Is God unjust? Mercy on whom he wills, Pharaoh raised up, and hardening (Romans 9:14–18)
Says "Is God unjust? Certainly not!" (9:14, BSB). God says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion" (9:15, BSB), quoting Exod 33:19 as in the LXX (note.language.Rom.9.15-Rom.9.17.exod-33-19-9-16; xref.Rom.9.15.Exod.33.19.heb; lex.G1653; lex.G3627). "So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy" (9:16, BSB); τοῦ τρέχοντος (tou trechontos, "the one running") pictures effort (lex.G5143).
Says To Pharaoh the Scripture says, "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth" (9:17, BSB), from Exod 9:16. Paul's active ἐξήγειρα (exēgeira, "I raised up"; lex.G1825) stands nearer the Hebrew Hiphil than the LXX passive "you were preserved" (note.language.Rom.9.15-Rom.9.17.exod-33-19-9-16; xref.Rom.9.17.Exod.9.16.heb). "He hardens whom He wants to harden" (9:18, BSB), σκληρύνει (sklērynei; lex.G4645).
Uncertain What "raised you up" means: brought onto the stage of history (the Hebrew "caused to stand"), kept alive through the plagues (the LXX sense), or brought into being. What Exod 9:16 means for election, whether a decree about Pharaoh's destiny or God's use of a ruler in redemptive history to make his name known, belongs to the election question, which has no team lean (note.exegetical.Rom.9.6-Rom.9.24.how-election-works).
Says Exodus says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart (Exod 9:12; 10:20, 27; 14:8).
Says Exodus also says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exod 8:15, 32; 9:34).
Uncertain How the two relate, with no team lean. Reformed readers take God's hardening as his sovereign act, with Pharaoh still responsible for hardening his own heart (Augustine, src.npnf1-augustine-c-duas-ep; Calvin, src.calvin-romans-owen; src.calvin-institutes-beveridge). Arminian and Wesleyan readers take God's hardening as a judicial response to Pharaoh's persistent unbelief, God leaving him to the hardness he chose (Arminius, src.arminius-works-auburn-1853; Wesley, src.wesley-notes-nt-1755). The views are set out in note.language.Rom.9.14-Rom.9.18.eleos-sklerynei.
Claims
- SaysGod is not unjust; he has mercy on whom he has mercy and compassion on whom he has compassion (9:14–15, quoting Exod 33:19 as in the LXX); mercy does not depend on human desire or effort but on God who has mercy (9:16).
- SaysGod raised Pharaoh up to display his power and make his name known (9:17, from Exod 9:16, with an active verb nearer the Hebrew than the LXX), and he hardens whom he wants (9:18).
- UncertainWhat 'raised you up' means (brought onto history's stage, kept alive, or brought into being), and what Exod 9:16 means for election (a decree about Pharaoh's destiny, or God's use of a ruler in redemptive history), with no team lean.
- SaysExodus says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart (Exod 9:12; 10:20, 27; 14:8).
- SaysExodus says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exod 8:15, 32; 9:34).
- UncertainHow God's hardening and Pharaoh's hardening relate, with no team lean: God's sovereign act, Pharaoh still responsible (Augustine; Calvin), or a judicial response to persistent unbelief (Arminius; Wesley).
Citations
- BSB public domain Rom 9:14–18
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 9:14–18
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Exod 8:15, 32; 9:12, 16, 34; 10:20, 27; 14:8 (by verse)
- Augustine, C. du. ep. Pel. (NPNF¹ 5) public domain C. duas ep. Pel. II.15, p. 398 (n473, image), on Rom 9:11–23 (by reference; not quoted)
- Calvin, Romans (Owen) public domain sections "Romans 9:10-13", "Romans 9:14-18", "Romans 9:19-21" and "Romans 9:22-23" (CCEL e-text, cited by Calvin's section; by reference; not quoted)
- Calvin, Inst. (Beveridge) public domain Inst. 3.21; 3.22.4–6; 3.23.1 (CCEL e-text; by reference; not quoted)
- Arminius, Works 3 (1853) public domain Analysis of the Ninth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, vol. 3, pp. 527–565 (n534–n572), esp. p. 563 (n570, image) (by reference; not quoted)
- Wesley, Notes NT (1755) public domain on Rom 9, pp. 402–405 (n415–n418, image) (by reference; not quoted)
2026-11-04
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