Catholic Predestination

[JaneFrances]

I need some good resources and/or information on how, as Catholic, we are to interpret Romans 9:10-14 as it pertains to Predestination. I’m having a particularly difficult time with “God loved Jacob, but hated Esau.” I understand that double predestination (Calvinism) is heretical according to the Council of Orange, Nicea, Trent, etc., but do we have specific exegetical teachings regarding this Scripture? Thank so much for any help!

 

[Todd_Easton]

In the 1953 edition of A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, edited by Dom Bernard Orchard, et al., p. 1069, it says in part:
St. Paul’s argument in 6-13 has been wrongly quoted as scriptural evidence in favour of absolute predestination in the sense that each individual’s eternal destiny is predetermined by an unalterable divine decree. Against such a false conclusion it must be remembered: (1) the two Scripture texts quoted in 13 f. are concerned not with the eternal salvation of Esau and Jacob but with their earthly life; and again Paul himself is discussing the election to the Messianic promises of Israel, not the election to heaven or hell; (2) the expression ‘I have hated’ in 13 is not to be pressed since it is part of a quotation [Malachi 1:2]. And further, when contrasted with ‘I have loved’ it may be taken as a Hebrew idiom and translated ‘I have loved less’ = I have not chosen, cf. Gen 29:30 f.; Lk 14:26; Deut 21:15-17; Jg 14:16; Prov 14:20; so Cornely.