Teks -- Romans 10:1-21 (NET)

10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites is for their salvation. 10:2 For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth. 10:3 For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes. 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” 10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 10:7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 10:9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. 10:11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 10:12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 10:14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” 10:16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 10:17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ. 10:18 But I ask, have they not heard? Yes, they have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. 10:19 But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.” 10:20 And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.” 10:21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Rom 10:1 - Desire

Desire ( eudokia ).

No papyri examples of this word, though eudokēsis occurs, only in lxx and N.T., but no example for "desire"unless this is one, though the verb eudokeō is common in Polybius, Diodorus, Dion, Hal. It means will, pleasure, satisfaction (Mat 11:26; 2Th 1:11; Phi 1:15; Phi 2:13; Eph 1:5, Eph 1:9).

Robertson: Rom 10:1 - Supplication

Supplication ( deēsis ).

Late word from deomai , to want, to beg, to pray. In the papyri. See Luk 1:13. It is noteworthy that, immediately after the discussion of the rejection of Christ by the Jews, Paul prays so earnestly for the Jews "that they may be saved"(eis sōtērian ), literally "unto salvation."Clearly Paul did not feel that the case was hopeless for them in spite of their conduct. Bengel says: Non orasset Paul si absolute reprobati essent (Paul would not have prayed if they had been absolutely reprobate). Paul leaves God’ s problem to him and pours out his prayer for the Jews in accordance with his strong words in Rom 9:1-5.

Robertson: Rom 10:2 - A zeal for God

A zeal for God ( zēlon theou ).

Objective genitive like Phi 3:9, "through faith in Christ"(dia pisteōs Christou ).

Robertson: Rom 10:2 - But not according to knowledge

But not according to knowledge ( all' ou kat' epignōsin ).

They had knowledge of God and so were superior to the Gentiles in privilege (Rom 2:9-11), but they sought God in an external way by rules and rites and missed him (Rom 9:30-33). They became zealous for the letter and the form instead of for God himself.

Robertson: Rom 10:3 - Being ignorant of God’ s righteousness

Being ignorant of God’ s righteousness ( agnoountes tēn tou theou dikaiosunēn ).

A blunt thing to say, but true as Paul has shown in 2:1-3:20. They did not understand the God-kind of righteousness by faith (Rom 1:17). They misconceived it (Rom 2:4).

Robertson: Rom 10:3 - They did not subject themselves

They did not subject themselves ( ouch hupetagēsan ).

Second aorist passive indicative of hupotassō , common Koiné[28928]š verb, to put oneself under orders, to obey, here the passive in sense of the middle (Jam 4:7) like apekrithēn , I answered.

Robertson: Rom 10:4 - The end of the law

The end of the law ( telos nomou ).

Christ put a stop to the law as a means of salvation (Rom 6:14; Rom 9:31; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14) as in Luk 16:16. Christ is the goal or aim of the law (Gal 3:24). Christ is the fulfilment of the law (Mat 5:17; Rom 13:10; 1Ti 1:5). But here (Denney) Paul’ s main idea is that Christ ended the law as a method of salvation for "every one that believeth"whether Jew or Gentile. Christ wrote finis on law as a means of grace.

Robertson: Rom 10:5 - Thereby

Thereby ( en autēi ).

That is by or in "the righteousness that is from law."He stands or falls with it. The quotation is from Lev 18:5.

Robertson: Rom 10:6 - Saith thus

Saith thus ( houtōs legei ).

Paul personifies "the from faith righteousness"(hē ek pisteōs dikaiosunē ). A free reproduction from Deu 30:11-14. Paul takes various phrases from the lxx and uses them for "his inspired conviction and experiences of the gospel"(Denney). He does not quote Moses as saying this or meaning this.

Robertson: Rom 10:6 - Say not in thy heart

Say not in thy heart ( mē eipēis en tēi kardiāi sou ).

Second aorist active subjunctive with mē like Deu 8:17. To say in the heart is to think (Mat 3:9).

Robertson: Rom 10:6 - That is, to bring Christ down

That is, to bring Christ down ( tout' estin Christon katagagein ).

Second aorist active infinitive of the common verb katagō , to bring or lead down. It is dependent on the preceding verb anabēsetai (shall ascend). Tout' estin (that is) is what is called Midrash or interpretation as in Rom 9:8. It occurs three times here (Rom 9:6-8). Paul applies the words of Moses to Christ. There is no need for one to go to heaven to bring Christ down to earth. The Incarnation is already a glorious fact. Today some men scout the idea of the Deity and Incarnation of Christ.

Robertson: Rom 10:7 - Into the abyss

Into the abyss ( eis tēn abusson ).

See note on Luk 8:31 for this old Greek word (a privative and bussos ) bottomless like sea (Psa 106:26), our abyss. In Rev 9:1 it is the place of torment. Paul seems to refer to Hades or Sheol (Act 2:27, Act 2:31), the other world to which Christ went after death.

Robertson: Rom 10:7 - To bring Christ up

To bring Christ up ( Christon anagagein ).

Second aorist active infinitive of anagō and dependent on katabēsetai (shall descend). Christ has already risen from the dead. The deity and resurrection of Christ are precisely the two chief points of attack today on the part of sceptics.

Robertson: Rom 10:8 - But what saith it?

But what saith it? ( alla ti legei̇ ).

That is "the from faith righteousness."

Robertson: Rom 10:8 - The word of faith

The word of faith ( to rēma tēs pisteōs ).

The gospel message concerning faith (objective genitive). Only here. In contrast to the law.

Robertson: Rom 10:8 - Which we preach

Which we preach ( ho kērussomen ).

The living voice brings home to every one the faith kind of righteousness. Paul seizes upon the words of Moses with the orator’ s instinct and with rhetorical skill (Sanday and Headlam) applies them to the facts about the gospel message about the Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ.

Robertson: Rom 10:9 - If thou shalt confess

If thou shalt confess ( ean homologēsēis ).

Third class condition (ean and first aorist active subjunctive of homologeō ).

Robertson: Rom 10:9 - With thy mouth Jesus as Lord

With thy mouth Jesus as Lord ( en tōi stomati sou Kurion Iēsoun ).

This is the reading of nearly all the MSS. But B 71 Clem of Alex. read to rēma en tōi stomati sou hoti Kurios Iēsous (the word in thy mouth that Jesus is Lord). The idea is the same, the confession of Jesus as Lord as in 1Co 12:3; Phi 2:11. No Jew would do this who had not really trusted Christ, for Kurios in the lxx is used of God. No Gentile would do it who had not ceased worshipping the emperor as Kurios . The word Kurios was and is the touchstone of faith.

Robertson: Rom 10:9 - And shalt believe

And shalt believe ( kai pisteusēis ).

Same construction. Faith precedes confession, of course.

Robertson: Rom 10:10 - Man believeth

Man believeth ( pisteuetai ).

Impersonal construction, "it is believed"(present passive indicative of pisteuō ). The order is reversed in this verse and the true order (faith, then confession).

Robertson: Rom 10:10 - Confession is made

Confession is made ( homologeitai ).

Impersonal construction again, "it is confessed,""man confesses."Both kardiāi (heart) and stomati (mouth) are in the instrumental case.

Robertson: Rom 10:11 - Every one

Every one ( pās ).

Paul adds this word to the quotation from Isa 28:16 already made in Rom 9:33.

Robertson: Rom 10:12 - Distinction

Distinction ( diastolē ).

See note on this word Rom 3:22. Here it is followed by the ablative case Ioudaiou te kai Hellēnos (between Jew and Greek).

Robertson: Rom 10:12 - Lord of all

Lord of all ( Kurios pantōn ).

See Gal 3:28.

Robertson: Rom 10:12 - Rich

Rich ( ploutōn ).

Present active participle of plouteō . See note on Eph 3:8 "the unsearchable riches of Christ."

Robertson: Rom 10:13

@@Paul here quotes Joe 3:5 (Joe 2:32, lxx).

Robertson: Rom 10:14 - How then shall they call?

How then shall they call? ( pōs oun epikalesōntai̇ ).

Deliberative subjunctive (first aorist middle) of epikaleomai (see Rom 10:12, Rom 10:13). The antecedent of eis hon (in whom) is not expressed.

Robertson: Rom 10:14 - How shall they believe?

How shall they believe? ( pos pisteusōsiṅ ).

Deliberative subjunctive again (first aorist active of pisteuō just used). Each time Paul picks up the preceding verb and challenges that. Here again the antecedent eis touton before hon is not expressed.

Robertson: Rom 10:14 - How shall they hear?

How shall they hear? ( pos akousōsiṅ ).

Deliberative subjunctive (first aorist active of akouō ).

Robertson: Rom 10:14 - Without a preacher?

Without a preacher? ( chōris kērussontoṡ ).

Preposition chōris with ablative singular masculine present active participle of kērussō , "without one preaching."

Robertson: Rom 10:14 - How shall they preach?

How shall they preach? ( pōs kēruxōsiṅ ).

Deliberative subjunctive again (first aorist active kērussō , to preach).

Robertson: Rom 10:14 - Except they be sent?

Except they be sent? ( ean mē apostalōsiṅ ).

Second aorist passive deliberative subjunctive of apostellō , to send, from which verb apostolos apostle comes. Negative condition of third class. In graphic style Paul has made a powerful plea for missions. It is just as true today as then.

Robertson: Rom 10:15 - How beautiful

How beautiful ( Hōs hōraioi ).

A quotation from Isa 52:7 more like the Hebrew than the lxx, picturing the messengers of the restoration from the Jewish captivity. Paul assumes that the missionaries (apostoloi ) have been sent as implied in Rom 10:14.

Robertson: Rom 10:16 - But they did not all hearken

But they did not all hearken ( ou pantes hupēkousan ).

They heard, but did not heed. Some disbelieve now (Rom 3:3) as they did then. On obedience and disobedience see note on Rom 5:19; 1Th 2:13; Gal 3:2. He quotes Isa 53:1 to show how Isaiah felt.

Robertson: Rom 10:16 - Report

Report ( akoēi ).

Literally, "hearing"(Mat 14:1; Mar 13:7).

Robertson: Rom 10:17 - By the word of Christ

By the word of Christ ( dia rēmatos Christou ).

"By the word about Christ"(objective genitive).

Robertson: Rom 10:18 - Did they not hear?

Did they not hear? ( mē ouk ēkousaṅ ).

Rather, "Did they fail to hear?"(expecting the negative answer mē , while ouk blends with the verb). See note on 1Co 9:5 for this construction.

Robertson: Rom 10:18 - Yea, verily

Yea, verily ( menounge ).

Triple particle (men , oun , ge ) as in Rom 9:20.

Robertson: Rom 10:18 - Sound

Sound ( phthoggos ).

Vibration of a musical string. See note on 1Co 14:7. Only two N.T. examples.

Robertson: Rom 10:18 - The world

The world ( tēs oikoumenēs ).

The inhabited earth as in Luk 2:1.

Robertson: Rom 10:19 - Did Israel not know?

Did Israel not know? ( mē Israel ouk egnō̇ ).

"Did Israel fail to know?"See above.

Robertson: Rom 10:19 - First

First ( prōtos ).

Moses first before any one else. lxx quotation Deuteronomy 32:21. See note on 1Co 10:22 for parazēlōsō (I will provoke you to jealousy).

Robertson: Rom 10:19 - With that which is no nation

With that which is no nation ( ep' ouk ethnei ).

The Jews had worshipped "no-gods"and now God shows favours to a "no-nation"(people).

Robertson: Rom 10:19 - Will I anger you

Will I anger you ( parorgiō humas ).

Future active (Attic future) of parorgizō , rare word, to rouse to wrath.

Robertson: Rom 10:20 - Is very bold

Is very bold ( apotolmāi ).

Present active indicative of apotolmaō , old word, to assume boldness (apo , off) and only here in N.T. Isaiah "breaks out boldly"(Gifford). Paul cites Isa 65:1 in support of his own courage against the prejudice of the Jews. See on Rom 9:30-33 for illustration of this point.

Robertson: Rom 10:20 - I was found

I was found ( heurethēn ).

First aorist passive indicative of heuriskō .

Robertson: Rom 10:21 - All the day long

All the day long ( holēn tēn hēmeran ).

Accusative of extent of time. He quotes Isa 65:2.

Robertson: Rom 10:21 - Did I spread out

Did I spread out ( exepetasa ).

First aorist active indicative of ekpetannumi , old verb, to stretch out, bold metaphor, only here in N.T.

Robertson: Rom 10:21 - Unto a disobedient and a gainsaying people

Unto a disobedient and a gainsaying people ( pros laon apeithounta kai antilegonta ).

"Unto a people disobeying and talking back."The two things usually go together. Contrary and contradictory (Luk 13:34.).

Vincent: Rom 10:1 - Brethren

Brethren

See on 1Jo 2:9. An expression of affectionate interest and indicating emotion.

Vincent: Rom 10:1 - My heart's desire

My heart's desire ( ἡ εὐδοκία τῆς ἐμῆς καρδίας )

More literally, the good will of my heart . See on Luk 2:14. Compare Phi 1:15; Phi 2:13; Eph 1:5, Eph 1:9; 2Th 1:11.

Vincent: Rom 10:1 - Prayer

Prayer ( δέησις )

See on Luk 5:33.

Vincent: Rom 10:1 - To God

To God ( πρός )

Implying communion. See on with God , Joh 1:1.

Vincent: Rom 10:1 - For Israel

For Israel

The best texts substitute αὐτῶν for them ; those described in the last three verses of ch. 9. Bengel remarks that Paul would not have prayed had they been utterly reprobate.

Vincent: Rom 10:1 - That they may be saved

That they may be saved ( εἰς σωτηρίαν )

Lit., unto (their) salvation .

Vincent: Rom 10:2 - I bear them record

I bear them record ( μαρτυρῶ )

Rev. witness . " He seems to be alluding to his conduct of former days, and to say, 'I know something of it, of that zeal'" (Godet).

Vincent: Rom 10:2 - Zeal of God

Zeal of God ( ζῆλον Θεοῦ )

Rev., zeal for God . Like the phrase " faith of Christ" for " faith in Christ" (Phi 3:9); compare Col 2:12; Eph 3:12; Joh 2:17, " the zeal of thine house," i.e., " for thy house."

Vincent: Rom 10:2 - Knowledge

Knowledge ( ἐπίγνωσιν )

Full or correct and vital knowledge. See on Rom 1:28; see on Rom 3:20.

Vincent: Rom 10:3 - God's righteousness

God's righteousness

That mentioned in Rom 9:30. Compare Phi 3:9; Rom 1:16, Rom 1:17; Rom 3:20-22.

Vincent: Rom 10:3 - To establish

To establish ( στῆσαι )

Or set up , indicating their pride in their endeavor. They would erect a righteousness of their own as a monument to their own glory and not to God's.

Vincent: Rom 10:4 - The end of the law

The end of the law ( τέλος νόμου )

First in the sentence as the emphatic point of thought. Expositors differ as to the sense. 1. The aim . Either that the intent of the law was to make men righteous, which was accomplished in Christ, or that the law led to Him as a pedagogue (Gal 3:24). 2. The fulfillment , as Mat 5:17. 3. The termination . To believers in Christ the law has no longer legislative authority to say, " Do this and live; do this or die" (Morison). The last is preferable. Paul is discussing two materially exclusive systems, the one based on doing , the other on believing . The system of faith, represented by Christ, brings to an end and excludes the system of law; and the Jews, in holding by the system of law, fail of the righteousness which is by faith. Compare Gal 2:16; Gal 3:2-14.

Vincent: Rom 10:5 - Describeth the righteousness - that

Describeth the righteousness - that ( γράφει τὴν δικαιοσύνην - ὅτι )

The best texts transfer ὅτι that , and read γράφει ὅτι , etc. Moses writeth that the man , etc. See Lev 18:5.

Vincent: Rom 10:5 - Those things - by them

Those things - by them ( αὐτὰ - ἐν αὐτοῖς )

Omit those things , and read for ἐν αὐτοῖς by them , ἐν αὐτῇ by it , i.e., the righteousness which is of the law. The whole, as Rev., Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby .

Vincent: Rom 10:6 - The righteousness which is of faith

The righteousness which is of faith ( ἡ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοσύνη ).

The of-faith righteousness. Righteousness is personified. Paul makes the righteousness of faith describe itself. Of faith, ἐκ from . Marking the source.

Vincent: Rom 10:6 - Speaketh on this wise

Speaketh on this wise ( οὕτως λέγει )

The quotation in Rom 10:6-8 is a free citation from Deu 30:11-14. Paul recognizes a secondary meaning in Moses' words, and thus changes the original expressions so as to apply them to the Christian faith-system. His object in the change is indicated by the explanatory words which he adds. He does not formally declare that Moses describes the righteousness of faith in these words, but appropriates the words of Moses, putting them into the mouth of the personified faith-righteousness.

Vincent: Rom 10:6 - Say not in thy heart

Say not in thy heart

In thy heart is added by Paul. The phrase say in the heart is a Hebraism for think , compare Psa 14:1; Psa 36:1; Psa 10:11. Usually of an evil thought. Compare Mat 3:9; Mat 24:48; Rev 18:7.

Vincent: Rom 10:6 - Who shall ascend into heaven?

Who shall ascend into heaven?

The Septuagint adds for us , and bring it to us , and hearing it we will do it .

Vincent: Rom 10:6 - To bring down

To bring down

Interpreting the Septuagint, and bring it to us .

Vincent: Rom 10:7 - Descend into the deep

Descend into the deep

Rev., abyss . Septuagint, Who shall pass through to beyond the sea? See on Luk 8:31. Paul changes the phrase in order to adapt it to the descent of Christ into Hades. The two ideas may be reconciled in the fact that the Jew conceived the sea as the abyss of waters on which the earth rested. Compare Exo 20:4. Thus the ideas beyond the sea and beneath the earth coincide in designating the realm of the dead. Compare Homer's picture of the region of the dead beyond the Ocean-stream:

" As soon as thou shalt cross.

Oceanus, and come to the low shore

And groves of Proserpine, the lofty groups

Of poplars, and the willows that let fall

Their withered fruit, moor thou thy galley there

In the deep eddies of Oceanus,

And pass to Pluto's comfortless abode."

" Odyssey ," x . 508-513 .

" Our bark

Reached the far confines of Oceanus.

There lies the land and there the people dwell

Of the Cimmerians, in eternal cloud

And darkness."

" Odyssey ," xi . 13-15 .

Vincent: Rom 10:7 - To bring up

To bring up

There is no need. He is already risen.

Vincent: Rom 10:8 - The word is nigh thee

The word is nigh thee

Septuagint, Very nigh thee is the word . The word is the whole subject-matter of the Gospel. See Rom 10:9. Moses used it of the law. See on Luk 1:37. The whole quotation in the Hebrew is as follows: " It (the commandment) is not in heaven, that ye should say, Who will ascend for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us hear it that we may do it? And it is not beyond the sea, that ye should say, Who will go over for us beyond the sea, and bring it to us, and make us hear it that we may do it? But the word is very near thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, to do it." The object of the passage is to contrast the system of faith with the system of law, and that, especially, with reference to the remoteness and difficulty of righteousness. Moses says that the commandment of God to Israel is not incapable of accomplishment, nor is it a distant thing to be attained only by long and laborious effort. The people, on the contrary, carries it in its mouth, and it is stamped upon its heart. Compare Exo 13:9; Deu 6:6-9. In applying these words to the system of faith, Paul, in like manner, denies that this system involves any painful search or laborious work. Christ has accomplished the two great things necessary for salvation. He has descended to earth and has risen from the dead. All that is necessary is to accept by faith the incarnate and risen Christ, instead of having recourse to the long and painful way of establishing one's own righteousness by obedience to the law.

Vincent: Rom 10:8 - Word of faith

Word of faith

The phrase occurs only here. " Which forms the substratum and object of faith" (Alford). Others, the burden of which is faith .

Vincent: Rom 10:8 - We preach

We preach ( κηρύσσομεν )

See on Mat 4:17, and see on preacher , 2Pe 2:5.

Vincent: Rom 10:9 - That

That ( ὅτι )

So rendered as expressing the contents of the word of faith; but better because , giving a proof that the word is nigh. Confess and believe , correspond to mouth and heart .

Vincent: Rom 10:9 - The Lord Jesus

The Lord Jesus ( κύριον Ἱησοῦν )

Others, however, read τὸ ῥῆμα ἐν τῷ στοματί σου ὅτι κύριος Ἱησοῦς If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the word that Jesus is Lord . Rev., Jesus as Lord.

Vincent: Rom 10:10 - With the heart

With the heart ( καρδίᾳ )

As the seat of the energy of the divine Spirit (πνεῦμα see on Rom 8:4); mediating the personal life (of the soul ψυχή , see on Rom 11:3), which is conditioned by the Spirit. It is not the affections as distinguished from the intellect . Believing with the heart is in contrast with oral confession, not with intellectual belief. " Believing is a mode of thinking not of feeling . It is that particular mode of thinking that is guided to its object by the testimony of another, or by some kind of inter-mediation. It is not intuitive" (Morison).

Vincent: Rom 10:10 - Man believeth

Man believeth ( πιστεύεται )

The verb is used impersonally. Lit., it is believed . Believing takes place.

Vincent: Rom 10:10 - Confession is made

Confession is made ( ὁμολογεῖται )

Also impersonal. It is confessed . " Confession is just faith turned from its obverse side to its reverse ... When faith comes forth from its silence to announce itself, and to proclaim the glory and the grace of the Lord, its voice is confession" (Morison).

Vincent: Rom 10:11 - The scripture saith

The scripture saith

The quotation from Isa 28:16 is repeated (see Rom 9:33) with the addition of everyone , whosoever .

Vincent: Rom 10:12 - For

For

Explaining the whosoever of Rom 10:11.

Vincent: Rom 10:12 - Difference

Difference

Better, as Rev., distinction . See on Rom 3:22.

Vincent: Rom 10:12 - Jew and Greek

Jew and Greek

On Greek , see on Act 6:1. Greeks here equivalent to Gentiles .

Vincent: Rom 10:12 - Lord

Lord ( κύριος )

See on Mat 21:3. The reference is disputed: some Christ , others God . Probably Christ . See Rom 10:9, and compare Act 10:36. The hearing which is necessary to believing comes through the word of Christ (Rom 10:17, where the reading is Christ instead of God ).

Vincent: Rom 10:12 - That call upon

That call upon ( ἐπικαλουμένους )

See on appeal , Act 25:11; see on Jam 2:7. That invoke Him as, Lord: recalling Rom 10:9, Rom 10:10. Compare Joe 2:32.

Vincent: Rom 10:15 - Be sent

Be sent ( ἀποσταλῶσιν )

See on Mat 10:16; see on Mar 4:29.

Vincent: Rom 10:15 - Beautiful

Beautiful ( ὡραῖοι )

From ὥρα the time of full bloom or development . Hence the radical idea of the word includes both blooming maturity and vigor . Appropriate here to the swift , vigorous feet. Plato (" Republic," x. 601) distinguishes between faces that are beautiful (καλῶν ) and blooming (ὡραίων ) In Gen 2:9 (Sept.) of the trees of Eden. Compare Mat 23:27; Act 3:2, Act 3:10.

Vincent: Rom 10:15 - Feet

Feet

Emphasizing the rapid approach of the messenger. " In their running and hastening, in their scaling obstructing mountains, and in their appearance and descent from mountains, they are the symbols of the earnestly-desired, winged movement and appearance of the Gospel itself" (Lange). Compare Nah 1:15; Eph 6:15; Rom 3:15; Act 5:9. Paul omits the mountains from the citation. Omit that preach the gospel of peace .

Vincent: Rom 10:15 - Bring glad tidings

Bring glad tidings

See on Gospel , Matthew, superscription.

Vincent: Rom 10:16 - Obeyed

Obeyed ( ὑπήκουσαν )

See on obedience and disobedience , Rom 5:19. Also see on Act 5:29. Obeyed as the result of listening , and so especially appropriate here. Compare head and hear , Rom 10:14. For the same reason hearken (Rev.) is better than obeyed .

Vincent: Rom 10:16 - Report

Report ( ἀκοῇ )

Lit., hearing . Similarly, Mat 14:1; Mar 13:7. Compare the phrase word of hearing , 1Th 2:13; Heb 4:2 (Rev.); and hearing of faith , i.e., message of faith, Gal 3:2.

Vincent: Rom 10:17 - By hearing

By hearing ( ἐξ ἀκοῆς )

The same word as report , above, and in the same sense, that which is heard .

