ceding verse. ' The entire and final rejection of the Jews is inconsist- ent with the fact of their being' foreknown^ or chosen as God's peculiar people.' The second interpretation requires more stress to be laid upon the words which he foreknew^ as qualifying and distinguishing the pre- ceding phrase, his people. ' God has indeed rejected his external people, the Jewish nation as such, but he has not cast away his people whom he foreknew.' According to this view, his people means his elect, his spi- ritual people, or the true Israel. This interpretation seems decidedly preferable, 1. Because it is precisely the distinction which Paul had made, and made for the same purpose, in ch. 9 : 6 — 8. 2. Because this is apparently Paul's own explanation in the sequel. The mass of the nation were cast away, but " a remnant, according to the election of grace," were reserved, v. 5. 3. Because the illustration borrowed from the Old Testament best suits this interpretation.
Which he foreknew. On the different senses of the word rendered he foreknew, see ch. 8 : 29. Compare Rom. 7:15. 2 Tim. 2:19. 1 Cor. 8 : 3. Gal. 4 : 9. Prov. 12 : 10. Ps. 101 : 4. 1 Thess. 5 : 12. Matt. 7 : 23. The examples, however, are numerous and familiar, in which the word which signifies literally to know, means to approve, to regard with affec- tion, to love. And as to love one more than others involves the idea of selectio.i, so the verb signifies also to select, determine upon ; see the com- pound word here rendered to foreknow, in Pet. 1 : 20. Compare 1 Pet. I : 2, and other passages quoted on Rom. 8 : 29. It depends on the con- text which sense of the word is to be adopted. The idea of simple pre- science obviously does not suit the passage. Others, therefore, prefer rendering the phrase which he before loved ; others, which he had chosen. This idea is included in the other, and is the best suited to the context. * The people which God foreknew' means, therefore, ' his chosen peo- ple ;' "the remnant according to the election of grace," i. e. graciously elected; or, as explained in v. 7, " the election," i. e. those who are chosen. The illustration which the apostle cites is peculiarly appro- priate. Wot ye not ivhat the scripture saith of Elias ? Literally, in Elias, i. e. in the section which treats of Elias, or which is designated by his name. Another example of the same method of reference to Scrip- ture is supposed to occur in Mark 12 : 26, " In the bush God spake unto him," i. e. in the section which treats of the burning bush. How he Tnaketh intercession to God against Israel. The word rendered ' to make intercession' signifies to approach to any one, it may be for or against another ; see ch. 8 : 26.
(3) Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine al- tars, and I am left alone, &c. ; see 1 Kings 19 : 10. Paul gives the sense and nearly the words of the original. The event referred to was the great defection from the true religion, and the murder of the prophets of God, during the reign of Ahab. The circumstance to which the apostle specially refers is, that the prophet considered the defection entire, and