Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

“The one expresses the dignity to which we are admitted; the other the new life which we receive.”

For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope

“For the creature--"the creation." was made subject to vanity, not willingly--that is, through no natural principle of decay.”

For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?

“For we are saved by hope--rather, "For in hope we are saved"; that is, it is more a salvation in hope than as yet in actual possession.”

And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

“And--or, "Moreover," or "Now"; noting a transition to a new particular. we know, &c.--The order in the original is more striking: "We know that to them that love God" (compare 1Co 2:9; 2:5) "all things work together for good [even] to them who are the…”

He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?

“But this is inconceivable if Christ be not God's "own (or proper) Son," partaker of His very nature, as really as Isaac was of his father Abraham's.”

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

“But in what form this will is expressed is as undiscoverable as it is unimportant. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?--This does not mean "our love to Christ," as if, Who shall hinder us from loving Christ?”

As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

“As it is written, For thy sake, &c.-- (Ps 44:22) --quoted as descriptive of what God's faithful people may expect from their enemies at any period when their hatred of righteousness is roused, and there is nothing to restrain it (see Ga 4:29).”

neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“(10) "The whole universe, with all that it contains, so far as it is good, is the friend and ally of the Christian; and, so far as it is evil, is more than a conquered foe" (Ro 8:35-39) [HODGE].”

the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.

“Ro 2:17). and the service of God--or, of the sanctuary, meaning the whole divinely instituted religious service, in the celebration of which they were brought so nigh unto God.”

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.

“It remains then, that we have here no doxology at all, but a naked statement of fact, that while Christ is "of" the Israelitish nation "as concerning the flesh," He is, in another respect, "God over all, blessed for ever."”

Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.

“And not only this; but when Rebecca, &c.--It might be thought that there was a natural reason for preferring the child of Sarah, as being Abraham's true and first wife, both to the child of Hagar, Sarah's maid, and to the children of Keturah, his…”

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!

“Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid--This is the first of two objections to the foregoing doctrine, that God chooses one and rejects another, not on account of their works, but purely in the exercise of His own good pleasure: "This doctrine is inconsistent with…”

So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

“Both these are indispensable to salvation, yet salvation is owing to neither, but is purely "of God that showeth mercy."”

One of you will say to me, “Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?”

“Thou shalt say then unto me, Why--"Why then" is the true reading. doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted--"Who resisteth" his will?--that is, "This doctrine is incompatible with human responsibility"; If God chooses and rejects, pardons and punishes, whom He pleases, why are…”

Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?

“All are sinners, and have forfeited every claim to His mercy; it is therefore perfectly competent to God to spare one and not another, to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor.”

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved.

“Esaias also crieth--"But Isaiah crieth"--an expression denoting a solemn testimony openly borne (Joh 1:15; 24:21). concerning Israel, Though the number of the children--"sons" of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a--"the" remnant--that is, the elect remnant only shall be saved.”

but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

“Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were--rather simply, "as" by the works of the law--as if it were thus attainable, which justification is not: Since, therefore, it is attainable only by faith, they missed it.”

For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.

“He alludes to this well-meaning of his people, notwithstanding their spiritual blindness, not certainly to excuse their rejection of Christ and rage against His saints, but as some ground of hope regarding them.”

Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness--that is, for the justification of the guilty (see on Ro 1:17). and going about--"seeking" to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God--The apostle views the general rejection of Christ by the nation…”

For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

“For Christ is the end--the object or aim. of the law for--justifying righteousness to every one that believeth--that is, contains within Himself all that the law demands for the justification of such as embrace Him, whether Jew or Gentile (Ga 3:24).”

But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down)

“Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? that is, to bring Christ down, &c.--that is, "Ye have not to sigh over the impossibility of attaining to justification; as if one should say, oh!”

For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.

“For with the heart man believeth unto--justifying righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation--This confession of Christ's name, especially in times of persecution, and whenever obloquy is attached to the Christian profession, is an indispensable test of discipleship.”

It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

“For the scripture saith--in Isa 28:16, a glorious Messianic passage. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed--Here, as in Ro 9:33, the quotation is from the Septuagint, which renders those words of the original, "shall not make haste" (that is, fly for escape, as…”

For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,

“(So CHRYSOSTOM, MELVILLE, BENGEL, MEYER, DE WETTE, FRITZSCHE, THOLUCK, STUART, ALFORD, PHILIPPI). is rich--a favorite Pauline term to express the exuberance of that saving grace which is in Christ Jesus.”

for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

“For--saith the scripture whosoever--The expression is emphatic, "Everyone whosoever" shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved-- (Joe 2:32); quoted also by Peter, in his great Pentecostal sermon (Ac 2:21), with evident application to Christ.”