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That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as a seed.
Verse Takeaways
1
Spiritual, Not Physical, Lineage
Commentators unanimously stress that being a 'child of God' is not based on physical ancestry or heritage. Paul dismantles the common belief that being a descendant of Abraham automatically granted spiritual privilege. This established a crucial principle: God's family is defined by His spiritual promise, not by blood.
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Romans
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10
18th Century
Presbyterian
They which are the children of the flesh. The natural descendants.
These are not the children of God. Are not necessarily …
The children of the promise (τα τεκνα της επαγγελιας). Not through Ishmael, but through Isaac. Only the children of the promise ar…
19th Century
Anglican
They which are the children.—The Apostle explains this restriction in a spiritual sense. Mere natural descent gives no cl…
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Baptist
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.…
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 mus…
16th Century
Protestant
That is, They are not, etc. He now gathers from God’s answer a proposition, which includes the whole of what he had in view. For if Isaac,…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
That is, they which are the children of the flesh This is an explanation of the foregoing verse, and shows, that by …
The rejection of the Jews by the gospel dispensation did not break God's promise to the patriarchs. The promises and threats will be fulfilled. Gra…
13th Century
Catholic
After asserting the greatness of the Jews, the Apostle now shows that it did not refer to those who descended from the ancient patriarchs…
