Read Romans 9:27-10:10
Verses 27-29 continue the theme of verses 25 and 26. Both are quotes from Isaiah (10:22-23 LXX modified, and 1:9 LXX). While they confirm what Paul wrote in Romans 9:6-8, that natural lineage does not qualify us for salvation, yet there is a glimmer of hope in these verses. God has not totally discarded the nation of Israel – “a remnant shall be saved” (v27).1 In their original context, they are speaking about the recovery of the nation in the yet future (see Isa 10:20-23). When we come to chapter 11, we will see that even in this age of grace, God has a remnant of Jews that are saved (11:1-5).
In 9:30-33, Paul draws the chapter to its conclusion. But in doing so, he also introduces the subject of chapter 10. Paul commences verse 30 with the question, “What shall we say then?” which is equivalent to saying, “In conclusion.” He follows with the words, “That the nations, not pursuing righteousness, apprehended righteousness, but a righteousness of faith” (Nestle’s Text). In other words, the Gentile nations acquired what they were not seeking. This is not saying that at no point did they seek to be justified before God. But the process didn’t start with them; God was seeking them before they sought God. On the other hand, Israel “pursued a law of righteousness” and, as a result, “did not arrive at a law [of righteousness]” (v31 Nestle’s). They could not attain God’s perfect standard of righteousness.
In verse 32, Paul answers his own question, “Wherefore?” or “Why?” He states that they did not seek it by faith but by law observance. They failed to see that they were sinners, totally unable to achieve God’s standards of righteousness. In pursuing their own righteousness, “they stumbled at the stone of stumbling” (v33 Nestle’s). Paul goes on to quote from two verses in Isaiah, the first of which is 8:14, the full text of which reads, “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” The other is 28:16: “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” The words “shall not be ashamed” come from the LXX. Christ is “the stone of stumbling.” Those who trust Him find Him to be “a sanctuary” (Isa 8:14). However, Israel nationally rejected Him; they stumbled over the stumbling stone.
Notice now that Paul’s conclusions are not based on God’s sovereign rights as the Creator, but on human failure to acknowledge their sinfulness and trust Christ.
Chapter 10
At the beginning of chapter 9, Paul expressed his sorrow at Israel’s failure to receive their Messiah (vv1-3). Now in 10:1, he restates his heart’s desire, accompanied by his prayer, for their salvation. Paul knew that not all of them would be saved. Yet he prayed for them all, since salvation was available to them all.
Paul didn’t doubt that they were zealous for God, but that zeal was not based on knowledge. The word for “knowledge” in verse 2 actually means “full knowledge.” They knew a lot about the God of the Bible, but didn’t know the most important things to know. They were ignorant of the fact that God’s righteousness is absolute, both in its nature and its requirements (v3). Consequently, they sought to achieve a righteousness of their own that would be acceptable to God. In doing so, they were failing to submit themselves to God’s absolute righteousness. As a result, they could not see that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa 64:6). The purpose of the Law isn’t to set an impossible standard for us to seek to achieve, but to impress upon us our sinfulness and cause us to find our righteousness in Christ (Rom 10:4). The word for “end” bears the meaning of “goal,” suggesting that the aim of the Law is to point us to Christ as the One who satisfied the requirements of the Law through His redemptive work on the cross.
In verses 5-13, Paul contrasts the righteousness of the Law with faith as a means of redemption. In verse 5, Paul quotes God’s own words to Moses, “The man who has practised those things shall live by [or, as a result of] them” (JND). The verb “to do” is in the aorist tense, which does not concern itself with the process but with the end result. In other words, the person who has achieved this result, without failure, will attain [eternal] life. Only Christ has lived a perfect, sinless life.
To understand verses 6-9, we need to compare the original context in Deuteronomy 30:11-14: “For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” These words were written by Moses himself. He is stating that it was not necessary for someone to go to heaven to bring down the commandment. Neither was it necessary for someone to cross the sea in order to bring it to them. It was readily available to them. It was in their mouths, that is, they regularly quoted the Law. It was also in their hearts. It was part of the very fabric of their lives. There was no reason why they could not obey it. Even so, the righteousness which is produced by faith doesn’t require someone to go up to heaven to bring Christ down; He has already been here (Rom 10:6). Nor is it necessary to go down to the abyss in order to resurrect Christ. Faith doesn’t doubt the incarnation of Christ nor His resurrection from the dead (v7). These are not matters for debate to faith.
Notice now the NIV translation of verse 9, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is a public assertion of the deity of Christ. While the Greek word for “Lord” (kurios) does not always refer to deity, in this context it most certainly does. We will see this clearly when we get to verse 13. Faith doesn’t require proof; it is enough that God has said it. In verse 10 Paul writes, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Notice that the order is reversed. In verse 9 the mouth is mentioned first, but in verse 10 the heart is mentioned first. Verse 9 is following the order of Moses’ statement in verse 8. On the other hand, verse 10 gives us the moral order of events. There isn’t a time differential between being reckoned righteous and being saved. These events take place simultaneously. But believing with the heart produces the results. Confessing with the mouth is the result. Actually, the confession is primarily to Christ Himself (vv12-13).
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV unless otherwise noted.
