John Calvin 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)

And what, etc. This is a second answer, by which he briefly shows that even though the counsel of God is in fact incomprehensible, His blameless justice shines forth no less in the perdition of the reprobate than in the salvation of the elect.

He does not indeed give a reason for divine election, so as to assign a cause why this person is chosen and that person rejected. For it was not fitting that the things contained in the secret counsel of God should be subjected to the judgment of men; and, besides, this mystery is inexplicable.

He therefore keeps us from curiously examining those things which exceed human comprehension. Yet he shows that, as far as God’s predestination manifests itself, it appears perfectly just.

The particles, εἰ δὲ, used by Paul, I take to mean, And what if? so that the whole sentence is a question, and thus the sense will be more evident. There is an ellipsis here, where we are to understand this as being implied: — “Who then can charge Him with unrighteousness, or arraign Him?” For here, nothing appears but the most perfect course of justice.

But if we wish to fully understand Paul, almost every word must be examined. He then argues thus: — There are vessels prepared for destruction, that is, given up and appointed to destruction; they are also vessels of wrath, that is, made and formed for this purpose, that they may be examples of God’s vengeance and displeasure.

If the Lord patiently bears with these for a time, not destroying them at the first moment, but deferring the judgment prepared for them—and does this to set forth the decisions of His severity, so that others may be terrified by such dreadful examples, and also to make known His power, which He makes them serve in various ways to exhibit; and if, further, He does this so that the fullness of His mercy towards the elect may thereby be more fully known and more brightly shine forth—what is there worthy of being blamed in this dispensation?

But that he is silent as to the reason why they are vessels appointed to destruction is no matter of wonder. He indeed takes it as granted, according to what has already been said, that the reason is hidden in the secret and unsearchable counsel of God, whose justice it is fitting for us to adore rather than to scrutinize.

And he has mentioned vessels, as commonly signifying instruments; for whatever is done by all creatures is, as it were, the service of divine power. For the best reason then, we, the faithful, are called the vessels of mercy, whom the Lord uses as instruments for the manifestation of His mercy; and the reprobate are the vessels of wrath, because they serve to display the judgments of God.