Tool Beta
The Ancient World Behind the Text
Pick a passage anywhere in the New Testament. See the customs and ideas a first reader knew without being told.
Romans 9:1-5, Israel's privileges
Paul grieves for his own people and lists what belongs to Israel: the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the worship, the promises, the patriarchs and the Messiah.
Romans 9:1-5, in every translation this tool compares.
Paul turns to the hard question of why most of his own people have not believed, and begins with grief so deep he would accept being cut off himself if it helped them. He lists Israel's privileges, from adoption as God's son and the covenants to the law, the temple worship, the promises, the patriarchs and the Messiah himself. Whether the words of praise at the end of verse 5 call the Messiah God is read both ways.
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/adoption-and-heirs\/","n":"Adoption, heirs and wills","s":"A family's property passed to its heirs; in Jewish practice the land went to the sons, the eldest with a double share. Roman law also let a man adopt a son, often a grown one, who left his old debts and ties behind and became his heir. A will, sealed before witnesses, settled who inherited and who looked after an heir too young to inherit.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/children-of-abraham\/","n":"Children of Abraham","s":"Jews called Abraham our father, and many believed that being his descendants all but guaranteed a place among God's saved people. The Gospels and Paul argue over who his true children are.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/temple-and-courts\/","n":"The temple and its courts","s":"Herod's huge rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, believed to be God's dwelling, laid out in courts that kept Gentiles, women and Jewish men at set distances.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/messiah\/","n":"The Messiah, son of David","s":"The anointed king most Jews expected from David's line, who would free Israel from its enemies. Nobody expected him to be killed.","r":""}
Paul's wish to be cut off for his people recalls Moses, who offered himself for Israel (Exodus 32:32), as Keener and the cultural backgrounds notes point out. The blessings Paul gave believers in chapter 8, adoption and glory among them, belonged to Israel in the Old Testament, and Jewish people celebrated them (Keener and his notes). In Greek the list rhymes, its nouns ending in a repeated pattern of sounds that would appeal to the hearers (the cultural backgrounds notes). Keener reads the plural covenants as God's covenants with the patriarchs or his many renewals of the covenant. Jewish doxologies praised only the one God; the cultural backgrounds notes say many scholars argue that Paul here praises Jesus as God, and Keener reads it that way.
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Romans 9:1-3 and 9:4-5
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Romans 9:3, 9:4 and 9:5
