4 For G1063 Christ G5547 is the end G5056 of the law G3551 for G1519 righteousness G1343 to every one G3956 that believeth. G4100
For G1063 what the law G3551 could not do, G102 in G1722 that G3739 it was weak G770 through G1223 the flesh, G4561 God G2316 sending G3992 his own G1438 Son G5207 in G1722 the likeness G3667 of sinful G266 flesh, G4561 and G2532 for G4012 sin, G266 condemned G2632 sin G266 in G1722 the flesh: G4561 That G2443 the righteousness G1345 of the law G3551 might be fulfilled G4137 in G1722 us, G2254 who walk G4043 not G3361 after G2596 the flesh, G4561 but G235 after G2596 the Spirit. G4151
G2228 Know ye not, G50 brethren, G80 (for G1063 I speak G2980 to them that know G1097 the law,) G3551 how that G3754 the law G3551 hath dominion over G2961 a man G444 as long as G1909 G3745 G5550 he liveth? G2198 For G1063 the woman G1135 which hath an husband G5220 is bound G1210 by the law G3551 to her husband G435 so long as he liveth; G2198 but G1161 if G1437 the husband G435 be dead, G599 she is loosed G2673 from G575 the law G3551 of her husband. G435 So then G686 G3767 if, G1437 while her husband G435 liveth, G2198 she be married G1096 to another G2087 man, G435 she shall be called G5537 an adulteress: G3428 but G1161 if G1437 her husband G435 be dead, G599 she is G2076 free G1658 from G575 that law; G3551 so that she G846 is G1511 no G3361 adulteress, G3428 though she be married G1096 to another G2087 man. G435 Wherefore, G5620 my G3450 brethren, G80 ye G5210 also G2532 are become dead G2289 to the law G3551 by G1223 the body G4983 of Christ; G5547 that G1519 ye G5209 should be married G1096 to another, G2087 even to him who is raised G1453 from G1537 the dead, G3498 that G2443 we should bring forth fruit G2592 unto God. G2316
But G1161 into G1519 the second G1208 went the high priest G749 alone G3441 once G530 every year, G1763 not G3756 without G5565 blood, G129 which G3739 he offered G4374 for G5228 himself, G1438 and G2532 for the errors G51 of the people: G2992 The Holy G40 Ghost G4151 this G5124 signifying, G1213 that the way G3598 into the holiest of all G39 was G5319 not yet G3380 made manifest, G5319 while as the first G4413 tabernacle G4633 was G2192 yet G2089 standing: G4714 Which G3748 was a figure G3850 for G1519 the time G2540 then present, G1764 in G2596 which G3739 were offered G4374 both G5037 gifts G1435 and G2532 sacrifices, G2378 that could G1410 not G3361 make G5048 him that did the service G3000 perfect, G5048 as pertaining to G2596 the conscience; G4893 Which stood only G3440 in G1909 meats G1033 and G2532 drinks, G4188 and G2532 divers G1313 washings, G909 and G2532 carnal G4561 ordinances, G1345 imposed G1945 on them until G3360 the time G2540 of reformation. G1357 But G1161 Christ G5547 being come G3854 an high priest G749 of good things G18 to come, G3195 by G1223 a greater G3187 and G2532 more perfect G5046 tabernacle, G4633 not G3756 made with hands, G5499 that is to say, G5123 not G3756 of this G5026 building; G2937 Neither G3761 by G1223 the blood G129 of goats G5131 and G2532 calves, G3448 but G1161 by G1223 his own G2398 blood G129 he entered in G1525 once G2178 into G1519 the holy place, G39 having obtained G2147 eternal G166 redemption G3085 for us. For G1063 if G1487 the blood G129 of bulls G5022 and G2532 of goats, G5131 and G2532 the ashes G4700 of an heifer G1151 sprinkling G4472 the unclean, G2840 sanctifieth G37 to G4314 the purifying G2514 of the flesh: G4561 How much G4214 more G3123 shall G2511 the blood G129 of Christ, G5547 who G3739 through G1223 the eternal G166 Spirit G4151 offered G4374 himself G1438 without spot G299 to God, G2316 purge G2511 your G5216 conscience G4893 from G575 dead G3498 works G2041 to G1519 serve G3000 the living G2198 God? G2316
