Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 9:24-33

"[even] us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, that was not beloved. And it shall be, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God. And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved: for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short. And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at [that] law. Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling; even as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame." — Romans 9:24-33 (ASV)

1. After showing that God’s grace is given to people as a result of God’s election, through which they are called to grace, the Apostle shows that this election or calling applies not only to the Jews—as if they could boast because of what is said in Deuteronomy, he loved your fathers (Deuteronomy 4:37)—but also to the Gentiles.

   He proceeds in three steps:

   • First, he states the intended proposition.
   • Second, he proves it, beginning with, as he says in Hosea.
   • Third, he draws the conclusion, beginning with, what then shall we say?

2. First, therefore, he says: we have stated that God prepared the saints for glory, whom he has also called, namely, by his grace, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles. As it is written, Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not also the God of Gentiles? (Romans 3:29); and, they shall adore him, every man from his own place, all the islands of the gentiles (Zephaniah 2:11).

3. Then he proves the proposition when he says, as he says in Hosea. He does this first with respect to the Gentiles, and second, with respect to the Jews, at and Isaiah cried out. Regarding the first, he cites two texts from Hosea speaking for the Gentiles: the first of these promises them God’s gifts, and the second, divine sonship, at and in the place where it was said to them.

4. First, therefore, he says: as the Lord says in Hosea, because it was he who spoke in the prophets: The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue (2 Samuel 23:2). Hence, it also says in Hosea: When the LORD first spoke through Hosea (Hosea 1:2).

   Here it should be noted that the Gentiles were cut off from three blessings for which the Jews were famous:

   1. Divine sonship, by which they were called the people of God, as if serving him and obeying his precepts: we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand (Psalms 95:7). But the Gentiles were alienated from the society of this people, as it says in Ephesians: alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise (Ephesians 2:12). However, through Christ they have become God’s people: he gave himself for us to... purify for himself a people for his own possession (Titus 2:14). And that is what he says: I will call those who were not my people, that is, the Gentiles, my people, meaning, that they will be my people.

   2. The privilege of divine love: the LORD loves the people of Israel (Hosea 3:1), because he offered them many benefits leading to special graces. From this love the Gentiles had formerly been excluded: alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them (Ephesians 4:18). Hence, he says: and her who was not beloved, that is, the Gentile races, I will call my beloved. You who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13); while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son (Romans 5:10).

   3. Deliverance from original sin through circumcision: The LORD will have compassion on Jacob (Isaiah 14:1). But the Gentiles had no share in this compassion: On the day you were born your navel string was not cut... no eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you out of compassion for you (Ezekiel 16:4–5). But later, through Christ, they obtained compassion. Similarly, it follows: and her who had not obtained mercy, one who has obtained mercy. He saved us... according to his own mercy (Titus 3:5).

   He cites this text from Hosea according to the Septuagint, in the place where our text has: I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’ (Hosea 2:23).

5. Then, when he says and it shall be in the place, he cites another text from Hosea in which they are promised the dignity of being sons of God (Hosea 1:10). The Jews boasted about this because, as it says in Isaiah, Sons I have reared and brought up (Isaiah 1:2), and in Deuteronomy, Is not he your father? (Deuteronomy 32:6).

   For the Gentiles not only were not called sons—which applies to those who serve God out of love and are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14)—they were not even worthy to be called the people of God, which could apply at least to those who had received the spirit of slavery to fear.

   Hence, he says, and it shall be in the place, that is, in Judea, where it was said to them, that is, to the Gentiles by the Jews speaking as if in God’s person, you are not my people, because they did not consider them God’s people. There, that is, even among the believing Jews, they shall be called the sons of the living God.

   Alternatively, in the place means in the entire world where they will be converted to the faith. This would indicate that they would not be converted in the same way as proselytes, who would leave their native land and journey to Judea. That this would not happen for those converted to Christ is shown in Zephaniah: they shall bow down to him, each in his own place (Zephaniah 2:11). Therefore, to each one living in his own place, where it was said to them in former times, you are not my people, there they shall be called the sons of the living God by divine adoption: to all who... believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

6. Then, when he says Isaiah cried out, he proves his proposition with respect to the Jews and presents two texts from Isaiah.

   • The first of these seems to pertain to all the Jews who came to believe.
   • The second, at and as Isaiah predicted, pertains particularly to the apostles.

7. First, therefore, he says: we have indicated what Hosea said about the Gentiles, but Isaiah cries out, that is, speaks clearly about the conversion of Israel: Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet (Isaiah 58:1).

   In this first citation, he first shows how few will be converted from Israel, saying: Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, that is, innumerable in light of the multitude of nations—I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore (Genesis 22:17); Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea (1 Kings 4:20)—a remnant will be saved. This means not all, not the majority, but a certain few who will be left after the pruning: I have become like one who gleans in autumn the grapes of the vintage (Micah 7:1); at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace (Romans 11:5).

8. Second, at for the Lord will carry out his sentence, he cites the cause of salvation. First is the efficacy of the word of the Gospel, saying: for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.

   Note here a twofold efficacy of the evangelical word. The first is that the word is fulfilling, that is, perfecting: for the law made nothing perfect (Hebrews 7:19). But the Lord says, I have not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), because he applied the truth to the figures of the law, explained the moral precepts of the law properly, removed occasions for transgressing them, and even added counsels of perfection. Thus he said to the young man who had kept all the precepts of the law: You lack one thing... If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor (Matthew 19:21). For this reason he said to his disciples: You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

   The second efficacy is that the word is cut short. This is suitably joined to the first efficacy, because the more perfect a word is, the more profound it is and, as a consequence, simpler and briefer. Now the word of the Gospel shortens the words of the law, because it included all the figurative sacrifices of the law in one true sacrifice, in which Christ... offered himself up for us (Ephesians 5:2). Furthermore, it includes all the moral precepts of the law in the two precepts of charity: On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:40).

