Romans 9

Wesley: the gentiles, who followed not after righteousness—who a while ago had no knowledge of, no care or thought about it—have attained to righteousness, or justification: even the righteousness which is by faith. This is the first conclusion from all that has been said (vv. 14–29).

Here is the Arminian hinge of the chapter: individuals still believe, and they attain by faith. Gentile righteousness is not a secret list they never heard; it is the righteousness of faith. Potter and mercy (9:14–29) named God’s right to fix terms; they do not cancel this attainment. God accepts those who believe.

Calvin: nothing appeared more unreasonable than that Gentiles who had no concern for righteousness should be called to obtain it, while Jews who labored in the law were excluded. Paul adds the reason: the righteousness the Gentiles attained was by faith, and hence depends on the Lord’s mercy, not on man’s own worthiness.

Calvin will not let faith become the first cause. The Gentiles could not have obtained righteousness by faith except God had anticipated their faith by his grace; faith itself is a portion of his favor. Secret predestination remains the first cause; those He deigned to embrace when unworthy obtained. Faith is the instrument; God’s purpose explains who believes.

Wesley: Israel—the Jews—although following after the law of righteousness (that law which, duly used, would have led them to faith, and thereby to righteousness) have not attained to the law of righteousness: that justification which is one great end of the law.

They ran and did not arrive. The miss is not that the law was a trap; duly used it would have led to faith. Corporate Israel pursued and failed. Verse 32 will name the failure as their own: not by faith, but as if by works. The potter’s right did not make that pursuit a charade they could not have turned.

Calvin: it was no wonder the Jews gained nothing by sedulously following after righteousness; by running out of the way they wearied themselves in vain. Depending on the righteousness of the law, they did not understand the true method of justification. Legal righteousness was the cause that they fell away from the law of righteousness.

The pursuit was true; the path was wrong. Reformed reading does not mock the run. A remnant obtained; the nation as such did not. The miss unfolds the electing purpose already named (vv. 11, 16, 23–24): those appointed to faith obtain; zeal at the wrong goal does not.

Wesley’s question is the hinge: And wherefore have they not? Is it because God eternally decreed they should not? There is nothing like this to be met with. The apostle gives the reason: because they sought it not by faith—whereby alone it could be attained—but as it were, in effect if not professedly, by works. They stumbled at that stumblingstone—Christ crucified.

Both camps read the “because.” Classical Arminians take it as the last word on why they missed: responsible unbelief, not a secret decree they could not resist. The stone is Christ; the fault is unbelief; the works-path is theirs. Potter and mercy in 9:14–29 do not cancel this clause. Individuals still resist.

Calvin: they are deservedly rejected who attempt to attain salvation by trusting in their own works; they abolish faith, without which no salvation can be expected. Faith and the merits of works are contrary. They stumbled at Christ, through whom alone a way is open to righteousness.

Do not deny the “Because they didn’t seek it by faith” clause—both camps read it. The fork is whether that unbelief is the last word or sits under election. Calvin: do not set this cause above the secret predestination of God, counted as the first cause; the wickedness of the ungodly affords a reason and occasion for the judgments of God. Unbelief is serious; those appointed to faith obtain.

Wesley: Foretold by their own prophet. Behold, I lay in Sion—I exhibit in my church what, though it is in truth the only sure foundation of happiness, yet will be in fact a stumblingstone and rock of offence—an occasion of ruin to many, through their obstinate unbelief.

The stone is Christ. Whoever believes in him will be put to shame: the promise is as wide as the whoever. Ruin is through obstinate unbelief, not a fate that made believing impossible. Ties back to 9:14–29: potter and mercy named God’s right; this verse names believer and unbeliever in responsible terms. The fault remains unbelief.

Calvin: Christ is appointed for ruin to the unbelieving, but for life and resurrection to the godly. By calling him the stone of stumbling, Paul reminds us it is no wonder they made no progress who through wilful stubbornness stumbled at the rock of offence when God had showed the way so plainly. Yet this stumbling does not properly belong to Christ viewed in himself; it happens through the wickedness of men.

Scripture is fulfilled: Zion’s stone was laid, and Israel stumbled as written. Faith is the instrument (“no one who believes”); God’s purpose explains who believes. The whoever does not flatten election into a mere offer; it names how those appointed obtain, and it stands as written.