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Romans Chapter Ten

                             

I. Content of the Chapter

 

The Reason Why the Israel Lost the Salvation

A.  They are not according to knowledge ---- seek to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God (v.1-3);

B.  God has ordained that he who believes will obtain righteousness:

1. Christ is the end of the law (v.4-7).

2. The way of being justified is confessing with one’s mouth and believing in one’s heart (v.8-11).

3. God treats those who call upon Him justly (v.12-15).

C.  The Israel rejected the Gospel (v.16-21).

 

II. Verse by Verse commentary

 

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

YLT: “Brethren, the pleasure indeed of my heart, and my supplication that to God for Israel, is -- for salvation;”

Meaning of Words: “desire”: want, admire, please;

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Some believer prays what he does not mean, for he does not really desire in his heart.

2)    We should earnestly pray for men’s being saved, especially our kinsmen, according to flesh.

3)    We gentile believers should also pray to God for the Israel’s being saved. If they do not receive the salvation with us together, the work of God still cannot be made perfect.

 

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

YLT: “for I bear them testimony that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge,”

Meaning of Words: “knowledge”: perfect knowledge, right knowledge;

Literal Meaning:I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, the Jews thought that God gave them the law, so they held that being zealous for the law (Acts. 21:20) and for the traditions of their fathers (Gal. 1:14) were having a zeal for God.

“But not according to knowledge”, they did not know the Lord according to the right way of justification so that their religious zeal became blind zeal.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The zeal that is not according to the knowledge is not blind zeal and can not save men. Such zeal contrarily leads men to perdition.

2)    Zeal without knowledge is craze. The religious zeal is most terrible one in the world. It tends to persecute those who are really of God.

3)    Though the Israel had zeal, they did not according to the knowledge. Today, many Christians have knowledge, but have no zeal.

4)    It is still insufficient to seek God though zeal and sincerity, for there is no any other man or group that is more zealous or sincerely in seeking God.

5)    Today, the lack of zeal with knowledge mostly hinders the eternal will of God among the children of God. May God show mercy to us so that we may gain “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8) and take the perfect knowledge of Christ as the foundation.

6)    True knowledge is not devised by man, nor approved by man, but established by God.

7)    Christ is the true knowledge. Without Christ, even the holiest thing will become false knowledge. This is the greatest principle of God toward man, and is also a changeless law.

 

Rom. 10:3 “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.”

   YLT: “for not knowing the righteousness of God, and their own righteousness seeking to establish, to the righteousness of God they did not submit.”

Meaning of Words: “knowledge”: perfect knowledge, right knowledge;

   Literal Meaning: “for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, God's righteousness”, it refers to the position of obtaining righteousness by faith (see Rom. 1:17). It is a gift from God, not gained by man’s works.

“And seeking to establish their own righteousness”, “their own righteousness”, it refers to the position of obtaining righteousness by man’s labor.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Many faults are caused by “ignorance”. If we desire to please God, we should seek to know God Himself and the principles of His doings by reading more the Scriptures and praying to Him more.

2)    Man’s own righteousness is opposite to God’s righteousness. He who exalts his own righteousness has not submitted to the righteousness of God. In other words, if we really submit to the righteousness of God, we should give up our own righteousness.

3)    Man’s self rebels against God. The more man relies on himself, the more will he be alienated from God and be enemies of God.

4)    The righteousness of man is from man himself. But the righteousness of God is that God gives Himself to man. The principles of them are totally different.

5)    The disobedience to the righteousness of God is an insult to God. Such attitude deprives man of the way of receiving God’s salvation.

6)    There are two reasons for the failures of Christians before God: 1) “being ignorant of” the word of God, or “being unfamiliar with” the word of God; 2) “not submitting” to the word of God. They are unwilling to keep the word of God after hearing it (Matt. 7:26-27).

7)    If we believers desire to show off ourselves in the assembly, we are seeking to establish our own righteousness. If we do everything for the purpose of manifesting the glory of God, we are establishing the righteousness of God.

 

Rom. 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

   YLT: “For Christ is an end of law for righteousness to every one who is believing,”

Meaning of Words: “end”: goal, the point aimed at as a limit, termination, conclusion, reaching the summit;

   Literal Meaning: Christ is the end of the law”, there are three layers of meanings:

1)    The goal of the law is pointing to Christ. The law has been our tutor up to Christ, that we might be justified on the principle of faith (Gal. 3:24).

