John Calvin Commentary Romans 9:3

"For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren`s sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh:" — Romans 9:3 (ASV)

For I could wish, etc. He could not have expressed a greater ardor of love than by what he testifies here, for that is surely perfect love which does not refuse to die for the salvation of a friend. But there is another word added, anathema, which proves that he is not speaking only of temporal but of eternal death; and he explains its meaning when he says, from Christ, for it signifies a separation.

And what is it to be separated from Christ, but to be excluded from the hope of salvation? It was then a proof of the most ardent love that Paul did not hesitate to wish for himself that condemnation which he saw impending over the Jews, so that he might deliver them.

It is no objection that he knew his salvation was based on the election of God, which could in no way fail; for as those ardent feelings carry us away impetuously, they see and regard nothing but the object in view. So Paul did not connect God’s election with his wish, but with the remembrance of that set aside, he was completely focused on the salvation of the Jews.

Many indeed doubt whether this was a lawful desire, but this doubt can be resolved as follows: the settled boundary of love is that it extends as far as conscience allows. If then we love in God and not without God’s authority, our love can never be too much. And such was the love of Paul; for seeing his own nation endowed with so many of God’s benefits, he loved God’s gifts in them, and them on account of God’s gifts. He deemed it a great evil that those gifts should perish; consequently, with his mind overwhelmed, he burst forth into this extreme wish.

Thus I do not agree with the opinion of those who think that Paul spoke these words out of regard for God only, and not for men; nor do I agree with others who say that, without any thought of God, he was influenced only by love for men. Instead, I connect the love of men with a zeal for God’s glory.

I have not, however, yet explained the main point—that the Jews are here regarded as they were adorned with those unique tokens that distinguished them from the rest of humankind. For God had by His covenant so highly exalted them that by their fall, the faithfulness and truth of God Himself also seemed to fail in the world. For that covenant would have therefore become void, the stability of which was promised to be perpetual, as long as the sun and moon should shine in heaven (Psalms 72:7).

So the abolition of this covenant would have been stranger than the sad and ruinous confusion of the whole world. It was not, therefore, a simple and exclusive regard for men. For though it is better that one member should perish than the whole body, it was for this reason that Paul had such a high regard for the Jews: because he viewed them as bearing the character and, as is commonly said, the quality of an elect people. This will become more evident, as we will soon see, from what follows.

The words, my kinsmen according to the flesh, though they contain nothing new, still serve greatly for amplification. First, so that no one would think that he willingly, or of his own accord, sought a reason to quarrel with the Jews, he indicates that he had not cast off the feeling of kindred, so as not to be affected by the destruction of his own flesh. Secondly, since it was necessary for the gospel, of which he was the preacher, to go forth from Zion, he does not pronounce an eulogy in vain in so many words on his own kindred.

For the qualifying expression, according to the flesh, is not in my view added for the sake of diminishing it, as in other places, but, on the contrary, for the sake of expressing his faith. For though the Jews had disowned Paul, he still did not conceal the fact that he had sprung from that nation, whose election was still strong in the root, though the branches had withered.

What Budoeus says of the word anathema, is inconsistent with the opinion of Chrysostom, who makes ἀνάθεμα and ἀνάθημα to be the same.