20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'"20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
At this point Paul employs the potter and clay imagery which draws from Jeremiah 18. The context of Jeremiah 18 and Isaiah passages that refer to the potter and clay image clearly indicate that the “clay” is not passive. God uses them for His purposes according to their choices. God would still use the Jews for His purposes, but they would be used for common uses rather than the noble uses He desired had they had faith and been obedient.
God intended noble purposes for them, but they could not be fulfilled due to their rebellion and rejection of God’s plan. Instead, God molded them within their own rebellion and they had no right to object to God using them this way. Much like God used Pharaoh to bring about His glory, God, despite Israel’s continual rejection of Him and His righteous provision in Christ, continued to send the Messiah through Israel in order to gain a people of faith that He would raise up for noble uses. Interestingly, in another of Paul’s epistles, 2 Timothy 2:20-21, Paul tells us that a person’s choices determine what kind of uses he is prepared for.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath-prepared for destruction?
Who are the objects of His wrath? The answer is, those who do not receive His mercy by faith. John 3:18, Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
Yes, God patiently bears with these whom He knows will never trust Him, and He uses even them to display His glory.
23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory- 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
So, just as Pharaoh’s hardening was the result of his rejection of God, the Israelites have also experienced a hardening in part due to their rejection of God’s chosen means of righteousness through faith in Christ. However, also like Pharaoh, Israel’s rejection and subsequent hardening actually served to further God’s purpose. God’s name would be proclaimed among the gentiles and His glory would be more fully displayed by the inclusion of the gentiles as His covenant people through faith in Christ. Both Jew and gentile are called to faith.
25 As he says in Hosea: "I will call them 'my people' who are not my people; and I will call her 'my loved one' who is not my loved one," 26 and, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'" 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality." 29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah."
Paul goes on to use additional Old Covenant texts to support the argument he was presenting. God reserves the right to say “not my people” to those who were formally His people, and call them “my people” who were formally cut off from the benefits of God’s covenant people. “My people” are those who receive the promise through faith in Christ (both Jew and gentile) and “not my people” are those who reject Christ (both Jew and gentile). The remnant is always a remnant by faith.
Here’s the very important conclusion to this portion of Paul’s argument:
30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." 33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
Romans 9:30-33 sums up Paul’s argument by drawing the distinction between the people of God and those rejected by God being based on those who have faith and those who do not.
This whole argument has been about natural Israel trying to obtain righteousness through the Law and natural lineage versus pursuing righteousness by faith. Nothing is said about the unconditional election of individuals in Paul’s conclusion, because this was not what Paul had been discussing in the chapter. Then, as you continue to read Romans chapters 10 through 11, this interpretation explained above gains support while the Calvinist’s view of election weakens.
Here’s how Chapter 10 opens: The same theme is being continued.
Romans 10:1-4
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
It is by faith in Christ that you are saved, not by your efforts to live by the Law.
Romans 10:6-13
6 But the righteousness that is by faith says:… …8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Then moving into Chapter 11… Here is the Pharaoh argument again:
Romans 11:15-24
15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?…. ….18 do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
You are a recipient of mercy or wrath based upon whether or not you trust in God’s righteousness. You are used for noble or ignoble purposes based upon whether or not you trust in God’s righteousness. This is Paul’s argument.
