Romans 9:5

Fathers. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were particularly regarded as the “fathers” (Acts 3:13; 7:32). The Jews considered it a matter of great merit to be descended from such noble ancestors (see on Matt. 3:9; cf. John 8:39, 53; 2 Cor. 11:22). Later in this epistle Paul speaks of God’s love for Israel “for the fathers’ sakes” (Rom. 11:28).

Of whom. Rather, “from whom,” or “out of whom.” The last and greatest of all the privileges granted to the Israelites was that the Messiah sprang from their race. It was toward this most exalted privilege that all the other blessings had pointed.

As concerning the flesh. Paul limits the Jewish origin of Jesus to His human nature, as in chapter 1:3.

Christ. Literally, “the Christ,” referring to His title and position as “the Messiah.”

Who is. The interpretation of the last half of verse 5 has been debated at great length. The discussions reached a climax after the appearance of the NT of the RV in 1881. Considerable space was devoted to the question in the religious journals of the day. The problem is one of punctuation, and since the original Greek manuscripts were written without any form of punctuation, the solution becomes a matter of interpretation (cf. on Luke 23:43).

With various changes of punctuation, four possible interpretations of this passage have been advanced (see RV text and margin). One is to place either no punctuation, or a comma, after “flesh” and refer the whole passage to Christ as an assertion of His divinity. This has been the traditional view and is the interpretation offered by the KJV and most other versions. A second possibility is to place a comma after “flesh” and a period after “all.” The passage would then read, “Of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all. God be [is] blessed for ever.”

A third possibility is to place a period after “flesh” and translate the rest of the verse, “He who is God over all be blessed for ever,” or “God who is over all be blessed for ever.” This is the reading preferred by the RSV and a few other versions. A fourth possibility is to use the same punctuation as in the third solution and to translate, “He who is over all is God blessed for ever.” For a more detailed discussion of the problem see Sanday and Headlam, The International Critical Commentary, on Romans, pp. 233-238.

The basic question is whether the passage should be interpreted as a statement of the deity of Christ. To regard it thus is the simplest and most natural interpretation of the grammatical construction of the verse. It is the one best suited to the context. Paul has been recounting the many benefits and privileges God had entrusted to Israel as His chosen people. As the climax of these blessings Paul mentions the descent of the Messiah from their own race. But this descent is limited to His physical nature. The Messiah has another nature that is not flesh, and Paul now gives the further description of Christ, “who is over all, God blessed for ever.” Paul’s expression of Christ’s humanity seems to require as an antithesis this clear statement of His divinity (cf. Rom. 1:3, 4). That Christ is indeed divine and the One who is “over all” is taught in many NT passages (see John 1:1—3; Eph. 1:20—22; Phil. 2:10, 11; Col. 1:16, 17; 2:9; Additional Note on John 1). For a further discussion of this text see The Ministry, Sept., 1954, pp. 19-21; Problems in Bible Translation, pp. 218-222.

Over all. Compare chapter 11:36. This description of the supreme power and dignity of Him who was an Israelite by human descent serves to intensify the privileged character of the Jewish race. What greater blessings, what greater opportunities, could the Lord have granted to any people than those listed in these two verses?

By enumerating these privileges, Paul has given the reason for his “continual sorrow.” Each privilege listed reminds him of God’s original purpose for Israel and of the glorious destiny promised to them (see Vol. IV, pp. 25-38). But how greatly this contrasts with their present rejected condition!