SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:11
(porque no siendo an nacidos, ni habiendo hecho an ni bien ni mal, para que el propsito de Dios conforme a la eleccin, no por las obras sino por el que llama, permaneciese),
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 9:11
Verse 11. For the children being not yet born] As the word children is not in the text, the word nations would be more proper; for it is of nations that the apostle speaks, as the following verses show, as well as the history to which he refers. Neither having done any good] To merit the distinction of being made the peculiar people of God; nor evil, to deserve to be left out of this covenant, and the distinguishing national blessings which it conferred; that the purpose of God according to election might stand-that such distinctions might appear to depend on nothing but God's free choice, not of works, or any desert in the people or nations thus chosen; but of the mere purpose of him who calleth any people he pleases, to make them the depositories of his especial blessings, and thus to distinguish them from all others.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. For [the children] being not yet born , So says the Chaldee paraphrast, the prophet said unto them, was it not said of Jacob, dylyta ald d[ , when he was not yet born, that he should be greater than his brother? the Syriac version supplies, his children, that is, Isaac's; and the Arabic version, his two children. This shows, that the apostle designs not the posterity, but the very persons of Jacob and Esau; since as he speaks of their conception in the verse preceding, so of their birth in this: and though in the words of God to Rebecca, and which are urged in favour of the other sense, it is said, two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels, and the one people shall be stronger than the other people, ( Genesis 25:23); yet this primarily respects the persons of Jacob and Esau, as the roots of their respective offspring; and only secondarily their posterity, as branches that should sprout from them; it properly regards their persons, and only in an improper, figurative, and metonymical sense, their seed; for in no other sense could two nations, or two manner of people be in Rebecca's womb, than as there were two persons there, who would be the authors of two nations and people; and whatever may be said for their respective posterity, taking their rise from one common father Isaac, or for their being chosen or rejected as nations, before they were in being as such, yet it cannot be said with any propriety, that Rebecca conceived their several offspring by one, even by our father Isaac, ( Romans 9:10): which sense well agrees with the scope of the apostle, which is to prove, that all were not Israel which were of Israel, and that all Abraham's natural seed were not the children of God; which he could not better exemplify, than in the persons of Jacob and Esau; for to have instanced in the posterity of Esau, would have been foreign to his purpose, and not accord with the continuation of his discourse in the following verses, which entirely proceeds upon the subject of personal election and rejection, and with the scriptural account of the personal characters of Jacob and Esau; and from hence, as from many other passages, it may be concluded, that predestination, whether to life or death, is a personal thing, concerns particular persons, and not nations, or collective bodies of men: neither having done any good or evil ; Jacob and Esau were under all considerations upon an equal foot, were just in the same situation and condition, when the one was loved and the other hated; or in other words, when the one was chosen, and the other rejected; they were neither of them as yet born, and had they been born, their birth and parentage could have been no reason why one was chose and the other not, because in both the same; nor had the one performed a good action, or the other an evil one; so that Jacob was not loved for his good works, nor Esau hated for his evil ones; which confirms the truth of this doctrine, that the objects of predestination, whether to life or death, are alike, are in the same situation and condition: whether they are considered in the corrupt mass, or as fallen, they are all equally such, so that there could not be any reason in them, why some should be chosen and others left; or whether in the pure mass, antecedent to the fall, and without any consideration of it, which is clearly signified in this passage, there could be nothing in the one, which was not in the other, that could be the cause of such a difference made: so that it follows, that works neither good nor evil are the causes moving God to predestinate, whether to life or death; good works are not the cause of election to eternal life, for not only, this act of distinguishing grace, passed before any were done, but also these are fruits, effects, and consequence of it, and so cannot be the causes thereof; God does not proceed in order branches of salvation, as in calling, justification, etc.. according to them, and therefore it cannot be thought he should proceed upon this foot in the first step to it; and which is ascribed to his free grace, in opposition to works. Evil works are not the cause of the decree of rejection, for this also being as early as the decree of election, as it must unavoidably be, was before any evil works were done; sin is not the cause of God's decree, but of the thing decreed, eternal death; otherwise all the individuals in the world being equally in sin, must have been rejected: it remains then, that not any works of men, good or bad, are the cause of predestination in either of its branches, but the sovereign will and secret counsel of God: that the purpose of God according to election might stand : the decree of God, which is entirely free, and depends upon his own will and choice, stands firm and immutable, and is not to be disannulled by earth or hell, for it stands not on the precarious foot of works: not of works : did it, it would not stand sure, for nothing is more variable and uncertain, than the actions of men: but of him that calleth : who is the unchangeable Jehovah; it stands upon his invariable will and immutable grace, whose gifts and calling are without repentance, ( Romans 11:29).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-13 - The rejection of the Jews by the gospel dispensation, did not brea God's promise to the patriarchs. The promises and threatenings shall be fulfilled. Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefit always found with outward church privileges. Not only some of Abraham' seed were chosen, and others not, but God therein wrought according to the counsel of his own will. God foresaw both Esau and Jacob as born i sin, by nature children of wrath even as others. If left to themselve they would have continued in sin through life; but for wise and holy reasons, not made known to us, he purposed to change Jacob's heart, an to leave Esau to his perverseness. This instance of Esau and Jaco throws light upon the Divine conduct to the fallen race of man. The whole Scripture shows the difference between the professed Christia and the real believer. Outward privileges are bestowed on many who ar not the children of God. There is, however, full encouragement to diligent use of the means of grace which God has appointed.
Greek Textus Receptus
μηπω 3380 ADV γαρ 1063 CONJ γεννηθεντων 1080 5685 V-APP-GPM μηδε 3366 CONJ πραξαντων 4238 5660 V-AAP-GPM τι 5100 X-ASN αγαθον 18 A-ASN η 2228 PRT κακον 2556 A-ASN ινα 2443 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF κατ 2596 PREP εκλογην 1589 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM προθεσις 4286 N-NSF μενη 3306 5725 V-PAS-3S ουκ 3756 PRT-N εξ 1537 PREP εργων 2041 N-GPN αλλ 235 CONJ εκ 1537 PREP του 3588 T-GSM καλουντος 2564 5723 V-PAP-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
11. Evil (faulon). See on John iii. 20; Jas. iii. 16.Purpose according to election (h kat ekloghn proqesiv) For proqesiv purpose, see on the kindred verb proeqeto, ch. iii. 25, and compare ch viii. 28. The phrase signifies a purpose so formed that in it an election was made. The opposite of one founded upon right or merit. For similar phrases see Acts xix. 20; kata kratov according to might, mightily; Rom. vii. 13, kaq' uJperbolhn according to excess, exceedingly See note Might stand (menh). Lit., abide, continue: remain unchangeable. This unchangeableness of purpose was conveyed in His declaration to Rebecca. Contrast with come to nought (ver. 6).
Of works (ex). Lit., out of By virtue of.
Calleth (kalountov). Eternal salvation is not contemplated. "The matter in question is the part they play regarded from the theocratic stand-point" (Godet).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:11 {The children being not yet born} (mepw gennthent"n). Genitive absolute with first aorist passive participle of gennaw, to beget, to be born, though no word for children nor even the pronoun autwn (they). {Neither having done anything good or bad} (mede praxantwn ti agaqon e faulon). Genitive absolute again with first active participle of prassw. On phaulon, see #2Co 5:10. {The purpose of God} (h prothesis tou qeou). See #8:28 for prothesis. {According to election} (kat' eklogen). Old word from eklegw, to select, to choose out. See #1Th 1:4. Here it is the purpose (prothesis) of God which has worked according to the principles of election. {Not of works} (ouk ex ergwn). Not of merit.