Vincent: Rom 10:17 - Word of God

Word of God ( ῥήματος Θεοῦ )

The best texts read of Christ . Probably not the Gospel , but Christ's word of command or commission to its preachers; thus taking up except they be sent (Rom 10:15), and emphasizing the authority of the message. Belief comes through the message, and the message through the command of Christ.

Vincent: Rom 10:18 - Did they not hear?

Did they not hear? ( μὴ οὐκ ἤκουσαν )

A negative answer is implied by the interrogative particle. " Surely it is not true that they did not hear."

Vincent: Rom 10:18 - Sound

Sound ( φθόγγος )

Only here and 1Co 14:7, on which see note. Paul uses the Septuagint translation of Psa 19:4, where the Hebrew line or plummet-line (others musical chord ) is rendered sound . The voice of the gospel message is like that of the starry sky proclaiming God's glory to all the earth. The Septuagint sound seems to be a free rendering in order to secure parallelism with words .

Vincent: Rom 10:18 - Of the world

Of the world ( τῆς οἰκουμένης )

See on Luk 2:1; see on Joh 1:9.

Vincent: Rom 10:19 - Did Israel not know?

Did Israel not know?

As in Rom 10:18, a negative answer is implied. " It is surely not true that Israel did not know." Did not know what? That the Gospel should go forth into all the earth. Moses and Isaiah had prophesied the conversion of the Gentiles, and Isaiah the opposition of the Jews thereto.

Vincent: Rom 10:19 - First Moses

First Moses

First in order; the first who wrote.

Vincent: Rom 10:19 - I will provoke you to jealousy

I will provoke you to jealousy ( ἐγὼ παραζηλώσω ὑμᾶς )

From Deu 32:21. See Rom 11:11, Rom 11:14; 1Co 10:22. Used only by Paul. The Septuagint has them instead of you .

Vincent: Rom 10:19 - By them that are no people

By them that are no people ( ἐπ ' οὐκ ἔθνει )

Lit., upon a no-people . The relation expressed by the preposition is that of the no-people as forming the basis of the jealousy. The prediction is that Israel shall be conquered by an apparently inferior people. No-people as related to God's heritage, not that the Gentiles were inferior or insignificant in themselves. For people render nation , as Rev. See on 1Pe 2:9.

Vincent: Rom 10:19 - By a foolish nation

By a foolish nation ( ἐπὶ ἔθνει ἀσυνέτῳ )

Lit., upon a foolish nation as the basis of the exasperation. For foolish , see on Rom 1:21.

Vincent: Rom 10:19 - I will anger

I will anger ( παροργιὦ )

Or provoke to anger . The force of the compounded preposition παρά in this verb and in παραζηλώσω provoke to jealousy , seems to be driving to the side of something which by contact or comparison excites jealousy or anger.

Vincent: Rom 10:20 - Is very bold

Is very bold ( ἀποτολμᾷ )

Only here in the New Testament. Plato, " Laws," 701, uses it of liberty as too presumptuous (ἀποτετολμημένης ). The force of the preposition is intensive, or possibly pointing to him from whom the action proceeds; bold of himself: The simple verb means primarily to dare , and implies the manifestation of that boldness or confidence of character which is expressed by θαῤῥέω . See 2Co 5:6, 2Co 5:8; 2Co 7:16; 2Co 10:2, note.

Vincent: Rom 10:20 - Saith

Saith

Isa 65:1. Following the Septuagint, with the inversion of the first two clauses. Hebrew: " I have offered to give answers to those who asked not. I have put myself in the way of those who sought me not. I have spread out my hand all the day to a refractory people." The idea in the Hebrew is, " I have endeavored to be sought and found." Compare the clause omitted in Paul's quotation: " I have said 'Here am I' to a people who did not call upon my name."

Vincent: Rom 10:21 - Disobedient - gainsaying

Disobedient - gainsaying ( ἀπειθοῦντα - ἀντιλέγοντα )

See on Joh 3:36; see on Jud 1:11. Disobedience is the manifestation of the refractoriness expressed in gainsaying . Some explain gainsaying as contradicting . Compare Luk 13:34, Luk 13:35.

Wesley: Rom 10:1 - My prayer to God is, that they may be saved

He would not have prayed for this, had they been absolutely reprobated.

Wesley: Rom 10:2 - They have a zeal, but not according to knowledge

They had zeal without knowledge; we have knowledge without zeal.

Wesley: Rom 10:3 - For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God

Of the method God has established for the justification of a sinner.

Wesley: Rom 10:3 - And seeking to establish their own righteousness

Their own method of acceptance with God.

Wesley: Rom 10:3 - Have not submitted to the righteousness of God

The way of justification which he hath fixed.

Wesley: Rom 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law

The scope and aim of it. It is the very design of the law, to bring men to believe in Christ for justification and salvation. And he alone gives that pardon and life which the law shows the want of, but cannot give.

Wesley: Rom 10:4 - To every one

Whether Jew or gentile, treated of, Rom 10:11, &c.

Wesley: Rom 10:4 - That believeth

Treated of, Rom 10:5.

Wesley: Rom 10:5 - For Moses describeth the only righteousness which is attainable by the law, when he saith, The man who doeth these things shall live by them

that is, he that perfectly keeps all these precepts in every point, he alone may claim life and salvation by them. But this way of justification is impossible to any who have ever transgressed any one law in any point. Lev 18:5

Wesley: Rom 10:6 - But the righteousness which is by faith

The method of becoming righteous by believing. Speaketh a very different language, and may be considered as expressing itself thus: (to accommodate to our present subject the words which Moses spake, touching the plainness of his law:) Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven, as if it were to bring Christ down: or, Who shall descend into the grave, as if it were to bring him again from the dead - Do not imagine that these things are to be done now, in order to procure thy pardon and salvation. Deu 30:14.

Wesley: Rom 10:8 - But what saith he

Moses. Even these words, so remarkably applicable to the subject before us. All is done ready to thy hand.

Wesley: Rom 10:8 - The word is nigh thee

Within thy reach; easy to be understood, remembered, practised.

Wesley: Rom 10:8 - This is eminently true of the word of faith

The gospel.

Wesley: Rom 10:8 - Which we preach

The sum of which is, If thy heart believe in Christ, and thy life confess him, thou shalt be saved.

Wesley: Rom 10:9 - If thou confess with thy mouth

Even in time of persecution, when such a confession may send thee to the lions.

Wesley: Rom 10:10 - For with the heart

Not the understanding only.

Wesley: Rom 10:10 - Man believeth to righteousness

So as to obtain justification.

Wesley: Rom 10:10 - And with the mouth confession is made

So as to obtain final salvation. Confession here implies the whole of outward, as believing does the root of all inward, religion.

Wesley: Rom 10:11

Isa 28:16.

Wesley: Rom 10:12 - The same Lord of all is rich

So that his blessings are never to be exhausted, nor is he ever constrained to hold his hand. The great truth proposed in Rom 10:11 is so repeated here, and in Rom 10:13, and farther confirmed, Rom 10:14-15, as not only to imply, that "whosoever calleth upon him shall be saved;" but also that the will of God is, that all should savingly call upon him.

Wesley: Rom 10:13

Joe 2:32.

Wesley: Rom 10:15 - But how shall they preach, unless they be sent

Thus by a chain of reasoning, from God's will that the gentiles also should "call upon him," St. Paul infers that the apostles were sent by God to preach to the gentiles also.

Wesley: Rom 10:15 - The feet

Their very footsteps; their coming. Isa 52:7.

Wesley: Rom 10:16

Isa 53:1.

Wesley: Rom 10:17

Faith, indeed, ordinarily cometh by hearing; even by hearing the word of God.

Wesley: Rom 10:18

But their unbelief was not owing to the want of hearing For they have heard.

Wesley: Rom 10:18 - Yes verily

So many nations have already heard the preachers of the gospel, that I may in some sense say of them as David did of the lights of heaven. Psa 29:4

Wesley: Rom 10:19 - But hath not Israel known

They might have known, even from Moses and Isaiah, that many of the gentiles would be received, and many of the Jews rejected.

Wesley: Rom 10:19 - I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are not a nation

As they followed gods that were not gods, so he accepted in their stead a nation that was not a nation; that is, a nation that was not in covenant with God.

Wesley: Rom 10:19 - A foolish nation

Such are all which know not God. Deu 32:21

Wesley: Rom 10:20 - But Isaiah is very bold

And speaks plainly what Moses but intimated. Isa 65:1-2.

Wesley: Rom 10:21 - An unbelieving and gainsaying people

Just opposite to those who believed with their hearts, and made confession with their mouths.

JFB: Rom 10:1 - Brethren, my heart's desire

The word here expresses "entire complacency," that in which the heart would experience full satisfaction.

JFB: Rom 10:1 - and prayer

"supplication."

JFB: Rom 10:1 - to God for Israel

"for them" is the true reading; the subject being continued from the close of the preceding chapter.

JFB: Rom 10:1 - is, that they may be saved

"for their salvation." Having before poured forth the anguish of his soul at the general unbelief of his nation and its dreadful consequences (Rom 9:1-3), he here expresses in the most emphatic terms his desire and prayer for their salvation.

JFB: Rom 10:2 - For I bear them record

Or, "witness," as he well could from his own sad experience.

JFB: Rom 10:2 - that they have a zeal of

"for"

JFB: Rom 10:2 - God, but not according to knowledge

(Compare Act 22:3; Act 26:9-11; Gal 1:13-14). He alludes to this well-meaning of his people, notwithstanding their spiritual blindness, not certainly to excuse their rejection of Christ and rage against His saints, but as some ground of hope regarding them. (See 1Ti 1:13).

JFB: Rom 10:3 - For they being ignorant of God's righteousness

That is, for the justification of the guilty (see on Rom 1:17).

JFB: Rom 10:3 - and going about

"seeking"

JFB: Rom 10:3 - to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God

The apostle views the general rejection of Christ by the nation as one act.

JFB: Rom 10:4 - For Christ is the end

The object or aim.

JFB: Rom 10:4 - of the law for

Justifying

JFB: Rom 10:4 - righteousness to every one that believeth

That is, contains within Himself all that the law demands for the justification of such as embrace Him, whether Jew or Gentile (Gal 3:24).

JFB: Rom 10:5-10 - For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man that doeth

"hath done"

JFB: Rom 10:5-10 - those things

Which it commands.

JFB: Rom 10:5-10 - shall live in them

(Lev 18:5). This is the one way of justification and life--by "the righteousness which is of (or, by our own obedience to) the law."

JFB: Rom 10:6 - But the

Justifying

JFB: Rom 10:6 - righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise

"speaketh thus"--its language or import is to this effect (quoting in substance Deu 30:13-14).

JFB: Rom 10:6 - Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? that is, to bring Christ down, &c.

That is, "Ye have not to sigh over the impossibility of attaining to justification; as if one should say, oh! if I could but get someone to mount up to heaven and fetch me down Christ, there might be some hope, but since that cannot be, mine is a desperate case."

JFB: Rom 10:7 - Or, Who shall descend, &c.

Another case of impossibility, suggested by Pro 30:4, and perhaps also Amo 9:2 --probably proverbial expressions of impossibility (compare Psa 139:7-10; Pro 24:7, &c.).

JFB: Rom 10:8 - But what saith it? It saith

Continuing the quotation from Deu 30:14.

JFB: Rom 10:8 - The word is nigh thee

Easily accessible.

JFB: Rom 10:8 - in thy mouth

When thou confessest Him.

JFB: Rom 10:8 - and in thine heart

When thou believest on Him. Though it is of the law which Moses more immediately speaks in the passage quoted, yet it is of the law as Israel shall be brought to look upon it when the Lord their God shall circumcise their heart "to love the Lord their God with all their heart" (Rom 10:6); and thus, in applying it, the apostle (as OLSHAUSEN truly observes) is not merely appropriating the language of Moses, but keeping in the line of his deeper thought.

JFB: Rom 10:8 - that is, the word of faith, which we preach

That is, the word which men have to believe for salvation (compare 1Ti 4:6).

JFB: Rom 10:9 - That if thou shalt, &c.

So understanding the words, the apostle is here giving the language of the true method of justification; and this sense we prefer (with CALVIN, BEZA, FERME, LOCKE, JOWETT). But able interpreters render the words, "For," or "Because if thou shalt," &c. [Vulgate, LUTHER, DE WETTE, STUART, PHILIPPI, ALFORD, Revised Version]. In this case, these are the apostle's own remarks, confirming the foregoing statements as to the simplicity of the gospel method of salvation.

JFB: Rom 10:9 - confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus

That is, probably, "If thou shalt confess Jesus [to be] the Lord," which is the proper manifestation or evidence of faith (Mat 10:32; 1Jo 4:15). This is put first merely to correspond with the foregoing quotation--"in thy mouth and in thine heart." So in 1Pe 1:10 the "calling of believers" is put before their "election," as that which is first "made sure," although in point of time it comes after it.

JFB: Rom 10:9 - and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised

"that God raised"

JFB: Rom 10:9 - him from the dead, &c.

(See on Rom 4:25). In Rom 10:10 the two things are placed in their natural order.

JFB: Rom 10:10 - For with the heart man believeth unto

Justifying

JFB: Rom 10:10 - righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

This confession of Christ's name, especially in times of persecution, and whenever obloquy is attached to the Christian profession, is an indispensable test of discipleship.

JFB: Rom 10:11-13 - For the scripture saith

In Isa 28:16, a glorious Messianic passage.

JFB: Rom 10:11-13 - Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed

Here, as in Rom 9:33, the quotation is from the Septuagint, which renders those words of the original, "shall not make haste" (that is, fly for escape, as from conscious danger), "shall not be put to shame," which comes to the same thing.

JFB: Rom 10:12 - For there is no difference

Or "distinction"

JFB: Rom 10:12 - between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord over all

That is, not God (as CALVIN, GROTIUS, OLSHAUSEN, HODGE), but Christ, as will be seen, we think, by comparing Rom 10:9, Rom 10:12-13 and observing the apostle's usual style on such subjects. (So CHRYSOSTOM, MELVILLE, BENGEL, MEYER, DE WETTE, FRITZSCHE, THOLUCK, STUART, ALFORD, PHILIPPI).

JFB: Rom 10:12 - is rich

A favorite Pauline term to express the exuberance of that saving grace which is in Christ Jesus.

JFB: Rom 10:12 - unto all that call upon him

This confirms the application of the preceding words to Christ; since to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus is a customary expression. (See Act 7:59-60; Act 9:14, Act 9:21; Act 22:16; 1Co 1:2; 2Ti 2:22).

JFB: Rom 10:13 - For

Saith the scripture

JFB: Rom 10:13 - whosoever

The expression is emphatic, "Everyone whosoever"

JFB: Rom 10:13 - shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved

(Joe 2:32); quoted also by Peter, in his great Pentecostal sermon (Act 2:21), with evident application to Christ.

JFB: Rom 10:14-15 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and . . . believe in him of whom they have not heard? and . . . hear without a preacher? and . . . preach except . . . sent?

That is, "True, the same Lord over all is rich unto all alike that call upon Him. But this calling implies believing, and believing hearing, and hearing preaching, and preaching a mission to preach: Why, then, take ye it so ill, O children of Abraham, that in obedience to our heavenly mission (Act 26:16-18) we preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ?"

JFB: Rom 10:15 - as it is written

(Isa 52:7).

JFB: Rom 10:15 - How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, &c.

The whole chapter of Isaiah from which this is taken, and the three that follow, are so richly Messianic, that there can be no doubt "the glad tidings" there spoken of announce a more glorious release than of Judah from the Babylonish captivity, and the very feet of its preachers are called "beautiful" for the sake of their message.

JFB: Rom 10:16-17 - But they have not all obeyed the gospel

That is, the Scripture hath prepared us to expect this sad result.

JFB: Rom 10:16-17 - For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

That is,"Where shall one find a believer?" The prophet speaks as if next to none would believe: The apostle softens this into "They have not all believed."

JFB: Rom 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God

"This is another confirmation of the truth that faith supposes the hearing of the Word, and this a commission to preach it."

JFB: Rom 10:18 - But I say, Have they not heard?

"Did they not hear?" Can Israel, through any region of his dispersion, plead ignorance of these glad tidings?

JFB: Rom 10:18 - Yes, verily, their sound went

"their voice went out"

JFB: Rom 10:18 - into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world

These beautiful words are from Psa 19:4. Whether the apostle quoted them as in their primary intention applicable to his subject (as OLSHAUSEN, ALFORD, &c.), or only "used scriptural language to express his own ideas, as is done involuntarily almost by every preacher in every sermon" [HODGE], expositors are not agreed. But though the latter may seem the more natural since "the rising of the Sun of righteousness upon the world" (Mal 4:2), "the Dayspring from on high visiting us, giving light to them that sat in darkness, and guiding our feet into the way of peace" (Luk 1:78-79), must have been familiar and delightful to the apostle's ear, we cannot doubt that the irradiation of the world with the beams of a better Sun by the universal diffusion of the Gospel of Christ, must have a mode of speaking quite natural, and to him scarcely figurative.

JFB: Rom 10:19 - But I say, Did not Israel know?

Know, from their own Scriptures, of God's intention to bring in the Gentiles?

JFB: Rom 10:19 - First

That is First in the prophetic line [DE WETTE].

JFB: Rom 10:19 - Moses saith, &c.

"I will provoke you to jealousy ('against') [them that are] not a nation, and against a nation without understanding will I anger you" (Deu 32:21). In this verse God warns His ancient people that because they had (that is, in aftertimes would) moved Him to jealousy with their "no-gods," and provoked Him to anger with their vanities, He in requital would move them to jealousy by receiving into His favor a "no-people," and provoke them to anger by adopting a nation void of understanding.

JFB: Rom 10:20 - But Esaias is very bold, and saith

That is, is still plainer, and goes even the length of saying.

JFB: Rom 10:20 - I was found of them that sought me not

Until I sought them.

JFB: Rom 10:20 - I was made

"became"

JFB: Rom 10:20 - manifest unto them that asked not after me

Until the invitation from Me came to them. That the calling of the Gentiles was meant by these words of the prophet (Isa 65:1) is manifest from what immediately follows, "I said, Behold Me, behold Me, unto a nation that was not called by My name."

JFB: Rom 10:21 - But to

Rather, "with regard to"

JFB: Rom 10:21 - Israel he saith, All day

"All the day"

JFB: Rom 10:21 - long I have stretched out my hands

"did I stretch forth"

JFB: Rom 10:21 - my hands

The attitude of gracious entreaty.

JFB: Rom 10:21 - unto a disobedient and gainsaying people

These words, which immediately follow the announcement just quoted of the calling of the Gentiles, were enough to forewarn the Jews both of God's purpose to eject them from their privileges, in favor of the Gentiles, and of the cause of it on their own part.

JFB: Rom 10:21 - Note, (1) Mere sincerity, and even earnestness in religion

Though it may be some ground of hope for a merciful recovery from error--is no excuse, and will not compensate, for the deliberate rejection of saving truth, when in the providence of God presented for acceptance (Rom 10:1-3; and see on Rom 9:7, Note 7). (2) The true cause of such rejection of saving truth, by the otherwise sincere, is the prepossession of the mind by some false notions of its own. So long as the Jews "sought to set up their own righteousness," it was in the nature of things impossible that they should "submit themselves to the righteousness of God"; the one of these two methods of acceptance being in the teeth of the other (Rom 10:3). (3) The essential terms of salvation have in every age been the same: "Whosoever will" is invited to "take of the water of life freely," Rev 22:17 (Rom 10:13). (4) How will the remembrance of the simplicity, reasonableness, and absolute freeness of God's plan of salvation overwhelm those that perish from under the sound of it (Rom 10:4-13). (5) How piercingly and perpetually should that question--"HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER?"--sound in the ears of all churches, as but the apostolic echo of their Lord's parting injunction, "PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE" (Mar 16:15), and how far below the proper standard of love, zeal, and self-sacrifice must the churches as yet be, when with so plenteous a harvest the laborers are yet so few (Mat 9:37-38), and that cry from the lips of pardoned, gifted, consecrated men--"Here am I, send me" (Isa 6:8), is not heard everywhere (Rom 10:14-15)! (6) The blessing of a covenant relation to God is the irrevocable privilege of no people and no Church; it can be preserved only by fidelity, on our part, to the covenant itself (Rom 10:19). (7) God is often found by those who apparently are the farthest from Him, while He remains undiscovered by those who think themselves the nearest (Rom 10:20-21). (8) God's dealings even with reprobate sinners are full of tenderness and compassion; all the day long extending the arms of His mercy even to the disobedient and gainsaying. This will be felt and acknowledged at last by all who perish, to the glory of God's forbearance and to their own confusion (Rom 10:21).

Clarke: Rom 10:1 - My heart’ s desire, etc.

My heart’ s desire, etc. - Though the apostle knew that the Jews were now in a state of rejection, yet he knew also that they were in this state through their own obstinacy, and that God was still waiting to be gracious, and consequently, that they might still repent and turn to him. Of his concern for their salvation he had already given ample proof, when he was willing to become a sacrifice for their welfare, see Rom 9:3.

Clarke: Rom 10:2 - They have a zeal of God

They have a zeal of God - They believe their law to have come immediately from God himself, and are jealous of its glory and excellence; they conscientiously observe its rites and ceremonies, but they do not consider the object and end of those rites; they sin more through ignorance than malice; and this pleads in their excuse. By this fine apology for them, the apostle prepares them for the harsher truths which he was about to deliver.

Clarke: Rom 10:3 - For - being ignorant of God’ s righteousness

For - being ignorant of God’ s righteousness - Not knowing God’ s method of saving sinners, which is the only proper and efficient method: and going about to establish their own righteousness - seeking to procure their salvation by means of their own contriving; they have not submitted - they have not bowed to the determinations of the Most High, relative to his mode of saving mankind, viz. through faith in Jesus Christ, as the only available sacrifice for sin - the end to which the law pointed.

Clarke: Rom 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law

For Christ is the end of the law - Where the law ends, Christ begins. The law ends with representative sacrifices; Christ begins with the real offering. The law is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ; it cannot save, but it leaves us at his door, where alone salvation is to be found. Christ as an atoning sacrifice for sin, was the grand object of the whole sacrificial code of Moses; his passion and death were the fulfillment of its great object and design. Separate this sacrificial death of Christ from the law, and the law has no meaning, for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins: wherefore the Messiah is represented as saying, Sacrifice and observing thou didst not desire; burnt-offering and sin-offering thou hast not required; then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will; a body hast thou prepared me, Psa 40:6, Psa 40:7; Heb 10:4-10; which proves that God never designed that the sacrifices of the law should be considered the atonement for sin, but a type or representative of that atonement; and that The atonement was the sacrifice offered by Christ. Thus he was the End of the law, in respect to its sacrifices. And, as sacrifices were offered merely to procure pardon of sin, righteousness, or justification, Christ is the end of the law for this justification to every one that believeth on him, as dying for their offenses, and rising again for their justification, having made peace through the blood of his cross. Therefore every Jew who rejected Christ rejected salvation, and that very salvation which the law witnessed and required, and which could not be had but through Christ alone.

Clarke: Rom 10:5 - For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law

For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law - The place to which the apostle refers, seems to be Lev 18:5 : Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments; which if a man do, he shall live in them. These words seem to be spoken in answer to an objection which might be made by a Jew: "Did not Moses give us a law, the observance of which should secure our salvation?"Such a law Moses undoubtedly gave, and that law promises life to those who perform its precepts: but who can plead for life on this ground, who rejects that Christ who is the end of the law? No man ever did, nor ever can, fulfill that law, so as to merit salvation by the performance of it: for, as all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, they are all under the curse of the law, which says: Cursed is every one who continueth not in all the things that are written in the book of the law to do them, Deu 27:26; Gal 3:10; therefore by the deeds of this law none can be justified, because all are in a state of condemnation for transgressions already committed against it. If, therefore, there were not such a provision as is made by the death of Christ, no soul could be saved.

Clarke: Rom 10:6 - But the righteousness which is of faith

But the righteousness which is of faith - As it is most evident that there can be no justification by works, as all are sinful and all in a guilty state; if God will grant salvation at all, it must be by faith: but faith must have an object and a reason for its exercise; the object is Jesus Christ - the reason is the infinite merit of his passion and death

Clarke: Rom 10:6 - Who shall ascend unto heaven? etc.