   Hence he says cutting it short in righteousness, either because nothing is omitted from the multitude of figures and precepts of the law, but all are included in the brevity of the Gospel; or because nothing remains of them to be observed but what is equitable according to the dictates of natural reason: All your commands are equity (Psalms 119:86). This should be understood so that the sense is: the word of the Gospel will shorten and perfect in righteousness.

9. Second, when he says because a short word, he gives the reason for this efficacy, saying, for the Lord will make a short word upon the earth, that is, when he lives on earth as a man: Afterward he was seen upon earth and conversed with men , will make a short word.

   For the word which the Lord himself spoke in the flesh should be more perfect and powerful than the words he spoke through the prophets, as it says in Hebrews: God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners, spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1–2).

10. Alternatively, for the Lord, that is, God the Father, will make a short word, that is, incarnate, because the Son of God emptied himself, taking the form of a slave. He is called brief, not because anything was subtracted from the fullness or greatness of his divinity, but because he underwent our exile and smallness.

    This decree is considered, however, in Isaiah, where according to our account it is said: For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them will return. A decreed destruction is overflowing with righteousness. For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the land (Isaiah 10:22–23).

11. Then, when he says and as Isaiah predicted, he cites the texts pertaining specifically to the apostles, saying: and as Isaiah predicted: Unless the Lord of Sabaoth, that is, of armies or powers, had left us a seed, namely, in his mercy. This seed could be the word of the Gospel, as in The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11); or it could be Christ, as in And to your offspring, who is Christ (Galatians 3:16); or it could be the apostles, as in the holy seed is its stump (Isaiah 6:13). Without this seed, we would have become like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah.

    For the sin of the Jews was greater than that of the men of Sodom: the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom (Lamentations 4:6) and your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done (Ezekiel 16:48).

    Consequently, it was an act of divine mercy that the Jews were not totally exterminated as the Sodomites were: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end (Lamentations 3:22).

12. Then he draws the conclusion from the above, when he says what then shall we say? He does this first with respect to the Gentiles, and second, with respect to the Jews, at but Israel.

13. Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he draws his conclusion, saying: What then shall we say, in light of the foregoing? I say it is this: that the Gentiles have attained it, that is, righteousness, by which they are called sons: And such were some of you. But you were washed... you were justified (1 Corinthians 6:11). And this, indeed, is from God’s calling and not from any merits, because he says, the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness. At that time you were separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).

    Second, he explains what he calls the righteousness that is by faith, that is, not the righteousness that consists in works. For the Gentiles were not converted in order to observe the righteousness of the law, but to be justified through faith in Christ: the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Romans 3:22).

14. Then when he says but Israel, he draws his conclusion regarding the Jews. First, he concludes what he intends, saying: but Israel, that is, the people of the Jews, who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.

    The law of righteousness is the law of the Spirit of life through which people are made righteous, and which the Jewish people did not attain, although they pursued it by observing the shadow of this spiritual law: for the law has but a shadow of the good things to come (Hebrews 10:1). Or, by pursuing a law that would lead to righteousness refers to the law of Moses, which is the law of righteousness if it is understood well, because it teaches righteousness.

    Or it is called the law of righteousness because it does not make people truly righteous, but only outwardly so, as long as sins are avoided not from love but from fear of the punishment that the law inflicted: Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD (Isaiah 51:1); Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law (Isaiah 51:7).

15. Second, he assigns the cause, asking, Why? Why is it that although they observed the law, they did not fulfill the law? Because they did not observe the law in the proper way.

    And this is what he says: Because they did not seek it by faith, that is, they sought to be made righteous not through faith in Christ, but as if it were based on works. For they followed the figure and repudiated the truth: for by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight (Romans 3:20).

16. Third, he explains the cause he assigned. First, he presents the explanation, saying, They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, that is, Christ, who is compared to a stumbling stone. For just as a person does not guard against a stone they stumble over because it is small, so the Jews, seeing Christ clothed with our weakness, did not guard against stumbling over him: his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance... as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not (Isaiah 53:3); before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains (Jeremiah 13:16), that is, on Christ and his apostles, who are called dark mountains because their great dignity is hidden.

17. Second, he cites an authority for this, saying: as it is written, namely, in Isaiah. Here the Apostle gathers together the words of Isaiah found in various places. For it says in Isaiah: behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16). From this he takes the first part of his quotation: Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, that is, as a foundation, which means that by divine command Christ was established as the foundation of the Church: For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

    Again it says in Isaiah: he will be... a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel (Isaiah 8:14). He uses this in the middle of the quotation where he says: a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. Here the stumbling refers to their ignorance, because it says in 1 Corinthians: if they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8). But the falling refers to their unbelief, by which they persecuted Christ and his apostles: we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23); Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel (Luke 2:34).

    The end of the quotation is taken from Isaiah: He who believes will not be in haste (Isaiah 28:16). In place of this he says, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame, namely, because he will receive a reward from him: You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy .

    The Apostle takes these words according to the Septuagint. Its meaning relates to what is in our text, He who believes will not be in haste, for a person seems to be in haste who considers himself deceived because he does not quickly get what he hoped for.