Romans 9:14-18

Romans 9:14-18

[14] What  shall we say  then?  Is there unrighteousness  with  God?  God forbid.  [15] For  he saith  to Moses,  I will have mercy on  whom  I will have mercy,  and  I will have compassion  on whom  I will have compassion.  [16] So  then  it is not  of him that willeth,  nor  of him that runneth,  but  of God  that sheweth mercy.  [17] For  the scripture  saith  unto Pharaoh,  Even for  same purpose  up,  that  I might shew  power  in  and  that  name  might be declared  throughout  all  the earth.  [18] Therefore  hath he mercy  on whom  he will  have mercy, and  whom  he will  he hardeneth. 

What does Romans 9:14-18 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The question of fairness arises whenever someone makes a choice to favor one person or group over another. Paul dealt with the justice of God in doing what He did in this pericope.
"These verses are a detour from the main road of Paul"s argument. Paul takes this detour because he knows that his insistence on God"s initiative in determining who should be saved and who rejected (see Romans 9:10-13 especially) will meet with questions and even objections. Appropriately, therefore, Paul reverts to the diatribe style, with its question-and-answer format and references to a dialogue partner, that he has utilized earlier in the letter (see Romans 2:1 to Romans 3:8; Romans 3:27-31; Romans 6-7)." [1]