Who shall ascend unto heaven? etc. - As Christ is the end of the law for justification to every one that believes, no observance of the law can procure him. Who, by the practice of the law, can bring Christ down from heaven? or, when brought down, and crucified and buried, as a sacrifice for sin, who can bring him up again from the dead? And both his death and resurrection are essentially necessary for the salvation of a lost world. Or the sense of the apostle may be this: They who will not believe in Christ crucified must in effect be seeking another Messiah to come down from heaven with a different revelation; or they who will not credit the doctrine that we preach concerning his resurrection seem in effect to say, Christ yet remains to be raised from the dead, and reign over the Jews as a mighty secular sovereign, subjecting the Gentile world to the sway of his righteous scepter.

Clarke: Rom 10:8 - But what saith it? The word is nigh thee

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee - There is no occasion to seek high or low for the saving power; the word of reconciliation is nigh. The way of salvation is now both plain and easy. The law is magnified and made honorable by the death of Christ; and the doctrine of faith in his death and resurrection is fully proclaimed, and amply proved to be effectual to the purpose for which it was revealed. By the preaching of the Gospel the doctrine of salvation is nigh thee, and the saving influence is at hand: it is in thy mouth, easy to be understood, easy to be professed: and in thy heart, if thou art upright before God, sincerely desiring to be saved on his own terms, not striving to establish thy own method of justification by the law, which must for ever be ineffectual, but submitting to the method of justification which God has devised.

Clarke: Rom 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess, etc.

That if thou shalt confess, etc. - Acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Savior. Believe in thy heart that he who died for thy offenses has been raised for thy justification; and depend solely on him for that justification, and thou shalt be saved.

Clarke: Rom 10:10 - For with the heart man believeth, etc.

For with the heart man believeth, etc. - And be sincere in this: for with the heart, duly affected with a sense of guilt, and of the sufficiency of the sacrifice which Christ has offered, man believeth unto righteousness, believeth to receive justification; for this is the proper meaning of the term here, and in many other parts of this epistle; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. He who believes aright in Christ Jesus will receive such a full conviction of the truth, and such an evidence of his redemption, that his mouth will boldly confess his obligation to his Redeemer, and the blessed persuasion he has of the remission of all his sins through the blood of the cross. One grand object of the apostle is to show the simplicity of the Gospel scheme of salvation; and at the same time, its great efficacy, it is simple, and very unlike the law, which was full of rites, ordinances, ceremonies, etc., each of which required to be perfectly fulfilled: and yet, after all, even those who had the utmost zeal for God, and, as conscientiously as possible, observed all the precepts of the law, had not attained to justification nor peace of conscience. Whereas both Jews and Gentiles, who had believed on the Lord Jesus according to the simple declarations of the Gospel, were freely justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses: and they had the witness in themselves that they were passed from death to life.

Clarke: Rom 10:11 - For the Scripture saith

For the Scripture saith - And howsoever the Jews may despise this Gospel, because it comes not unto them with pomp and ceremony, it puts those who receive it into possession of every heavenly blessing: and this is according to the positive declarations of the prophets; for it is written, Isa 28:16; Isa 49:23 : Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. He shall neither be disappointed of his hope, nor ashamed of his confidence; because he has that faith which is the evidence of things not seen, the subsistence of things hoped for, Heb 11:1. See note on Rom 1:16.

Clarke: Rom 10:12 - For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek - All are equally welcome to this salvation. Here the Jew has no exclusive privilege; and from this the Greek is not rejected. One simple way of being saved is proposed to all, viz. faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; because he is the same Lord who has made all and governs all, and is rich in mercy to all that call upon him.

Clarke: Rom 10:13 - For whosoever shall call, etc.

For whosoever shall call, etc. - Nor shall any one who hears this doctrine of salvation, and credits it as he is commanded, be permitted to pray or supplicate the throne of grace in vain: for the Prophet Joel hath declared, Joe 2:32 : Whosoever shall call upon, invoke, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners, shall be saved - shall have his guilt pardoned, his heart purified; and if he abide in the faith, rooted and grounded in him, showing forth the virtues of him who was called him out of darkness into his marvellous light, he shall be saved with all the power of an eternal life

"Believing in Christ, or God, Rom 10:11, and calling upon God, Rom 10:12-14, are in effect the same thing; as calling upon God necessarily connects and supposes faith in him: and he who duly believes in Christ has such a sense of his dependence upon Divine grace, that he looks unto God and trusts in his power and goodness alone for happiness: which is the true religion of the Gospel."Dr. Taylor

It is evident that St. Paul understood the text of Joel as relating to our blessed Lord; and therefore his word κυριος must answer to the prophet’ s word יהוה Yehovah , which is no mean proof of the Godhead of Jesus Christ. If the text be translated, Whosoever shall invoke in the name of the Lord, which translation יקרא בשם יהוה yikra beshem Yehovah will certainly bear, yet still the term Yehovah, the incommunicable name, is given to Christ; because invoking in the name signifies soliciting one in the name or on the account of another. He who is invoked is God; he, in whose name he is invoked, is Jesus Christ, who is here called Yehovah. He who asks mercy from God, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, shall get his soul saved.

Clarke: Rom 10:14 - How then shall they call on him

How then shall they call on him - As the apostle had laid so much stress on believing in order to salvation, and as this doctrine, without farther explanation, might be misunderstood, it was necessary to show how this faith was produced; and therefore he lays the whole doctrine down in a beautifully graduated order

1.    There can be no salvation without the Gospel: a dispensation of mercy and grace from God alone, here called, Rom 10:15, the Gospel of peace; glad tidings of good things

2.    This must be preached, proclaimed in the world for the obedience of faith

3.    None can effectually preach this unless he have a Divine mission; for how shall they preach except they be Sent, Rom 10:15. The matter must come from God; and the person mho proclaims it must have both authority and unction from on high

4.    This Divinely-commissioned person must be heard: it is the duty of all, to whom this message of salvation is sent, to hear it with the deepest reverence and attention

5.    What is heard must be credited; for they who do not believe the Gospel as the record which God has given of his Son cannot be saved, Rom 10:14

6.    Those who believe must invoke God by Christ, which they cannot do unless they believe in him; and in this way alone they are to expect salvation. Professing to believe in Christ, without earnest, importunate prayer for salvation, can save no man. All these things the apostle lays down as essentially necessary; and they all follow from his grand proposition, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But, says the apostle, How shall they Call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they Believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they Hear without a preacher? And how shall they Preach except they be sent? And with what message which can bring salvation can they be sent, but with the Gospel of Peace, the Glad Tidings Of Good Things. When, therefore, there is

1st, a proper Message

2ndly, a proper Messenger

3rdly, the message Preached, proclaimed, or properly delivered by him

4thly, the proclamation properly Heard and attentively considered by the people

5thly, the message which they have heard, conscientiously Believed

6thly, the name of the Lord Jesus, by whom alone this salvation is provided, most fervently Invoked; then

7thly, salvation, or redemption from sin and misery, and the enjoyment of peace and happiness, will be the result of such calling, believing, hearing, preaching, sending, and message sent: - and thus the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith is guarded from abuse.

Clarke: Rom 10:15 - How beautiful are the feet of them that preach

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach - Dr. Taylor remarks on this quotation, which is taken from Isa 52:7, that "feet are variously used in Scripture, and sometimes have respect to things internal and spiritual. For as the life of man and the practice of piety are compared to walking, Psa 1:1, so his feet may signify the principles on which he acts, and the dispositions of his mind. Ecc 5:1 : Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God. Agreeably to this, the feet of the messengers in Isaiah and of the apostles in this verse, may signify the validity of their mission - the authority upon which they acted, and any character or qualifications with which they were invested."

Clarke: Rom 10:16 - But they have not all obeyed the Gospel

But they have not all obeyed the Gospel - This seems to be the objection of a Jew; as if he had said: A Divine mission would be attended with success; whereas there are numbers who pay no attention to the glad tidings you preach. To this the apostle answers, that the Spirit of God, by Isaiah, Isa 53:1, foretold it would be so, even in the case of the Jews themselves, where he said, Lord, who hath believed our report? For although God brings the message of salvation to men, he does not oblige them to embrace it

It is proposed to their understanding and conscience; but it does not become the means of salvation unless it be affectionately credited.

Clarke: Rom 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing

So then faith cometh by hearing - Preaching the Gospel is the ordinary means of salvation; faith in Christ is the result of hearing the word, the doctrine of God preached. Preaching, God sends; if heard attentively, faith will be produced; and if they believe the report, the arm of the Lord will be revealed in their salvation.

Clarke: Rom 10:18 - But I say, have they not heard?

But I say, have they not heard? - But to return to the objection: You say they have not all Believed; I ask: Have they not all Heard? Have not the means of salvation been placed within the reach of every Jew in Palestine, and within the reach of all those who sojourn in the different Gentile countries where we have preached the Gospel, as well to the Jews as to the Gentiles themselves? Yes: for we may say of the preaching of the Gospel what the psalmist has said (Psa 19:4) of the heavenly bodies: Their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. As the celestial luminaries have given testimony of the eternal power and Godhead of the Deity to the habitable world, the Gospel of Christ has borne testimony to his eternal goodness and mercy to all the land of Palestine, and to the whole Roman empire. There is not a part of the promised land in which these glad tidings have not been preached; and there is scarcely a place in the Roman empire in which the doctrine of Christ crucified has not been heard: if, therefore, the Jews have not believed, the fault is entirely their own; as God has amply furnished them with the means of faith and of salvation

In Psa 19:4, the psalmist has קום kauuam , their line, which the Septuagint, and the apostle who quotes from them, render φθογγος, sound; and hence some have thought that the word in the Psalm was originally קולם kolam , voice. But that קו kau is used for word or speech is sufficiently evident from Isa 28:10, line upon line, precept upon precept, etc., where קו is analogous to word or direction. It is very remarkable that these words of David, quoted by St. Paul, are mentioned in Sohar. Genes. fol. 9, where it is said: עבדי משיחא אינון מלין Abdey mashicha innun millin . "These words are the servants of the Messiah, and measure out both the things above and the things beneath."To this notion of them the apostle may refer in his use of them in this place, and to a Jew the application would be legitimate.

Clarke: Rom 10:19 - But I say, Did not Israel know?

But I say, Did not Israel know? - You object to this preaching among the Gentiles; but is not this according to the positive declaration of God? He, foreseeing your unbelief and rebellion, said by Moses, Deu 32:21, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. As you have provoked me to jealousy with worshipping those that are no gods, I will provoke you to jealousy by those which are no people. This most evidently refers to the calling or inviting of the Gentiles to partake of the benefits of the Gospel; and plainly predicts the envy and rage which would be excited in the Jews, in consequence of those offers of mercy made to the Gentiles.

Clarke: Rom 10:20 - But Esaias (the Greek orthography for Isaiah) is very bold

But Esaias (the Greek orthography for Isaiah) is very bold - Speaks out in the fullest manner and plainest language, Isa 65:1, notwithstanding the danger to which such a declaration exposed him, among a crooked, perverse, and dangerous people: I was found of them that sought me not; I put my salvation in the way of those (the Gentiles) who were not seeking for it, and knew nothing of it: thus, the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to the law of righteousness, Rom 9:30, and they have found that redemption which the Jews have rejected.

Clarke: Rom 10:21 - But to Israel he saith

But to Israel he saith - In the very next verse, (Isa 65:2), All day long have I stretched forth my hands, manifesting the utmost readiness and willingness to gather them all together under my protecting care; but I stretched forth my hands in vain, for they are a disobedient and gainsaying people. They not only disobey my command, but they gainsay and contradict my prophets. Thus the apostle proves, in answer to the objection made Rom 10:16, that the infidelity of the Jews was the effect of their own obstinacy; that the opposition which they are now making to the Gospel was foretold and deplored 700 years before; and that their opposition, far from being a proof of the insufficiency of the Gospel, proved that this was the grand means which God had provided for their salvation; and having rejected this, they could expect no other. And this gives the apostle opportunity to speak largely concerning their rejection in the following chapter

I.    In the preceding chapter are several quotations from the law, the prophets, and the Psalms; and as the apostle seems to take them with considerable latitude of meaning, it has been thought that he only uses their words as being well calculated to express his sense, without paying any attention to their original import. This principle is too lax to be introduced in such solemn circumstances. Dr. Taylor has made some judicious and useful distinctions here. After observing that, if we allow this principle, no argument can be built on any of the apostle’ s quotations; and that it must have been an indifferent thing with him whether he did or did not understand the Scripture - as, on this supposition, they would serve him as well without as with the true meaning - he adds: the apostle was a strict and close quoter of the Scripture; but he did not always quote them in the same manner, or for the same purpose

1.    Sometimes his intention goes no farther than using the same strong expressions, as being equally applicable to the point in hand. So, Rom 10:6-8, he uses the words of Moses, not to prove any thing, nor as if he thought Moses spoke of the same subject, but only as intimating that the strong and lively expressions which Moses used concerning the doctrine he taught, were equally applicable to the faith of the Gospel. So, in the same manner, Rom 10:18, he quotes Psa 19:4, though it is likely (see the note on Rom 10:18) that those expressions were used by the ancient Jews in application to the Messiah as the apostle applies them

2.    Sometimes the design of the quotation is only to show that the cases are parallel: or, that what happened in his times corresponded with what happened in former days. So Rom 2:24; Rom 8:36; Rom 9:27-29; Rom 11:2-5, Rom 11:8-10; Rom 15:21

3.    Sometimes the quotation is only intended to explain a doctrinal point, as Rom 1:17; Rom 4:6-8, Rom 4:18-21; Rom 9:20, Rom 9:21; Rom 10:15; Rom 15:3

4.    Sometimes the quotation is designed to prove a doctrinal point. Rom 3:4, Rom 3:10-19; Rom 4:3-17; Rom 5:12-14; Rom 9:7, Rom 9:9, Rom 9:12, Rom 9:13, Rom 9:15, Rom 9:17; Rom 10:5, Rom 10:11, Rom 10:13; Rom 12:19, Rom 12:20; Rom 13:9; Rom 14:11

5.    Sometimes it is the intention of the quotation to prove that something was predicted, or properly foretold in the prophetic writings, as Rom 9:25, Rom 9:26, Rom 9:33; Rom 10:16, Rom 10:19-21; Rom 11:26, Rom 11:27; Rom 15:9-13

These things duly considered, it will appear that the apostle has every where shown a just regard to the true sense of the Scripture he quotes, in the view in which he quotes it

These rules may help to vindicate the quotations in all the apostolic writings. And it is evident that we cannot form a true judgment upon any quotation, unless we take in the intention of the writer, or the view in which he quotes

II.    The apostle here makes a just and proper distinction between the righteousness or justification that is of the law, and that which is by faith in Christ. And, in his view of the former, shows it to be absolutely impossible; for if no man is to live thereby - to have spiritual and eternal life, but he who does these things; then salvation on that ground must be impossible; for

1.    The law makes no provision for the pardon of sin

2.    It affords no helps for the performance of duty

3.    It makes no allowances for imperfections in duty, or for imperfections is our nature

4.    Its commandments, necessarily, suppose a righteous soul, and a vigorous body; and it does not lower its claims to the fallen state of man

5.    It requires perfect obedience, not only in all things, but in all places and circumstances. The man who comes up to this standard, has ever been in it, and has never swerved from it, shall, by the law, live for ever. But no man, since the fall, ever did so or ever can do so: therefore, salvation by the works of the law is absolutely impossible. But

1.    The righteousness or justification, which is by faith, receives Christ as an atoning sacrifice, by which all past sin is pardoned

2.    Receives continual supplies of grace from Christ by the eternal Spirit, through which the man is enabled to love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and his neighbor as himself

3.    This grace is afforded in sufficient degrees suited to all places, times, and circumstances, so that no trial can happen too great to be borne, as the grace of Christ is ever at hand to support and to save to the uttermost. The law is the letter that killeth; the Gospel is the spirit that giveth life. Reader, let thy whole soul say with the apostle, Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!

Calvin: Rom 10:1 - NO PHRASE

1. We here see with what solicitude the holy man obviated offenses; for in order to soften whatever sharpness there may have been in his manner of explaining the rejection of the Jews, he still testifies, as before, his goodwill towards them, and proves it by the effect; for their salvation was an object of concern to him before the Lord, and such a feeling arises only from genuine love. It may be at the same time that he was also induced by another reason to testify his love towards the nation from which he had sprung; for his doctrine would have never been received by the Jews had they thought that he was avowedly inimical to them; and his defection would have been also suspected by the Gentiles, for they would have thought, as we have said in the last chapter, that he became an apostate from the law through his hatred of men. ³¹⁹

Calvin: Rom 10:2 - For I bear to them a testimony, etc

2.For I bear to them a testimony, etc This was intended to secure credit to his love. There was indeed a just cause why he should regard them with compassion rather than hatred, since he perceived that they had fallen only through ignorance, and not through malignancy of mind, and especially as he saw that they were not led except by some regard for God to persecute the kingdom of Christ. Let us hence learn where our good intentions may guide us, if we yield to them. It is commonly thought a good and a very fit excuse, when he who is reproved pretends that he meant no harm. And this pretext is held good by many at this day, so that they apply not their minds to find out the truth of God, because they think that whatever they do amiss through ignorance, without any designed maliciousness, but with good intention, is excusable. But no one of us would excuse the Jews for having crucified Christ, for having cruelly raged against the Apostles, and for having attempted to destroy and extinguish the gospel; and yet they had the same defense as that in which we confidently glory. Away then with these vain evasions as to good intention; if we seek God sincerely, let us follow the way by which alone we can come to him. For it is better, as [Augustine] says, even to go limping in the right way than to run with all our might out of the way. If we would be really religious, let us remember that what Lactantius teaches is true, that true religion is alone that which is connected with the word of God. ³²⁰

And further, since we see that they perish, who with good intention wander in darkness, let us bear in mind, that we are worthy of thousand deaths, if after having been illuminated by God, we wander knowingly and willfully from the right way.

Calvin: Rom 10:3 - For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, etc

3.For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, etc See how they went astray through inconsiderate zeal! for they sought to set up a righteousness of their own; and this foolish confidence proceeded from their ignorance of God’s righteousness. Notice the contrast between the righteousness of God and that of men. We first see, that they are opposed to one another, as things wholly contrary, and cannot stand together. It hence follows, that God’s righteousness is subverted, as soon as men set up their own. And again, as there is a correspondence between the things contrasted, the righteousness of God is no doubt his gift; and in like manner, the righteousness of men is that which they derive from themselves, or believe that they bring before God. Then he who seeks to be justified through himself, submits not to God’s righteousness; for the first step towards obtaining the righteousness of God is to renounce our own righteousness: for why is it, that we seek righteousness from another, except that necessity constrains us?

We have already stated, in another place, how men put on the righteousness of God by faith, that is, when the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them. But Paul grievously dishonors the pride by which hypocrites are inflated, when they cover it with the specious mask of zeal; for he says, that all such, by shaking off as it were the yoke, are adverse to and rebel against the righteousness of God.

Calvin: Rom 10:4 - . For the end of the law is Christ, etc

4.. For the end of the law is Christ, etc The word completion, ³²¹ seems not to me unsuitable in this place; and [Erasmus] has rendered it perfection: but as the other reading is almost universally approved, and is not inappropriate, readers, for my part, may retain it.

The Apostle obviates here an objection which might have been made against him; for the Jews might have appeared to have kept the right way by depending on the righteousness of the law. It was necessary for him to disprove this false opinion; and this is what he does here. He shows that he is a false interpreter of the law, who seeks to be justified by his own works; because the law had been given for this end, — to lead us as by the hand to another righteousness: nay, whatever the law teaches, whatever it commands, whatever it promises, has always a reference to Christ as its main object; and hence all its parts ought to be applied to him. But this cannot be done, except we, being stripped of all righteousness, and confounded with the knowledge of our sin, seek gratuitous righteousness from him alone.

It hence follows, that the wicked abuse of the law was justly reprehended in the Jews, who absurdly made an obstacle of that which was to be their help: nay, it appears that they had shamefully mutilated the law of God; for they rejected its soul, and seized on the dead body of the letter. For though the law promises reward to those who observe its righteousness, it yet substitutes, after having proved all guilty, another righteousness in Christ, which is not attained by works, but is received by faith as a free gift. Thus the righteousness of faith, (as we have seen in the first chapter,) receives a testimony from the law. We have then here a remarkable passage, which proves that the law in all its parts had a reference to Christ; and hence no one can rightly understand it, who does not continually level at this mark.

Calvin: Rom 10:5 - For Moses, etc // For Moses describes, etc

5.For Moses, etc To render it evident how much at variance is the righteousness of faith and that of works, he now compares them; for by comparison the opposition between contrary things appears more clear. But he refers not now to the oracles of the Prophets, but to the testimony of Moses, and for this reason, — that the Jews might understand that the law was not given by Moses in order to detain them in a dependence on works, but, on the contrary, to lead them to Christ. He might have indeed referred to the Prophets as witnesses; but still this doubt must have remained, “How was it that the law prescribed another rule of righteousness?” He then removes this, and in the best manner, when by the teaching of the law itself he confirms the righteousness of faith.

But we ought to understand the reason why Paul harmonizes the law with faith, and yet sets the righteousness of one in opposition to that of the other: — The law has a twofold meaning; it sometimes includes the whole of what has been taught by Moses, and sometimes that part only which was peculiar to his ministration, which consisted of precepts, rewards, and punishments. But Moses had this common office — to teach the people the true rule of religion. Since it was so, it behooved him to preach repentance and faith; but faith is not taught, except by propounding promises of divine mercy, and those gratuitous: and thus it behooved him to be a preacher of the gospel; which office he faithfully performed, as it appears from many passages. In order to instruct the people in the doctrine of repentance, it was necessary for him to teach what manner of life was acceptable to God; and this he included in the precepts of the law. That he might also instill into the minds of the people the love of righteousness, and implant in them the hatred of iniquity, promises and threatening were added; which proposed rewards to the just, and denounced dreadful punishments on sinners. It was now the duty of the people to consider in how many ways they drew curses on themselves, and how far they were from deserving anything at God’s hands by their works, that being thus led to despair as to their own righteousness, they might flee to the haven of divine goodness, and so to Christ himself. This was the end or design of the Mosaic dispensation.

But as evangelic promises are only found scattered in the writings of Moses, and these also somewhat obscure, and as the precepts and rewards, allotted to the observers of the law, frequently occur, it rightly appertained to Moses as his own and peculiar office, to teach what is the real righteousness of works, and then to show what remuneration awaits the observance of it, and what punishment awaits those who come short of it. For this reason Moses is by John compared with Christ, when it is said,

“That the law was given by Moses, but that grace
and truth came by Christ.” (Joh 1:17.)

And whenever the word law is thus strictly taken, Moses is by implication opposed to Christ: and then we must consider what the law contains, as separate from the gospel. Hence what is said here of the righteousness of the law, must be applied, not to the whole office of Moses, but to that part which was in a manner peculiarly committed to him. I come now to the words.

For Moses describes, etc Paul has γράφει writes; which is used for a verb which means to describe, by taking away a part of it [ἐπιγράφει.] The passage is taken from Lev 18:5, where the Lord promises eternal life to those who would keep his law; for in this sense, as you see, Paul has taken the passage, and not only of temporal life, as some think. Paul indeed thus reasons, — “Since no man can attain the righteousness prescribed in the law, except he fulfills strictly every part of it, and since of this perfection all men have always come far short, it is in vain for any one to strive in this way for salvation: Israel then were very foolish, who expected to attain the righteousness of the law, from which we are all excluded.” See how from the promise itself he proves, that it can avail us nothing, and for this reason, because the condition is impossible. What a futile device it is then to allege legal promises, in order to establish the righteousness of the law! For with these an unavoidable curse comes to us; so far is it, that salvation should thence proceed. The more detestable on this account is the stupidity of the Papists, who think it enough to prove merits by adducing bare promises. “It is not in vain,” they say, “that God has promised life to his servants.” But at the same time they see not that it has been promised, in order that a consciousness of their own transgressions may strike all with the fear of death, and that being thus constrained by their own deficiency, they may learn to flee to Christ.

