Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 9:6

"But [it is] not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel:" — Romans 9:6 (ASV)

The atmosphere of tragedy is qualified by Paul’s forthright denial that the course of events has taken God by surprise. If there is failure, it must be attributed to human beings, not to God and his declared purpose. He points out that God’s saving purpose does not include all who belong to Israel in the biological sense (cf. his distinction in the term “Jew” in 2:28–29). Though unnamed, Ishmael is apparently in view, in contrast to Isaac; Paul’s contrast is between merely being a physical descendant of Abraham and enjoying God’s call to spiritual destiny—belonging to the godly line of descent that culminated in the Messiah himself (Galatians 3:16). Ishmael was born by natural processes, and God bestowed on him material blessings simply because he belonged to Abraham (Genesis 17:20; Genesis 21:13). Isaac was unique in that he was the child who was promised. God’s purpose was centered in him before he was born. In fact, apart from divine enablement to the parents, Isaac would never have been born (cf. 4:18–21).