Righteousness: Gift or Reward?

So far Paul has considered the case of Israel from God’s side. God made choices from among Abraham’s descendants to create a peculiar people for himself. The election of Jacob over Esau was independent of human merit or responsibility, since the choice was made when both were still in Rebekah’s womb. If in subsequent generations God hardened Pharaoh and blessed Israel, it was “in order that [his] purpose in election might stand” (9:11), a purpose rooted in mercy and directed toward salvation (9:16–17). And if in Paul’s generation the divine will which once hardened an Esau or Pharaoh for Israel’s benefit now hardened Israel for the benefit of the Gentiles, that was but further evidence of God’s righteous purpose.

In 9:30–10:21 Paul considers the case of Isr…