Calvin: Rom 10:6 - . But the righteousness // Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend? etc

6.. But the righteousness ³²² which is by faith, etc. This passage is such as may not a little disturb the reader, and for two reasons — for it seems to be improperly applied by Paul — and the words are also turned to a different meaning. Of the words we shall hereafter see what may be said: we shall first notice the application. It is a passage taken from Deu 30:12, where, as in the former passage, Moses speaks of the doctrine of the law, and Paul applies it to evangelic promises. This knot may be thus untied: — Moses shows, that the way to life was made plain: for the will of God was not now hid from the Jews, nor set far off from them, but placed before their eyes. If he had spoken of the law only, his reasoning would have been frivolous, since the law of God being set before their eyes, it was not easier to do it, than if it was afar off. He then means not the law only, but generally the whole of God’s truth, which includes in it the gospel: for the word of the law by itself is never in our heart, no, not the least syllable of it, until it is implanted in us by the faith of the gospel. And then, even after regeneration, the word of the law cannot properly be said to be in our heart; for it demands perfection, from which even the faithful are far distant: but the word of the gospel has a seat in the heart, though it does not fill the heart; for it offers pardon for imperfection and defect. And Moses throughout that chapter, as also in the fourth, endeavors to commend to the people the remarkable kindness of God, because he had taken them under his own tuition and government, which commendation could not have belonged to the law only. It is no objection that Moses there speaks of forming the life according to the rule of the law; for the spirit of regeneration is connected with the gratuitous righteousness of faith. Nor is there a doubt but that this verse depends on that main truth, “the Lord shall circumcise thine heart,” which he had recorded shortly before in the same chapter. They may therefore be easily disproved, who say that Moses speaks only in that passage of good works. That he speaks of works I indeed allow; but I deny it to be unreasonable, that the keeping of the law should be traced from its own fountain, even from the righteousness of faith. The explanation of the words must now follow. ³²³

Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend? etc Moses mentions heaven and the sea, as places remote and difficult of access to men. But Paul, as though there was some spiritual mystery concealed under these words, applies them to the death and resurrection of Christ. If any one thinks that this interpretation is too strained and too refined, let him understand that it was not the object of the Apostle strictly to explain this passage, but to apply it to the explanation of his present subject. He does not, therefore, repeat verbally what Moses has said, but makes alterations, by which he accommodates more suitably to his own purpose the testimony of Moses. He spoke of inaccessible places; Paul refers to those, which are indeed hid from the sight of us all, and may yet be seen by our faith. If then you take these things as spoken for illustration, or by way of improvement, you cannot say that Paul has violently or inaptly changed the words of Moses; but you will, on the contrary, allow, that without loss of meaning, he has, in a striking manner, alluded to the words heaven and the sea.

Let us now then simply explain the words of Paul: As the assurance of our salvation lies on two foundations, that is, when we understand, that life has been obtained for us, and death has been conquered for us, he teaches us that faith through the word of the gospel is sustained by both these; for Christ, by dying, destroyed death, and by rising again he obtained life in his own power. The benefit of Christ’s death and resurrection is now communicated to us by the gospel: there is then no reason for us to seek anything farther. That it may thus appear, that the righteousness of faith is abundantly sufficient for salvation, he teaches us, that included in it are these two things, which are alone necessary for salvation. The import then of the words, Who shall ascend into heaven? is the same, as though you should say, “Who knows whether the inheritance of eternal and celestial life remains for us?” And the words, Who shall descend into the deep? mean the same, as though you should say, “Who knows whether the everlasting destruction of the soul follows the death of the body?” He teaches us, that doubt on those two points is removed by the righteousness of faith; for the one would draw down Christ from heaven, and the other would bring him up again from death. Christ’s ascension into heaven ought indeed fully to confirm our faith as to eternal life; for he in a manner removes Christ himself from the possession of heaven, who doubts whether the inheritance of heaven is prepared for the faithful, in whose name, and on whose account he has entered thither. Since in like manner he underwent the horrors of hell to deliver us from them, to doubt whether the faithful are still exposed to this misery, is to render void, and, as it were, to deny his death.

Calvin: Rom 10:8 - What does it say? // This is the word of faith

8.What does it say? ³²⁴ For the purpose of removing the impediments of faith, he has hitherto spoken negatively: but now in order to show the way of obtaining righteousness, he adopts an affirmative mode of speaking. Though the whole might have been announced in one continuous sentence, yet a question is interposed for the sake of exciting attention: and his object at the same time was to show how great is the difference between the righteousness of the law and that of the gospel; for the one, showing itself at a distance, restrains all men from coming nigh; but the other, offering itself at hand, kindly invites us to a fruition of itself, Nigh thee is the word

It must be further observed, that lest the minds of men, being led away by crafts, should wander from the way of salvation, the limits of the word are prescribed to them, within which they are to keep themselves: for it is the same as though he had bidden them to be satisfied with the word only, and reminded them, that in this mirror those secrets of heaven are to be seen, which would otherwise by their brightness dazzle their eyes, and would also stun their ears and overpower the mind itself.

Hence the faithful derive from this passage remarkable consolation with regard to the certainty of the word; for they may no less safely rest on it, than on what is actually present. It must also be noticed, that the word, by which we have a firm and calm trust as to our salvation, had been set forth even by Moses:

This is the word of faith Rightly does Paul take this as granted; for the doctrine of the law does by no means render the conscience quiet and calm, nor supply it with what ought to satisfy it. He does not, however, exclude other parts of the word, no, not even the precepts of the law; but his design is, to show that remission of sins stands for righteousness, even apart from that strict obedience which the law demands. Sufficient then for pacifying minds, and for rendering certain our salvation, is the word of the gospel; in which we are not commanded to earn righteousness by works, but to embrace it, when offered gratuitously, by faith.

===The === word of faith is to be taken for the word of promise, that is, for the gospel itself, because it bears a relation to faith. ³²⁵ The contrast, by which the difference between the law and the gospel appears, is indeed to be understood: and from this distinction we learn, — that as the law demands works, so the gospel requires nothing else, but that men bring faith to receive the grace of God. The words, which we preach, are added, that no one might have the suspicion that Paul differed from Moses; for he testifies, that in the ministration of the gospel there was complete consent between him and Moses; inasmuch as even Moses placed our felicity in nothing else but in the gratuitous promise of divine favor.

Calvin: Rom 10:9 - That if thou wilt confess, etc

9.That if thou wilt confess, etc Here is also an allusion, rather than a proper and strict quotation: for it is very probable that Moses used the word mouth, by taking a part for the whole, instead of the word face, or sight. But it was not unsuitable for the Apostle to allude to the word mouth, in this manner: — “Since the Lord sets his word before our face, no doubt he calls upon us to confess it.” For wherever the word of the Lord is, it ought to bring forth fruit; and the fruit is the confession of the mouth.

By putting confession before faith, he changes the order, which is often the case in Scripture: for the order would have been more regular if the faith of the heart had preceded, and the confession of the mouth, which arises from it, had followed. ³²⁶ But he rightly confesses the Lord Jesus, who adorns him with his own power, acknowledging him to be such an one as he is given by the Father, and described in the gospel.

Express mention is made only of Christ’s resurrection; which must not be so taken, as though his death was of no moment, but because Christ, by rising again, completed the whole work of our salvation: for though redemption and satisfaction were effected by his death, through which we are reconciled to God; yet the victory over sin, death, and Satan was attained by his resurrection; and hence also came righteousness, newness of life, and the hope of a blessed immortality. And thus is resurrection alone often set before us as the assurance of our salvation, not to draw away our attention from his death, but because it bears witness to the efficacy and fruit of his death: in short, his resurrection includes his death. On this subject we have briefly touched in the sixth chapter.

It may be added, that Paul requires not merely an historical faith, but he makes the resurrection itself its end. For we must remember the purpose for which Christ rose again; — it was the Father’s design in raising him, to restore us all to life: for though Christ had power of himself to reassume his soul, yet this work is for the most part ascribed in Scripture to God the Father.

Calvin: Rom 10:10 - For with the heart we believe // With the mouth confession is made unto salvation

10.For with the heart we believe ³²⁷ unto righteousness, etc. This passage may help us to understand what justification by faith is; for it shows that righteousness then comes to us, when we embrace God’s goodness offered to us in the gospel. We are then for this reason just, because we believe that God is propitious to us in Christ. But let us observe this, — that the seat of faith is not in the head, ( in cerebro — in the brain,) but in the heart. Yet I would not contend about the part of the body in which faith is located: but as the word heart is often taken for a serious and sincere feeling, I would say that faith is a firm and effectual confidence, ( fiducia — trust, dependence,) and not a bare notion only.

With the mouth confession is made unto salvation It may seem strange, that he ascribes no part of our salvation to faith, as he had before so often testified, that we are saved by faith alone. But we ought not on this account to conclude that confession is the cause of our salvation. His design was only to show how God completes our salvation, even when he makes faith, which he implants in our hearts, to show itself by confession: nay, his simple object was, to mark out true faith, as that from which this fruit proceeds, lest any one should otherwise lay claim to the empty name of faith alone: for it ought so to kindle the heart with zeal for God’s glory, as to force out its own flame. And surely, he who is justified has already obtained salvation: hence he no less believes with the heart unto salvation, than with the mouth makes a confession. You see that he has made this distinction, — that he refers the cause of justification to faith, — and that he then shows what is necessary to complete salvation; for no one can believe with the heart without confessing with the mouth: it is indeed a necessary consequence, but not that which assigns salvation to confession.

But let them see what answer they can give to Paul, who at this day proudly boast of some sort of imaginary faith, which, being content with the secrecy of the heart, neglect the confession of the mouth, as a matter superfluous and vain; for it is extremely puerile to say, that there is fire, when there is neither flame nor heat.

Calvin: Rom 10:11 - For the Scripture saith, etc

11.For the Scripture saith, etc Having stated the reasons why God had justly repudiated the Jews, he returns to prove the calling of the Gentiles, which is the other part of the question which he is discussing. As then he had explained the way by which men obtain salvation, and one that is common and opened to the Gentiles no less than to the Jews, he now, having first hoisted an universal banner, extends it expressly to the Gentiles, and then invites the Gentiles by name to it: and he repeats the testimony which he had before adduced from Isaiah, that what he said might have more authority, and that it might also be evident, how well the prophecies concerning Christ harmonize with the law. ³²⁸

Calvin: Rom 10:12 - For there is no distinction, etc // Rich

12.For there is no distinction, etc Since faith alone is required, wherever it is found, there the goodness of God manifests itself unto salvation: there is then in this case no difference between one people or nation and another. And he adds the strongest of reasons; for since he who is the Creator and Maker of the whole world is the God of all men, he will show himself kind to all who will acknowledge and call on him as their God: for as his mercy is infinite, it cannot be but that it will extend itself to all by whom it shall be sought.

Rich is to be taken here in an active sense, as meaning kind and bountiful. ³²⁹ And we may observe, that the wealth of our Father is not diminished by his liberality; and that therefore it is not made less for us, with whatever multiplied affluence of his grace he may enrich others. There is then no reason why some should envy the blessings of others, as though anything were thereby lost by them.

But though this reason is sufficiently strong, he yet strengthens it by the testimony of the Prophet Joel; which, according to the general term that is used, includes all alike. But readers can see much better by the context, that what Joel declares harmonizes with the present subject; for he prophesies in that passage of the kingdom of Christ: and further, after having said, that the wrath of God would burn in a dreadful manner, in the midst of his ardor, he promises salvation to all who would call on the name of the Lord. It hence follows, that the grace of God penetrates into the abyss of death, if only it be sought there; so that it is not by any means to be withheld from the Gentiles. ³³⁰

Calvin: Rom 10:14 - How shall they call? etc // How shall they believe on him? etc

I shall not engage the reader long in reciting and disproving the opinions of others. Let every one have his own view; and let me be allowed to bring forward what I think. That you may then understand the design of this gradation, bear in mind first, that there was a mutual connection between the calling of the Gentiles and the ministry of Paul, which he exercised among them; so that on the evidence for the one depended the evidence for the other. It was now necessary for Paul to prove, beyond a doubt, the calling of the Gentiles, and, at the same time, to give a reason for his own ministry, lest he should seem to extend the favor of God without authority, to withhold from the children the bread intended for them by God, and to bestow it on dogs. But these things he therefore clears up at the same time.

But how he connects the thread of his discourse, will not be fully understood, until every part be in order explained. The import of what he advances is the same as though he had said, “Both Jews and Gentiles, by calling on the name of God, do thereby declare that they believe on him; for a true calling on God’s name cannot be except a right knowledge of him were first had. Moreover, faith is produced by the word of God, but the word of God is nowhere preached, except through God’s special providence and appointment. Where then there is a calling on God, there is faith; and where faith is, the seed of the word has preceded; where there is preaching there is the calling of God. Now where his calling is thus efficacious and fruitful, there is there a clear and indubitable proof of the divine goodness. It will hence at last appear, that the Gentiles are not to be excluded from the kingdom of God, for God has admitted them into a participation of his salvation. For as the cause of faith among them is the preaching of the gospel, so the cause of preaching is the mission of God, by which it had pleased him in this manner to provide for their salvation.” We shall now consider each portion by itself.

14.How shall they call? etc Paul intends here to connect prayer with faith, as they are indeed things most closely connected, for he who calls on God betakes himself, as it were, to the only true haven of salvation, and to a most secure refuge; he acts like the son, who commits himself into the bosom of the best and the most loving of fathers, that he may be protected by his care, cherished by his kindness and love, relieved by his bounty, and supported by his power. This is what no man can do who has not previously entertained in his mind such a persuasion of God’s paternal kindness towards him, that he dares to expect everything from him.

He then who calls on God necessarily feels assured that there is protection laid up for him; for Paul speaks here of that calling which is approved by God. Hypocrites also pray, but not unto salvation; for it is with no conviction of faith. It hence appears how completely ignorant are all the schoolmen, who doubtingly present themselves before God, being sustained by no confidence. Paul thought far otherwise; for he assumes this as an acknowledged axiom, that we cannot rightly pray unless we are surely persuaded of success. For he does not refer here to hesitating faith, but to that certainty which our minds entertain respecting his paternal kindness, when by the gospel he reconciles us to himself, and adopts us for his children. By this confidence only we have access to him, as we are also taught in Eph 3:12.

But, on the other hand, learn that true faith is only that which brings forth prayer to God; for it cannot be but that he who has tasted the goodness of God will ever by prayer seek the enjoyment of it.

How shall they believe on him? etc The meaning is, that we are in a manner mute until God’s promise opens our mouth to pray, and this is the order which he points out by the Prophet, when he says, “I will say to them, my people are ye;” and they shall say to me, “Thou art our God.” (Zec 13:9.) It belongs not indeed to us to imagine a God according to what we may fancy; we ought to possess a right knowledge of him, such as is set forth in his word. And when any one forms an idea of God as good, according to his own understanding, it is not a sure nor a solid faith which he has, but an uncertain and evanescent imagination; it is therefore necessary to have the word, that we may have a right knowledge of God. No other word has he mentioned here but that which is preached, because it is the ordinary mode which the Lord has appointed for conveying his word. But were any on this account to contend that God cannot transfer to men the knowledge of himself, except by the instrumentality of preaching, we deny that to teach this was the Apostle’s intention; for he had only in view the ordinary dispensation of God, and did not intend to prescribe a law for the distribution of his grace.

Calvin: Rom 10:15 - How shall they preach except they be sent? etc // As it is written, How beautiful, etc

15.How shall they preach except they be sent? etc He intimates that it is a proof and a pledge of divine love when any nation is favored with the preaching of the gospel; and that no one is a preacher of it, but he whom God has raised up in his special providence, and that hence there is no doubt but that he visits that nation to whom the gospel is proclaimed. But as Paul does not treat here of the lawful call of any one, it would be superfluous to speak at large on the subject. It is enough for us to bear this only in mind, that the gospel does not fall like rain from the clouds, but is brought by the hands of men wherever it is sent from above.

As it is written, How beautiful, etc We are to apply this testimony to our present subject in this manner, The Lord, when he gave hope of deliverance to his people, commended the advent of those who brought the glad tidings of peace, by a remarkable eulogy; by this very circumstance he has made it evident that the apostolic ministry was to be held in no less esteem, by which the message of eternal life is brought to us. And it hence follows, that it is from God, since there is nothing in the world that is an object of desire and worthy of praise, which does not proceed from his hand. ³³¹

But hence we also learn how much ought all good men to desire, and how much they ought to value the preaching of the gospel, which is thus commended to us by the mouth of the Lord himself. Nor is there indeed a doubt, but that God has thus highly spoken of the incomparable value of this treasure, for the purpose of awakening the minds of all, so that they may anxiously desire it. Take feet, by metonymy, for coming. ³³²

Calvin: Rom 10:16 - But all have not obeyed the gospel, etc

16.But all have not obeyed the gospel, etc This belongs not to the argument, which Paul designed to follow in the gradation he lays down; nor does he refer to it in the conclusion which immediately follows. It was yet expedient for Paul to introduce the sentence here, in order to anticipate an objection, lest any one should build an argument on what he had said, — that the word in order always precedes faith, as the seed the corn, — and draw this inference, that faith everywhere follows the word: for Israel, who had never been without the word, might have made a boast of this kind. It was therefore necessary, that, in passing, he should give them this intimation, — that many are called, who are yet not chosen.

He also quotes a passage from Isa 53:1; where the Prophet, before he proceeds to announce a remarkable prediction respecting the death and the kingdom of Christ, speaks with astonishment of the few number of believers, who appeared to him in the Spirit to be so few, that he was constrained to exclaim, “O Lord, who has believed our report?” that is, the word which we preach. For though in Hebrew the term שמועה , shimuoe, means passively a word, ³³³ yet the Greeks have rendered it, ἀκοὴν — hearing, and the Latins, auditum — hearing; incorrectly indeed, but with no ambiguity in the meaning.

We now see why this exception was by the way introduced; it was, that no one might suppose that faith necessarily follows where there is preaching. He however does afterwards point out the reason, by saying, “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” by which he intimates that there is no benefit from the word, except when God shines in us by the light of his Spirit; and thus the inward calling, which alone is efficacious and peculiar to the elect, is distinguished from the outward voice of men. It is hence evident, how foolishly some maintain, that all are indiscriminately the elect, because the doctrine of salvation is universal, and because God invites all indiscriminately to himself. But the generality of the promises does not alone and by itself make salvation common to all: on the contrary, the peculiar revelation, mentioned by the Prophet, confines it to the elect.

Calvin: Rom 10:17 - Faith then is by hearing, etc

17.Faith then is by hearing, etc We see by this conclusion what Paul had in view by the gradation which he formed; it was to show, that wherever faith is, God has there already given an evidence of his election; and then, that he, by pouring his blessing on the ministration of the gospel, to illuminate the minds of men by faith, and thereby to lead them to call on his name, had thus testified, that the Gentiles were admitted by him into a participation of the eternal inheritance.

And this is a remarkable passage with regard to the efficacy of preaching; for he testifies, that by it faith is produced. He had indeed before declared, that of itself it is of no avail; but that when it pleases the Lord to work, it becomes the instrument of his power. And indeed the voice of man can by no means penetrate into the soul; and mortal man would be too much exalted, were he said to have the power to regenerate us; the light also of faith is something sublimer than what can be conveyed by man: but all these things are no hindrances, that God should not work effectually through the voice of man, so as to create faith in us through his ministry.

It must be further noticed, that faith is grounded on nothing else but the truth of God; for Paul does not teach us that faith springs from any other kind of doctrine, but he expressly restricts it to the word of God; and this restriction would have been improper if faith could rest on the decrees of men. Away then with all the devices of men when we speak of the certainty of faith. Hence also the Papal conceit respecting implicit faith falls to the ground, because it tears away faith from the word; and more detestable still is that blasphemy, that the truth of the word remains suspended until the authority of the Church establishes it.

Calvin: Rom 10:18 - But I say, have they not heard? etc

18.But I say, have they not heard? etc Since the minds of men are imbued, by preaching, with the knowledge of God, which leads them to call on God, it remained a question whether the truth of God had been proclaimed to the Gentiles; for that Paul had suddenly betaken himself to the Gentiles, there was by that novelty no small offense given. He then asks, whether God had ever before directed his voice to the Gentiles, and performed the office of a teacher towards the whole world. But in order that he might show that the school, into which God collects scholars to himself from any part, is open in common to all, he brings forward a Prophet’s testimony from Psa 19:4; which yet seems to bear apparently but little on the subject: for the Prophet does not speak there of Apostles but of the material works of God; in which he says the glory of God shines forth so evidently, that they may be said to have a sort of tongue of their own to declare the perfections of God.

This passage of Paul gave occasion to the ancients to explain the whole Psalm allegorically, and posterity have followed them: so that, without doubt, the sun going forth as a bridegroom from his chamber, was Christ, and the heavens were the Apostles. They who had most piety, and showed a greater modesty in interpreting Scripture, thought that what was properly said of the celestial architecture, has been transferred by Paul to the Apostles by way of allusion. But as I find that the Lord’s servants have everywhere with great reverence explained Scripture, and have not turned them at pleasure in all directions, I cannot be persuaded, that Paul has in this manner misconstrued this passage. I then take his quotation according to the proper and genuine meaning of the Prophet; so that the argument will be something of this kind, — God has already from the beginning manifested his divinity to the Gentiles, though not by the preaching of men, yet by the testimony of his creatures; for though the gospel was then silent among them, yet the whole workmanship of heaven and earth did speak and make known its author by its preaching. It hence appears, that the Lord, even during the time in which he confined the favor of his covenant to Israel, did not yet so withdraw from the Gentiles the knowledge of himself, but that he ever kept alive some sparks of it among them. He indeed manifested himself then more particularly to his chosen people, so that the Jews might be justly compared to domestic hearers, whom he familiarly taught as it were by his own mouth; yet as he spoke to the Gentiles at a distance by the voice of the heavens, he showed by this prelude that he designed to make himself known at length to them also.

But I know not why the Greek interpreter rendered the word קום , kum, φθόγγον αὐτῶν, their sound; for it means a line, sometimes in building, and sometimes in writing. ³³⁴ As it is certain that the same thing is mentioned twice in this passage, it seems to me probable, that the heavens are introduced as declaring by what is written as it were on them, as well as by voice, the power of God; for by the word going forth the Prophet reminds us, that the doctrine, of which the heavens are the preachers, is not included within the narrow limits of one land, but is proclaimed to the utmost regions of the world.

Calvin: Rom 10:19 - But I say, has not Israel known? // First, Moses saith, etc

19.But I say, has not Israel known? This objection of an opponent is taken from the comparison of the less with the greater. Paul had argued, that the Gentiles were not to be excluded from the knowledge of God, since he had from the beginning manifested himself to them, though only obscurely and through shadows, or had at least given them some knowledge of his truth. What then is to be said of Israel, who had been illuminated by a far different light of truth? for how comes it that aliens and the profane should run to the light manifested to them afar off, and that the holy race of Abraham should reject it when familiarly seen by them? For this distinction must be ever borne in mind, “What nation is so renowned, that it has gods coming nigh to it, as thy God at this day descends to thee?” It was not then without reason asked, why knowledge had not followed the doctrine of the law, with which Israel was favored.

First, Moses saith, etc He proves by the testimony of Moses, that there was nothing inconsistent in God in preferring the Gentiles to the Jews. The passage is taken from that celebrated song, in which God, upbraiding the Jews with their perfidiousness, declares, that he would execute vengeance on them, and provoke them to jealousy by taking the Gentiles into covenant with himself, because they had departed to fictitious gods. “Ye have,” he says, “by despising and rejecting me, transferred my right and honor to idols: to avenge this wrong, I will also substitute the Gentiles in your place, and I will transfer to them what I have hitherto given to you.” Now this could not have been without repudiating the Jewish nation: for the emulation, which Moses mentions, arose from this, — that God formed for himself a nation from that which was not a nation, and raised up from nothing a new people, who were to occupy the place from which the Jews had been driven away, inasmuch as they had forsaken the true God and prostituted themselves to idols. For though, at the coming of Christ, the Jews were not gone astray to gross and external idolatry, they had yet no excuse, since they had profaned the whole worship of God by their inventions; yea, they at length denied God the Father, as revealed in Christ, his only-begotten Son, which was an extreme kind of impiety.

Observe, that a foolish nation, and no nation, are the same; for without the hope of eternal life men have properly no existence. Besides, the beginning or origin of life is from the light of faith: hence spiritual existence flows from the new creation; and in this sense Paul calls the faithful the work of God, as they are regenerated by his Spirit, and renewed after his image. Now from the word foolish, we learn that all the wisdom of men, apart from the word of God, is mere vanity. ³³⁵

Calvin: Rom 10:20 - But Isaiah is bold, and says, etc

20.But Isaiah is bold, and says, etc As this prophecy is somewhat clearer, that he might excite greater attention he says that it was expressed with great confidence; as though he had said, — “The Prophet did not speak in a figurative language, or with hesitation, but had in plain and clear words declared the calling of the Gentiles.” But the things which Paul has here separated, by interposing a few words, are found connected together in the prophet Isa 65:1, where the Lord declares, that the time would come when he should turn his favor to the Gentiles; and he immediately subjoins this reason, — that he was wearied with the perverseness of Israel, which, through very long continuance, had become intolerable to him. He then speaks thus, — “They who inquired not of me before, and neglected my name, have now sought me, (the perfect tense for the future to denote the certainty of the prophecy.) ³³⁶

I know that this whole passage is changed by some Rabbins, as though God promised that he would cause that the Jews should repent of their defection: but nothing is more clear than that he speaks of aliens; for it follows in the same context, — “I have said, Behold I come to a people, on whom my name is not called.” Without doubt, then, the Prophet declares it as what would take place, that those who were before aliens would be received by a new adoption unto the family of God. It is then the calling of the Gentiles; and in which appears a general representation of the calling of all the faithful; for there is no one who anticipates the Lord; but we are all, without exception, delivered by his free mercy from the deepest abyss of death, when there is no knowledge of him, no desire of serving him, in a word, no conviction of his truth.

