John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ , etc..] Some consider this as the reason of the apostle's great heaviness, and continual sorrow of heart, because he had made such a wish as this, and read the words, for I have wished, or did wish; that is, in my unregenerate state, whilst I was a persecutor of Christ, and a blasphemer of his name, I wished to be for ever separated from him, and to have nothing to do with him; for then I thought I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus, and this I did out of respect to the Jewish nation, and because I would not relinquish the Jewish religion; but oh! what a trouble of mind is it to me? what uneasiness does it give me when I think of it, and reflect upon it? But this can never be the apostle's meaning, for he would never have appealed to Christ in so solemn a manner, and took an oath upon it, for the truth of his enmity to Christ, and alienation from him before conversion, which everybody knew; nor was it anything strange, that whilst he was an unbelieving Jew, he should wish himself separated from Jesus of Nazareth, and always to remain so; and his having done this before his embracing of Christianity could be no evidence of his present affection for the Jewish nation, especially since he repented of it, and was sorry for it.
But this wish, whatever is meant by it, is mentioned as an instance of his great love to his countrymen the Jews. Many have thought that his meaning is, that he had so great a value for them, that he could even wish himself, and be content to be eternally separated from Christ, everlastingly banished from his presence, never to enjoy communion more with him, or in other words, to be eternally damned, that they might be saved. But this is what could never be, and which he knew, was impossible to be done, and was contrary to that strong persuasion he had just expressed in the close of the foregoing chapter. Nor is it consistent with his love to Christ, to wish any thing of this kind; it would make him to love the Jews much better than Christ; since, according to this sense, he must wish to be parted from him, that they might be saved, and consequently must love them more than Christ: nor is it consistent with, but even contrary both to the principles of nature and grace; it is contrary to the principles of nature, for a man to desire his own damnation upon any consideration whatever; and it is contrary to the principle of grace, which always strongly inclines to be with Christ, and not separated from him; in a word, to be accursed from Christ in this sense, could be no proper means of the salvation of the Jews, and therefore it cannot be thought to be desirable, or wished for. Some things are said indeed for the qualifying of this sense of the words, as that the apostle said this inconsiderately, when he was scarcely himself, through an ecstasy of mind, and intemperate zeal, and an overflow of affection for his nation; but this is highly to reflect upon the apostle, and to represent him in a very unworthy manner, when it is certain he said this with the greatest deliberation and seriousness; he introduces it in the most solemn manner, with an appeal to Christ, the Holy Spirit, and his own conscience, and therefore it could never drop from him through incogitancy, and an overheated affection. Again, it is said, that this wish was made with a condition, if it was the will of God, but that he knew was not; or if it could be for the good of these people, this also he knew it could never be: the best qualification Of it is to say it is an hyperbolical expression; and so if it is, it must be with a witness, being such an hyperbole, as is not to be matched in sacred or profane writings. The words of Moses are thought to be a parallel one, blot me, I pray thee, out of the book which thou hast written, ( Exodus 32:32); but that is not to be understood of the book of eternal life; but either of the book of the law, as R. Sol. Jarchi expounds it, which God had ordered him to write, and his desire is, that his name might not stand there; or rather of the book of this temporal life, that he might die and not live. It remains then that these words must have another meaning. Now let it be observed, that the word anayema , here translated accursed, answers to the Hebrew word rj , which, with the Jewish writers, is one sort of excommunication in use among them, and the greater sort; the forth of it, as given by them, is very horrible, and shocking f161 ; (see Gill on John 9:22); and so we may observe the word anathema here used is mentioned as a form of excommunication in ( 1 Corinthians 16:22 Galatians 1:8,9); of all such as love not Christ and his Gospel, and make it appear by their principles or practices, or both, that they do not, and so ought to be removed from the communion of churches. Now, taking the word in this sense, the apostle's meaning is, that he could wish to be excommunicated from Christ; that is, from the body of Christ, from the church of Christ, Christ mystical, as the word Christ is used, ( Corinthians 12:12); to be deprived of the ordinance of Christ's house, to be degraded from his office in it, and not to be so much as a member in it. He saw that these branches, the people of the Jews, were going to be cut off, and no longer to be of the church of God; and such was his affection to them, that he could have wished rather to be cut off himself, that they might be spared; and this was an instance of great love to them, since, next to Christ, the church and the ordinances of it were exceeding dear unto, and highly valued by the apostle. Again, it is worthy of observation, that the Hebrew word rj , which the Septuagint render by anayema , the word in the text, is used for any thing devoted to God, and which could