the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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New Living Translation
Romans 9:20
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My answer is who do you think you are? You think you are better at making decisions than God? Should the created second-guess the creator who is perfect?
On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? Will the thing molded say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this"?
But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so?
Aye, but thou, O man, who art *thou* that answerest again to God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"
But no, man, who are you who replies against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"
For who hath resisted his will? Nay, but who art thou, O man, that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Nay, but who are you, a mere man, that you should cavil against GOD? Shall the thing moulded say to him who moulded it, "Why have you made me thus?"
Nay but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Yes, rather, O man, who are you answering against God? Shall the thing formed say to the One forming it , Why did You make me like this? Isa. 29:16
O thou man, who art thou, that disputest with God? Sayeth the worke to his workman: Why hast thou made me on this fashion?
nay, but, O man, who art thou, to raise a dust against heaven? shall the pitcher say to him that formed it, "why hast thou made me thus?"
Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn't talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, "Why did you shape me like this?" Isn't it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans? If God needs one style of pottery especially designed to show his angry displeasure and another style carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness, isn't that all right? Either or both happens to Jews, but it also happens to the other people. Hosea put it well: I'll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I'll call the unloved and make them beloved. In the place where they yelled out, "You're nobody!" they're calling you "God's living children." Isaiah maintained this same emphasis: If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered and the sum labeled "chosen of God," They'd be numbers still, not names; salvation comes by personal selection. God doesn't count us; he calls us by name. Arithmetic is not his focus. Isaiah had looked ahead and spoken the truth: If our powerful God had not provided us a legacy of living children, We would have ended up like ghost towns, like Sodom and Gomorrah. How can we sum this up? All those people who didn't seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as he straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their "God projects" that they didn't notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And so they stumbled into him and went sprawling. Isaiah (again!) gives us the metaphor for pulling this together: Careful! I've put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion, a stone you can't get around. But the stone is me! If you're looking for me, you'll find me on the way, not in the way.
On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers [arrogantly] back to God and dares to defy Him? Will the thing which is formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
But who are you, a man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me thus?"
But o man what arte thou which disputest with God? Shall the worke saye to the workeman: why hast thou made me on this fassion?
On the contrary, O man, who are you that reply against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why did you make me thus?
No, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?
nay, but, O man, who art thou that art answering again to God? shall the thing formed say to Him who did form [it], Why me didst thou make thus?
You are only human, and human beings have no right to question God. An object should not ask the person who made it, "Why did you make me like this?"
But who indeed are you—a mere human being—to talk back to God? Does what is molded say to the molder , " Why have you made me like this? "
But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
But, my friend, I ask, "Who do you think you are to question God? Does the clay have the right to ask the potter why he shaped it the way he did?
Who are you, a mere human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me this way?"
But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"
But, O man, who art thou which pleadest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
However, O man, who are you to question God? Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why have you made me like this?
But no, man, who are you who replies against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"
On the contrary, who are you - mere man that you are - to talk back to God? Can an object that was molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this?"Isaiah 29:16; 45:9; 64:8;">[xr]
Who then art thou, O man, who givest answer against Aloha ? Will the mass say to him who formeth it, Why thus hast thou formed me ?
Thou, thus! Who art thou? O man; that thou repliest against God! Shall the potter's vessel say to the former of it, Why hast thou formed me so?
But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
Who are you to talk back to God? A pot being made from clay does not talk to the man making it and say, "Why did you make me like this?"
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, "Why have you made me like this?"
O man! Who, nevertheless, art, thou, that art answering again unto God? Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it - Why didst thou make me thus?
O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why hast thou made me thus?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
On the contrary, O man, who are you who answers back to God? Will what is molded say to the one who molded it, "Why did you make me like this"?
But O man, what art thou which disputest with God? Shall the worke say to the workeman, why hast thou made me on this fashion?
Don't ask that. You are only human and have no right to question God. A clay jar does not question the one who made it. It does not say, "Why did you make me like this?"
On the contrary, who are you, you foolish person, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
But who are you, my friend, to talk back to God? A clay pot does not ask the man who made it, "Why did you make me like this?"
