Justification of God: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Romans 9:1-23

Rating:
Summary: Learn an Exegetical interpretation of Romans 9
Review: I rate this book a 4 only to let the buyer know that there is some difficulty with it. In truth, I rate it a 5 for myself. This book makes a thorough exegetical interpretation of Romans 9.

You will learn why God is Justified in condemning sinners when He has "made me like this". You will learn how God is glorified is their condemnation. This book is very meaty and will take some thought. You may even have to re-read chapters to digest the wonders of the passage.

The negatives of this book certainly do not outweigh any of the positives. Many evangelicals desire meaty sermons, but when given one more than 20 mnutes, they complain. This book is not for the wimpy Christian who says he wants to grow in the Grace and knowledge, but only reads the "purpose Driven Church" style of books. It also quotes the Biblical text in their original languages, therefore it is not friendly to the layman in that regard. Trust me though, I can not read Greek, and I found the book to be a humbling experience in the light of God's truth being presented.

To my knowledge, no one has ever given an exegetical refutation of this work. A must for anyone desiring to grow in their understanding of God's Sovereignty.

God Bless

Rating:
Summary: The best treatment available
Review: John Piper's monograph on Romans 9 is at once a workout and a feast--both for the mind and soul. Finishing a work like this leaves one exhausted! Piper turns over ever leaf and provides tight and compelling arguments on every aspect of this difficult section of Paul's missionary letter to the Romans. Piper notes in this revised edition that the theology of Romans 9 drives every aspect of his ministry at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Everything points to the exaltation of the glory of God in the face of Christ unto the greatest number of joyful worshippers for all of eternity. God's purposes are achieved through double predestination--in the end, not a doctrine to be despised but one to be cherished!

Although this book has been praised as the best treatment on Romans 9 in the history of the church, it is sad to see the corresponding responses from those who disagree (e.g., Clark Pinnock and Norman Geisler) and those who ignore it entirely (e.g., N.T. Wright).

May God use it to further aid the church in spreading a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.

Rating:
Summary: Thorough, scholarly, and clear
Review: Piper's work is the best that I have ever read on Romans 9:1-23, and some claim it is the best ever written. With solid exegetical techniques, Piper unfolds the flow of Paul's argument in Rom. 9. He concludes, based on a fairly detailed analysis of the Old Testament, that the "righteousness" of God consists in his unswerving commitment to preserve and proclaim the honor of his name. With this firmly established, Piper moves on to show that God's work of election is not at odds with his righteousness. By dealing directly with the scholarly literature on Rom. 9, Piper not only states his position but also defends it. Convincingly, he shows that in Rom. 9 Paul is concerned with showing that God predestines individuals to salvation. Virtually every conceivable Arminian objection, however artificial, is discussed and refuted. The book is clear, but also scholarly -- and as a result is not the easiest book to tackle. To my knowledge, Piper's arguments have not been answered by those who disagree with him. I recommend this work to anyone interested in studying Pauline theology, the doctrine of election, or the Calvinist and Arminian debate. Even if the reader does not agree with Piper's general conclusions (which I think is unlikely given the thoroughness of Piper's research and power of his presentation) the book is Calvinistic scholarship at its best. It should be read by all those who wish to understand the Biblical support for the doctrine of unconditional predestination.

Rating:
Summary: You'll be a Calvinist after reading this book
Review: You ever wonder why Calvinists are Calvinists? Why many evangelicals believe in double predestination? How God can still be righteous even though He has decreed to elect only a certain portion of mankind? Those who want an excellent treatment of one of the most difficult topics of Christian theology should look here. In this book, John Piper tackles Romans 9:1-23 to show why the Bible teaches Calvinism. Without letting dogmatic and philosophical presuppositions guide his exegesis, Piper deals with the text as it is by examining the passage in its original language (Koine Greek). The work is heavily exegetical, but surprisingly easy to read (though knowing some Greek will help for sure). Piper goes over the passage section by section (Romans 9:1-5, 6-13, 14-18, and 19-23). He starts off using Romans 9:1-13 as a launching pad which reaches its climax in 9:19-23. It is well structured and organized. Piper sets up his argument by examining the redemptive-historical place of physical Israel (chapter 2). If Israel is God's elect people, why are the majority under His wrath in the present time? What has happened to God's righteousness and faithfulness? Piper, in a very convincing manner, explains that God's promise and faithfulness (according to Paul) have not failed because only a faithful remnant within physical Israel were/are saved. Also, God will someday save corporate/physical Israel near the end of the age (cf. Romans 11:25-26). Thus, God is not unjust. However, Piper does an excellent job still explaining why God is still just and righteous when He only elects a certain number among mankind for His salvific benefits--to display His glory and honour His own name. Piper also deals with the idea of the "righteousness of God" in Romans 3 (chapters 7-8): God's righteousness being not bestowing some righteousness unto sinners (Luther), but to act for His own name's sake and to show His glory (many may agree with Luther, but Piper's view cannot be ignored). He also explains what Exodus 33:19 means within the context of Romans 9, and explains what the "righteousness of God" means in the Old Testament (chapter 6)--which is basically the same as the Pauline meaning in Romans 3. Throughout the book, Piper basically tries to refute the common non-Calvinistic way of interpreting Romans 9. Romans Catholics and Arminians often argue that Romans 9 deals with national and/or temporal matters. Piper, through convincing exegesis, argues that Paul was dealing with individual and eternal matters. This is a good book that will vindicate God and the way He deals with the world and humanity. Piper's book should be read in all seminaries (Calvinistic and non-Calvinistic alike) in advanced theology courses. However, a note of caution should be mentioned. When Piper first wrote this book (1983) he was still highly influenced by his former teacher Daniel Fuller. One may notice some spots where he holds to the typical Kasemannian/Stuhlmacherian view of justification (i.e., justification by faith and law-keeping). Overall, though, this is a good book that should be read by all who are interested in what the Bible teaches on predestination.