KJV: Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
YLT: hath not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make the one vessel to honour, and the one to dishonour?
Darby: Or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour?
ASV: Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
ἐξουσίαν | authority |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ἐξουσία Sense: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases. |
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κεραμεὺς | potter |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: κεραμεύς Sense: a potter. |
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τοῦ | over the |
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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πηλοῦ | clay |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: πηλός Sense: clay, which potters uses. |
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ἐκ | out of |
Parse: Preposition Root: ἐκ Sense: out of, from, by, away from. |
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αὐτοῦ | same |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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φυράματος | lump |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: φύραμα Sense: any substance mixed with water and kneaded. |
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ποιῆσαι | to make |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active Root: ποιέω Sense: to make. |
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ὃ | one |
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: ὅς Sense: who, which, what, that. |
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μὲν | indeed |
Parse: Conjunction Root: μέν Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed. |
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εἰς | unto |
Parse: Preposition Root: εἰς Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among. |
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τιμὴν | honor |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: τιμή Sense: a valuing by which the price is fixed. |
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σκεῦος | vessel |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: σκεῦος Sense: a vessel. |
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δὲ | however |
Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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ἀτιμίαν | dishonor |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ἀτιμία Sense: dishonour, ignominy, disgrace. |
Greek Commentary for Romans 9:21
This question, expecting an affirmative answer, is Paul‘s reply to the previous one, “Why didst thou make me thus?” Πηλος Pēlos old word for clay, is mud or wet clay in John 9:6, John 9:11, John 9:14. The old word for potter (κεραμευς kerameus) in N.T. only here and Matthew 27:7, Matthew 27:10. [source]
Late word from πυραω phuraō to mix (clay, dough, etc.). One part (ο μεν ho men) - another (ο δε ho de). Regular idiom for contrast (μενδε meṅ̇de) with the old demonstrative ο ho (this), “this vessel (σκευος skeuos old word as in Mark 11:16) for honour, that for dishonour.” Paul thus claims clearly God‘s sovereign right (εχουσιαν exousian power, right, authority, from εχεστι exesti) to use men (already sinners) for his own purpose. [source]
Regular idiom for contrast (μενδε meṅ̇de) with the old demonstrative ο ho (this), “this vessel (σκευος skeuos old word as in Mark 11:16) for honour, that for dishonour.” Paul thus claims clearly God‘s sovereign right (εχουσιαν exousian power, right, authority, from εχεστι exesti) to use men (already sinners) for his own purpose. [source]
Or right. See on Mark 2:10; see on John 1:12. [source]
From φυράω tomix so as to make into dough. Hence any substance mixed with water and kneaded. Philo uses it of the human frame as compounded. By the lump is here meant human nature with its moral possibilities, “but not yet conceived of in its definite, individual, moral stamp” (Meyer). The figure of man as clay molded by God carries us back to the earliest traditions of the creation of man (Genesis 2:7). According to primitive ideas man is regarded as issuing from the earth. The traditions of Libya made the first human being spring from the plains heated by the sun. The Egyptians declared that the Nile mud, exposed to the heat of the sun, brought forth germs which sprang up as the bodies of men. A subsequent divine operation endowed these bodies with soul and intellect, and the divine fashioner appears upon some monuments molding clay, wherewith to form man, upon a potter's wheel. The Peruvians called the first man “animated earth;” and the Mandans of North America related that the Great Spirit molded two figures of clay, which he dried and animated with the breath of his mouth, one receiving the name of First Man, the other that of Companion. The Babylonian account, translated by Berosus, represents man as made of clay after the manner of a statue. See Francois Lenormant, “Beginnings of History.” [source]
Rev., more correctly, to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another part, etc. For vessel, see on 1 Peter 3:7; compare Matthew 12:29; Acts 9:15. The vessel here is the one which has just come from the potter's hand. Those in Romans 9:22have been in household use. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 9:21
First aorist active indicative of the old verb πτυω ptuō for which see Mark 7:33. Χαμαι Chamai is an old adverb either in the dative or locative (sense suits locative), in N.T. only here and John 18:6. Jesus was not asked to cure this man. The curative effects of saliva are held in many places. The Jews held saliva efficacious for eye-trouble, but it was forbidden on the Sabbath. “That Jesus supposed some virtue lay in the application of the clay is contradicted by the fact that in other cases of blindness He did not use it” (Dods). Cf. Mark 8:23. Why he here accommodated himself to current belief we do not know unless it was to encourage the man to believe. He made clay Only use of πηλος pēlos old word for clay, in N.T. in this chapter and Romans 9:21. The kneading of the clay and spittle added another offense against the Sabbath rules of the rabbis. Anointed his eyes with the clay First aorist active indicative of επιχριω epichriō old verb, to spread on, anoint, here only and John 9:11 in N.T. “He spread the clay upon his eyes.” B C read επετηκεν epethēken (first aorist active indicative of επιτιτημι epitithēmi to put on). [source]
See on Romans 9:21. The whole body of the people. The apparent confusion of metaphor, first-fruit, lump, is resolved by the fact that first-fruit does not apply exclusively to harvest, but is the general term for the first portion of every thing which was offered to God. The reference here is to Numbers 15:18-21; according to which the Israelites were to set apart a portion of the dough of each baking of bread for a cake for the priests. This was called ἀπαρχή , first-fruits. [source]
From which the first fruit came. See note on Romans 9:21. Apparently the patriarchs are the first fruit. The root (η ριζα hē riza). Perhaps Abraham singly here. The metaphor is changed, but the idea is the same. Israel is looked on as a tree. But one must recall and keep in mind the double sense of Israel in Romans 9:6. (the natural and the spiritual). [source]
Here δια dia is no longer instrument, but state or condition. Δοχα Doxa here is glory. See note on Romans 9:21; note on 2 Timothy 2:20 for contrast between honour and dishonour (τιμη ατιμια timēδια δυσπημιας και ευπημιας atimia). [source]
PoSee on Romans 9:21. [source]
After Romans 9:21. [source]
Old word σκευος skeuos See note on Romans 9:21 for the same double use as here. Of gold (χρυσα chrusā). Old contracted adjective χρυσεος chruseos only here by Paul. Of silver Old contracted adjective αργυρεος argureos in N.T. here, Acts 19:24; Revelation 9:20. Of wood (χυλινα xulina). Old adjective, in N.T. only here and Revelation 9:20. Of earth Late adjective, from οστρακον ostrakon baked clay, in lxx, in N.T. only here and 2 Corinthians 4:7. [source]