In chapter 10, Paul truly laments over his fellow countrymen. Paul unpacks his earlier statement that even the children of Abraham, according to the flesh, are without excuse because they have heard and understood the Gospel but have simply refused to accept it, primarily because of the inclusion of the Gentiles. Paul points out that Moses and Isaiah made it clear that Gentiles were always meant to be a part of God's covenant family. N.T. Wright is certainly correct to point out that the covenant with Abraham was God's answer to the the problem of sin but that Abraham's children became part of the problem as well as the carrier of the solution, so Jesus took the necessary action himself. However, Israel continued to selfishly insist on bogarting the presence of God or, as Wright puts it, taking the great light of God and attempting to place mirrors around it instead of windows to guide the rest of the world home. Once again, Paul makes it clear that God has been faithful to His promises but we have been the obstinate ones.
Now, aren't you glad that we have learned so much that we in the pews no longer selfishly keep the light of God to ourselves as to only feed our own selfish desires but instead selflessly share it with all? Oh, wait...