Think G3543 not G3361 that G3754 I am come G2064 to destroy G2647 the law, G3551 or G2228 the prophets: G4396 I am G2064 not G3756 come G2064 to destroy, G2647 but G235 to fulfil. G4137 For G1063 verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Till G2193 G302 heaven G3772 and G2532 earth G1093 pass, G3928 one G1520 jot G2503 or G2228 one G3391 tittle G2762 shall in no wise G3364 pass G3928 from G575 the law, G3551 till G2193 G302 all G3956 be fulfilled. G1096
Be it G2077 known G1110 unto you G5213 therefore, G3767 men G435 and brethren, G80 that G3754 through G1223 this man G5127 is preached G2605 unto you G5213 the forgiveness G859 of sins: G266 And G2532 by G1722 him G5129 all G3956 that believe G4100 are justified G1344 from G575 all things, G3956 from which G3739 ye could G1410 not G3756 be justified G1344 by G1722 the law G3551 of Moses. G3475
Whom G3739 God G2316 hath set forth G4388 to be a propitiation G2435 through G1223 faith G4102 in G1722 his G846 blood, G129 to G1519 declare G1732 his G846 righteousness G1343 for G1223 the remission G3929 of sins G265 that are past, G4266 through G1722 the forbearance G463 of God; G2316 To G4314 declare, G1732 I say, at G1722 this G3568 time G2540 his G846 righteousness: G1343 that G1519 he might be G1511 just, G1342 and G2532 the justifier G1344 of him G846 which believeth G4102 in G1537 Jesus. G2424 Where G4226 is boasting G2746 then? G3767 It is excluded. G1576 By G1223 what G4169 law? G3551 of works? G2041 Nay: G3780 but G235 by G1223 the law G3551 of faith. G4102 Therefore G3767 we conclude G3049 that a man G444 is justified G1344 by faith G4102 without G5565 the deeds G2041 of the law. G3551 Is he G2228 the God G2316 of the Jews G2453 only? G3440 is he not G3780 also G1161 G2532 of the Gentiles? G1484 Yes, G3483 of the Gentiles G1484 also: G2532 Seeing G1897 it is one G1520 God, G2316 which G3739 shall justify G1344 the circumcision G4061 by G1537 faith, G4102 and G2532 uncircumcision G203 through G1223 faith. G4102 Do we G2673 then G3767 make void G2673 the law G3551 through G1223 faith? G4102 God forbid: G3361 G1096 yea, G235 we establish G2476 the law. G3551
Above G511 when he said, G3004 G3754 Sacrifice G2378 and G2532 offering G4376 and G2532 burnt offerings G3646 and G2532 offering for G4012 sin G266 thou wouldest G2309 not, G3756 neither G3761 hadst pleasure G2106 therein; which G3748 are offered G4374 by G2596 the law; G3551 Then G5119 said he, G2046 Lo, G2400 I come G2240 to do G4160 thy G4675 will, G2307 O God. G2316 He taketh away G337 the first, G4413 that G2443 he may establish G2476 the second. G1208 By G1722 the which G3739 will G2307 we are G2070 sanctified G37 through G1223 the offering G4376 of the body G4983 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 once G2178 for all. And G2532 G3303 every G3956 priest G2409 standeth G2476 daily G2596 G2250 ministering G3008 and G2532 offering G4374 oftentimes G4178 the same G846 sacrifices, G2378 which G3748 can G1410 never G3763 take away G4014 sins: G266 But G1161 this man, G846 after he had offered G4374 one G3391 sacrifice G2378 for G5228 sins G266 for G1519 ever, G1336 sat down G2523 on G1722 the right hand G1188 of God; G2316
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Romans 10
Commentary on Romans 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
Ro 10:1-21. Same Subject Continued—How Israel Came to Miss Salvation, and the Gentiles to Find It.
