TRV
“Even if the number of people in Isra’el is as large
as the number of grains of sand by the sea,
only a remnant will be saved.
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Commentary on Romans 9 verses 25–29
Having explained the promise, and proved the divine sovereignty, the apostle here shows how the rejection of the Jews, and the taking in of the Gentiles, were foretold in the Old Testament, and therefore must needs be very well consistent with the promise made to the fathers under the Old Testament. It tends very much to the clearing of a truth to observe how the scripture is fulfilled in it. The Jews would, no doubt, willingly refer it to the Old Testament, the scriptures of which were committed to them. Now he shows how this, which was so uneasy to them, was there spoken of.
I. By the prophet Hosea, who speaks of the taking in of a great many of the Gentiles, Hos 2:23 and Hos 1:10. The Gentiles had not been the people of God, not owning him, nor being owned by him in that relation: "But," says he, "I will call them my people, make them such and own them as such, notwithstanding all their unworthiness." A blessed change! Former badness is no bar to God's present grace and mercy. - And her beloved which was not beloved. Those whom God calls his people he calls beloved: he loves those that are his own. And lest it might be supposed that they should become God's people only by being proselyted to the Jewish religion, and made members of that nation, he adds, from Hos 1:10, In the place where it was said, etc., there shall they be called. They need not be embodied with the Jews, nor go up to Jerusalem to worship; but, wherever they are scattered over the face of the earth, there will God own them. Observe the great dignity and honour of the saints, that they are called the children of the living God; and his calling them so makes them so. Behold, what manner of love! This honour have all his saints.
II. By the prophet Isaiah, who speaks of the casting off of many of the Jews, in two places.
1.One is Isa 10:22, Isa 10:23, which speaks of the saving of a remnant, that is, but a remnant, which, though in the prophecy it seems to refer to the preservation of a remnant from the destruction and desolation that were coming upon them by Sennacherib and his army, yet is to be understood as looking further, and sufficiently proves that it is no strange thing for God to abandon to ruin a great many of the seed of Abraham, and yet maintain his word of promise to Abraham in full force and virtue. This is intimated in the supposition that the number of children of Israel was as the sand of the sea, which was part of the promise made to Abraham, Gen 22:17. And yet only a remnant shall be saved; for many are called, but few are chosen. In this salvation of the remnant we are told (Rom 9:28) from the prophet, (1.) That he will complete the work: He will finish the work. When God begins he will make an end, whether in ways of judgment or of mercy. The rejection of the unbelieving Jews god would finish in their utter ruin by the Romans, who soon after this quite took away their place and nation. The assuming of Christian churches into the divine favour, and the spreading of the gospel in other nations, was a work which God would likewise finish, and be known by his name JEHOVAH. As for God, his work is perfect. Margin, He will finish the account. God, in his eternal counsels, has taken an account of the children of men, allotted them to such or such a condition, to such a share of privileges; and, as they come into being, his dealings with them are pursuant to these counsels: and he will finish the account, complete the mystical body, call in as many as belong to the election of grace, and then the account will be finished. (2.) That he will contract it; not only finish it, but finish it quickly. Under the Old Testament he seemed to tarry, and to make a longer and more tedious work of it. The wheels moved but slowly towards the extent of the church; but now he will cut it short, and make a short work upon the earth. Gentile converts were now flying as a cloud. But he will cut it short in righteousness, both in wisdom and in justice. Men, when they cut short, do amiss; they do indeed despatch causes; but, when God cuts short, it is always in righteousness. So the fathers generally apply it. Some understand it of the evangelical law and covenant, which Christ has introduced and established in the world: he has in that finished the work, put an end to the types and ceremonies of the Old Testament. Christ said, It is finished, and then the veil was rent, echoing as it were to the word that Christ said upon the cross. And he will cut it short. The work (it is logos - the word, the law) was under the Old Testament very long; a long train of institutions, ceremonies, conditions: but now it is cut short. Our duty is now, under the gospel, summed up in much less room than it was under the law; the covenant was abridged and contracted; religion is brought into a less compass. And it is in righteousness, in favour to us, in justice to his own design and counsel. With us contractions are apt to darken things: -
- Brevis esse laboro, Obscurus fio -
I strive to be concise, but prove obscure.
but it is not so in this case. Though it be cut short, it is clear and plain; and, because short, the more easy.
2.Another is quoted from Isa 1:9, where the prophet is showing how in a time of general calamity and destruction God would preserve a seed. This is to the same purport with the former; and the scope of it is to show that it was no strange thing for God to leave the greatest part of the people of the Jews to ruin, and to reserve to himself only a small remnant: so he had done formerly, as appears by their own prophets; and they must not wonder if he did so now. Observe, (1.) What God is. He is the Lord of sabaoth, that is, the Lord of hosts - a Hebrew word retained in the Greek, as Jam 5:4. All the host of heaven and earth are at his beck and disposal. When God secures a seed to himself out of a degenerate apostate world, he acts as Lord of sabaoth. It is an act of almighty power and infinite sovereignty. (2.) What his people are; they are a seed, a small number. The corn reserved for next year's seedings is but little, compared with that which is spent and eaten. But they are a useful number - the seed, the substance, of the next generation, Isa 6:13. It is so far from being an impeachment of the justice and righteousness of God that so many perish and are destroyed, that it is a wonder of divine power and mercy that all are not destroyed, that there are any saved; for even those that are left to be a seed, if God had dealt with them according to their sins, had perished with the rest. This is the great truth which this scripture teacheth us.
