parts now more homogeneous. — tig an^iav, to dishonour) Paul speaks circumspectly, he does not yet say, to wrath : vessel must be construed with these words [To make one, a vessel unto honour, etc.]
22. E / <$s, but if) This particle has this as its apodosis to be supplied at the end of ver. 23 from ver. 20 : God has much greater cause to complain concerning man, and man has less cause to expostulate with God [than the potter concerning the clay, and the clay with the potter]. Comp, eav , John vi. 62, where also the apodosis is to be supplied. It is a question, but one implied, not expressed, with an ellipsis, What reply hast thou to make [if God willing to show, etc., endured, etc.]. — ds\uv9 willing) Corresponds to the, His will , ver. 19, and to, He will , ver. 18. Paul speaks xa r avdguKov, [“ after the manner of man or, taking advantage of his opponent's unavoidable admission] in the words of his opponent; and so u signifies whereas, [since, as you must grant]. At the same time, we must observe that what he says of the vessels of wrath is more scanty, and of the vessels of mercy more copious; willing to show , he says, not, [willing, putting forth His will] that he might show , comp, next verse [where in the case of the vessels of mercy , he says, hot yvojy&p, though here ver. 22 in the case of the vessels of wrath, he says, yvupi<rai], and Eph. ii. 7. — hde/^asQai — ro dvvarov a vrov, to show His power) These words are repeated from ver. 17. — rr\v opyriv, wrath) He does not say, the riches of his wrath ; comp. ver. 23. — ro dvvarov ) This signifies, what He can do ( potentiam 6 might’) not what He may do (potestatem c right’ [!gou<r/a]). — tfveyxsv, endured) as He endured Pharaoh. — sv KoXXjj pa xpoQv^ict, with much long-suffering) viz: in order that it might allure the wicked [the repro- bate] from their state of alienation from Him to repentance, ch. ii. 4 ; 2 Pet. iii. 9. God endures many bad men, in the enjoyment of great and long continued good fortune in this life, when He might at the very first have consigned them to death. The gate of mercy and grace is still open to them. This long-suffering, humanly speaking, precedes His 66 will to show His wrath,” nor does it merely follow it. His enduring is not wont to be exercised until He is about to show His wrath ] : wherefore ijvsyxtv should be translated, had endured [previous to His will to show His wrath.] By
ItOMANS IX. 23, 24.
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this very circumstance the question, who hath resisted ? ver. 19, is most powerfully refuted.— bpyr\g) of wrath , which is not indeed without cause, but presupposes sins ; he does not say, of disgrace , nor unto wrath , but of wrath , [i.e. the fault is in them- selves.] — xurripritfiiva, fitted) It denotes the disposition [fitness] internal and full, but now no longer free [no longer now liable to change], not the destination ; he does not say, which He npoxocr/ipriffe, previously fitted , although he says in the next verse, which he prepared , comp. ver. 19, ch. xi. 22, note ; Matt. xxv. 34, with ver. 41, and Acts xiii. 46, with ver. 48. This is dis- tinct from the efficient cause ; what is said merely refers to the state in which God finds the reprobate, when He brings upon them His wrath. — tig dwrwXs/av, to destruction ) The antithesis is, ver. 23, unto glory .
23. Tva, that) Denotes more distinctly the end and aim, with- out excluding means. — yvupfoj j, might make known) This verb is applied to things not formerly known ; it is therefore put both here and in the preceding verse, but svds/xwc rQai, to show , is oidy used in verse 22 concerning wrath ; of which even the Gentiles have some knowledge. — sen', upon) The sentence is thus quite consistent. But if God that He might make known the riches of His glory , supply, did this , or, in other words, made known the riches [of His glory] on the vessels of mercy ; respecting the apodosis, see the beginning of the note, ver. 22. — rijg dogrjg) of His glory : of His goodness, grace, mercy, wisdom, omnipotence, Eph. i. 6. — sXsovg) of mercy , ver. 15, 16, 18, 25, which presup- poses the former misery of those, styled vessels. — <xpoYiTo'i[ia6iv, previously prepared) antecedently to works, ver. 11, by the arrangement of all the external and internal circumstances, which he, who is called , finds tending to his salvation, at the first moment of his call. This is implied by the preposition in nporiro/- /ia<szv. So a vessel unto honour , prepared , 2 Tim. ii. 21.