Calvin: Rom 10:21 - But of Israel, etc

21.But of Israel, etc A reason is subjoined why God passed over to the Gentiles; it was because he saw that his favor was become a mockery to the Jews. But that readers may more fully understand that the blindness of the people is pointed out in the second clause, Paul expressly reminds us that the elect people were charged with their own wickedness. Literally it is, “He says to Israel;” but Paul has imitated the Hebrew idiom; for ל , lamed, is often put for מן , men. And he says, that to Israel he stretched forth his hands, whom he continually by his word invited to himself, and ceased not to allure by every sort of kindness; for these are the two ways which he adopts to call men, as he thus proves his goodwill towards them. However, he chiefly complains of the contempt shown to his truth; which is the more abominable, as the more remarkable is the manner by which God manifests his paternal solicitude in inviting men by his word to himself.

And very emphatical is the expression, that he stretches out his hands; for by seeking our salvation through the ministers of his word, he stretches forth to us his hands no otherwise than as a father who stretches forth his arms, ready to receive his son kindly into his bosom. And he says daily, that it might not seem strange to any one if he was wearied in showing kindness to them, inasmuch as he succeeded not by his assiduity. A similar representation we have in Jer 7:13; and Jer 11:7, where he says that he rose up early to warn them.

Their unfaithfulness is also set forth by two most suitable words. I have thought it right to render the participle ἀπειθούντα , refractory, or rebellious, and yet the rendering of [Erasmus] and of the Old Translator, which I have placed in the margin, is not to be wholly disapproved. But since the Prophet accuses the people of perverseness, and then adds that they wandered through ways which were not good, I doubt not but that the Greek Translator meant to express the Hebrew word סורר , surer, by two words, calling them first disobedient or rebellious, and then gainsaying; for their contumacy showed itself in this, because the people, with untamable pride and bitterness, obstinately rejected the holy admonitions of the Prophets. ³³⁷

Defender: Rom 10:1 - heart's desire

God has promised to give each of us, if one is sincere and in line with God's revealed will, the "desires of thine heart" (Psa 37:4), and the heart's desire of Paul will indeed be fulfilled, for one day soon "all Israel shall be saved" (Rom 11:26)."

Defender: Rom 10:2 - zeal of God

Paul himself, as "an Hebrew of the Hebrews" (Phi 3:5) had formerly been exactly like this, zealous "to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus" (Act 26:9)."

Defender: Rom 10:5 - shall live by them

Paul refers here to Lev 18:5. If one could keep the law in its entirety, he would be acceptable to God, but the law must be taken in whole or not at all. Breaking any part of it comes short of God's standard (Gal 3:12; Rom 3:23; Jam 2:10). Only Christ fulfilled it (Mat 5:17)."

Defender: Rom 10:6 - on this wise

In Rom 10:6-8, Paul refers to the teaching of Deu 30:11-14, which stresses that God's Word is not difficult to find, especially now that Christ has fulfilled the law and can provide imputed righteousness by faith (Rom 10:4). It is not necessary to seek for it either in heaven or hades since Christ has already come down from heaven, become incarnate as Son of man, descended into hades, and risen from the dead. He has paid our debt in full, and opened the door of faith to God."

Defender: Rom 10:7 - into the deep

The "deep" (Greek abussos, meaning "bottomless pit") is at the center of the earth and is also called hades, though often translated "hell." This is where all the dead were confined until Christ descended there at His death and brought back with Him from the dead those who had died in faith and were awaiting His coming (Mat 27:52, Mat 27:53; Eph 4:8-10). The spirits of the unsaved are still there, awaiting the final judgment when their bodies will be raised, then consigned to the lake of fire (Rev 20:12-15)."

Defender: Rom 10:8 - what saith it

Paul in this passage is quoting (or better, paraphrasing and applying) Deu 30:14. It is noteworthy that he refers to its authority, not as that of the Scripture, Moses, or God, as he usually does when quoting from the Old Testament, but rather as "the righteousness which is of faith" speaking (Rom 10:6), in effect personifying that righteousness (1Co 1:30)."

Defender: Rom 10:9 - the Lord Jesus

This should be understood as confessing "Jesus as Lord," with all that such a confession implies. The Greek word, kurios, was applied in the Roman world to the emperor, but in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament it was applied to God. Thus confessing Jesus as Lord meant both renouncing emperor worship and acknowledging Jesus as God. Furthermore, one does not come to Jesus with reservations as to what one will do or believe. Jesus must be accepted as God, and as Lord of life; one must confess that he will believe and obey His Word unreservedly, in particular, believing in the bodily resurrection, which implies belief also in creation, for only the Creator of life could defeat sin and death."

Defender: Rom 10:10 - unto salvation

There can be no such thing as a secret Christian, for verbal confession of Jesus as Lord is prerequisite to receiving eternal salvation, after receiving His imputed righteousness by faith."

Defender: Rom 10:11 - not be ashamed

Paul again quotes Isa 28:16 (Rom 9:33). In Isaiah, "be ashamed" was "make haste." The believer finds true rest in Christ."

Defender: Rom 10:12 - Jew and the Greek

Although Paul has been writing primarily to the Jewish believers in the Roman churches, he again stresses that the gospel applies equally to the Greek converts and, indeed, to all who call on the Lord Jesus."

Defender: Rom 10:13 - whosoever shall call

See notes on Act 2:21, where the same verse is quoted (Joe 2:32). Paul had been stressing God's electing sovereignty in Rom 9:1; here he again stresses human responsibility. Both are true."

Defender: Rom 10:15 - it is written

This testimony is found in Isa 52:7 "[having] your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Eph 6:15). A similar figure is used in Nah 1:15."

Defender: Rom 10:16 - Esaias saith

Isa 53:1 is quoted here. Although the gospel of peace with God is, indeed, "glad tidings" to all who will believe, most will refuse to believe."

Defender: Rom 10:17 - by the word

In this verse, "word" means, literally, "saying," same word as in Eph 6:17 referring to "the sword of the Spirit." That is, not just the Bible in general, but each individual "saying" is vital to the full understanding of God's plan. In some manuscripts, "the word of God" is replaced by "the word of Christ." Since Christ is God, the effect is the same."

Defender: Rom 10:18 - into all the earth

Yes, all men have heard the gospel, even those to whom no preacher has ever gone. Paul here reminds his readers of the same truth he had stressed in Rom 1:20 (see notes on this verse). All men are "without excuse," (Rom 1:20) since God has left a complete witness in the creation, especially in the heavens. Quoting Psa 19:4, he stresses that a silent but eloquent witness has gone forth into all lands since "the heavens declare the glory of God [which actually is Christ Himself - Heb 1:3; Col 1:17] and the firmament sheweth his handywork" (Psa 19:1), day after day and night after night."

Defender: Rom 10:19 - Moses saith

Because Israel had rejected God, in Christ, for "no gods," God would replace His chosen people with "no people" (Deu 32:21). That is, the Gentiles in general, not another chosen nation, would displace Israel in God's economy, at least for a time."

Defender: Rom 10:20 - and saith

Isaiah, like Paul, had to be "bold" in telling the exclusive-minded Jews that the Gentiles would take their place in God's plan (Isa 65:1)."

Defender: Rom 10:21 - he saith

God had been almost infinitely patient with Israel, even for several decades after her leaders had crucified their Messiah (Isa 65:2). Finally, however, Israel's stubborn refusal to believe led to the destruction of the city and its temple, followed by her worldwide, age-long dispersion and suffering among the nations."

TSK: Rom 10:1 - my heart’ s

my heart’ s : Rom 9:1-3; Exo 32:10,Exo 32:13; 1Sa 12:23, 1Sa 15:11, 1Sa 15:35, 1Sa 16:1; Jer 17:16, Jer 18:20; Luk 13:34; Joh 5:34; 1Co 9:20-22

TSK: Rom 10:2 - I bear them // that they // but not

I bear them : By this fine apology for the Jews, the Apostle prepares them for the harsher truths which he was about to deliver. 2Co 8:3; Gal 4:15; Col 4:13

that they : 2Ki 10:16; Joh 16:2; Act 21:20,Act 21:28, Act 22:3, Act 22:22, Act 26:9, Act 26:10; Gal 1:14, Gal 4:17, Gal 4:18; Phi 3:6

but not : Rom 10:3, Rom 9:31, Rom 9:32; Psa 14:4; Pro 19:2; Isa 27:1; 2Co 4:4, 2Co 4:6; Phi 1:9

TSK: Rom 10:3 - God’ s righteousness // to establish // submitted

God’ s righteousness : ""God’ s method of justification,""says Abp. Newcome: God’ s method of saving sinners. Rom 1:17, Rom 3:22, Rom 3:26, Rom 5:19, Rom 9:30; Psa 71:15, Psa 71:16, Psa 71:19; Isa 51:6, Isa 51:8, Isa 56:1; Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6; Dan 9:24; Joh 16:9, Joh 16:10; 2Co 5:21; 2Pe 1:1

to establish : Rom 9:31, Rom 9:32; Isa 57:12, Isa 64:6; Luk 10:29, Luk 16:15, Luk 18:9-12; Gal 5:3, Gal 5:4; Phi 3:9; Rev 3:17, Rev 3:18

submitted : Lev 26:41; Neh 9:33; Job 33:27; Lam 3:22; Dan 9:6-9; Luk 15:17-21

TSK: Rom 10:4 - Christ // the end

Christ : Rom 3:25-31, Rom 8:3, Rom 8:4; Isa 53:11; Mat 3:15, Mat 5:17, Mat 5:18; Joh 1:17; Act 13:38, Act 13:39; 1Co 1:30; Gal 3:24; Col 2:10,Col 2:17; Heb 9:7-14, Heb 10:8-12, Heb 10:14

the end : τελος [Strong’ s G5056], the object, scope, or final cause; the end proposed and intended. In this sense Eisner observes that τελος [Strong’ s G5056] is used by Arrian.

TSK: Rom 10:5 - That the man

That the man : Lev 18:5; Neh 9:29; Eze 20:11, Eze 20:13, Eze 20:21; Luk 10:27, Luk 10:28; Gal 3:12

TSK: Rom 10:6 - righteousness // Say not // to bring

righteousness : Rom 3:22, Rom 3:25, Rom 4:13, Rom 9:31; Phi 3:9; Heb 11:7

Say not : The Apostle here takes the general sentiment, and expresses it in his own language; beautifully accommodating what Moses says of the law to his present purpose. Deu 30:11-14; Pro 30:4

to bring : Joh 3:12, Joh 3:13, Joh 6:33, Joh 6:38, Joh 6:50,Joh 6:51, Joh 6:58; Eph 4:8-10; Heb 1:3

TSK: Rom 10:7 - to bring up

to bring up : Rom 4:25; Heb 13:20; 1Pe 3:18, 1Pe 3:22; Rev 1:18

TSK: Rom 10:8 - The word // the word of faith

The word : Deu 30:14

the word of faith : Rom 10:17, Rom 1:16, Rom 1:17; Isa 57:19; Mar 16:15, Mar 16:16; Act 10:43, Act 13:38, Act 13:39, Act 16:31; Gal 3:2, Gal 3:5; 1Ti 4:6; 1Pe 1:23, 1Pe 1:25

TSK: Rom 10:9 - That if // and shalt

That if : Rom 14:11; Mat 10:32, Mat 10:33; Luk 12:8; Joh 9:22, Joh 12:42, Joh 12:43; Phi 2:11; 1Jo 4:2, 1Jo 4:3; 2Jo 1:7

and shalt : Rom 8:34; Joh 6:69-71, Joh 20:26-29; Act 8:37; 1Co 15:14-18; 1Pe 1:21

TSK: Rom 10:10 - For with // unto righteousness // and with

For with : Luk 8:15; Joh 1:12, Joh 1:13, Joh 3:19-21; Heb 3:12, Heb 10:22

unto righteousness : Gal 2:16; Phi 3:9

and with : Rom 10:9; 1Jo 4:15; Rev 2:13

TSK: Rom 10:11 - Whosoever

Whosoever : Rom 9:33; Isa 28:16, Isa 49:23; Jer 17:7; 1Pe 2:6

TSK: Rom 10:12 - there is no // Lord // rich // call upon him

there is no : Rom 3:22, Rom 3:29, Rom 3:30, Rom 4:11, Rom 4:12, Rom 9:24; Act 10:34, Act 10:35, Act 15:8, Act 15:9; Gal 3:28; Eph 2:18-22; Eph 3:6; Col 3:11

Lord : Rom 14:9, Rom 15:12; Act 10:36; 1Co 15:47; Phi 2:11; 1Ti 2:5; Rev 17:14, Rev 19:16,

rich : Rom 2:4, Rom 9:23; 2Co 8:9; Eph 1:7, Eph 2:4, Eph 2:7, Eph 3:8, Eph 3:16; Phi 4:19; Col 1:27, Col 2:2, Col 2:3

call upon him : Psa 86:5, Psa 145:18; Isa 55:6; Act 9:14; 1Co 1:2

TSK: Rom 10:13 - whosoever

whosoever : Joe 2:32; Act 2:21

TSK: Rom 10:14 - shall they // and how shall

shall they : 1Ki 8:41-43; Jon 1:5, Jon 1:9-11, Jon 1:16, Jon 3:5-9; Heb 11:6; Jam 5:15

and how shall : Rom 1:5, Rom 16:25, Rom 16:26; Mar 16:15, Mar 16:16; Luk 24:46, Luk 24:47; Joh 20:31; Act 19:2; Act 26:17, Act 26:18; 2Ti 4:17; Tit 1:3

TSK: Rom 10:15 - And how // How beautiful // the gospel // and bring

And how : Jer 23:32; Mat 9:38, Mat 10:1-6, Mat 28:18-20; Luk 10:1; Joh 20:21; Act 9:15; Act 13:2-4, Act 22:21; 1Co 12:28, 1Co 12:29; 2Co 5:18-20; Eph 3:8, Eph 4:11, Eph 4:12; 1Pe 1:12

How beautiful : Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15

the gospel : Isa 57:19; Luk 2:14; Act 10:36; Eph 2:17, Eph 6:15

and bring : Isa 40:9, Isa 61:1; Luk 2:10, Luk 8:1; Act 13:26

TSK: Rom 10:16 - But they // obeyed // Lord // our report

But they : Rom 3:3, Rom 11:17; Joh 10:26; Act 28:24; Heb 4:2; 1Pe 2:8

obeyed : Rom 1:5, Rom 2:8, Rom 6:17, Rom 16:26; Isa 50:10; Gal 3:1, Gal 5:7; 2Th 1:8; Heb 5:9, Heb 11:8; 1Pe 1:22, 1Pe 3:1

Lord : Isa 53:1; Joh 12:38-40

our report : Gr. the hearing of us, or, our preaching

TSK: Rom 10:17 - faith // and hearing

faith : Rom 10:14, Rom 1:16; Luk 16:29-31; 1Co 1:18-24; Col 1:4-6; 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:13, 2Th 2:14; Jam 1:18-21; 1Pe 1:23-25, 1Pe 2:1, 1Pe 2:2

and hearing : Jer 23:28, Jer 23:29; Mar 4:24; Luk 8:11, Luk 8:21, Luk 11:28; 2Co 2:17; Heb 4:12, Heb 4:13; Rev 1:9

TSK: Rom 10:18 - Have they // their sound // unto the ends

Have they : Act 2:5-11, Act 26:20, Act 28:23

their sound : Similar to this elegant accommodation of these words, is the application of them in a passage of Zohar, Genes. f. 9. ""These words are the servants of the Messiah, and measure out both the things above, and the things beneath.""Rom 1:8, Rom 15:19; Psa 19:4; Mat 24:14, Mat 26:13, Mat 28:19; Mar 16:15, Mar 16:20; Col 1:6, Col 1:23

unto the ends : 1Ki 18:10; Psa 22:27, Psa 98:3; Isa 24:16, Isa 49:6, Isa 52:10; Jer 16:19; Mat 4:8

TSK: Rom 10:19 - I say // First // foolish

I say : Rom 10:18, Rom 3:26; 1Co 1:12, 1Co 7:29, 1Co 10:19, 1Co 11:22, 1Co 15:50

First : Rom 11:11; Deu 32:21; Hos 2:23; 1Pe 2:10

foolish : Rom 1:21, Rom 1:22; Psa 115:5-8; Isa 44:18-20; Jer 10:8, Jer 10:14; 1Co 12:2; Tit 3:3

TSK: Rom 10:20 - very bold // I was found // I was made

very bold : Pro 28:1; Isa 58:1; Eph 6:19, Eph 6:20

I was found : Rom 9:30; Isa 65:1, Isa 65:2

I was made : Isa 49:6, Isa 52:15, Isa 55:4, Isa 55:5; Mat 20:16, Mat 22:9, Mat 22:10; Luk 14:23; 1Jo 4:19

TSK: Rom 10:21 - All day long // a disobedient

All day long : Pro 1:24; Isa 65:2-5; Jer 25:4, Jer 35:15; Mat 20:1-15, Mat 21:33-43, Mat 22:3-7; Mat 23:34-37; Luk 24:47; Act 13:46, Act 13:47

a disobedient : Deu 9:13, Deu 31:27; 1Sa 8:7, 1Sa 8:8; Neh 9:26; Jer 44:4-6; Act 7:51, Act 7:52; 1Th 2:16; 1Pe 2:8

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Rom 10:1 - That they might be saved

Rom 10:1-3 Paul’ s prayer for Israel, who were misled by blind zeal.

Rom 10:4-10 The difference between justification by the law and by

faith explained from Scripture.

Rom 10:11-13 Salvation open to all that believe, both Jews and Gentiles.

Rom 10:14-18 The necessity of preaching to the Gentiles inferred.

Rom 10:19,20 God’ s acceptance of the Gentiles known before to the Jews,

Rom 10:21 as also their own refusal of his offered mercy.

The apostle begins this chapter with another prolepsis, or rhetorical insinuation, professing his unfeigned love of his nation, and his hearty desire of their salvation: q.d. As before, (c.g.) so now again I declare openly, (O ye Christian Jews, my brethren), that whatever the generality of the Jews do think of me, as if I hated them, or were their enemy; yet there is none more passionately and tenderly affected to them than I am: and from hence it is, that I do so heartily desire and pray to God, for all that people, that they might be saved.

That they might be saved that they may obtain eternal salvation, and escape that deluge of wrath aud destruction that hangs over their heads.

Poole: Rom 10:2 - For I bear them record // that they have a zeal of God // But not according to knowledge

For I bear them record i.e. I must testify this of them, or of many of them,

that they have a zeal of God that they have a fervent desire to maintain the law of God, with all the Mosaical rites and ceremonies, as thinking thereby to promote the glory of God.

But not according to knowledge i.e. true and right knowledge. Though it be a warm, yet it is a blind zeal. They know not the will of God, or what that righteousness is which he will accept. They know not for what end the law and worship of God, under the Old Testament, was instituted. They knew not that Christ, in, and by whom, that law is fulfilled.

Poole: Rom 10:3 - They being ignorant of God’ s righteousness // Going about to establish their own righteousness // Have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God

They being ignorant of God’ s righteousness: here he shows more particularly what knowledge the Jews wanted. They knew not the righteousness of God; of which see Rom 1:17 , with the notes there. This was abundantly manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, Rom 3:21 ; and a thing very needful to be known, as being that wherein man’ s happiness consisted; but they were ignorant of it.

Going about to establish their own righteousness their personal and inherent righteousness, a home-made righteousness, which is of their own spinning; this they designed to set up in the room of God’ s righteousness.

Have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God this notes the pride that accompanied their ignorance, and that is in the hearts of men by nature. They will not go abroad for that which they think they have, or may have, at home. They will not be beholden to another for that which they suppose they have in themselves. They have righteousness enough of their own working; and therefore they reject and withdraw themselves from that which is of God’ s appointing.

Poole: Rom 10:4

He proves that the Jews were ignorant of the righteousness of God, because they were ignorant of Christ, the true

end of the law Christ is the end of the law: q. d. The law was given for this end, that sinners being thereby brought to the knowledge of their sins, and their lost and damned estate, by reason thereof, should fly to Christ and his righteousness for refuge; see Gal 3:19,24 . Or else: Christ is the end of the law; i.e. the perfection and consummation thereof. The word is taken in this sense, 1Ti 1:5 . He perfected the ceremonial law, as being the substance whereof all the ceremonies of the law were shadows; they all referred to him as their scope and end. He perfected also the moral law, partly by his active obedience, fulfilling all the righteousness thereof, partly by his passive obedience, bearing the curse and punishment of the law, which was due to us. Whatever the law required that we should do or suffer, he hath perfected it on our behalf: see Rom 8:4 .

Poole: Rom 10:5

In this and the following verses, he shows the great difference that is between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith; and this difference is taught us in the books of Moses himself. As for the righteousness of the law, that is plainly described by Moses, Lev 18:5 ; and it tells us expressly: That the man who doth personally, perfectly, and constantly observe and do whatsoever the law requires, shall be rewarded with eternal life: see Rom 2:13 , and the notes there. And on the contrary, it implies thus much: That whoso fails, or falls short, shall incur death and damnation. This also it declares in other places, Deu 27:26 Gal 3:10 . This is a hard saying; who can hear it? It shuts us all out of heaven, it turns us into hell, it lays upon us impossible conditions. Let us hearken therefore to the righteousness of faith; of which in the next, . see Rom 10:5

Poole: Rom 10:6 - The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise // Say not in thine heart // Who shall ascend into heaven? // That is, to bring Christ down from above

The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise: by a prosopopoeia (a frequent figure in Scripture) he puts the person of a reasonable creature upon the righteousness of faith, and bringeth it in speaking and declaring itself as followeth; or else the meaning is, that the Scripture, or Moses, speaketh thus of the righteousness of faith. These words are taken out of Deu 30:12,13 . The question is, Whether Paul doth properly allege this place in Deuteronemy, or only allude to it? Some think the latter, that Moses directly speaks of the law, and that the apostle, by an allusion, or by way of accommodation, applies it unto faith; hence it is, that he doth not cite the very words of Moses, but alters and adds to them, as best served his purpose. But others think, that this would extenuate the torce of St. Paul’ s argument, if he should only allude unto this testimony of Moses, and not confirm that which he intended by the same. Therefore their opinion is, that these words are properly cited; and that Moses himself, in that place, doth speak (though very obscurely) of the righteousness of faith; yea, the foregoing words in Deu 30:12,13 do belong to the times of the gospel. Some of the Jewish rabbis have confessed, that Moses in that chapter, especially the beginning of it, hath reference to the days of the Messiah. He speaks there of the Israelites being driven among all nations, and unto the utmost parts of heaven, which chiefly happened to them a little after the ascension of Christ, and will abide upon them till their conversion, of which see Rom 11:1-36 ; and then God will restore them again to the Land of Promise, to that Jerusalem which is from above, the true church of Jesus Christ; then he will circumcise their hearts, and the hearts of their seed, to love the Lord with all their heart, and with all their soul; then will the Lord rejoice over them to do them good, as he rejoiced over their fathers; then, according to God’ s covenant promise, the law of God shall be written in their hearts; it shall not be hidden, or afar off, but nigh them, in their mouths, and in their hearts. Thus the apostle convinceth the Jews by a testimony out of Moses, in whom they trusted.

Say not in thine heart i.e. think not anxiously and despondingly within thyself.

Who shall ascend into heaven? i.e. to learn the will of God there concerning our righteousness and salvation, and then teach it to us; or, to see if there be any admission or room for such as I am there, and to carry me thither.

That is, to bring Christ down from above this is in effect to deny that Christ has already come down from heaven to reveal it to us; and that he must now come to do it: or else, this is as much as to deny that Christ hath already descended from heaven, to procure and purchase salvation for us; and that he must come down again for that purpose. It were to deny the ascension of Christ into heaven; for he is gone thither, not as a private, but as a public person: he is gone thither as our Head, and thither he will bring all his members; he is there as our forerunner, as one that is gone before to prepare a place for us. For Christians to distrust their going to heaven, is to doubt whether Christ be in heaven; he had never gone thither if he had not perfected our redemption and salvation here.