not be alienated to any other use or service; and if it was a man, or any among men that was devoted, it was not to be redeemed, but was surely to be put to death, ( Leviticus 27:29). Some have thought that Jephthah's daughter was put to death upon this law; but be that as it will, the apostle here may reasonably be thought to allude unto it, and his sense be this, that he could wish himself anayema einai apo tou cristou , to be devoted unto death, not from Christ, but by Christ; and some copies read upo , by: I could wish that my dear Lord and Master, as if he should say, would appoint and order me to die, might this nation of mine but escape that ruin and destruction I see is coming upon them, as a nation and a church; I could be content to die the most accursed death, and be treated in the most ignominious manner, might they but be saved; a like expression is that of R. Ishmael f162 , trpk yna lary ynb may I be an expiatory sacrifice for the children of Israel; which (says one commentator f163 ) he said, tbj wtm , because of his love to them; and it is as if he should say, all the punishment which is right to come upon them, I will take it on myself, in order to atone for them; and says another f164 , the sense is, he took upon him their redemption, and this he said, wtbha bwrl , because of the greatness of his love: now for a man to die for his country, that a whole nation perish not, was agreeably to the sentiments both of Jews and Gentiles, and was the highest instance of love among men; greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, ( John 15:13); and this is carrying the sense of the apostle's wish high enough, and not too far. The persons on whose account he could have expressed this wish, are described by their natural relation to him, my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh : he calls them his brethren, not in a spiritual sense, nor in a strict natural sense, but in a general way, as being of the same nation: it is a saying with the Jews f165 , yja lary lk , all the Israelites are brethren; for the same reason he calls them kinsmen; and these appellations he uses to remove that ill will and prejudice they had conceived in their minds against him, and to signify the ground of his affection for them: and he adds, according to the flesh, to distinguish them from his spiritual brethren and relations; for though they were brethren in a national sense, they were not all so in a spiritual relation.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Being about to discuss the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, and to show that the whole agrees with the sovereign electin love of God, the apostle expresses strongly his affection for his people. He solemnly appeals to Christ; and his conscience, enlightene and directed by the Holy Spirit, bore witness to his sincerity. He would submit to be treated as "accursed," to be disgraced, crucified and even for a time be in the deepest horror and distress; if he coul rescue his nation from the destruction about to come upon them for their obstinate unbelief. To be insensible to the eternal condition of our fellow-creatures, is contrary both to the love required by the law and the mercy of the gospel. They had long been professed worshipper of Jehovah. The law, and the national covenant which was grounde thereon, belonged to them. The temple worship was typical of salvatio by the Messiah, and the means of communion with God. All the promise concerning Christ and his salvation were given to them. He is not onl over all, as Mediator, but he is God blessed for ever.
Greek Textus Receptus
ηυχομην 2172 5711 V-INI-1S γαρ 1063 CONJ αυτος 846 P-NSM εγω 1473 P-1NS αναθεμα 331 N-NSN ειναι 1511 5750 V-PXN απο 575 PREP του 3588 T-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM υπερ 5228 PREP των 3588 T-GPM αδελφων 80 N-GPM μου 3450 P-1GS των 3588 T-GPM συγγενων 4773 A-GPM μου 3450 P-1GS κατα 2596 PREP σαρκα 4561 N-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. I could wish (hucomhn). Or pray as 2 Cor. xiii. 7, 9; Jas. v. 16. Lit., I was wishing; but the imperfect here has a tentative force, implying the wish begun, but stopped at the outset by some antecedent consideration which renders it impossible, so that, practically, it was not entertained at all. So Paul of Onesimus: "Whom I could have wished (eboulomhn) to keep with me," if it had not been too much to ask (Philemon 13). Paul would wish to save his countrymen, even at such sacrifice, if it were morally possible. Others, however, explain the imperfect as stating an actual wish formerly entertained. 50 Accursed from Christ (anaqema apo tou cristou). Compare Gal. i. 8, 9; 1 Cor. xii. 3; xvi. 22. See on offerings, Luke xxi. 5. Set apart to destruction and so separated from Christ (Philip. i. 21; iii. 8, 20). An expression of deep devotion. "It is not easy to estimate the measure of love in a Moses and a Paul. For our limited reason does not grasp it, as the child cannot comprehend the courage of warriors" (Bengel). Compare Moses, Exod. xxxii. 32.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:3 {I could wish} (eucomen). Idiomatic imperfect, "I was on the point of wishing." We can see that eucomai (I do wish) would be wrong to say. An uchomn would mean that he does not wish (conclusion of second class condition). An uchomn would be conclusion of fourth class condition and too remote. He is shut up to the imperfect indicative (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 886). {anaqema} (anaqema). See for this word as distinct from anaqema (offering) #1Co 12:3; Ga 1:8f. {I myself} (autos eg"). Nominative with the infinitive einai and agreeing with subject of uchomn. {According to the flesh} (kata sarka). As distinguished from Paul's Christian brethren.
