Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 9:3

3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ , for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh .

Or Separated from Christ. This Verse hath greatly vexed Interpreters. Some read it, I did wish my self accursed from Christ, q. d. Before my Conversion, I was willing to be accursed from Christ, to be a violent Persecutor of the Christians; and so to be held of them as accursed for my Brethrens sake. The vulgar Latine ▪ and many Romanists thus render the word [non-Latin text not transcribed] in the Text: But the generality of Interpreters Read it as we do; not Indicatively, but Potentially; and they make an Ellepsis in the words ([non-Latin text not transcribed]) the like is frequent, vid. Act. 25.22. 1 Cor. 2.8. 2 Cor. 11.1. But then still the difficulty is, How, and in what Sence the Apostle wisht himself accursed or separated from Christ. The received Opinion is, That out of Zeal to the Glory of God, and Love to his Brethren; he was willing to be damned, that they all might be saved. Many of the Ancients did thus Expound this place. Christ become a curse for us; And what Marvel is it (sayes one) if the Lord would be made a curse for the Servants, that a Servant should be willing to become an Anathema for the Brethren. He doth not wish (sayes another) for his brethrens sake, to be Separated from the love and grace of Christ, but from the comforts of Christ, and the future happiness that we have by him: He is content to lose his part in the heavenly Glory, if that might promote the Glory of Christ, which would be more Illustrated by the saving a whole Nation, than a particular Person, q. d. If this might be the Fruit of it, if it would to this end, I could methinks be content to part with all my hopes in Christ, even my eternal Happiness, upon condition my Brethren might be Partakers thereof; so Passionate, and abundant Love have I to and for them. This Exposition is not Satisfactory. Therefore some think, the Apostle here speaks of being accurst only for a Season, or of being an Anathema in this World. An Anathema sometimes signifieth Corporal Death and Destruction; of old, in times of common Calamity, they were wont to Sacrifice Men to their Idols, and infernal gods, for the pacifying of their Anger: Such a Sacrifice they called Anathema, which is a word here used, q. d. For my Brethrens sake, that so they might be Saved; I could be content to be cut off, to be made a Sacrifice, to Dye the worst of Deaths. But if this be admitted, How then is that Clause to be understood (from Christ?) 'Tis not, I could wish my self an Anathema, but an Anathema from Christ; to this, they Answer that favour this Interpretation; that instead of from Christ, you may read by Christ. q. d. I could be content to be cut off or destroyed by Christ, that my Brethren might be saved. This Sence of the words suits well with the Zeal and Kindness of Moses to his Brethren, Exod. 32.32. rather than they should not be pardoned and Spared, he prays, That God would blot him out of the book that he had written, vid. Annot. there. There is yet another, and a more probable Interpretation of this Wish of the Apostle. 'Tis as if he had said, I could be willing to be Separated or Excommunicated from the Church of Christ, for the Sake and Salvation of my Country and Nation. Anathema (sayes he Hesychius) signifies [non-Latin text not transcribed], Excommunicate, 1 Cor. 16.22. If any Man love not the Lord Iesus Christ, let him be Anathema: Let him be removed from the Christian Assemblies; deprived of those Christian Priviledges that are afforded there, Gal. 1.8, 9. Let him be an Anathema, that teacheth another Gospel, i. e. Turned out of the Church of Christ, and avoided by all true Christians; If this Sence be admitted, then (from Christ) must signify from the body of Christ; and so the word Christ is used, 1 Cor. 12.12. Gal. 3.27. Christ being the Head of the Body; he that is cut off from the body, may be truly enough said, to be cut off from Christ. Thus the Apostle Paul, who was Accused and Persecuted by the Iews, for having made a Defection from the Law of Moses, and setting up Christian Assemblys, in opposition to their Iudaical Service; doth fi[illegible: 1 letter]ly express his Kindness and Love to them, in wishing himself depraved of those most valuable Priviledges, on condition they might be Partakers thereof. To this it may be added, That in the Primitive Times, this Anathematizing or Excommunicating, was attended with delivering up to Satan, and that with Destruction of the Flesh, with very sharp and severe Punishments upon the Bodyes of Men: And so Anathemae in this Notion, may be taken with this Improvement, and may contain all those Temporal Calamities, that he was willing to endure and undergo for their Good (vid. D. H. in Loc.)

So the Iews ▪ were by natural Descent, vid. Gen. 29.14.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 span] them[illegible: 1 letter] Or, [illegible: 1 span].