Poole: Rom 10:7 - Who shall descend into the deep? // That is, to bring up Christ again from the dead

Who shall descend into the deep? By the deep, here, understand hell: see Luk 8:31 Rev 9:1 20:1,3 . q. d. Do not inquire distrustfully, and despairingly, whether thou shalt go to hell, or who shall go thither, to see, and bring thee word, if such as thou are there.

That is, to bring up Christ again from the dead this were in effect to frustrate and make void the death of Christ; it is as much as to say, he never died for us, or he must come again, and suffer, and shed his blood for the remission of our sins. He died to deliver us from death and damnation; he endured the wrath of God, that we may escape it. The sense of the whole is this, That the doctrine of justification by faith, doth not propose such difficult and impossible terms, as the doctrine of justification by works. The righteousness of the law, that speaks terror, and puts us into a continual fear of hell, and despair of heaven; but the righteousness of faith, that speaks comfort, and forbids all amazing fear and troubles about our salvation or damnation.

Poole: Rom 10:8 - But what saith it? // The word is nigh thee // That is, the word of faith, which we preach

But what saith it? i.e. what saith the text in Deu 30:14 ? or what saith the righteousness of faith? What is its style and language? In the Rom 10:6,7 he did but tell us what it said not, but here he tells us what it saith.

The word is nigh thee i.e. the matter required of thee, in order to life and salvation. He seems in these words to declare the readiness and easiness of the way of salvation, as taught us in the gospel, and by the righteousness of faith. God requires no hard thing of us, to cross the seas, to climb the mountains, to take long and painful journeys, to find it out. The way of salvation under the gospel hath but a short cut; it requires not so much the labour of the hand, as the confession of the mouth, and the belief of the heart: or, The word that teacheth it is at hand, it is as if it were in thy mouth and heart: a proverbial speech, (as some think), to show the readiness of it.

That is, the word of faith, which we preach: by the word of faith, he means the gospel, and the doctrine of it: and the gospel is so called, either effectively, because it works faith; or objectively, because it is a received faith, and is the proper object of it.

Poole: Rom 10:9 - that God hath raised him from the dead

q.d. There are but these two things, which the gospel principally requires in order to our salvation: the one is, the confession of Christ with our mouths, and that in spite of all persecution and danger, to own him for our Lord, and for our Jesus; and to declare, that we are and will be ruled and saved by him, and by him only. The other is, to believe in our hearts,

that God hath raised him from the dead This article of the resurrection of Christ presupposeth all the rest, and fasteneth together, as by a link, all the antecedents and consequents of it; his ascension, session at the right hand of God, and intercession, which followed after. This article therefore, by a figure, is put for all the rest; and this is mentioned, because the death and passion of Christ had availed us nothing, unless he had risen again; for thereby he obtained a perfect victory over sin, death, and damnation, for all the elect. This is the principal ground of our justification, as hath been said, Rom 4:25 .

Poole: Rom 10:10 - With the heart man believeth // Unto righteousness // With the mouth confession is made unto salvation

With the heart man believeth in the former verse confession was set first; in this, believing. Faith indeed goes before confession; I believed, says the psalmist, and the apostle after him, therefore have I spoken; yet our faith is discerned and known by our confession.

Unto righteousness i.e. unto justification. This phrase may be expounded by Rom 4:5 , or Rom 9:30 .

With the mouth confession is made unto salvation: our adversaries the papists make great use of this text, to prove that good works, as confession, &c., are the cause of salvation; whereas confession is required here, not as the cause, but as the means thereof. The apostle makes faith here to be the cause, as well of salvation, as justification; because confession of the mouth, to which salvation is here ascribed, is itself an effect or fruit of faith; and so, according to that known rule in logic, the cause of the cause, is the cause of that which is caused thereby.

Poole: Rom 10:11

The saving effect of faith and confession, spoken of immediately before, is here proved by Scripture. Either he refers to Isa 28:16 , or Psa 25:3 ; or else he means, that this is the general doctrine of the Scripture. See notes on Rom 9:33 .

Poole: Rom 10:12 - For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek // The same Lord over all // Lord of all // Is rich unto all // That call upon him

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: he gives a reason for that universal term, whosoever, which he had added in the precedent verse, and is not found in Isaiah, as was noted before, in Rom 9:33 .

The same Lord over all these words are a reason why there is no difference now between Jew and Greek. This title is to be referred more especially to Jesus Christ, who was called Lord, Rom 10:9 , and is called:

Lord of all Act 10:36 . He is Head of all the elect, in all nations of the world.

Is rich unto all i.e. is bountiful unto all. So that the Jews need not envy the calling or coming of the Gentiles; they have never the less themselves; the Lord hath an inexhaustible store of grace and mercy. The fountain is above our thirst.

That call upon him not to all, hand over head, but to such as call upon him in faith.

Poole: Rom 10:13 - Whosoever

That the Lord is rich unto all that call upon him, is confirmed here by a testimony out of Joe 2:32 , which is also cited by St. Peter, Act 2:21 . The apostle’ s argument may be thus formed: If whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved, then the Lord is rich to all that call upon him; for no riches are comparable to salvation; but the former is true, therefore the latter.

Whosoever whether Jew or Gentile, shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved i.e. on him whose name is the Lord. Jesus Christ is principally meant, as appears by many passages in the prophet. Compare this with 1Co 1:2 .

Poole: Rom 10:14 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? // How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

The connexion of this verse and the following verses of this chapter is very obscure. Some connect these words with Rom 10:12 . There he said: There is no difference between Jew and Greek, & c. And this he proves, because the means to attain salvation by the true invocation of God hath been made common to all; and consequently faith, and so, from time to time, the hearing and preaching the word of God, according as the one is occasioned by the other. Others make this the coherence: Seeing the righteousness of faith is the only true righteousness, and doth, in common, by the promise of God, belong to Jew and Gentile (as hath been said); it was therefore necessary, that some must be sent of God to both people, which is the ordinary way and means to beget faith, and to bring men to Christ. His way of arguing is such, as logicians call sorites; rhetoricians, a gradation; and it is very forcible and demonstrative: q. d. God hath, by his prophets, promised salvation indifferently to Jew and Gentile; but without calling on him, there is no salvation; and without faith, there is no prayer; and without hearing, there is no faith; and without a preacher, there is no hearing; and without solemn mission, there can be no preacher. His manner of speaking all along is by way of interrogation, which is the more convincing, because it carries in it a kind of an appeal to the persons spoken to; every interrogation is equivalent to a negation.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? There is no foundation then for the popish doctrine of invocating saints and angels.

How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Amongst the elect of God, there may be some that are born deaf; and in these, God doth supply the want of outward means in an extraordinary way: but ordinarily, hearing is as necessary to faith, as faith is to prayer, or prayer to salvation.

Poole: Rom 10:15 - How shall they preach, except they be sent? // How beautiful are the feet of them! // Objection // Answer

How shall they preach, except they be sent? viz. immediately, by God or Christ, as the prophets and the apostles: see Gal 1:1 . Or mediately, by men; i.e. by such as have authority from Christ to separate and ordain others to this work. Without this orderly mission, or ordination, how can they preach? Saith the apostle; i.e. how can they do it duly or profitably, or in the name and by the authority of Christ? For otherwise, there were, and still are, those that run before they are sent, Jer 23:21 .

How beautiful are the feet of them! Their arrival or approach. The persons of such are meant, though their feet be named, because they carried them up and down to do this work. The scripture referred to is found in Isa 52:7 . The apostle here leaveth the Septuagint, and followeth the Hebrew text; yet he doth not cite the place in all points as the prophet hath it. He leaveth out some words, as upon the mountains, which had respect to the situation of Jerusalem; and he changeth the number, turning the singular into the plural.

Objection. But the text in Isaiah speaks of such a messenger as was sent to publish the deliverance of the Jews from the bondage of the Assyrians.

Answer. Though that be granted, it is applied and accommodated aptly enough to the preaching of peace and salvation by Christ; because that deliverance (as all other temporal deliverances) had its foundation in the redemption purchased by Christ.

Poole: Rom 10:16 - But they have not all obeyed the gospel // Lord // Who hath believed our report?

But they have not all obeyed the gospel: he here preventeth a cavil of the Jews. Thus they might reason: If the apostles and preachers of the gospel are sent with so great authority from God, and bring such a welcome message, how comes it to pass that so few receive it, and yield obedience thereunto? To this he answers, that it need not seem strange, because it was foretold long ago by the prophet, Isa 53:1 . It is not to be understood as if this was the cause of their unbelief, because Isaiah said thus. The particle for doth not show the cause, but the consequence: it was not because the prophet so said, that they did not believe; but because they believed not, the prophet so foretold.

Lord this is added by the Seventy for explanation.

Who hath believed our report? i.e. Very few, none in comparison. Compare this with Joh 3:32 .

Poole: Rom 10:17 - By the word of God

This is the conclusion of the former gradation, Rom 10:14 . He speaketh here of the ordinary means whereby faith is wrought; not confining or limiting the Spirit of God, who worketh, or may work, by extraordinary means, yea, without any means at all. See Poole on "Rom 10:14" .

By the word of God by the command of God: q.d. The gospel could not be lawfully preached to them, for them to hear it, but by God’ s command; and therefore the apostles and others, in preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, had good authority for what they did.

Poole: Rom 10:18 - Objection // Answer // all the earth // the ends of the world

He answers an objection, that some one might make in behalf of the Jews, to excuse them; that they could not believe, because they had not heard; and faith, as in the foregoing verse, comes by hearing. To this he answers, that the gospel was published to the whole world; therefore the Jews must needs have heard it. That the gospel had been preached all the world over, he proves by a testimony taken ont of Psa 19:4 : q. d. David tells you, that all have heard, or might hear; for the sound of the gospel is gone out into all the earth.

Objection. But David speaks of the works of God, as the heavens, the firmament, &c.

Answer. Some think the apostle only alludes to this place, Psa 19:4and doth not allege it. Others think that the psalmist doth literally and historically speak of the heavens, &c.; and prophetically of the apostles, and preachers of the gospel. By

all the earth in this verse, you may understand the greatest part of it; and by

the ends of the world the remote parts thereof.

Poole: Rom 10:19 - Did not Israel know // Moses saith // I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you

Here he proves by three testimonies out of the Old Testament, that the Jews must needs have heard the sound of the gospel, together with the Gentiles; only they rejected it, when the other embraced it. And so he layeth the ground of what he was purposed to handle in the following chapter, concerning the receiving of the Gentiles, and the casting off, and after calling, of the Jews.

Did not Israel know here something must be supplied to make up the sense neither God, or the gospel, or the righteousness of faith, or the conversion of the Gentiles. The Israelites could not well pretend ignorance, considering what Moses and Isaiah had said, in whom, or in whose writings, they were conversant.

Moses saith viz. in Deu 32:21 . Still he follows the translation of the Seventy.

I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you here God threateneth the Jews, that he would punish them with jealousy and anger, by preferring the Gentiles before them; at the sight whereof, their hearts should be sore vexed; to behold all their privileges taken from them, and given to a people whom they accounted most vile and despicable, to be no people in regard of them, to be dogs and beasts rather than men: see Act 13:45 . Read the cited place in Deuteronomy Deu 32:21 and you will find that God speaks of this as a fit punishment upon the Jews for their idolatry. They had chosen to themselves such as were no gods; and therefore, to requite them, God would take to him such as were no people: they had chosen to themselves (as it were) another husband; and God, to be even with them, had chosen another wife.

Poole: Rom 10:20 - Esaias is very bold // And saith

Esaias is very bold i.e. he speaks more boldly concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and the casting off the Jews. He used a holy freedom, though it cost him dear; Jerome saith, he was sawn asunder with a wooden saw. This is a commendable property in a preacher: see Act 4:13 28:31 .

And saith: viz. in Isa 65:1 . The apostle in this citation differs in some words, both from the Hebrew text and the Seventy, as may appear to him that will compare them together.

I was found of them that sought me not; compare this with Rom 9:30 , and see the notes there.

I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me; compare this with Eph 2:2 . The advantage and advancement of the Gentiles was altogether of free grace, and an effect of God’ s free election.

Poole: Rom 10:21 - But to Israel he saith // All day long // I have stretched forth my hands // Unto a disobedient and gainsaying people

But to Israel he saith viz. in Isa 65:2 . In the former verse there is a consolatory prophecy, foretelling the vocation of ignorant and profane Gentiles; and in this, there is a menacing prophecy, threatening the rejecting of the rebellious and stubborn Jews.

All day long from the time of their first calling to their dissipation.

I have stretched forth my hands as a father holds forth his arms to receive a rebellious son. Compare this with Mat 23:37 .

Unto a disobedient and gainsaying people the prophet Isaiah hath but one word, rebellious, and the apostle renders it by these two words, disobedient and gainsaying: they were disobedient in heart, and gainsaying with their tongues, contrary to those two gracious qualifications, mentioned Rom 10:9,10 , belief in the heart, and the confession of the month. Compare this with Act 7:51,52 Ac 13:45 19:9 .

PBC: Rom 10:1 - Brethren // Israel

" Brethren"

Notice that immediately Paul makes a distinction between the Brethren and those whom he wishes to discuss.

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" Israel"

Those who are the subject of discussion are named Israel.

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PBC: Rom 10:2 - zeal of God

" zeal of God"

They have a zeal of God, but it is not a proper one.

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PBC: Rom 10:3 - For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness

" For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness"

It is a zeal which manifests willful ignorance of the imputed righteousness of Christ.

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PBC: Rom 10:4 - end of the law

" end of the law"

Christ is the end of the law to the Brethren who are knowledgeable of Him and believe in Him. But those named Israel, who have a zeal of God, are zealously seeking to establish their own righteousness by following Mosaic law.

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PBC: Rom 10:5

The righteousness of the law speaks on this manner, that the man which does the things prescribed by the law shall live by the things of the law. Or if spoken in the negative, the righteousness of the law speaks on this wise, that the man which keeps not the law shall die by the law. By the righteousness which is by the law the heart says I shall keep the law and my righteousness shall cause my ascendance to heaven. Or it says in the heart I by my righteous keeping of the law shall transcend death.

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PBC: Rom 10:6

But the righteousness of faith says not in the heart that it shall transcend death or ascend to heaven by the righteousness of the law.

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PBC: Rom 10:7

See PB: Ro 10:6

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PBC: Rom 10:8

The saying of the righteousness of faith is nigh to us, it is even in our mouths and in our hearts. The saying of the righteousness of faith is the same saying as the preached word. And that saying is a confession.

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PBC: Rom 10:9

What is a confession? It is an owning up to the truth. It is to say truly that which has already occurred. For who has ever heard of someone truthfully confessing to that which has not yet occurred? A confession is always about that which is already an accomplished fact. When the word confess is broken down to its elements, the prefix con carries the meaning ‘with’. The root of the word, ‘fess’ carries the meaning of truth. The idea conveyed by the word is ‘to say the truth in agreement with or along with that which is already a true fact’.The Apostle is telling us that the word to be spoken by the righteousness of faith is near us. It is preached to us. In fact it is already in the heart and in the mouth.

It is not to speak as the righteousness which is by the law of its own doing. The word spoken by the righteousness of faith is to speak along with that which is spoken by the gospel. The word spoken by the righteousness of faith is to speak along with what is known in the heart and is already in the mouth ready to be spoken. That word is Christ.

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PBC: Rom 10:10

We are to confess that Christ is my righteousness, for I have none of my own. We are to confess that our works could not attain righteousness but that His work did. We are to confess that faith in my own ability to ascend to heaven or transcend death is in vain. My faith is in Him Whom God raised from the dead and has elevated to heaven. He has done for me what I could not do for myself. My heart believes it, and confessing it with my mouth, saves me. What does confession save me from? From the error of those named Israel in this discussion. What was their error? Willful ignorance of the truth. Why were they ignorant? Because they refused to confess the truth. They would not submit to the truth of God’s righteousness. What does confession save me to? To the joys and peace of mind that comes from telling and believing the truth. Such sweet relief it is to put my faith in Him Who is able to save to the uttermost and drop my vain faith in my own abilities to procure righteousness by my works. What peace of mind is mine when I can say along with the glad tidings of the gospel: All of Christ, all of grace. And behold beloved, when we say these things it is confession. We do not say it to get it to be so. We say it because it is already so. We say it with what is already in the heart and in the mouth. We say it along with the preached word.

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PBC: Rom 10:11

When the heart believes, submits, owns up to, confesses to the truth it carries, our sense of shame vanishes being washed away with the joy and peace that floods the soul with relief.

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PBC: Rom 10:12

And this (this sense of shame vanishing and the joy and peace that floods the soul) is true for all whom the Lord has graciously dealt with and written His truth upon their hearts whether Jew or Greek. And who else can call upon Him but those whom He has quickened and given living spiritual hearts? And how else could it be confession when they call upon him if the righteousness of faith were not already imparted to them by the new birth?

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PBC: Rom 10:13

And whosoever calls upon him with the saying of the righteousness of faith shall be saved from the error of self-righteousness, and the shame of perpetual failure to measure up to the righteousness which is by the law, and the shame felt from not confessing to the truth.

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PBC: Rom 10:14

Obviously if one does not believe in Christ they will not call upon Him in belief. Who is being discussed here? All along the Apostle has been contrasting two groups. Those who speak by the righteousness which is by faith and those who speak according to the righteousness which is by the keeping of the law. The Apostle has demonstrated the response of those who speak from the righteousness which is by faith and call upon the name of the Lord and are saved from the errors of self-righteousness, self-deception, and a host of other error as well as receiving numerous gospel benefits. Now he proceeds to show us the reactions of the other group that speak from the righteousness which is by the keeping of the law. The issue here is not who has heard or not heard the gospel. For the context will establish that all of those under discussion by the Apostle have heard. {Ro 10:18}

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PBC: Rom 10:15

See PB: Ro 10:14

PBC: Rom 10:16

The issue is who has obeyed and believed the report they have heard. Obviously, all under consideration have heard the preached gospel and cannot make the claim that they did not get the report. Ro 10:18 will clearly state that all have heard. The Master’s repeatedly stating the task of going first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel should be recalled. He pointedly directed his disciples to minister in that fashion. {Mt 10:5-6} Paul clearly states that this point was reached and that the gospel had reached them all. See Ro 10:18. The results are indicated in Ro 10:16 " But they have not all obeyed the gospel." A day of timely judgment was coming to Israel and when it arrived, none will have the excuse that they did not know. For verily all of Israel heard the good news of the gospel and those who did not believe the report would be left without excuse and fall under the judgment. The particulars of this judgment will be brought to light in Ro 11:1-36. Be sure to remember here the statements of Paul at the beginning of this 10th chapter: {Ro 10:1} " Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." Paul is interested in saving them from being self-righteous " works mongers." He is interested in seeing them drop their works righteousness and put their faith in the righteousness of Christ. The salvation under consideration is the gospel aspect of salvation not their eternal salvation to heaven. Paul is making this case in Ro 10:14 and the first part of Ro 10:15 and presents the list of " excuses" for disobedience that might be made by the Jews. They might say it is not fair to bring judgment against us for we did not know and no one told us. We had no report (gospel) -we were sent none to tell us of this, and therefore we did not hear so that we might obey. The last part of Ro 10:15 and following destroy their arguments and prove that they did know, they did hear, and have no excuse for their disobedience. They chose to put their faith in the works of the law instead of the works of the Lord Jesus Christ. They chose not to confess from their hearts to the preached word and thus we find in Ro 11:1-36 that they are cut off from the joys and privileges of the gospel kingdom.

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PBC: Rom 10:17

The word " cometh" in Ro 10:17 is a supplied word to aid in our understanding and was not in the original language. But I have no problem with the word and think when it is properly understood that it does help in the understanding of this passage. The key question that I would like to ask is where is it that faith " cometh" from? It is said to come WHEN the gospel is preached and heard. But WHERE is the faith coming FROM? Is it coming from the gospel? Does the gospel convey faith to the hearer? No. Faith is a fruit of the spirit and spiritual life is not conveyed by the gospel. The gospel is a spiritual message. If one truly hears the gospel then that one must have spiritual ears to hear it with. Therefore none can truly hear the gospel unless they have been already born of the spirit. The dead do not hear. If they have been born of the spirit, then faith already resides in the heart of the one that hears. It is from within the child of God that faith must come. (When the gospel is preached, the message is heard with spiritual ears and the heart recognizes that message as what it believes and what it knows. In faith, the child of God compares what is already within him and then confesses to the true gospel that is saying the same thing.)- {Ro 10:10} Faith is not created in this process. Faith is brought to confession by this process. You cannot confess to that which is not already a truth. This confession is also a profession. The child of God that hears the gospel confesses that it is the same truth that he carries within his heart and then professes that truth openly by faith. {Ro 10:10}

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PBC: Rom 10:18

In Ro 10:18 the Apostle continues his arguments to show that those who do not confess to the truth that Christ is the end of the law of righteousness to those that believe are completely without excuse. They have heard the true report but have remained willfully ignorant of the truth and refused to confess it preferring to stay under the bondage of the law and to establish their own righteousness by their works. Beloved friends, how many in this world today do just the same? They are taught a system of works righteousness and prefer it to the truth that abides in their heart that Christ alone could establish and be the righteousness of His people. Those who refuse to look upon their own sinfulness and inabilities never acknowledge their true need of the Saviour but instead remain willfully ignorant of the righteousness which is by faith and continue to try and establish their own righteousness by works. The sad truth is that much that is published today under the name of the gospel is no more than the promulgating of " do this and live." And, like the Jews who chose selfrighteousness of old, these today are cut off from the true joys of the gospel kingdom also. I would not try to suggest that they get ‘nothing’ from their church, their beliefs and their labors. But, I do not believe that they enjoy what the child of God does who confesses and professes that Christ alone is His righteousness and enters into the promised rest of the true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ It would appear to me that much of their joy is in their programs, entertainments, and various additions that are nowhere taught in Scripture.

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PBC: Rom 10:19

Ro 10:19 states a rhetorical question to which the answer is of course " yes." They all knew. The Apostle then proceeds to describe the bringing in of the Gentiles to the gospel kingdom. He shows that one design in this was to provoke Israel to jealousy and to emulation of the Gentiles that they also might in the end be brought back into the receipt of the gospel kingdom.

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PBC: Rom 10:20

Paul throughout these final verses of Ro 10:1-21 makes reference back to the prophecies from the Old Testament that foretold the very things that were then occurring.

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PBC: Rom 10:21

Then, lest some might try to say that these who were trusting in establishing their own righteousness were not elect, we ask the question " Why would God be portrayed as one in-gathering them in Ro 10:21 if they were non-elect and could not possibly respond?" The truth is that even though we are given the abilities in the new birth to be obedient, to confess in faith to the truth, and profess the finished work of Christ, many still do not. Many today still fall under the category of being a disobedient and gainsaying people. Yes, and sometimes even we are caught in this way too are we not? And, at such times we have great need to look again at our inabilities and renew the confession of our faith and make a true profession of the righteousness of Christ as our only hope of glory.

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Haydock: Rom 10:1 - Is for them

Is for them. That is, for Israel, or the Israelites, named before. (Witham) ---

After having siad that the greatest part of Israel was cast off by the Almighty, the apostle, to shew that he meant not to insult or provoke them, here testifies that he sympathizes in their misery, and with groans prays in their behalf to the Lord, that he would vouchsafe to grant them understanding, and open their eyes to the truth. Thus, though tenderly affected towards his countrymen, still the could not dissemble the truth, or flatter them in their incredulity, and hardness of heart. (Calmet)

Haydock: Rom 10:2 - According to knowledge

According to knowledge, &c. The Jews ran with ardour in the paths of the law, but saw not whither they were going; they followed the law, but did not know whither it conducted them. (Calmet)

Haydock: Rom 10:3 - The justice of God // Seeking to establish their own

The justice of God. That is, the justice which God giveth us through Christ; as, on the other hand, the Jews' own justice is that which the pretended to by their own strength, or by the observance of the law, without faith in Christ. (Challoner) ---

Seeking to establish their own. That is, for justice, or to be justified by their works, or the works of their written law. (Witham)

Haydock: Rom 10:5-7 - Moses

Moses (Leviticus xviii. 12.) wrote that the justice which is of the law....shall live by it. That is, shall have the recompense of along temporal life, or even an everlasting life, by joining a faith in Christ their Redeemer, that was to come. But the justice which is of faith, speaketh thus, that is, Moses speaketh thus of it, (Deuteronomy xxx.) say not in thy heart, who shall ascend into heaven? &c. the apostle gives us the spiritual sense of the words, by adding, to bring Christ down, &c. The sense is, that it is now fulfilled in the new law, when Christ is come from heaven by his incarnation, and is also again risen from the abyss by his resurrection: and therefore,

Haydock: Rom 10:8 - The word is near thee

The word is near thee, is near to every one, who to be justified and saved, need but believe, and comply with the doctrine of the gospel which we preach, and make a confession or profession of it with his mouth; and then whether he hath been Jew or Gentile, he shall not be confounded. (Witham)

Haydock: Rom 10:9 - Thou shalt be saved

Thou shalt be saved. To confess the Lord Jesus, and to call upon the name of the Lord, (ver. 13.) is not barely the professing of a belief in the person of Christ: but moreover implies a belief of his whole doctrine, and an obedience to his law; without which the calling of him Lord will save no man. (St. Matthew vii. 21.) (Challoner) ---

This passage must be understood like many others of this apostle, of a faith accompanied by a good-will ready to perform what faith says must be practised; as it is required in this very place, that what we believe in the heart, we should confess with our mouth. (Estius)

Haydock: Rom 10:14 - Who hath believed our report?