1. Brethren, my heart's desire—The word here expresses "entire complacency," that in which the heart would experience full satisfaction.
and prayer—"supplication."
to God for Israel—"for them" is the true reading; the subject being continued from the close of the preceding chapter.
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 (Ro 9:1-3), he here expresses in the most emphatic terms his desire and prayer for their salvation.
2. For I bear them record—or, "witness," as he well could from his own sad experience.
that they have a zeal of—"for"
God, but not according to knowledge—(Compare Ac 22:3; 26:9-11; Ga 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).
3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness—that is, for the justification of the guilty (see on Ro 1:17).
and going about—"seeking"
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.
4. For Christ is the end—the object or aim.
of the law for—justifying
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 (Ga 3:24).
5-10. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man that doeth—"hath done"
those things—which it commands.
shall live in them—(Le 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."
6. But the—justifying
righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise—"speaketh thus"—its language or import is to this effect (quoting in substance De 30:13, 14).
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."
7. Or, Who shall descend, &c.—another case of impossibility, suggested by Pr 30:4, and perhaps also Am 9:2—probably proverbial expressions of impossibility (compare Ps 139:7-10; Pr 24:7, &c.).
8. But what saith it? It saith—continuing the quotation from De 30:14.
The word is nigh thee—easily accessible.
in thy mouth—when thou confessest Him.
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" (Ro 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.
that is, the word of faith, which we preach—that is, the word which men have to believe for salvation (compare 1Ti 4:6).
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.
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 (Mt 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.
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised—"that God raised"
him from the dead, &c.—(See on Ro 4:25). In Ro 10:10 the two things are placed in their natural order.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto—justifying
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.
11-13. For the scripture saith—in Isa 28:16, a glorious Messianic passage.
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed—Here, as in Ro 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.
12. For there is no difference—or "distinction"
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 Ro 10:9, 12, 13 and observing the apostle's usual style on such subjects. (So Chrysostom, Melville, Bengel, Meyer, De Wette, Fritzsche, Tholuck, Stuart, Alford, Philippi).
is rich—a favorite Pauline term to express the exuberance of that saving grace which is in Christ Jesus.
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 Ac 7:59, 60; 9:14, 21; 22:16; 1Co 1:2; 2Ti 2:22).
13. For—saith the scripture
whosoever—The expression is emphatic, "Everyone whosoever"
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved—(Joe 2:32); quoted also by Peter, in his great Pentecostal sermon (Ac 2:21), with evident application to Christ.
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 (Ac 26:16-18) we preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ?"
15. as it is written—(Isa 52:7).
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.
16, 17. But they have not all obeyed the gospel—that is, the Scripture hath prepared us to expect this sad result.
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."
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."
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?
Yes, verily, their sound went—"their voice went out"
into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world—These beautiful words are from Ps 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" (Lu 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.
19. But I say, Did not Israel know?—know, from their own Scriptures, of God's intention to bring in the Gentiles?
First—that is First in the prophetic line [De Wette].
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" (De 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.
20. But Esaias is very bold, and saith—that is, is still plainer, and goes even the length of saying.
I was found of them that sought me not—until I sought them.
I was made—"became"
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."
21. But to—rather, "with regard to"
Israel he saith, All day—"All the day"
long I have stretched out my hands—"did I stretch forth"
my hands—the attitude of gracious entreaty.
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.
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 (Ro 10:1-3; and see on Ro 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 (Ro 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," Re 22:17 (Ro 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 (Ro 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" (Mr 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 (Mt 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 (Ro 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 (Ro 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 (Ro 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 (Ro 10:21).