神是公平的，神有主权 God is Fair, and God has the prerogative

罗马书 9：10－16 Romans 9:10-16

9:10 不但如此，还有利百加，既从一個人，就是从我们的祖宗以撒怀了孕， 9:11 双子还没有生下来，善恶还没有做出来，只因要显明　神拣选人的旨意，不在乎人的行为，乃在乎召人的主。9:12 　神就对利百加说：将来大的要服事小的。9:13 正如经上所记：雅各是我所爱的；以扫是我所恶的。 9:14  这样，我们可说甚么呢？难道神有甚么不公平么？ 断乎没有！ 9:15  因他对摩西说：我要怜悯谁就怜悯谁，要恩待谁就恩待谁。9:16 据此看来，这不在乎那定意的，也不在乎那奔跑的，只在乎发怜悯的神。

¹⁰ This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.¹¹ But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; ¹² he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works. She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” ¹³ In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”¹⁴ Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! ¹⁵ For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”¹⁶ So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

希伯来书的作者称以撒为“我们的祖宗，”显示他是犹太人，很可能是保罗。无论如何，这段经文的焦点是，当以撒娶了利百加，而她为他生了两个儿子。在她还未生下他们时，在他们还未做出善恶时，神已经为他们设定了他的计划。神的呼召与拣选是奇妙的，就是那大的要服事小的。神的呼召是按照他自己的计划与原因，而不是凭着他们的行动。这就造成一个疑问：“神是不是不公平么？断乎不是，因为他有权做他喜悦的，不需要向任何人询问，也不需要对任何人负责。他决定怜悯谁就怜悯谁，要恩待谁就恩待谁。

The writer talks about Isaac as “our ancestor,” indicating that he is a Jew, maybe Paul. Anyway, the point is that when Isaac married Rebekah and she conceived two sons, even BEFORE they were born, and BEFORE they had done or committed anything good or bad, God has already made plans for both the sons. The calling and choosing of God was MYSTERIOUS, that is, the older one will serve the younger one. God’s calling is according to his own purposes and reasons, and not according to their works. Thus, it begs the question: “Is God unfair?” Surely not, this is because God has the prerogative to do as He wishes, He does not need to consult anyone, nor become obligated to anyone. He decides to show mercy and compassion to anyone He desires, and no one could accuse Him of being unfair or showing favoritism.