&c. Or how shall they believe, &c. He shews the necessity of preachers, and that all true preachers must be sent, and have their mission from God. ---

Who hath believed our report? [1] Literally, our hearing? Some expound it thus: who hath believed the things we have heard from God, and which we have preached? The common interpretation is, who hath believed what he hath heard from us? (Witham)

Haydock: Rom 10:15 - Unless they be sent

Unless they be sent. Here is an evident proof against all new teachers, who have all usurped to themselves the ministry, without any lawful mission, derived by succession from the apostles, to whom Christ said, (John xx. 21.) As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. (Challoner) ---

The Almighty sends people to preach two different ways. The one is extraordinary by internal inspiration, as was that of John the Baptist, and all the other prophets; in which case, however, extraordinary proofs must be given that they are sent by God; and the other is ordinary, which is derived from Christ, and from the apostles and their successors, whom he has appointed to be his vicegerents on earth. (Estius)

Haydock: Rom 10:16

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Quis credidit auditui nostro? Greek: te akoe emon?

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Haydock: Rom 10:18 - But I say, have they not heard?

But I say, have they not heard? He puts an objection, and by his answer shews the Jews are inexcusable in not believing, since the gospel has been preached all the world over, and in places where the Jews were, as it was foretold: and also because the Gentiles every where have believed; which even excites you Jews to jealousy against them, as Moses foretold: (Deuteronomy xxxii. 21.) that is, when you now see, that the Gentiles, whom you despised so much, by believing in Christ, have received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, of working miracles, of speaking tongues, of prophecy, &c. (Witham)

Haydock: Rom 10:19

A people whom you have always despised, as not being worthy to be numbered amongst mankind, I will make my beloved people. I will enrich with my graces those whom you have contemned; I will give them the grace of adoption, thus to stir you up to jealousy and rage. And in effect, what greater rage ever was there, than that of the Jews against the converted Gentiles? In persecution, the Jews were always most busy. Thus were the Jews plainly informed of the truth of the gospel, by the Gentiles converted before their face. (Calmet)

Haydock: Rom 10:21

After the preaching of Christ, and his apostles, after so many wonders wrought by our Saviour, he at last offers himself to the Jewish people, with stretched-out hands, and yet they cannot be induced to believe in him. They resist him as much as they can, thus verifying the prophecy of holy Simeon, that he should be set up as a sign to be contradicted. (Luke ii.) (Estius)

Gill: Rom 10:1 - Brethren, my heart's desire // prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saved

Brethren, my heart's desire,.... The apostle having suggested, that a few of the Jews only should be called and saved; that the far greater part should be rejected; that the Israelites who sought for righteousness did not attain it when the Gentiles did, but stumbled and fell at Christ, and would be ashamed and confounded; and knowing the prejudices of that people against him, therefore lest what he had said, or should say upon this subject, should be thought to arise from hatred and ill will to them, he judged it proper, as before, to express his trouble and sorrow on their account; so now his great love and affection to them, and which he signifies by calling them "brethren": for not the Roman believers are here addressed, as if he was telling them how much he loved his own nation; but either the Jews in general, whom he looked upon and loved as his brethren, according to the flesh; and whatever they thought of him, he considered them in such a relation to him, which obliged him to a concern for their good and welfare; or rather the believing Jews, that were members of the church at Rome, whom, besides using the common style of the Jewish nation, who were wont to call all of their country brethren, he could speak to, as being such in a spiritual relation, being children of the same father, partakers of the same grace and privileges, and heirs of the same glory. Now he declares to these persons, that the "desire of his heart" was towards Israel, he bore a good will to them, his mind was well disposed and affected towards them, he had a cordial, sincere, and hearty respect for them; and so far was he from being their enemy, that he continually bore them upon his mind at the throne of grace: and his

prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saved; not only that they might be saved in a temporal sense, from these grievous calamities and sore judgments he saw were coming upon them, which he had reason to believe would issue in the destruction of them, as a nation and church; but that they might be spiritually converted, turned from their evil ways, and brought to believe in Christ, whom they had despised and rejected, and so be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: this he might desire not only from a natural affection for them, but as a minister of the Gospel, who cannot but wish that all that hear him might be converted and saved; and as a believer in Christ he might pray for this in submission to the will of God; and especially as he knew there was a seed, a remnant according to the election of grace, at that present time among them, that should be saved, though the larger number of them were cast off. The Alexandrian copy, and some others, read "for them", instead of "for Israel"; not naming them, being easily understood; and so the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions.

Gill: Rom 10:2 - For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God // but not according to knowledge

For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God,.... A zeal for God; for the being and unity of God, against the polytheism and idolatry of the Gentiles; for the word of God, the writings of the Old Testament, of which they were zealous defenders and preservers, and which they diligently read and heard explained, and whereby they thought to obtain eternal life; for the law of God, moral and ceremonial, especially for the rituals of the Mosaic economy; for the service and worship of God, they spared no pains, but compassed sea and land to bring in proselytes to their religion; all which the apostle could testify from his own knowledge, and by his own experience, who had been as great a zealot as any of them all. But now whilst the apostle is expressing his strong affection for this people, he is careful to act the faithful part to them, and points out their mistakes, and shows them their faults; which he does in this and the following verse, by observing, that they had a zeal of God indeed,

but not according to knowledge: it was not well regulated, it proceeded on mistaken principles, and moved in a wrong way, in persecuting the church of God, in doing things contrary to the name of Christ, in putting to death his ministers and members, thinking that hereby they did God good service; which arose from their ignorance of their Father, and of the Son: though they had a zeal of God, they knew neither God nor Christ aright; they did not know God in Christ, nor Jesus to be the true Messiah; they understood neither law nor Gospel truly, and fancied the Gospel was contrary to the law, and an enemy to it; and therefore in their great zeal opposed it, and the professors of it; they were zealous of the law, and of doing the commands of it, but knew not the true nature, use, and end of the law; as appears by what follows.

Gill: Rom 10:3 - For they being ignorant of God's righteousness // going about to establish their own righteousness // have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,.... Either of the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel, which is no other than the righteousness of Christ, and which they knew nothing of, the whole Gospel being a sealed book, and wholly hidden from them; or of the righteousness of God required in the law, they imagining that only an external conformity to the commands of the law, was all that was necessary to attain to a justifying righteousness by it, not knowing the spirituality of it, and that it required conformity of heart and nature, as well as life and conversation; or rather of the attribute of God's righteousness, the strictness of his justice, the purity and holiness of his nature: for though they knew that he was holy, just, and righteous, yet did not think he was so strict as to insist upon every punctilio, and to take notice of every little default and defect in obedience; and especially that he had any regard to the heart and the thoughts of it, and required perfect purity there or that he would accept of nothing less than an absolutely perfect and complete righteousness; nor justify any without full satisfaction to his justice: hence they were

going about to establish their own righteousness; which they would never have done, had they known the righteousness of God, in either of the above senses; the Alexandrian copy, and some others, omit the word "righteousness", and only read, "their own", leaving it to be understood, and which is easily done; and so reads the Vulgate Latin version: by "their own righteousness", as opposed to God's, is meant the righteousness of works, their obedience to the law, an outward conformity to it, an observance of the rituals of it, and a little negative holiness. This they endeavoured to "establish" or "make to stand" in the sight of God, as their justifying righteousness, which is all one as setting chaff and stubble, briers and thorns, to a consuming fire; as the attempt expresses madness in them, the phrase suggests weakness in their righteousness, which they would fain make to stand, but could not, it being like a spider's web before the besom, or like a dead carcass, which men would set upon its feet to stand alone, but it cannot; than which nothing can be a greater instance of egregious folly: their "going about" or "seeking" to do this, shows their ignorant zeal, and the toil, the pains, the labour they used to effect it, but all in vain, and to no purpose; as appears by their hearing, reading, fasting, praying, giving alms to the poor, and tithes of all they possessed; all which they were very careful and studious of, and especially to have them done in the sight of men: and so it was that they

have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God; that is, the righteousness of Christ, so called, because approved and accepted of by God, imputed by him to his people, and given them by him as a free gift, and which only justifies in his sight; and because it is wrought by Christ, who is truly and properly God, and revealed and applied by the Spirit of God. This the Jews submitted not to, because they had no true humble sense of themselves as sinners, nor did they care to acknowledge themselves as such; which submission to Christ's righteousness requires and necessarily involves in it; no man will ever be subject to it, till he is made sensible of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and brought to an humble acknowledgment of it; the Spirit of God first convinces of sin and then of righteousness; and because they had an overweening opinion of their own righteousness, which they trusted to, and depended upon, imagining it to be blameless, and to contain all that the law required, and therefore they stood in no need of any other; and as for the righteousness of Christ they had it in contempt, their carnal minds being enmity to him, were not subject to his righteousness, nor could they, nor can any be, without the powerful efficacious grace of God, making them willing in the day of his power. This phrase denotes the rebellion of their wills, against Christ and his righteousness, they acting as rebellious subjects against their sovereign prince.

Gill: Rom 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law // for righteousness // to everyone that believes

For Christ is the end of the law,.... The apostle here observes that to them which had they known, would have regulated their zeal, removed their ignorance and set them right, in that which they stumbled at, and fell. By the "law" here, is not meant the ceremonial law, of which, indeed, they were all very zealous, and of which Christ also was the end in many respects; he was the final cause of it, or that for the sake of which it was; it had not been given had it not been for him; all its institutions, ordinances, and sacrifices, were on his account: they were all shadows of him, and he the body and substance of them; he was the end or mark and scope at which they all aimed; every type looked to him, and every offering directed the worshipper to him; he was the terminus of it, to whom it was to reach, and beyond whom it was not to go; it was a schoolmaster for instruction and direction until Christ came, and no longer. He was the fulfilling end of it, every thing in it had its accomplishment in him; and then lastly, he put an end to it, he disannulled it because of its after weakness and unprofitableness; he blotted out this hand writing of ordinances, and entirely abolished this law of commandments; but then Christ was not the end of this law for righteousness; Christ's obedience to it is no part of justifying righteousness, especially not to everyone that believes, not to the Gentiles who never were under any obligation to observe it: the moral law is here designed, and when Christ is said to be the end of it, the meaning is not that he was the end of its being given; for that was to be a rule of righteousness and life to men, and a ministration of death in case of disobedience: or that he was the scope of this law, though the Syriac version renders it סכה, "the scope" of the law is the Messiah, the mark at which it aimed, or which it directs persons to; for the law does not direct to Christ at all, in any way; it requires and insists upon a perfect righteousness, but gives not the least hint of the righteousness of Christ, nor does it in any form direct unto it; by it is the knowledge of sin, but no knowledge of a Saviour from sin; not the law, but the Gospel directs and encourages sensible sinners to believe in Christ and be saved; on the contrary, the law is a killing letter, and the ministration of condemnation and death; but Christ is either the consuming or consummating, the destroying or fulfilling end of the law. He is the destroying end of the law, not as to the nature, being, matter and substance of it, which is invariable and eternal, and is not, and cannot be made void by the doctrine of faith; nor as to the true use of it; but as a covenant of works, as to the ministry of it by Moses, and as to its curse and condemnation. Though I rather think the latter is here meant, namely, that Christ is the fulfilling end of the law, since it is added,

for righteousness: for the bringing in an everlasting righteousness; a righteousness justifying in the sight of God; a righteousness sinners wanted, and could not obtain of themselves, and could never be obtained but by a perfect fulfilling of the law: this Christ has done partly by the conformity of his nature, being exactly like that, and what it requires holy, just, and good; and partly by perfect obedience of his life to all its precepts; and also by suffering the penalty of it, death, in the room and stead of all his people; and so the whole righteousness of the law is fulfilled by him, and he becomes the end of it, for a justifying righteousness before God,

to everyone that believes: not to him that works for life, and in order to obtain a righteousness of his own; nor to the Jew only, but also to the Gentile, even to everyone, be who he will, that has faith in Christ; not that faith is either the matter, cause, or condition of righteousness, but this righteousness is only revealed unto, and received by the believer, and can only be pleaded by him, as his justifying righteousness. Moreover, this phrase is descriptive of the persons to whom Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, and suggests that for whomsoever he has fulfilled the law, in order to bring in for them a justifying righteousness, faith in consequence is given to them, to receive and embrace it, and enjoy all the comfort and privileges of it.

Gill: Rom 10:5 - For. Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law // that the man which doth those things, shall live by them

For. Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law,.... In this, and some following verses, an account is given of the two righteousnesses before mentioned, called their own and the righteousness of God; and that chiefly in the words of Moses, which is wisely done by the apostle, he and his writings being in great esteem among the Jews. The description he gives of the righteousness of the law, that is, righteousness which the law requires, and is done in obedience to its commands, is,

that the man which doth those things, shall live by them, or "in them"; and which is to be seen in Lev 18:5, "ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them"; from whence it appears, that by "those things" a man is to do, are meant the statutes and judgments of God, not the ordinances of the ceremonial, but the precepts of the moral law; and that the righteousness of the law lies in "doing" and keeping those statutes, not merely externally, but internally, with all the heart, and soul, and strength; the law requires love to God, fear of him, and faith in him, and an inward disposition of the mind towards him, and a conformity of heart and nature to his law, as well as outward obedience; and all this is to be done perfectly and completely in every punctilio the law requires, otherwise no life is to be expected, nor any righteousness to be had by it. The Jewish writers understand the life promised by the law, to be eternal life. The two Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan ben Uzziel paraphrase the words thus, "he shall live in them", בחיי עלמא, "in eternal life"; in like manner Jarchi explains them, "he shall live", לעולם הבא, "in the world to come"; to which agrees the note of R. Aben Ezra, who interprets it of lie in both worlds; he says the statutes of the law are life to them that do them in both worlds, for if a man understands the secret of them, he shall live for ever, and shall never die. The life which the law promised to Adam in his state of perfection, who was the only mere man that ever was capable of perfectly fulfilling it, was the continuance of the happy life he enjoyed; the life it promised to the Israelites, at the renewing of it on Mount Sinai, was a long and prosperous life in the land of Canaan; as for the promise of eternal life, that was made before the world began, in the covenant of grace, and is a peculiar promise and blessing of that covenant, is an entire gift of God's grace, and never was designed to be enjoyed through men's obedience to the law of works, but through the righteousness and death of Christ, who is the fulfilling end of the law: hence it appears, that as the righteousness of the law is a righteousness of works done by men, it cannot be the righteousness God imputes, for that is without works, and by which a man can be justified before God; and since the law requires internal and perfect obedience to it, it is certain that it cannot be yielded by fallen creatures; hence it follows, that there can be no life, and so no righteousness by it, the consequence of which, when observed by sinful men, horror, terror, and gloomy despair; the very reverse of which is the language of the righteousness of faith.

Gill: Rom 10:6-7 - But the righteousness which is of faith // speaketh on this wise // say not in thine heart // who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead)

But the righteousness which is of faith,.... Or "with respect to the righteousness of faith"; the other righteousness before called the righteousness of God, because God is the author of it, here the righteousness of faith, because that receives it,

speaketh on this wise; the selfsame writer who describes the righteousness of the law in such a manner, that it gives no room to a fallen creature ever to expect life and salvation by it, gives such an account of the righteousness of faith, as forbids all doubting and despair:

say not in thine heart; let not such a thought enter into thy mind, much less express it with thy lips;

who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead). These words are not properly a citation of Deu 30:12; but the apostle makes use of some phrases which are there, with his own explications of them; though the difference between them, stripped, of these explications is not very material: in the first clause, "who shall ascend into heaven?" the apostle leaves out the phrase, "for us"; which as to the sense was not absolutely necessary to retain; the difficulty, indeed, seems greater in the latter clause, "who shall descend into the deep?" which in the text of Moses is, "who shall go over the sea for us?" but when it is considered that the sea is often called the deep, and that sailing on it and over it, is expressed by "going down to the sea in ships", Psa 107:23; and moreover, when it is observed that the Jerusalem Targum paraphrases it thus,

"the law is not in heaven that it should be said, oh that we had one of us, as Moses the prophet, who could go up to heaven and bring it to us! nor is it beyond the great sea, that it should be said, oh that we had one of us, as Jonah the prophet דייחות לעומקי ימא רבא, "who could descend into the depths of the great sea", and bring it to us;''

the apostle is to be justified in his expressions. His sense, indeed, may seem to be different from that of Moses, and of the common interpretations of the Jewish writers, as in the above paraphrase and in the following account of them from the Talmud, understanding them of the law ^w;

"says Abdimo bar Chama bar Dousa, what is the meaning of that Scripture, "neither is it in heaven, nor is it beyond the sea?" it is not in heaven, for if it was in heaven you must needs go up after it, and if it was beyond the sea, you must needs go over after it; Rabba says, not in heaven is it, you will not find it in him that exalts his knowledge in himself as the heavens, nor will you find it in him that enlarges his knowledge in himself, as the sea; R. Jochanan says, not in heaven is it, you will not find it in those that are of a haughty spirit, nor beyond the sea is it, you will not find it among traders abroad, or merchants.''

Though the apostle's sense may be brought pretty near to this, after this manner; who shall go up to heaven, or down to the deep, either to bring us the knowledge of the law, and yield an obedience to it which that requires of us, or to give us a full account of the Gospel of the grace of God? there is no room, nor reason, for men to say this in their hearts, or to make a doubt of them, as if they were not done already; to do so, is to deny that Christ is come in the flesh, and risen from the dead, who has given the true sense and knowledge of the law, and has perfectly fulfilled it, in the room and stead of his people, and by whom the doctrine of grace and truth is come, particularly the doctrine of a sinner's justification before God; this is brought nigh in the ministration of the word, so that there is no need of such inquiries as these. Moreover, for the illustration of these words, let it be observed, that these phrases are proverbial, and often used to express things impossible, of which take the following instances;

"it is a tradition of the Rabbins ^x if a man says to his wife, lo, this is thy divorce, on condition that "thou ascendest to the firmament", on condition that "thou descendest into the deep"; on condition that thou passest over the great sea on foot, this is no divorce;''

the reason is, שאי איפשר, "because it is impossible". Again ^y,

"if a man says to a woman, if thou wilt "ascend into the firmament", or if thou wilt "descend into the deep", lo, thou art espoused to me by this penny; but if thou wilt not go up into the firmament, nor go down into the deep, thou shalt not be espoused; and after that he puts the penny into her hand, lo, the condition becomes void, and behold she is espoused immediately, for the thing is known שאי איפשר, "that it is impossible" for her to fulfil the condition.''

So here are forbidden all such thoughts, words, or expressions which carry such a sense as this; who will go down to the deep to fetch such a wretch as I am out of the lowest hell, to deliver me from the curses of the law, and the wrath of God, and bring me out of this wretched miserable condition in which I am? or go up to heaven and carry me there, and put me in the possession of the undefiled inheritance? all this is as impossible to be done, as for a man to ascend to heaven, or go down into the deep: now though the righteousness of the law encourages such despondency and black despair, the righteousness of faith, or the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ's righteousness, forbids every thing of this kind; assuring the sinner, that Christ is come down from heaven in human nature, that he has fulfilled all the righteousness of the law by his obedience in life, and has bore the penalty of it in his sufferings and death, and is risen again for justification; so that such questions should not be put, nor such despairing thoughts encouraged: besides, to think and speak in this manner, is to set aside the whole scheme of the Gospel, and supposes the person to doubt whether Christ is come down from heaven; and therefore asks, who shall go up to bring him down? and that he is not risen from the dead; and therefore puts the question, who will go down to the deep to fetch him up? whereas he is already come, has obeyed, suffered, and died, and rose again, and is become the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes.

Gill: Rom 10:8 - But what saith it // the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart // that is, the word of faith // which we preach

But what saith it,.... The Scripture; so some copies, and the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic version read, "what saith the Scripture?" the Arabic version, "what dost thou say?" or "what saith he", Moses? for what follow are manifestly his words, in Deu 30:14,

the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; which is to be understood not of the law, for Moses himself is not speaking of the law only, but either of the whole word of God, both law and Gospel; or particularly of the Gospel, which holds forth those special blessings and promises of grace, pardon of sin, and circumcision of the heart, which are mentioned in the context, as what should be bestowed upon the people of the Jews in the latter days; and so is rightly applied by the apostle to the then dispensation, and is to be understood of the Gospel; which was nigh both in the ministration of it, by the apostles, to Jews and Gentiles, and in the application and experience of it; it was not only "in the mouth" of the preachers, but also of the hearers of it, by a hearty and sincere confession; and "in their hearts", being attended with the power of God, and received in the love of it, was truly believed in, and cordially embraced;

that is, the word of faith. This phrase, מלה דמהימנותא, "the word of faith", may be seen in the Jewish writings ^z; and this shows what word is here meant, even the Gospel so called, because it contains doctrines which are to be believed upon the testimony of God, and particularly the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ received by faith; and because it proposes Christ as the object of faith, and encourages souls to believe in him for life and salvation; and is also the means of begetting and implanting faith in the heart, and without it the preaching of it is of no avail: and it is further described by the ministration of it,

which we preach; being sent, commissioned, qualified, and assisted by Christ thereunto; which shows the agreement between Moses and the apostles of Christ; for the word which he spoke of, they preached, and indeed said no other things than what the prophets and Moses said should come, that Christ should suffer in the stead of his people, and rise again for their justification; the sum of which is delivered in Rom 10:9.

Gill: Rom 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus // and shall believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,.... That is, if a man shall make a good, sincere, and hearty confession to God, before the church and people of God, and before the world, that Christ is his Lord and Saviour, whom he desires to serve, and to be saved by; and this as arising from a comfortable experience of the grace of God in his soul, and from a true faith in Christ in his heart, wherefore it follows,

and shall believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved; for this article of Christ's resurrection includes the several other articles of faith: it supposes his death, and that supposes his life, and the obedience of it; and his life implies his being here on earth, and that his coming down from heaven to do the will of his Father; and this is the rather mentioned, which is here ascribed to God the Father, though not to the exclusion of the Son and Spirit, because that Christ is risen again for our justification, with which true faith is principally concerned; for such a faith is intended, not which lies in a mere assent to the truth of this, or any other article of the Christian religion; but which is concerned with Christ for righteousness, life, and glory; and with such a faith salvation is certainly and inseparably connected.

