A rhetorical approach to the christological crux in Romans 9:5

In Romans 9:4-5 Paul lists the several prerogatives of his own people, the Jews, the last being that from them is “the messiah according to the flesh.” Then comes this clause: “the one being over all God blessed forever, amen.”

Here we have the christological crux.

Do we put a period after “according to the flesh” and punctuate this as an independent benediction or doxology, keeping messiah and God apart?

…the messiah according to the flesh. The one being over all, God, (be) blessed forever, amen.

Or does the benediction apply to “the messiah,” appositionally or as a predicate, who is therefore said to be in some sense divine?

…the messiah according to the flesh, the one being over all, God, blessed forever, amen.

Technically, there are other options—putting the period after “the one being over all,” for example. But in practice this is the basic choice. There’s no point in over-complicating matters.

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