Romans 10

Romans 10:1

Romans 10:1 : Brethren, my heart’s desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved. The Jews regarded Paul as an apostate, a hater of their nation. In the beginning of Chapter 9, Paul expressed his deep devotion to his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh; but the Holy Spirit directed him in writing that only a remnant of Israel would be saved. The casting off the Jews was not an arbitrary act of God he had not doomed them beyond remedy. Had Paul so understood it, he would not have been praying that they might be saved. His desire and prayer showed his deep interest in them. There was still a way for Jews as individuals to be saved; but knowing that salvation could be attained only through Christ, he did not pray for them to be saved in their unbelief that was im-possible.

Romans 10:2

Romans 10:2 : For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. They had not understood the purpose of the law nor the voice of the prophets (Acts 13:27). Had they understood their own Scriptures, they would have known that Jesus fulfilled both the law and the prophets. The Jews were full of zeal, but in willful ignorance crucified the Son of God.

Romans 10:3

Romans 10:3 : For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. The Jews fully understood that God was a righteous being. It was not that of which they were ignorant. They were ignorant of God’s plan, or way, of righteousness. This righteousness is something to which men should submit and to which the Jews had not submitted. This righteousness is revealed in the gospel this they had repudiated, and were, therefore, in a lost condition.

Romans 10:4

Romans 10:4 : For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone that believeth. The law demanded absolute righteousness, but could not free the transgressor of guilt. The law could not make the guilty righteous. It seems to me that commentators usually miss Paul’s point. It is true that the law ended at the cross, but it ended at the cross regardless of whether one believes or does not believe. The end of which Paul here speaks is attained by those who believe in Christ.

The end, or aim, of the law was righteousness. The believer in Christ is made righteous, and thus the end of the law for righteousness is reached in Christ. When a man’s sins are all blotted out, when he is cleansed from all sin, he is righteous that condition is reached in Christ by those who believe. The end, or purpose, of the law was righteousness that end is reached in Christ by the believer. It will be noticed that Paul says: “Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone that believeth.” The modifying phrase, “to everyone that believeth,” shows that Paul was not speaking of the abrogation of the law that is taught abundantly elsewhere. And it was abrogated for all, believers and unbelievers alike.

Romans 10:5

Romans 10:5 : For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby. This refers to what Moses said in Leviticus 18:5 : “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine ordinances which if a man do, he shall live in them.” That meant strict adherence to all that the law said–perfect obedience to all its requirements. This no man ever did. Right-eousness would have been of the law if there had been perfect obedience to the law; and yet the law demanded just that. Its end, or purpose, is realized in Christ to all who believe. And that way of righteousness is not hard to understand, nor to practice.

Romans 10:6-8

Romans 10:6-8 : But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:), or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. In the connection in which these words are used, they seem at first glance to be somewhat obscure. Paul was quoting Deut. 30:12-14, with parenthetical words of his own to adapt the words of Moses to his own purpose. But the words of Moses in the verse preceding the words Paul quotes, together with the last words quoted, help us to understand the significance of the passage: “For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off. . . .

But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” “This commandment” refers to the whole law, which Moses had just finished giving them in detail and in completeness. Hence, it was nigh them; so that it was not necessary to go to heaven to bring it down, nor across the sea to learn it.

That law was not in heaven, but here among them. The law had been within easy reach, but righteousness had been unattainable. But the righteousness which is by faith in Christ is attainable, and is within easy reach. It does not require the impossible, such as ascending to heaven to bring Christ down or to bring him up from Hades. No such additional signs are necessary; nor do we now have to hear direct from heaven to enjoy this righteousness by faith. The word of faith, or the word which produces faith, was preached–that is, made known–by the apostles.

The connection shows that this plan of righteousness made known by the apostles is all that is necessary–is, indeed, the only plan through which we may become righteous by faith in Christ. To pray for some additional power to come direct from heaven is to show a lack of faith in what God has said.

But to believe in Christ means more than to give mental assent to the truths and facts revealed about him; it means more than to have a passive trust in him it must be an active faith–a faith made per-fect by obedience to the commands of him in whom we believe.

Romans 10:8-11

Romans 10:8-11 : But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach: because if thou shalt con-fess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. We are told that the Jews spoke of a difficult or impossible thing as a thing afar off an easy thing, as nigh. It was impossible, a thing afar off, to be justified by the law of Moses. To be justified by law requires perfect obedience, and no one rendered such obedience.

But the Jews expected their Messiah to be here on earth in person–to remain here. This gospel system of righteousness by faith in Christ does not demand that he be brought down from heaven; nor does it, as if he were yet in the tomb, demand that he be brought up from the dead.

