Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the {c} glory, and the {d} covenants, and the giving of the {e} law, and the {f} service of God, and the {g} promises;

(c) The ark of the covenant, which was a token of God's presence.

(d) The tables of the covenant, and this is spoken by the figure of speech metonymy.

(e) Of the judicial law.

(f) The ceremonial law.

(g) Which were made to Abraham and to his posterity.

People's New Testament

9:4 Who are Israelites. He now enumerates some of the glories of the Jewish race. Jacob, their ancestor, had been called Israel by the angel (Ge 32:28). This means a Prince with God, and this proud title was borne by his descendants.

To whom pertaineth. Six high privileges of the chosen people are named in Ro 9:4,5.

The adoption. They were adopted as the chosen people (De 7:6).

The glory. The presence of the ark of God and the glory of the Divine Presence (1Sa 4:21).

The covenants. The covenants made with Abraham (Ge 17:7) and at Sinai (Ex 19:5).

The giving of the law. The law of Moses given to the children of Israel (Ex 24:12).

The service of God. The worship of the tabernacle and temple (Ex 30:16 Ezr 6:18 Heb 9:6).

And the promises. Especially the blessed promise of Christ. (Ac 2:38,39).

Wesley's Notes

9:4 Whose is the adoption, and c. - He enumerates six prerogatives, of which the first pair respect God the Father, the second Christ, the third the Holy Ghost. The adoption and the glory - That is, Israel is the first - born child of God, and the God of glory is their God, Deut 4:7; Psalm 106:20. These are relative to each other. At once God is the Father of Israel, and Israel are the people of God. He speaks not here of the ark, or any corporeal thing. God himself is the glory of his people Israel. And the covenants, and the giving of the law - The covenant was given long before the law. It is termed covenants, in the plural, because it was so often and so variously repeated, and because there were two dispositions of it, Gal 4:24, frequently called two covenants; the one promising, the other exhibiting the promise. And the worship, and the promises - The true way of worshipping God; and all the promises made to the fathers.

King James Translators' Notes

covenants: or, testaments

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. Who are Israelites-See Ro 11:1; 2Co 11:22; Php 3:5.

to whom pertaineth-"whose is"

the adoption-It is true that, compared with the new economy, the old was a state of minority and pupilage, and so far that of a bond-servant (Ga 4:1-3); yet, compared with the state of the surrounding heathen, the choice of Abraham and his seed was a real separation of them to be a Family of God (Ex 4:22; De 32:6; Isa 1:2; Jer 31:9; Ho 11:1; Mal 1:6).

and the glory-that "glory of the Lord," or "visible token of the Divine Presence in the midst of them," which rested on the ark and filled the tabernacle during all their wanderings in the wilderness; which in Jerusalem continued to be seen in the tabernacle and temple, and only disappeared when, at the Captivity, the temple was demolished, and the sun of the ancient economy began to go down. This was what the Jews called the "Shekinah."

and the covenants-"the covenants of promise" to which the Gentiles before Christ were "strangers" (Eph 2:12); meaning the one covenant with Abraham in its successive renewals (see Ga 3:16, 17).

and the giving of the law-from Mount Sinai, and the possession of it thereafter, which the Jews justly deemed their peculiar honor (De 26:18, 19; Ps 147:19, 20; Ro 2:17).

and the service of God-or, of the sanctuary, meaning the whole divinely instituted religious service, in the celebration of which they were brought so nigh unto God.

and the promises-the great Abrahamic promises, successively unfolded, and which had their fulfilment only in Christ; (see Heb 7:6; Ga 3:16, 21; Ac 26:6, 7).

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:1-5 Being about to discuss the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, and to show that the whole agrees with the sovereign electing love of God, the apostle expresses strongly his affection for his people. He solemnly appeals to Christ; and his conscience, enlightened and directed by the Holy Spirit, bore witness to his sincerity. He would submit to be treated as accursed, to be disgraced, crucified; and even for a time be in the deepest horror and distress; if he could rescue his nation from the destruction about to come upon them for their obstinate unbelief. To be insensible to the eternal condition of our fellow-creatures, is contrary both to the love required by the law, and the mercy of the gospel. They had long been professed worshippers of Jehovah. The law, and the national covenant which was grounded thereon, belonged to them. The temple worship was typical of salvation by the Messiah, and the means of communion with God. All the promises concerning Christ and his salvation were given to them. He is not only over all, as Mediator, but he is God blessed for ever.