Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 9:22

"What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction:" — Romans 9:22 (ASV)

As he continues the review of God’s sovereign activity, Paul presents another problem. If God acts unilaterally, according to his own will and purpose, does this not remove all basis for judgment, since no one can resist the divine will? Why, then, should a person be blamed? In reply, Paul first points out the inappropriateness of creatures talking back to God (v.20), as though they had sufficient wisdom to judge the Almighty. The illustration of the potter and the clay (v.21) shows how ridiculous this is (cf. also Isa 29:16; Jeremiah 18:6). The apostle insists on the right of the potter to make whatever type of vessel he chooses. Those made for “noble purposes” are valuable for their beauty and decorative function, while those made for “common use” are not admired, though they are actually more essential to the household than the other ones.

Pharaoh was useful in fulfilling God’s purpose. Apart from this, he would not even have appeared on the pages of sacred history.

In v.22 the crucial problem is the correct interpretation of “prepared for destruction.” Is Paul teaching a double predestination—i.e., that God chooses some people to experience his mercy and others to experience his wrath? This is improbable, because he avoids involving God in this case, whereas God is involved in showing mercy to the objects of his mercy (v.23). Furthermore, God’s patience in bearing with the objects of his wrath suggests a readiness to receive such people on condition of repentance (cf. 2:3–4; 2 Peter 3:9). So “prepared for destruction” designates a ripeness of sinfulness that points to judgment unless such people turn to God, yet God is not made responsible for their sinful condition. The preparation for destruction is the work of human beings, who allow themselves to deteriorate in spite of knowledge and conscience.

Presumably, and in view of what follows, when Paul speaks of “the objects of his [God’s] wrath” (v.22), he is thinking of those in Israel who have remained obdurate in opposing the Gospel, yet are still the objects of the divine longsuffering. In contrast to them are “the objects of his mercy” (v.23) in whom God wills to show the riches of his glory. These include both Jews and Gentiles (v.24), in line with the previous teaching (1:16; 2:10–11; 3:22) and with the prophetic announcement. Through the prophet Hosea God declared his freedom to call others to be his people (v.25). Strictly, this passage from Hos 2:23 refers to the reversal in Israel’s status from being called “not my people” (Hosea 1:9) to being restored, but both Ro 9:25 and 1 Peter 2:10 apply it to include Gentiles. The Gentiles, who are not actually a people but masses of humanity, are called by the grace of God to a distinctive role—that of being the people of God. This was happening in Paul’s day.

The second quotation is from Hos 1:10 (omitting the first half of the verse, which refers to the prophesied increase in the number of the people of Israel). Here too the background is the Lo-ammi prophecy of Hos 1:9, which is seen to be revoked when Israel will once again be called “sons of the living God.” In light of Peter’s use of Hos 2:23 to apply to Gentiles (1 Peter 2:10), Paul’s intimation of a similar application would be understandable. It is just possible, however, that he does not intend Hos 1:10 to apply to Gentiles but rather to Jews, in which case he may be giving a hint of something developed in ch. 11—the influx of Gentiles during Israel’s temporary rejection, followed by the turning of Israel to the Lord in great numbers (11:25–27).