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Romans Commentary Chapters 9-16  /  Romans 9:10-13 the Two Nations from Jacob and Esau Part One  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 3
Bercot repeatedly says God’s choice was grounded in foreknowledge of character—“God knew what type of men these brothers would grow up to be”—and quotes the early Christian idea that God “foreknew their dispositions”; how does that portray God’s justice and wisdom, and where does it still leave you with discomfort about divine choosing?
Another way to ask: If God chose based on knowing what kind of people Jacob and Esau would become, what does that say about God being fair and wise? What still feels troubling to you about God choosing some and not others?

Direct Answer Bercot portrays God’s choosing as just and wise because it is not random; God’s decisions are tied to perfect foreknowledge of what people will truly become. Still, the passage can leave discomfort because God’s choosing happens “before” people act in history, even if it is based on foreknown character.

Support from Transcript:

  • “Before they were born, God knew what type of men these brothers would grow up to be. Jacob would become a righteous man, while Esau would become a profane man.”
  • The quoted early Christian explanation: God “did not wait for the evidence of events… he foretold the difference… from foreknowing their dispositions.”
  • Key clarification: “God’s choice is not arbitrary, but in accordance with the character of men.”
  • Bercot applies this principle to Gentiles: God can choose “before they are even born… for He has perfect foreknowledge of what kind of persons they will turn out to be.”
  • “God chose the Gentiles long before their spiritual birth… For He foreknew how they would respond.”
  • He insists God’s foreknowledge is “infallible” and therefore not unfair.
Discussion Follow-ups Even if God’s choice is not arbitrary, why does it still feel weighty or unsettling that God’s decisions precede our lived choices? How do foreknowledge and responsibility sit together in your mind?

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