Election of the Lesser Son: Paul's Lament-Midrash in Romans 9-11
Overview
God chooses Israel (salvation “first to the Jew and then the gentile”), but without showing favoritism? Paul genuinely grieves for Israel as one speaking “in” Christ, yet prays to be cursed, cut off from Christ? Romans 9–11 remains one of the most difficult and contested biblical texts in scholarship today. Theological discussions often limit the focus of this passage to God’s sovereignty, emphasizing that God’s mind is not known, or to Paul’s defense of God’s faithfulness, insisting that Israel has failed. Less attention has been devoted to Paul’s unique form and style, which, rightly understood, resolve significant issues, revealing the merciful and wise character of God in his choice of Jacob, the lesser son.
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Looking for more on Romans 9? Check out Christ Is God Over All: Romans 9:5 in the Context of Romans 9–11 and Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans 9:1-18: An Intertextual and Theological Exegesis (2 vols.).
- Demonstrates how Paul weaves two distinct Jewish literary forms together—lament and midrash—into a logical narrative concerning Israel’s salvation.
- Gives attention to Paul’s poetical structures, key literary terms, and use of Old Testament contexts.
- Provides fresh insight into the meaning of the letter, and into the theology of Paul.
- Paul’s Grief for Israel, 9:1 - 5
- God’s Faithfulness for Israel, 9:6 - 29
- Israel’s Failure to Hear, 9:30 - 10:21
- God’s Grace for Israel, 11:1 - 32
- Paul’s Praise to God, 11:33 - 36
- Results
Top Highlights
“This ending forms a circular argument with the beginning verses (in 9:6–13) concerning God’s election of the nation of Israel—the son in the weaker position. It reveals how God works all things together for good—even disobedience—in a manner that results in mercy for all.” (Page 103)
“The insight at the heart of this work is that Paul integrates an Old Testament literary form—the lament—with an exegetical style of argumentation best known from later rabbinical materials—the midrash—in order to reach a primarily gentile Christian audience.” (Page 3)
“This raises a logical problem—how can God give priority to Israel and, at the same time, be impartial in his selection? A clear answer is needed, and a careful analysis of Romans 9–11 appropriately resolves this paradox.” (Page 2)
“Paul’s emphasis on God’s election of the son in the weaker position is central to the meaning and purpose of Romans 9–11 and the rest of the letter. God does not show favoritism—he requires humility from all.” (Page 102)
“God relents from his wrath upon any nation who repents—God is impartial in his offering of mercy. And the reversal that occurs—with Israel in a position to receive God’s wrath, 9:17–23—shows that God’s election of Jacob does not insulate the Israelites from judgment, evidencing God’s impartial nature. In this light, God’s elective purpose is without favoritism, reserving a remnant of Jews and gentiles for himself, 9:25–29.” (Page 104)
The strengths of Election of the Lesser Son are its careful attention to the larger structures of Paul’s argument and to the way Paul weaves Old Testament allusions into his argument about Israel.
—Douglas J. Moo, Kenneth T. Wessner Professo of New Testament, Wheaton College
Here’s a fresh, inviting approach to the meaning of election in Romans 9–11, famously called the ‘Gordian knot’ by John Calvin. Wallace drives home a major point: in terms of pragmatics, God’s election of Israel, the ‘lesser son,’ teaches the church humility, a notion seldom mentioned in treatments of the subject.
—Bruce Corley, senior fellow and professor of New Testament and Greek, B. H. Carroll Theological Institute
With a deft weaving of Paul's psalmic lament over Israel with his doxological praises of God’s gracious intent for all humanity in Romans 9–11, Wallace shows how God’s election of ‘Israel’ already proves God’s merciful compassion for the lesser, the weaker Jacob, such that God’s grace to save through the rejection and raising of Israel’s Messiah becomes a powerful demonstration of the righteousness/justice of God through weakness so that all—strong and humble alike—might be shown mercy. A new, illuminating impulse for comprehending Romans 9–11!
—David P. Moessner, Bradford Chair of Religion, Texas Christian University
- Title: Election of the Lesser Son: Paul’s Lament-Midrash in Romans 9–11
- Author: David R. Wallace
- Publisher: Fortress Press
- Print Publication Date: 2014
- Logos Release Date: 2018
- Pages: 330
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Bible. N.T. Romans 9-11 › Commentaries
- ISBNs: 9781451482959, 9781451487510, 1451482957, 1451487517
- Resource ID: LLS:LCTNLSSRSN
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T01:07:21Z