Gill: Rom 10:10 - For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness // and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness,.... The apostle here explains the nature and use both of faith and confession; as true faith does not lie in the bare assent of the mind to the Gospel, or any truth contained in it, respecting the person and office of Christ, so neither does it lie, as not in the brain, so not in the tongue, but in the heart; it is not a notional knowledge of things to be believed; nor is it saying that a man believes; but it is heart work, a believing with all the heart; such a faith in which all the powers of the soul, the understanding, will, and affections, are concerned, it is a seeing of the Son, a beholding of the glory, fulness, suitableness, ability, and willingness of Christ as a Saviour, with the eye of the understanding spiritually enlightened; it is a going out of the soul to Christ, in various acts, such as venturing into his presence, prostrating itself at his feet, resolving if it perishes it will perish there; a giving up itself unto him, determining it will have no other Saviour, leaning and relying on him, and living upon him; which faith works by love to Christ, moves the affections, stirs up the desires of the soul to his name, and endears him and all that belong to him to it. The use of this grace is, "unto righteousness"; it is not instead of one, for faith is not our righteousness; nor is it in order to work out one, for this grace puts a soul on renouncing its own righteousness; but its use is to receive one, even the righteousness of Christ, which when it spies, it admires, receives, lays hold on, and rejoices in looking on itself as righteous through this righteousness, and so has peace with God through Christ:

and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. This is to be understood not of confession of sin, though that is proper and requisite to be made, both with respect to the participation, and enjoyment of salvation, particularly pardoning grace and mercy, and to an admission to Gospel ordinances; but of confession of Christ, as appears from the preceding verse, which lies in a frank and open acknowledgment of what Christ is in himself, as that he is truly and properly God, the Son of God, the true Messiah, the Mediator between God and man, and the only Saviour of lost sinners, and of our faith in him, with respect to ourselves, to our pardon, justification, acceptance and salvation in him and through him; in ascribing the whole of our salvation to him, and giving him the glory of it; in declaring to the churches of Christ what he has done for our souls, and in subjecting ourselves to his ordinances. This confession must be made both by words and facts, must be open, visible, and before men; and also real, hearty, and sincere, the words of the mouth agreeing with the experience of the heart; and such a good profession made before God, angels, and men, highly becomes all that believe with the heart. This was the practice of the primitive saints; yea, all nations own, acknowledge, and profess the God they worship; and should not we confess our God, Saviour and Redeemer? Christ himself confessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate, and is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession. So to do, makes both for the glory of God, and for our own real good and advantage. Yea, it is "unto salvation"; not as a cause of it, for Christ alone is the author of eternal salvation; but a sincere and well made confession of Christ points out to all that know us where and from whom we expect to have salvation; it is what lies in the way, and is to be taken up by all that believe in Christ, and to be held fast without wavering until we receive the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls.

Gill: Rom 10:11 - For the Scripture saith // whosoever // that believeth // in him // and shall not be ashamed

For the Scripture saith,.... Of this form of expression, or mode of speaking; see Gill on Rom 9:17. The passage referred to is Isa 28:16, cited before in Rom 9:33; the view with which it is produced is to prove the certain connection between faith and righteousness, and confession and salvation; or in other words, to observe that such who cordially believe in Christ, and make a sincere profession of their faith in him, shall be saved. There are some things somewhat different from, though agreeing in sense with, the words as they stand in the prophet; there it is indefinitely said, "he that believeth", here an universal is made use of,

whosoever, or "everyone"

that believeth: which phrases are equipollent, and a certain truth it is, that whosoever believes in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, be he who he will, shall surely be saved: here the object believed in, is expressed

in him, which is there implied, and may easily be understood of the stone laid in Zion for a foundation, which is Christ; for other foundation can no man lay, and whoever by faith builds on this foundation is safe:

and shall not be ashamed; neither in this world, nor in that to come; in the Hebrew text it is, "shall not make haste"; how this may be reconciled; see Gill on Rom 9:2, Rom 9:3.

Gill: Rom 10:12 - For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek // for the same Lord over all // is rich unto all that call upon him

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek,.... Some reasons are here assigned, confirming the apostle's sense of the prophet's words, that everyone that believes in Christ shall be saved; for there is no distinction of nations, no superiority on account of carnal descent, or fleshly privileges, no preeminence on the score of the laws and ordinances of the former dispensation, all which are now abolished; nor is there any difference in their state God-ward, all being under sin, and without a righteousness, and all standing in need of the righteousness of Christ, and salvation by him; to which is added another reason,

for the same Lord over all, or "is over all": by whom is meant, either God the Father, who is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews, Rom 3:29; or rather the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all; and is to be understood, not of his being so merely by creation, but redemption, he having bought with his blood all the elect of God, both among the Jews and among the Gentiles; so that he has the same equal propriety in one as another, and they the same claim to him, and the same encouragement to believe in him, for righteousness and life: and moreover, he

is rich unto all that call upon him; he is not only rich as God, being possessed of all divine perfections and glory, but as Mediator, having the riches of grace and glory in him; and is rich, beneficent, liberal and free in dispensing, pardoning, justifying, and sanctifying grace to all that come unto him, throw themselves at his feet, implore his grace and righteousness, and call upon him with faith and fervency. Such as these are here designed, and not all that make mention of his name, or are called by it; but who are the true worshippers of him in faith and fear; for the invocation of his name includes all worship of him, and exercise of grace upon him; hence this passage is no inconsiderable proof of his proper deity.

Gill: Rom 10:13 - For whosoever shall call upon the name the Lord // shall be saved

For whosoever shall call upon the name the Lord,.... This testimony is taken out of Joe 2:32 and is brought to prove the truth of what the apostle had just suggested, that all that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, will find him rich and plenteous in mercy, and ready to dispense his grace and salvation to them: such

shall be saved; be they who they will, whether Jews or Gentiles; not with a temporal salvation only, but with a spiritual and eternal one; for the words of the prophet refer to Gospel times, as the context shows, and is cited and applied thereunto by the Apostle Peter, Act 2:16; besides, the deliverance and salvation Joel speaks of, is of a "remnant whom the Lord shall call", Joe 2:32; and designs the remnant according to the election of grace, whether among Jews or Gentiles, whom God calls by his efficacious grace; between which call and eternal glory, there is a certain and inseparable connection.

Gill: Rom 10:14 - How then shall they call on him in whom they, have not believed // and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard // and how shall they hear without a preacher

How then shall they call on him in whom they, have not believed?.... The apostle having observed, that whoever, Jew or Gentile, believe in the Lord and call upon his name, shall be saved; and that the same Lord was ready and willing to dispense his grace, without any difference to them; suggests, that it was therefore absolutely necessary, that the Gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews; that it was the will of God it should be; that what he and others did, was by a divine commission; that they were sent by the Lord to preach the Gospel to them; that hearing they might believe, and so call upon the name of the Lord, and be saved; and therefore the Jews ought not to blame them for so doing, for there was a real necessity for it, since there can be no true calling upon God without faith, no faith without hearing, no hearing without preaching, and no preaching without a divine mission. The first of these is signified by this interrogation. Every man calls upon the God he believes in, and him only; this has been the practice of all men, in all nations; such as have not believed in God and Christ, do not call upon them; it is true indeed, there may be an external invocation of them, where there is no true faith; but then this is not calling upon them in truth and sincerity; as is their faith, so is their calling upon them; as the one is historical, the other is only external; there is no true invocation without faith, or any that is acceptable to God, or of any avail to men; for calling on the name of the Lord, as it ought to be practised in all religious worship, so it includes and every part of worship as done in faith:

and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? the meaning is, that there is no faith in Christ without hearing of him; as it is in human, so in divine faith, there may be believing without seeing, but not without hearing; so we believe that there were such men as Alexander and Julius Caesar, and other persons now in being, though we never saw them, having heard of them, or had a report made of them, which we have reason to give credit to; so there may be, and is faith in Christ without seeing him with our bodily eyes, though not without hearing of him; for of an unheard of person, there can be no faith in him, because no exercise of thought about him. This is to be understood of outward hearing of the word, and of adult persons only; for that, infants may have the grace of regeneration, and so faith wrought in them by the Spirit of God, without hearing the word, is not to be denied; since as they are capable of the principles of corruption, why not of grace? and also of such persons as have the right and free exercise of the faculties of hearing and speaking, and not of such who never could hear, and speak; for as the Spirit works where, and how he pleases, so he can work faith in the hearts of such persons who never heard the word, and enable them to exercise it on the proper object, and cause them secretly to call upon the name of the Lord, with groans which cannot be uttered. Moreover, this is to be, understood of the ordinary way and means of believing; for though God can, and sometimes does work by other means, and even without any, yet his usual way and method is, to bring men to faith and repentance by the hearing of the word:

and how shall they hear without a preacher? or there is no hearing without, preaching; there may be reading without it, and this ought to be where there is preaching, to see that what is preached is agreeably to the Scriptures; but there is no hearing the word explained without preaching; explaining the word is preaching. There is no hearing of Christ, and salvation by him, without the preaching of the Gospel; the usual and ordinary way of hearing from God, and of Christ, is by the ministry of the word: this shows not only the necessity and usefulness of the Gospel ministry, but also points out the subject matter of it, which is Christ, and him crucified. They that preach ought to preach concerning the person of Christ, his offices, grace, righteousness, blood, sacrifice and satisfaction, otherwise men may hear the preacher, and not hear Christ.

Gill: Rom 10:15 - And how shall they preach, except they be sent // it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things

And how shall they preach, except they be sent,.... There is no proper, rightful, regular, and lawful preaching of the word without a mission, which is either extraordinary, or ordinary; extraordinary mission was such as the apostles themselves had; who, as they were called to extraordinary service, had extraordinary qualifications, and were sent forth in an extraordinary manner, with a power of doing miracles, and immediately by Christ himself. Ordinary mission is of men to be pastors and teachers, which includes qualifications for the ministerial work; for whom Christ sends forth into such service, he bestows gifts on them, fitting them for it, some more, some less, but all have some; and it also includes a call unto it, which is either internal, and by the Spirit of God, and lies partly in the furniture he gives, and the inclination of the heart to this good work which he forms; and which arises not from a vanity of mind, and a desire of popular applause, and worldly views, and sinister ends; but from a real concern for the good of souls, and the glory of Christ, being willing to deny themselves, and forsake all for Christ, to suitor reproach for his name's sake, and to forego all worldly interest, and secular views: or is external, which is given by the churches of Christ, after due trial and examination of gifts, and a serious consideration of the matter, and that in the most solemn manner; and this is what may be properly called a preacher's mission, and none but such who are in this way sent out ought to preach the Gospel: and to such well agrees, and may be applied, that passage in Isa 52:7, where

it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things; which words are not to be understood of the messengers that brought the tidings of deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, but of the ministers of the Gospel. In Isa 52:7 it is expressed in the singular number, "how beautiful are the feet of him", &c. and is by some understood of Christ, as it is also by many Jewish writers: thus interpreting the "turtle's voice" in Son 2:12;

"this (say they ^a) is the voice of the King Messiah, proclaiming and saying, "how beautiful on the mountains", &c.''

And elsewhere ^b it is observed, that the

"Rabbins say, great is peace, for when the King Messiah comes, he does not open but with peace, as it is said, "how beautiful upon the mountains", &c.''

And says ^c another,

"one verse says, "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings", פירש המלך המשיח, "the explanation", or meaning is, the King Messiah:''

and some of the more, modern ones ^d of them, own these words are, מענין הגאולה וביאת המשיח, "concerning the redemption, and the coming of the Messiah": and so the worlds, however they may principally regard the Messiah and his ministry, are property applied to the apostles of Christ; and may be rightly understood of any minister of the Gospel, whose business it is to "preach the Gospel of peace": which is so called from the subject matter of it, peace made by the blood of Christ, which it proclaims; from the effect of it, producing, peace and tranquillity in distressed minds, and making men of peaceable dispositions; and from the use of it, which is to direct men to the way of peace, to guide their feet in it, lead them to eternal peace: their work is also to "bring glad tidings of good things"; such as reconciliation, righteousness, pardon, life, and eternal salvation, by a crucified Christ; and the preaching of such a Gospel, and bringing such news, make their "feet beautiful": one should have thought rather their lips than their feet would be took notice of; the reason of this is, partly because of the agreeableness of their walk and conversation to the doctrine they preach; and partly because of their readiness to preach it everywhere, though they run the utmost risk in so doing; and also because of their swiftness, particularly of the apostles, in going through the cities of Israel, and running over the Gentile world with the Gospel of peace, in so short a time as they did; and more especially because of the acceptableness of their message, with which they were sent and ran; see 2Sa 18:27. And so this passage is pertinently alleged to prove, that mission is necessary to preaching; since these words declare the character of Gospel ministers, as publishers of peace, and messengers of good tidings; and express the message itself, and the nature of it; both which suppose them to be sent by another, even the Lord, under whose authority, and by whose warrant they act; just as ambassadors, heralds, and messengers do, by virtue of a commission they receive from their prince.

Gill: Rom 10:16 - But they have not all obeyed the Gospel // for Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report

But they have not all obeyed the Gospel,.... Who hear it, and to whom it is preached; for though ministers may be regularly sent forth, and rightly preach the Gospel in the purity of it, yet there is no success without the power of God attending it: ministers may preach, and men may hear, and yet not obey the Gospel; that is, cordially embrace the doctrines, and sincerely submit to the ordinances of it:

for Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report; or "our hearing", agreeably to the Hebrew word in Isa 53:1, שמועתנו, and which designs not the "hearing" with which the apostles heard Christ, though what they heard from him, they made known to men; but the hearing, or the word heard, which others had from them, namely, the report they made in their ministry, of the person and grace of Christ, which was disregarded, when the arm and power of the Lord were not, revealed and exerted: this was the case of the Jews in Isaiah's time, and the same in the times of Christ and his apostles, and is always the case, when divine power does not attend the preaching of the Gospel.

Gill: Rom 10:17 - So then faith comes by hearing // and hearing by the word of God

So then faith comes by hearing,.... That is, by preaching; for the word hearing is used in the same sense as in the preceding verse; and designs the report of the Gospel, or the preaching of the word, which is the means God makes use of, to convey faith into the hearts of his people; for preachers are ministers, or instruments, by whom others believe:

and hearing by the word of God; or "of Christ", as some copies read, and so do the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions; and intends either the holy Scriptures, which have God for their author, and Christ for the subject of them; and which furnish the men of God, or ministers of the Gospel, with proper materials to preach; and so hearing or preaching is by them, or else the command of God or Christ, which ρημα more properly signifies; and the sense is, that men preach the Gospel in obedience to the commandment of the everlasting God, and according to the orders, mission, and commission, warrant and authority, of the Lord Jesus Christ: and so these words are the conclusion, and sum of the whole; that as invocation is owing to faith, so faith to hearing, hearing to preaching, preaching to a mission; whence it follows, that it is the original will of God, to send forth his apostles and ministers, to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews; that they hearing might believe, and believing call upon the Lord, and so be saved by him: it is a saying of the Jews, שמיעה בדבור תליא, "hearing depends upon the word" ^e.

Gill: Rom 10:18 - But I say, have they not heard // yes, verily // their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world

But I say, have they not heard?.... ואני אומר, "but I say", is a phrase frequently used by the Jewish doctors in disputation, either in forming or answering objections. The Ethiopic version confines these words to Israel, and reads, "have not Israel heard?" whereas they are to be understood both of Jews and Gentiles; the question refers to each, and the answer is,

yes, verily: which the Arabic renders just the reverse, "no", or "not at all, notwithstanding their sound went into all the earth"; and so makes this an aggravation of their stupidity, and obstinate rejection of the Gospel, that they would not hear it, though its sound reached every place; but the answer is in the affirmative, they did hear. The Jews heard the Gospel in the times of Isaiah, and other prophets, though they disbelieved the report of it; they heard it from John the Baptist, and were pleased with his ministry for a while; yea, they heard Christ himself preach it, who spake as never man did, with power and authority, as the Scribes did not, and wondered at his gracious words; they heard the apostles of Christ, who for some time were limited in their ministry to them only, and after their commission was enlarged, were ordered to preach first to them; so that they could not say they had not heard it, and they were left entirely inexcusable. The Gentiles also had heard it; the apostles were bid to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; and at a proper opportunity, they did as the Lord commanded them, and the Gentiles heard the Gospel with joy and pleasure; multitudes were converted everywhere, and churches raised through their ministry, according to the will of God; thus

their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world; the passage referred to is Psa 19:4, which some here, as there, understand literally of the works of nature, the heavens, the firmament, the sun, moon and stars, proclaiming every where the being of God, his perfections, especially his wisdom, power, and goodness; so that the Gentiles were not without hearing of God, even whilst they were destitute of a divine revelation; which was a sort of a prelude of the after extensive spread of the Gospel among them: a voice, or sound, is ascribed to the inanimate creatures; and which is so loud, that it reaches to the end of the earth. There are three voices, the Jews say ^f which go "from one end of the world to the other"; and one of them is קול גלגל חמה, "the voice of the orb of the sun": others understand these words of the law, of which many "encomiums" are given in the psalm from whence this passage is taken; and though it was delivered peculiarly to the people of the Jews, yet the fame of it reached the nations of the world, as Moses suggests it would, Deu 4:6; and the Jews say ^g.

"that when the law was given to Israel, מסוף העולם ועד סופו קוՊœו הולך, "its voice went from one end of the world to the other".''

Or as it is better expressed by Philo ^h, and almost in the words of this text,

"the fame of the laws which Moses left, is gone throughout all the world, unto the ends of the earth.''

But certain it is, that the apostle is speaking neither of the light of nature, nor the law of Moses, but of the preaching of the Gospel; and what the Psalmist, literally understood, says of the heavens, that the apostle in an allegorical and mystical sense, or by an argument from the lesser to the greater, or by way of allusion, applies to the apostles and ministers of the Gospel, the luminaries of the world, and stars of heaven; whose ministry, by this time, had reached the then known parts of the habitable world; as it was to do, before the destruction of Jerusalem, according to Christ's prediction, Mat 24:14, and as the Apostle Paul testifies it had, Col 1:6, and in which he himself had a very considerable share, having preached the Gospel from Jerusalem, round about unto Illyricum. There is some little difference between the passage in the Psalms, and as cited or referred to by the apostle, who instead of "their line", reads "their sound"; which have made some suspect a corruption of the present Hebrew text, or a various reading; and that the Septuagint, followed by the apostle, used a copy which had not, קום, "their line", but קולם, "their voice", and which was the true reading; but then how came the Chaldee paraphrase to render it by, מתך, "extension", and Aquila by κανων, "a canon", or "rule?" and besides, the Masora observes, that this word is no where else read, which is not true of קולם, for that often occurs; to which may be added, had this been the reading, the Septuagint would have rendered it most probably, as they do elsewhere, by "voice", and not "sound": but for the reconciliation of this let it be observed, that the Hebrew word signifies a rule, or plummet, or such a line as builders use in their work, as a direction to them, hence Kimchi ⁱ explains it by בניינם, "their building"; and so it may signify any rule, or direction, whether given by writing, and so Aben Ezra ^k interprets it by מכתב, "writing", or by word of mouth; besides, the carpenter's line, when stretched out, and remitted upon the timber, makes a sound, and hence the word might be used for one: all this agrees with the ministry of the apostles, who were builders; and as they worked by a line and rule themselves, so they gave out rules and directions to others, both by writing and preaching, both which reached far and near; this the apostle seems to allude to, in 2Co 10:13, where he speaks of the measure, line, and rule of their ministry, which reached to Corinth and further, without going into another man's line: moreover, that great Oriental critic, and our countryman, Mr. Pocock ^l, has shown from the use of the word קוה, in the Arabic language, that the word in the Psalms may signify a loud cry, or noise, as well as a line, or rule; so that the psalmist and the apostle may be easily reconciled.

Gill: Rom 10:19 - But I say, did not Israel know // first Moses saith // I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you

But I say, did not Israel know? Some supply the word "God", did not Israel know God? verily, they did; they knew the being and perfections of God, the unity of God, and the trinity of persons in the divine essence; they knew the will of God, and the right way of worshipping him; for they were favoured with a divine revelation; to them were committed the oracles of God, and to them belonged the giving of the "Gospel", did not Israel know the Gospel? yes, they did; they not only heard it, but knew it; not spiritually and experimentally, but nationally and speculatively, and, against the light and conviction of their own minds, obstinately rejected it with contempt: but I rather think this question refers to the calling of the Gentiles, and their own rejection; and the sense is, did not Israel know, that the Gentiles were to be called by the grace of God, and that they themselves were to be cast off? they did know this, at least something of it, though not so clearly as it is now revealed to the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; but in some measure they could not but know it, since there were such strong hints of it in the writings of the Old Testament, some of which are hereafter produced:

first Moses saith; not "Moses the first", as if there was another, or a second Moses, but either Moses, who is the first of the inspired writers, and chief of the prophets; or rather this regards order of time, Moses in the first place says so and so, for other testimonies are after cited; the passage in Moses referred to, is Deu 32:21.

I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. The Gentiles are here designed by "them that are no people": who before God, and in his sight, as all nations are, were as a drop of the bucket, as the small dust of the balance: nay, even as nothing, yea, less than nothing and vanity: likewise they were no people of any account, of any name; they were mean and contemptible, neglected and overlooked by God himself, and treated with contempt by the Jews, his professing people: and besides, they were not as yet openly and visibly the people of God; they neither called upon his name, nor were they called by his name; he had not as yet taken from among them a people for his name: these are also meant by "the foolish nation"; Jarchi ^m says, the Cuthites, or Samaritans, are intended; who were neighbours to the Jews, and greatly hated by them: but it may more rightly be applied to all the Gentiles in general, who notwithstanding their large pretensions to natural, civil, and moral wisdom, yet being without a true knowledge of God, Christ, and the Gospel, were a foolish people; and in nothing more did their folly appear, than in their idolatry and superstition. Now the Lord threatened by these people to provoke the Jews to jealousy, and to anger them; and this was but just, and by way of retaliation; for since they provoked him to jealousy and anger, by worshipping strange gods, which plainly declared their want of faith in him, affection for him, and their departure from him; it was a righteous thing in him to provoke them to jealousy of him, as if he had no affection for them, who had been so long, in some sense, an husband to them all; and as about to cast them off; and to anger them, by sending his Gospel among the Gentiles, and calling them by his grace, and making them partakers of his special favours; whereby this prophecy had its full accomplishment: for though the Jews rejected and despised the Gospel themselves, yet nothing more provoked them than that it should be carried among the Gentiles; see Act 22:21. Now from these words of Moses, the Israelites must needs know, they could not but know that it was the will of God to call the Gentiles, and reject them.

Gill: Rom 10:20 - But Esaias is very bold, and saith // I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me

But Esaias is very bold, and saith,.... The apostle here produces another testimony in proof of this, that the Israelites must needs have some knowledge of this truth, the calling of the Gentiles; since a famous prophet of theirs, Isaiah, also spake out with great freedom; he did not mince the matter, or cover it with dark sayings, but with all plainness and perspicuity, and with great courage and intrepidity declared it; though he knew he run the risk, not only of his fame and credit among the Jews, but of his life also, for so doing: the citation is made from Isa 65:1.

I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me; here also the Gentiles are meant by "them that sought me not, and asked not after me"; the Messiah; and so R. Moses the priest says ⁿ, that these words are to be understood, על אומות העולם, "concerning the nations of the world". The common people among them sought after the things of the world; their philosophers sought after the wisdom of it; and the more devout and religious among them sought the observance of superstitious rites and ceremonies, and, at best and most, a little morality and external righteousness; but none sought after Christ, for they knew nothing of him, and therefore did not so much as ask after him; they did not ask counsel of him, nor ask concerning him, nor ask for him; not for his coming into the world, as the Jews did, nor for the preaching of the Gospel among them, for it came among them unasked for, unexpected, and undesired, as well as undeserved by them, nor for any blessing of his; and yet such was his grace and goodness, that he was "found" of these persons, in the preaching of the Gospel; which by his kind providence was brought among them, and they were brought under the hearing of it; and by the Spirit of God directed to him in it, in whom they found life, peace, pardon, righteousness, food, and rest, and every valuable blessing; a pearl of great price they found, a finding which can never be lost: he is also said to be "made manifest" unto them, not in the flesh, but in the ministry of the word; in which his person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, are evidently set forth, and clearly manifested; and besides the outward manifestation of Christ to them by the Gospel, they had no internal revelation of him in their hearts by his Spirit, setting forth to them his grace and fulness, and showing them their interest therein: from this prophecy, also, the Jews could not but have some knowledge of this mystery of grace.

Gill: Rom 10:21 - But to Israel he saith // All day long I have stretched forth my hands, unto a disobedient and gainsaying people

But to Israel he saith,.... Or against Israel, or concerning Israel he saith in the same prophecy in Isa 65:2.

All day long I have stretched forth my hands, unto a disobedient and gainsaying people: very rightly does the apostle apply these words to Israel, as he does the former to the Gentiles; and just in like manner does the above mentioned Jewish writer, R. Moses the priest, interpret them. The Lord's "stretching out his hands all the day long" to them, designs the ministry of the prophets one after another to them, the preaching of John the Baptist, of Christ and his apostles among them: but they were a stiffnecked and rebellious people, uncircumcised in heart and ears; would have none of his counsel, and despised his reproof; contradicted and blasphemed the word; rejected the Messiah and his Gospel; killed the Prince of life, and persecuted his apostles; so that it was just with God to write a "Lo-ammi", Hos_1:9, upon them, and cast them off; and, to pave the way for the account of the rejection of these people in the next chapter, is all this said, and these testimonies produced.