ACC ~ Romans 9 v3

ACCURSED FOR THE SAKE OF MY BRETHREN. ORIGEN: Why be surprised that the apostle desires to be cursed for his brethren’s sake, when he who is in the form of God emptied himself and took on the form of a servant and was made a curse for us? Why be surprised if, when Christ became a curse for his servants, one of his servants should become a curse for his brethren? COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

CUT OFF FROM CHRIST? CHRYSOSTOM: What are you saying, Paul? Do you really want to be cut off from Christ, your beloved one, from whom neither heaven nor hell, nor things visible nor invisible, nor another world as great would separate you? Do you want to be cursed by him? What has happened? Have you changed, have you thrown over your previous love? No, Paul replies, do not worry! On the contrary, I have made my love for him more intense still. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 16.

PAUL’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE JEWS. CHRYSOSTOM: If Paul was willing to become accursed so that others might believe, he ought to have wished it for the sake of the Gentiles as well. But as he wishes it only for the sake of the Jews, it is proof that he did not wish it for Christ’s sake, but because of his relationship to them. If he had prayed only for the Gentiles, this would not have been so clear. As it is only for the Jews though, it is clear proof that he is only as earnest as this because he wants to see Christ glorified in them.

Paul was cut to the heart when he realized the extent to which the Jews had blasphemed God and because he was concerned for God’s glory. He wished that he were accursed, if possible, so that they might be saved, their blasphemy might be brought to an end, and God himself might be vindicated from any charge that he might have deceived the offspring of those to whom he had promised gifts. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 16.

CONFESSING HIS SORROW. [PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: Lest anyone think that Paul is here contradicting what he said earlier, what he means is this. He is not now choosing to be accursed and cut off from Christ; rather, he chose that during the time when he persecuted Christ and his church, obeying the will of his brethren and relatives. Now he is confessing his sorrow because, while he has since merited the grace of apostleship, they continue in sin and are deprived of the promise of such great good. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

“I COULD WISH” AS A PAST REFERENCE. PELAGIUS: Paul wished this at one time, before he became a follower of Christ. … But after he recognized the truth, he abandoned those whom he used to love in this way, yet still they do not repent. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

Rom