O! man, who art thou, that answerist to God? Whether a maad thing seith to hym that made it, What hast thou maad me so?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
O man: Romans 2:1, Micah 6:8, 1 Corinthians 7:16, James 2:20
who art: Job 33:13, Job 36:23, Job 38:2, Job 38:3, Job 40:2, Job 40:5, Job 40:8, Job 42:2-6, Matthew 20:15
repliest: or, answerest again, Job 16:3, Titus 2:9, or, disputes with God, 1 Corinthians 1:20, 1 Timothy 6:5
Shall: Isaiah 29:16, Isaiah 45:9-11
Reciprocal: Genesis 2:7 - dust 2 Samuel 16:10 - Who shall Job 1:22 - charged God foolishly Job 4:17 - Shall mortal Job 9:3 - he will contend Job 9:32 - not a man Job 16:21 - plead Job 34:23 - that he Job 34:33 - Should Psalms 78:19 - Yea Psalms 106:37 - devils Ecclesiastes 6:10 - neither Ecclesiastes 8:4 - What Isaiah 10:15 - the ax Isaiah 64:8 - are the clay Jeremiah 18:4 - made of clay was marred in Ezekiel 16:63 - and never Ezekiel 18:2 - mean Ezekiel 18:25 - way Daniel 4:35 - What Zephaniah 1:7 - thy Zechariah 2:13 - Be Malachi 3:13 - What Matthew 20:13 - I do Matthew 25:24 - I knew Luke 4:25 - many Luke 12:14 - Man Acts 11:17 - what Romans 3:7 - why yet Romans 14:4 - Who James 1:13 - no man James 4:12 - who
Cross-References
So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made.
Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.
Lamech named his son Noah, for he said, "May he bring us relief from our work and the painful labor of farming this ground that the Lord has cursed."
The sons of Noah who came out of the boat with their father were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham is the father of Canaan.)
From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth.
When Noah woke up from his stupor, he learned what Ham, his youngest son, had done.
Then Noah said, "May the Lord , the God of Shem, be blessed, and may Canaan be his servant!
Has anyone here just planted a vineyard but not yet eaten any of its fruit? If so, you may go home! You might die in battle, and someone else would eat the first fruit.
"You will be engaged to a woman, but another man will sleep with her. You will build a house, but someone else will live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will never enjoy its fruit.
The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Nay, but O man, who art thou that repliest against God?.... Or "answerest again to God": some have been so weak and wicked as to suggest, that the apostle met with an objection he could not answer, or give a fair solution of, and therefore takes the method he does: but when the several things returned in answer by the apostle are considered, it will appear that he has taken the wisest method to silence such an audacious objector, and that he abundantly clears God from the charge of cruelty and unmercifulness. And he answers "first", by putting the insolent creature in mind of what he was; "nay, but O man, who art thou?" c. Thou art man, and not God a creature, and not the Creator; and must not expect that he, thy Creator, will give an account of his matters to thee, or a reason why he does, this or the other thing. Thou art but a man, who in his best estate was vanity, being mutable; thou art a fallen sinful creature, and obnoxious to the wrath and displeasure of God for thy sins, and darest thou to open thy mouth against him? thou art a poor, foolish, and ignorant man, born like a wild ass's colt, without understanding, and wilt thou take upon thee to confront, direct, or counsel the Most High, or tell him what is fitting to be done, or not done? "next" the apostle answers, by pointing out his folly and madness, in replying to God. To speak to God in behalf of a man's self at the throne of grace, in the most submissive manner, for any mercy or favour wanted, is an high privilege, and it is a wonderful condescension in God to admit of; and when a man, a good man takes upon him to plead with God on the behalf of others, of a wicked people, a sinful nation, he ought to set before him the example and conduct of Abraham, who in a like case acknowledged himself to be but dust and ashes, and more than once entreated, that the Lord would not be angry at his importunity; but for a man to answer again to God, which a servant ought not to do to his master, to litigate a point with God, to dispute a matter with him, is the highest instance of arrogance and impudence: "woe unto him that striveth with his Maker, let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth", Isaiah 45:9: with their equals, with men like themselves, but let no man dare to "contend with God"; if he should, "he cannot answer him one of a thousand", Job 9:3; for "he is wise in heart", in forming all his counsels, purposes, and decrees; "and mighty in strength", to execute them; "who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered?" Job 9:4. Another way the apostle takes in answering the objection is, by showing the absurdity of a creature's wrangling with God about his make, and the circumstances in which he is made:
shall the thing formed, say unto him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? reference is had to Isaiah 45:9; Now as it would be a most absurd thing for the clay, was it capable of speaking, to say to the fashioner of it, why dost thou put me into such or such a shape and form? or for any piece of workmanship to say to the maker of it, he has no hands, no head, no judgment and skill; or for a child to say to its parents, what begettest thou, or what hast thou brought forth? so absurd and unreasonable is it, for any to say to God, why hast thou appointed me to such and such ends and purposes, and has brought me into being in such a manner, and under such circumstances? There is a story in the Talmud n, which may be pertinently produced here;
"it happened to R. Eleazar ben Simeon, of Migdal Gedur, that he went from his master's house, and he was riding on an ass, and travelling by the sea side, and as he rejoiced exceedingly, and his heart was lifted up because he had learnt much of the law, there was joined to him a certain man that was very much deformed, and says to him, peace be upon thee Rabbi; but he did not return the salutation to him, but says to him "Raca", how deformed is that man! perhaps all thy townsmen are as deformed as thee; he replied to him, I do not know, but go and say, שעשאני
לאומן, "to the workman that made me", how ugly is this vessel thou hast made, when he knew in himself that he has sinned; upon this the Rabbi dismounted his ass, and fell down before him, and said unto him, I entreat of thee forgive me; he said unto him, I cannot forgive thee, till thou goest "to the workman that made me", and say, how ugly is this vessel which thou hast made.''
