Comments on Romans 9 v6-24 is a rather complicated discussion on election and lineage, and the whole thing is underlain by issues of foreordination (cf. v. 22-24). Coneybeare and Howson in _The Life and Epistles of St. Paul_ (1968) explain the matter rather succinctly, so I will quote them, with insertions by myself in brackets: The fact that God has adopted Christians as His peculiar people, and rejected the Jews from their exclusive privileges, is in accordance with His former dealings. For not all the descendants of Abraham, but only a selected portion of them, were chosen by God [v. 1-13]. The Jews cannot deny God's right to reject some and select others according to His will, since it is asserted in their own scriptures in the case of Pharaoh. It may be objected that such a view represents God will as the arbitrary cause of man's actions; the answer is, that the created being cannot investigate the causes which may have determined the will of the Creator [v. 14-23]. Also, the Jewish Scriptures speak of the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the disobedient Jews [v. 24-29]. The cause of this rejection of the Jews was, that they persisted in a false idea of righteousness, as consisting in outward works and rites, and refused the true righteousness manifested to them in Christ, who was the end of the Law (10:4). The Jew considers righteousness as the outward obedience to certain enactments (10:5). The Christian considers righteousness as proceeding from the inward faith of the heart. Whoever has this faith, whether Jew or Gentile, shall be admitted into God's favor [v. 30-33]. v17 Paul quotes Exod 9:16 to use God's election of Pharaoh as an example of the Lord electing a Gentile to do His will. In addition to this are Cyrus king of Persia (cf. Isa. 45:1-3), Nebuchadnezzar king of Assyria (cf. Jer. 27:4-7), and Senacherib King of Assyria (cf. Isa. 10:5-6). All of whom are Gentiles called to do the Lord's will in accomplishing the Lord's purposes with Israel, cf. Isa. 45:4. But, Israel is blind to this as the Lord brings nations like Assyria and Babylon against Israel to punish and chasten them per the covenant curses of Lev. 26 and Deut. 28. v18-19 The hardened heart takes advantage of the idea that God interacts with people bringing out what is inside of them and says "Then I am not guilty because it is all God's doing, it is all predestined!" Paul rejects this saying that God is one who interacts with humans, and not one who controls them in v. 20-21. Interacting with someone to encourage a particular type of behavior does not preclude agency. Satan encourages us to do evil and God encourages us to do good, we choose which to follow. v22-23 discusses foreordination as the underlying subject, but the primary intent is to show that God interacts with people as He sees fit. Just as we have our agency, so does He have His agency. Based upon the character of the individual's spirit certain things were foreordained upon the individual. Some people were bad news to start with and the Lord put up with them (v. 22), others were good people and foreordained to receive good things (v. 23). v22 "vessels of wrath", D&C 76:33 classifies "vessels of wrath" as sons of perdition. In Moses 5:24 Cain is "called Perdition; for thou wast also before the world." Moses 4:1 says that "Satan...is the same which was from the beginning". If we cross reference these with Ether 8:15 which says "Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning" and John 8:44 which says "the devil...he was a murderer from the beginning", then we can safely conclude that both Satan and Cain were Perdition from before the world was created. If this is the case then while Satan rebelled against God, Cain must have gone along with God's plan despite being just as rebellious and self-promoting as Satan. However, while he made the right choice in the War in Heaven, Cain was still of that same character when he entered the flesh. And, so, he was still Perdition. Hence the ease with which Satan tempts him and the evil acts shortly thereafter committed. This would also suggest that Sons of Perdition are also foreordained. v28 "cut it short in righteousness", in Romans 9:27-28 Paul is quoting the Septuagint (Greek) version of Isaiah 10:22-23, which is what the translators of the KJV relied on instead of the Masorah (Hebrew): KJV Isa. 10:22-23 22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness 23 For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption even determined, in the midst of all the land. We can compare the KJV with the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) translation, which uses the Masorah, of the the same passage: JPS Isa. 10:22-23 22 Even if your people, O Israel, Should be as the sands of the sea. Only a remnant of it shall return. Destruction is decreed; Retribution comes like a flood! 23 For my Lord God of Hosts is carrying out A decree of destruction upon all the land. The "shall overflow with righteousness" of the KJV is a poor translation, the JPS offers a better translation on the original Isaiah quotation. The phrase "cut short in righteousness" is referring to the judgement the Lord is to meet out upon the wicked. He will "cut short", or "destroy" the wicked, in His righteousness. Similar use of the phrase appears in D&C 52:11 and D&C 84:97 where plagues are poured out as a scourge upon the wicked. Aside from the original quoted Isaiah source, the KJV rendering of Romans 9:28 is based upon the Textus Recepticus, which has text in it that not well-attested to in other Greek manuscripts. KJV Rom. 9:27-28 27 Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. 28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. Most, if not all, modern translations use the Wescott and Hort text and produce a reading similar to the NAS, which follows: NAS Rom. 9:27-28 27 Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sands of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; 28 For the Lord will execute His word upon the earth, thoroughly and quickly. The NAS is the more literally accurate and is based upon the best attested to Greek manuscripts available. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. 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