I’ve been going through the Topical Guide looking for unusual meanings. (See my posts on Abominable and Abhor.) I came across an interesting verse, Romans 9:3
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Paul wishes he were accursed from Christ? What does that mean?
Maybe it will help if you look at this verse in the inspired version done by Joseph Smith which is currently owned by the RLDS church:
9:3 (For once I could have wished that myself were accursed from Christ,) for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh;
9:4 Who are Israelites; of whom are the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God,
9:5 And the promises which are made unto the fathers; and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ was, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Link here: http://www.restoredgospel.com/scriptures/VerseResults.asp?SelectedBook=Romans&SelectedChapter=9&SelectedStartVerse=&SelectedEndVerse=&B3=Submit&R3=0
It might also help to look at the 1828 Websters dictionary to see what the definition of ‘accursed’ was:
ACCURS”ED, pp. or a.
1. Doomed to destruction or misery:
The city shall be accursed. John 6.
2. Separated from the faithful; cast out of the church; excommunicated.
I could wish myself accursed from Christ.
3. Worthy of the curse; detestable; execrable.
Keep from the accursed thing. Josh. 6.
Hence,
4. Wicked; malignant in the extreme.
link: http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?action=search&word=accursed&resource=Webster%27s&quicksearch=on
Still baffled as to the sense of this, but I often am with Paul. At other times he casts eloquent light on the process of becoming converted and living by the spirit.
The paraphrase at http://www.gospeldoctrine.com/content/romans-9 explains verse 3 in a different way that seems more plausible to me.
“I almost wish that I could be accursed from Christ and cast out if that would somehow save my Jewish brethren and kinsmen.”
I remember as a young child my mother giving a testimony and saying that by joining the church she had lost all her friends and relatives. My friend asked me what she had meant by that. I said I didn’t know. She never left it but became stronger. If I understand what handlewithcare said
“the process of becoming converted and living by the spirit”
many of us may have gone through that a little. Maybe Paul did, too, but we have to choose who we want to be with, God or our friends. Outside of this, though, I’m not sure just what he meant.