n T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 20. 2. Massechet Derech Eretz, c. 4. fol. 18. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Nay but, O man ... - To this objection the apostle replies in two ways; first, by asserting the sovereignty of God, and affirming that he had a right to do it Romans 9:20-21; and secondly, by showing that he did it according to the principles of justice and mercy, or that it was involved of necessity in his dispensing justice and mercy to mankind; Romans 9:22-24.
Who art thou ... - Paul here strongly reproves the impiety and wickedness of arraigning God. This impiety appears,
(1) Because man is a creature of arraigning God. This impiety appears, Because man is a creature of God, and it is improper that he should arraign his Maker.
(2) He is unqualified to understand the subject. “Who art thou?” What qualifications has a creature of a day, a being just in the infancy of his existence; of so limited faculties; so perverse, blinded, and interested as man, to sit in judgment on the doings of the Infinite Mind? Who gave him the authority, or invested him with the prerogatives of a judge over his Maker’s doings?
(3) Even if man were qualified to investigate those subjects, what right has he to reply against God, to arraign him, or to follow out a train of argument tending to involve his Creator in shame and disgrace? No where is there to be found a more cutting or humbling reply to the pride of man than this. And on no subject was it more needed. The experience of every age has shown that this has been a prominent topic of objection against the government of God; and that there has been no point in the Christian theology to which the human heart has been so ready to make objections as to the doctrine of the sovereignty of God.
Repliest against God - Margin, “Answerest again; or, disputest with God.” The passage conveys the idea of answering again; or of arguing to the dishonor of God. It implies that when God declares his will, man should be still. God has his own plans of infinite wisdom, and it is not ours to reply against him, or to arraign him of injustice, when we cannot see the reason of his doings.
Shall the thing formed ... - This sentiment is found in Isaiah 29:16; see also Isaiah 45:9. It was especially proper to adduce this to a Jew. The objection is one which is supposed to be made by a Jew, and it was proper to reply to him by a quotation from his own Scriptures. Any being has a right to fashion his work according to his own views of what is best; and as this right is not denied to people, we ought not to blame the infinitely wise God for acting in a similar way. They who have received every blessing they enjoy from him, ought not to blame him for not making them different.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. Nay but, O man, who art thou — As if he had said: Weak, ignorant man, darest thou retort on the infinitely good and righteous GOD? Reflect on thyself; and tell me, after thou hast abused the grace of God, and transgressed his laws, wilt thou cavil at his dispensations? God hath made, created, formed the Jewish nation; and shall the thing formed, when it hath corrupted itself, pretend to correct the wise and gracious Author of its being, and say, Why hast thou made me thus? Why hast thou constituted me in this manner? Thou hast done me wrong in giving me my being under such and such conditions.
Old John Goodwin's note on this passage is at least curious: "I scarce (says he) know any passage of the Scripture more frequently abused than this. When men, in the great questions of predestination and reprobation, bring forth any text of Scripture which they conceive makes for their notion, though the sense which they put upon it be ever so uncouth and dissonant from the true meaning of the Holy Ghost, yet, if any man contradict, they frequently fall upon him with-Nay but, O man; who art thou? As if St. Paul had left them his heirs and successors in the infallibility of his spirit! But when men shall call a solid answer to their groundless conceits about the meaning of the Scriptures, a replying against God, it savours more of the spirit who was seen falling like lightning from heaven, than of His, who saw him in this his fall."