It does not demand, nor require, his personal presence here on earth. But what does this gospel sys-tem of righteousness by faith say? “The word is nigh thee”; it is not a difficult matter–not a matter afar off. On the evidence given by his inspired teachers, you believe in the heart that he is the Messiah, and confess that faith with the mouth. That is the word of faith which the apostles preached, and that is the way of righteousness through Christ. To believe in Christ is to recognize him for what he is–to put our full trust in him to confess him is to pledge our allegiance to him. A mere lip confession is worthless; we must acknowledge him by word and deed as our Lord–our Prophet, Priest, and King, as well as our Savior.

This sort of confession brings us finally to eternal life, eternal salvation. And this announcement that salva-tion was now offered in the gospel to all, whether Jew or Gentile, was a great blow to the Jew with his pride of race.

It is now whosoever–“whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame.” Sometimes we put our trust or confidence in a man, and he betrays that con-fidence; he turns out bad, and we are put to shame. But we can put our full confidence in Christ, and give him our life’s best service, without any fear that he will betray us and put us to shame. We can glory in him now and evermore.

Romans 10:12-13

Romans 10:12-13 : For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and rich unto all that call upon him: for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Under the law there was a distinction between Jew and Gentile, but this was not a matter of favoritism. God was working out his greater plan, the plan in which Jew and Gentile would have the same standing before Jehovah. But the law of Moses–all things Jewish–had to be taken out of the way before both Jew and Gentile could be brought together into one body, one worshiping assembly (Ephesians 2:13-18). In Paul’s writings are many arguments to show that the law of Moses ended at the cross, but some of the professed Christians among the Jews never did recognize that the Jew had no advantage over the Gentile. His claim that God now made no distinction between Jew and Gentile, and his preaching to the Gentiles, made these Jews very bitter toward him.

They would not recognize that the riches of God’s grace were as abundant for the Gentiles, as for the Jew. It is: “Whosoever will.” In this the gospel of Christ is much more glorious than the law, as it is also in many other respects.

Romans 10:14-15

Romans 10:14-15 : How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they be-lieve in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! These are rhetorical questions, and are equal to direct statements. No one can call on one in whom he does not believe, and he cannot believe in one of whom he has never heard. And we never would have heard of Christ and his gospel had he not sent men to preach it. It had to be proclaimed in order that people might hear and believe. Paul is here speaking of the original proclamation of the gospel.

It is a perversion of Paul’s language to use it to prove that a preacher now cannot preach unless, the church sends him. It is also an argument contrary to facts, for a man can go out now and present the gospel of Christ without being sent by any church or any man. But the original proclamation of the gospel required men whom the Lord qualified and sent. If Jesus had not sent them, they could not have proclaimed the gospel. We are now just as dependent upon the preaching of these men whom Jesus sent as the people were to whom they went personally. They are the ones who brought the message.

The Lord selected them, gave them the message, and sent them to deliver it. Because this message is so precious and wonderful to those who accept it, it is said: “How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!”

Romans 10:16-18

Romans 10:16-18 : But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who bath believed our report? So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, their sound went out into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Personal responsibility is here plainly set forth.

If any did not believe, it was because they did not hearken to the glad tidings proclaimed by the preachers whom the Lord sent, for their report went out into all the earth–to the ends of the world. The unsaved man, whether Jew or Gentile, has no one to blame but himself. And this report went out to all, that they might believe; for faith comes by hearing the word of God, and it comes in no other way. Some people hear, and do not be-lieve, and are therefore not saved. In his explanation of the parable of the sower Jesus said: “The sower soweth the word.” “The seed is the word of God. And those by the wayside are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.” The devil knows that the word of God in the heart is the only thing that will cause anyone to believe. “And it came to pass in Iconium that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed” (Acts 14:1).

Romans 10:19-21

Romans 10:19-21 : But I say Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that, which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you. And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gain-saying people. “Did Israel not know?” This refers to what is said in Romans 10:18 : “Yea, verily, their sound went out into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” From this prophecy, quoted from Isaiah, Israel should have known that the gospel was to go “out into the earth,” “unto the ends of the world” to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. The Jews, therefore, should not have been angered, or even surprised, that the gospel was being preached to the Gentiles, as their own prophet had foretold. “But I say, Did Israel not know?” If they did not, it was because they were so blinded by their own conceits that they could not understand plain language. Even Moses had said: “I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of under-standing will I anger you.” The Jews were so opposed to the Gentiles that they wanted no consideration given them.

Even many of the professed Christians of the Jews were enraged at Paul for his work among the Gentiles. “And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.” It is true in a sense that men must seek after God, but they cannot do so unless they know something of him and the Gentiles were so lost in ignorance that they did not know to seek God until he was made known to them. Hence, it is literally true that God first sought the Gentiles.

They could not ask anything of Jehovah of whom they knew nothing. He had first to make himself manifest to them. This he did by sending his preachers out among them. But to Israel, who should have readily obeyed the gospel, God said: “All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” These Jews not only disobeyed, but spoke against God’s message to them. As an illustration of this, see Acts 13:45; Acts 18:5-6.