John Calvin Commentary Romans 9:14

"What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid." — Romans 9:14 (ASV)

What then shall we say? etc. The flesh cannot hear of this wisdom of God without being instantly disturbed by numberless questions, and without attempting, as it were, to call God to account. We therefore find that the Apostle, whenever he discusses some high mystery, prevents the many absurdities with which he knew the minds of men would otherwise be filled; for when men hear anything of what Scripture teaches concerning predestination, they are especially entangled with many impediments.

The predestination of God is indeed a labyrinth from which the mind of man can by no means extricate itself. But so unreasonable is the curiosity of man that the more perilous the examination of a subject is, the more boldly he proceeds; so that when predestination is discussed, as he cannot restrain himself within due limits, he immediately, through his rashness, plunges himself, as it were, into the depths of the sea.

What remedy then is there for the godly? Must they avoid every thought of predestination? By no means: for as the Holy Spirit has taught us nothing but what it is fitting for us to know, the knowledge of this would no doubt be useful, provided it is confined to the word of God.

Let this then be our sacred rule, to seek to know nothing concerning it, except what Scripture teaches us: when the Lord closes his holy mouth, let us also stop our advance, so that we do not go further. But as we are men, to whom foolish questions naturally occur, let us hear from Paul how they are to be answered.

Is there unrighteousness with God? Monstrous surely is the madness of the human mind, that it is more disposed to charge God with unrighteousness than to blame itself for blindness. Paul indeed had no wish to go out of his way to find things by which he might confound his readers; but he took up, as it were, from common discourse the wicked suggestion, which immediately enters the minds of many when they hear that God determines concerning every individual according to his own will. It is indeed, as the flesh imagines, a kind of injustice that God should pass by one and show regard to another.

In order to remove this difficulty, Paul divides his subject into two parts. In the former, he speaks of the elect, and in the latter, of the reprobate. And concerning the elect, he would have us contemplate the mercy of God; concerning the reprobate, he would have us acknowledge his righteous judgment. His first reply is that the thought that there is injustice with God deserves to be abhorred, and then he shows that with regard to the two parties, there can be none.

But before we proceed further, we may observe that this very objection clearly proves that since God elects some and passes by others, the cause is not to be found in anything else but in his own purpose. For if the difference had been based on works, Paul would have needlessly raised this question concerning the unrighteousness of God; no suspicion could have been entertained about it if God dealt with everyone according to his merit.

It may also, in the second place, be noted that even though he saw that this doctrine could not be touched without exciting instant clamours and dreadful blasphemies, he still freely and openly brought it forward. Indeed, he does not conceal how much reason for murmuring and clamour is given to us when we hear that before people are born their lot is assigned to each by the secret will of God. And yet, notwithstanding all this, he proceeds and, without any subterfuges, declares what he had learned from the Holy Spirit.

It therefore follows that the fancies of those who aim to appear wiser than the Holy Spirit by removing and pacifying offences are by no means to be tolerated. So that they do not criminate God, they ought honestly to confess that the salvation or perdition of humankind depends on his free election.

If they were to restrain their minds from unholy curiosity and bridle their tongues from immoderate liberty, their modesty and sobriety would be deserving of approval. But to put a restraint on the Holy Spirit and on Paul—what audacity that is! Then let such magnanimity always prevail in the Church of God, that godly teachers may not be ashamed to make an honest profession of the true doctrine, however hated it may be, and also to refute whatever slanders the ungodly may bring forward.