Paul says this because Isaiah was crying out for those who would believe in Christ. It is these who are the true Israel…. The others have gone away from the law because they have not believed in him whom the law promised would alone be sufficient for salvation. Therefore they became apostate, because by not accepting Christ they became lawbreakers. Therefore, of that great number only those who God foreknew would believe have been saved. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
"For Esaias," he says, "crieth concerning Israel." That is, speaks out boldly, and uses no dissimulation. Why then lay a charge against us, when they afore declared the same thing with more than trumpet's loudness? And what does Isaiah cry? "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved."
Do you see that he too does not say that all are to be saved, but that those that are worthy shall? For I regard not the multitude, he means, nor does a race diffused so far distress me, but those only do I save that yield themselves worthy of it. And he does not mention the "sand of the sea" without a reason, but to remind them of the ancient promise whereof they had made themselves unworthy. Why then are you troubled, as though the promise had failed, when all the Prophets show that it is not all that are to be saved?
Here Isaiah showed that only a few Jews would believe.
This shows that the Lord is the cornerstone, uniting both walls in himself. Hosea’s testimony is spoken of the Gentiles, but the Lord unites both Jews and Gentiles, according to what he said in the gospel about the latter: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.”
If by remnant … we are to understand not election of the justified to eternal life but election of those who are to be justified, that kind of election is truly hidden and cannot be known by us, who must regard all men as parts of a single lump of clay. If some claim to be able to know it, I must confess my own weakness in this matter.
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SUMMARY
Romans 9:27 presents a profound theological truth from the prophet Isaiah, quoted by Paul, asserting that despite the vast numerical promise made to Israel, God's salvific plan has always centered on a faithful remnant. This declaration is pivotal in Paul's argument concerning God's continuing faithfulness to His covenant people amidst their widespread rejection of Christ, demonstrating that salvation is not a matter of national or ethnic identity but of divine election and grace, fulfilled through a chosen few.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul's quotation of Isaiah in Romans 9:27 employs several potent literary devices. Foremost is Allusion, as Paul directly alludes to and quotes from Isaiah 10:22-23, grounding his New Testament theological argument in the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament. This serves to validate his claims by demonstrating their continuity with God's long-revealed purposes. The phrase "as the sand of the sea" is a clear example of Hyperbole, a deliberate exaggeration used to emphasize the immense, countless number of Israel's descendants, a common biblical idiom for God's promises of progeny. This hyperbole then sets up a powerful Contrast with the subsequent declaration that "a remnant shall be saved." The vast, innumerable quantity is placed in stark opposition to the small, chosen portion, highlighting the selective nature of God's salvation and challenging the assumption that all Israel would automatically be saved. This contrast underscores the theme of divine sovereignty over human numbers or lineage.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Romans 9:27 profoundly shapes our understanding of God's redemptive plan, revealing that His faithfulness to His covenant promises is not negated by human unbelief, but rather reinterpreted and fulfilled through a sovereign act of preservation. The concept of the "remnant" is a recurring motif throughout biblical history, signifying that even in times of widespread apostasy or judgment, God always maintains a faithful core. This truth challenges any presumption of salvation based on ethnic identity or group affiliation, emphasizing instead God's free and electing grace. It demonstrates that God's ultimate purpose is to save a people for Himself, a purpose that transcends national boundaries and human expectations, ultimately pointing to a spiritual rather than merely physical lineage.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The profound truth of Romans 9:27 challenges us to examine the basis of our own assurance of salvation. It reminds us that belonging to a particular family, nation, or even a religious institution does not automatically guarantee a saving relationship with God. Salvation is always a work of God's sovereign grace, extended to those who respond in faith, whether Jew or Gentile. For believers, this verse offers immense comfort and encouragement, especially when we feel like a minority standing for truth in a world that increasingly rejects God. We are part of God's chosen remnant, a people preserved by His grace, and our hope is firmly rooted in His faithfulness, not in human numbers or strength. It calls us to embrace a deep humility, recognizing that our salvation is entirely His doing, and to live lives that reflect the transforming power of His electing love.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse mean that God has rejected the Jewish people?
Answer: No, this verse does not mean God has rejected the Jewish people. Rather, it clarifies the nature of God's ongoing covenant with Israel. Paul addresses this very question explicitly in Romans 11:1, where he asks, "I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid." He then proceeds to explain that God's promises are being fulfilled through a "remnant" within Israel, chosen by grace (Romans 11:5), and that ultimately, "all Israel shall be saved" (Romans 11:26) in a future eschatological sense. The verse in Romans 9:27 simply emphasizes that salvation is not automatic for every biological descendant of Abraham but is based on God's sovereign election and the response of faith, a truth that has always been present in God's dealings with Israel.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Romans 9:27, by highlighting the principle of the "remnant," finds its ultimate fulfillment and clearest expression in Jesus Christ. He is the true Israelite, the faithful Son in whom God's promises find their "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). The concept of a remnant, a chosen few, is perfectly embodied in the formation of the church, which is comprised of both believing Jews and Gentiles united in Christ, becoming the spiritual offspring of Abraham by faith (Galatians 3:29). Jesus Himself spoke of a narrow gate and few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14), echoing the remnant principle. Through His atoning work, Christ gathers to Himself a people, not based on ethnic lineage or numerical strength, but on the sovereign call of God and the individual's faith in Him. Thus, the "remnant" of Israel, and indeed the remnant of humanity, are "saved" only through their inclusion in Christ, the one through whom God's redemptive plan for all nations is realized (Ephesians 2:11-22).