Romans Chapter 10

From The Open Bible Project

10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.

• (1) Purposing to set forth in the Jews an example of marvellous obstinacy, he uses this declaration.

10:2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

10:3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

• (2) The first entrance into the calling to salvation, is to renounce our own righteousness by faith, which God freely offers us in the Gospel.
• (a) The ignorance of the law (which we ought to know) does not excuse anyone before God, especially those that are of his household.
• (b) Ignorance always has pride associated with it.

10:4 For Christ is the [37] fulfillment [See Romans Footnotes 37] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

• (3) The proof: the law itself points to Christ, that those who believe in him should be saved. Therefore the calling to salvation by the works of the law, is vain and foolish: but Christ is offered for salvation to every believer.
• (c) The end of the law is to justify those that keep the law: but seeing that we do not observe the law through the fault of our flesh, we do not attain this end: but Christ heals this disease, for he fulfils the law for us.
• (d) Not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles.

10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them."[38]

• (4) That the law is points to Christ and is inclined to him is manifestly proved, because it propounds such a condition as can be and is fulfilled, by none but Christ alone: which being imputed to us by faith, our conscience is quieted, so that now no man can ask, "Who can ascend up into heaven, or bring us from hell?", seeing that the gospel teaches that both of these is done by Christ and that for their sake’s, who with true faith embrace him who calls them.

10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'[39] (that is, to bring Christ down);

• (e) Do not think to yourself, as men that are doubting do.

10:7 or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?'[40] (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;"[41] that is, the word of faith, which we preach:

• (5) Calling comes by the word preached.
• (f) By "word", Moses understood the law which the Lord proclaimed with his own voice: and Paul applied it to the preaching of the Gospel, which was the perfection of the law.

10:9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

• (6) That is indeed true faith which is settled not only in the head, but also in the heart of man, of which we also give testimony by our outward life, and which serves Christ as our one and only Saviour, even as he sets forth himself in his word.
• (g) If you profess plainly, sincerely, and openly, that you take Jesus alone to be thy Lord and Saviour.
• (h) The Father, who is said to have raised the Son from the dead: and this is not spoken to exclude the divinity of the Son, but to set forth the Father’s plan, with regard to our redemption in the resurrection of the Son.

10:10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

• (i) Faith is said to justify, and furthermore seeing the confession of the mouth is an effect of faith, and confession in the way to come to salvation, it follows that faith is also said to save.

10:11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."[42]

• (7) Now he proves the other part which he propounded before in the fourth verse, that is, that Christ calls whoever he wishes without any difference, and this confirms by a twofold testimony, (Romans 10:4).
• (k) To believe in God is to yield and consent to God’s promise of our salvation by Christ, and that not only in general, but when we know that the promises pertain to us, from which arises a sure trust.

10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.

10:13 For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."[43]

• (8) True calling upon the name of God is the testimony of true faith, and true faith of true vocation or calling, and true calling of true election.

10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?

• (9) That is, true faith, which seeks God in his word, and that preached: and this preaching God has appointed in the Church.

10:15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"[44]

10:16 But they didn't all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"[45]

• (10) Wherever faith is, there is also the word, but not the opposite, namely, wherever the word is, there may not necessarily be faith: for many refuse and reject the word.
• (l) He says this because of the Jews.

10:17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

• (11) A conclusion of the former discussion: we must ascend from faith to our calling, for by our calling we came to the testimony of our election.
• (m) By God’s commandment.

10:18 But I say, didn't they hear? Yes, most certainly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."[46]

• (12) An objection: if calling is a testimony of election, were not the Jews called? Why should I not grant that, says the apostle, seeing that there is no nation which has not been called? Much less can I say that the Jews were not called.

10:19 But I ask, didn't Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry."[47]

• (13) The defender and maintainer of the Jew’s cause goes on still to ask whether the Jews also did not know God, the one who called them. Isaiah, says the apostle, denies it: and witnesses that the Gospel was taken from them and given to the Gentiles, because the Jews rejected it. In addition the apostle teaches that the outward and universal calling, which is set forth by the creation of the world, is not sufficient for the knowledge of God: indeed, and that the particular calling also which is by the preaching of the word of God, is of itself of little or no efficacy, unless it is apprehended or laid hold of by faith, which is the gift of God: otherwise by unbelief it is made unprofitable, and that by the only fault of man, who can pretend no ignorance.
• (n) He calls all profane people "[them that are] no people", as they are not said to live but to die, who are appointed for everlasting condemnation.

10:20 Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who didn't seek me. I was revealed to those who didn't ask for me."[48]

• (o) Speaks without fear.

10:21 But as to Israel he says, "All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people."[49]