lost by the Jews), or whether it refers to the glory of the land celestial, and the bliss of heaven. The context favors the latter view, for “glory” is the antithesis of “destruction” in the parallel clause, and destruction can refer to nothing temporal. By comparing the two parallel clauses, Gifford deduces the following: “We see (1) that St. Paul is here speaking, not of election or predestination, but of an actual preparation and purgation undergone by vessels of mercy to fit them for glory, before God ‘makes known the riches of his glory upon them.’ Compare 2Ti 2:20-21; a passage which evidently looks back on this. (2) We observe that this preparation, unlike that by which ‘vessels of wrath’ are ‘fitted for destruction,’ is ascribed directly and exclusively to God as its author, being wholly brought about by his providence and prevenient grace. The idea of fitness, akin to that of desert, is ascribed only to the vessels of wrath. The vessels of mercy God has made ready for glory, but there is no idea of merit involved”],
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
23. In order that he may make known the riches of his glory unto the vessels of mercy, which he before prepared unto glory. Glory here means the glorification of spirit, soul and body, which awaits all the saints at the end of this life, spirit and mind being glorified simultaneously with the evacuation of the body, the latter receiving glorification in the resurrection, unless, fortunately, we should be honored with the translation, going up in the rapture to meet the Lord in the air, in which case, soul and mind and body will all he glorified at the same time. Hence our entire probationary life here is in the hands of the blessed Potter, who is constantly bringing into availability His Omnipotent grace and merciful Providence to prepare us for glorification in the end, thus perfecting us vessels of honor.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
9:23 And that he might make known the {z} riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
(z) The unmeasurable and marvellous greatness.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Those who believe the gospel are those in whom God will display the riches of His glory, not His wrath.
"Paul teaches that God has brought upon certain people whom he chooses on the basis of nothing but his own will a condition of spiritual stupor, a condition that leads to eternal condemnation." [Note: Moo, p. 609.]
These vessels include both Jews and Gentiles (cf. Rom 1:16; Rom 2:10-11; Rom 3:22).
"Men fit themselves for hell; but it is God that fits men for heaven." [Note: Griffith Thomas, St. Paul’s Epistle . . ., p. 261.]