Romans 9:5: To Them Belong The Patriarchs, And From Their Race, According To The Flesh, Is The Christ

Romans 9:5
[5] To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. (ESV)

Paul loved his heritage. As we have seen, it crushes the heart of Paul to consider that many of his own people will spend eternity in hell because of their rejection of the Messiah who came to set them free. Paul's love for the unbelieving Jews is such that if he could save them himself by choosing to go to hell in their place he would be willing.

In this verse Paul continues to expound on the blessed heritage of the Jewish people. To them belong the patriarchs. When you read of the patriarchs in Scripture it is referring to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God chose Abraham to build a whole nation of people who would be used by God to bring salvation to the whole world.

How would God bring salvation? God would bring salvation through the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Paul makes a point here to note that Jesus came from the race of the Jews. According to the flesh, Jesus was a direct descendant of the patriarchs. These men of faith looked forward to Jesus' coming. What the Jews missed is that Jesus was the promised one.

The Jews were steeped in their traditions and their heritage. They failed to see that Jesus was the Christ. He had credibility as a Jew. That much they may be able to concede. Paul says in this verse that Jesus Christ is God over all. That is the stumbling block that many of the Jews would fall on. They could not recognize the deity of Jesus Christ. This was to their eternal detriment.

Be careful that you are not a casual observer of who Jesus is. Be careful to do more than just know of a historical Jesus. You must bow your knee before him, repent of your sin, and declare him to be lord of your life. Your failure to do so will be to your eternal detriment.

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