“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
My Notes
What Does Romans 9:15 Mean?
Paul quotes Exodus 33:19 — God's declaration to Moses: "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." The repetition is emphatic: I will have mercy on whom I will. The choice is God's. The basis is God's. The freedom is God's.
Paul places this in the context of Romans 9's argument about divine sovereignty in election. The question is: does God have the right to choose? Paul's answer, through Moses' quote, is: God declared this right to Moses Himself. The freedom of God's mercy is non-negotiable.
The statement is descriptive of God's character, not arbitrary power. God's mercy isn't random — it flows from who He is. But who receives it is His decision, not a reward for human performance. Mercy by definition can't be earned. If it could, it would be wages, not mercy.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Does God's sovereignty in mercy feel threatening or securing to you — and why?
- 2.How does 'mercy on whom I will' differ from arbitrary power — what makes it compassion rather than randomness?
- 3.Where are you still trying to earn mercy rather than receiving it as God's sovereign choice?
- 4.Does knowing that mercy depends on God's will (not yours) make your standing more or less secure?
Devotional
"I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." God reserves the right to choose. And the choosing is His alone.
This is one of the most debated verses in the Bible — and one of the simplest. God says: my mercy goes where I send it. Not where you direct it. Not where it's been earned. Where I choose.
Paul quotes this because he needs the strongest possible foundation for divine sovereignty. If God's mercy is based on human performance, then it's not mercy — it's reward. But mercy, by definition, is undeserved. You can't earn what's freely given. And the freedom of the giving belongs to the giver.
This feels unfair from the human side. We want merit-based mercy. We want the hardest workers to receive the most compassion. But that's wages, not grace. And Paul — quoting God Himself — says: the choice is Mine.
The freedom of God's mercy is also the security of God's mercy. If mercy depended on your performance, you'd lose it every time you failed. But because mercy depends on God's choice, it's as stable as God's character. He chose to have mercy on you. Not because you deserved it. Because He willed it.
That should humble you (you didn't earn it) and secure you (you can't un-earn it). Mercy isn't a reward you could lose. It's a sovereign choice from a God who doesn't change His mind about His gifts (Romans 11:29).
He wills mercy. On you. That's the most secure ground you'll ever stand on.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
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For he saith to Moses - Exo 33:19. I will have mercy - This is said by God when he declared expressly that he would make…
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy, etc. - The words of God to Moses, Exo 33:19, show that God has a right to…
The apostle, having asserted the true meaning of the promise, comes here to maintain and prove the absolute sovereignty…
For The connexion is; "The thought of injustice in these actsof the Eternal Judge is all the more to be rejected because…
Cross References
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