2)    Christ has fulfilled the requirement of the law. The Lord Jesus said, “think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfill (Matt. 5:17).”

3)    The function of the law has not ended until Christ comes. Since Christ has set us free, we shall stand fast and be not held again in the yoke of the law of bondage (Gal. 5:1).

    “For righteousness to everyone who believes”, here it points that “believing” is the way of obtaining “righteousness”. The object of believing is Christ Himself.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    It is because Christ has fulfilled the law through completely keeping the requirements of the law and perfecting the types and prophecies of the law.

2)    We Christians are no longer “under the law” (Rom. 6:15), for Christ has delivered us from the curse of the law.

3)    Barret said, “Christ has ended the law by fulfilling it, not annulling the purpose of the law”.

4)    If we refuse the righteousness of Christ, we shall not only be unable to obtain the righteousness before God but also have to take the responsibility of unrighteousness.

5)    All that is of God is unto Christ. Our relationship with Christ decides our relationship with God. And it is also the ground that God shows His mercy to us.

6)    Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God dwells in Jesus Christ bodily.

7)    Today, many Christians have not seen “Christ is the end of the law”. Therefore, after they are saved, they have set many regulations (laws) for them to keep so as to please God. Finally, they are just like the Jews, perfecting nothing. What is most important is that one can live the righteous life through the life of Christ.

 

Rom. 10:5 “For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." ”

   YLT: “for Moses doth describe the righteousness that of the law, that, `The man who did them shall live in them,'”

Literal Meaning: Moses writes”, the following words are quoted from the Book of Leviticus (18:5).

  The man who does those things shall live by them.” ---- “Live”, it means living in this age, not in that to come. The whole verse shows that if one wants to live outside of the curse of the law, he shall completely keep the requirements of the law so as to gain the righteousness of the law. However, it is impossible, for man cannot keep the whole. Whoever shall keep the whole law and shall offend in one, he has come under the guilt of all (James 2:10). Therefore, no one can be justified by law (Gal. 2:16).

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Man can at most do the righteousness of the law of letter or a small part of the righteousness, but cannot do the spirit of the law.

2)    To live by the law is different from living by faith. Even though one can perfectly keep the regulations of the law, he is still “living” under the bondage of the law merely. He cannot live in freedom like those who live by faith (see Gal. 5:1).

3)    The principle of “doing” and the principle of “believing” (v.4) are opposite. The principle of “doing” is that man does by himself, not by God. The principle of “faith” is that man does not do by himself, but by God.

 

Rom. 10:6 “But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"' (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ”

   YLT: “and the righteousness of faith doth thus speak: `Thou mayest not say in thine heart, Who shall go up to the heaven,' that is, Christ to bring down?”

Literal Meaning: but the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, verse six to eight are quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy (30:11-14). According to the context there, it refers to the law, but here Paul uses the principle of it in the way of believing the Lord.

  “The righteousness of faith”, that is the righteousness obtained by faith, the righteousness of Christ, namely, justification by faith. Faith is accounted as righteousness.

  “To bring Christ down from above”, “bring Christ down from above”, it refers to the incarnation of Christ.

  Note that the apostle Paul does not quote the Old Testament mechanically, but has slight changes. There are two reasons:

1)    He often directly quotes from the Septuagint (the Greek translation), not the Hebrew the original.

2)    He sometimes quotes merely the general meaning of a certain paragraph or verse and gives additional explanation. Nevertheless, it does not have any conflict with or run counter to the original.

 

Rom. 10:7 “or, ""Who will descend into the abyss?"' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ”

   YLT: “or, `Who shall go down to the abyss,' that is, Christ out of the dead to bring up.”

Literal Meaning: “who will descend into the abyss?” “Abyss”: the bottomless pit (see Rev. 11:7; 17:8). Here, it referred to the place where Christ had been to after death before resurrection. After Christ died, He had ever fallen unto the lower part of the earth ---- to preach and boast in “prison” (1Pet. 3:19; see Rev. 20:7) and had overcome the power of death. And then He ascended to the heavens (Eph. 4:8-9).

  “To bring Christ up from the dead”, that is the resurrection of Christ from death.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    In order to be saved, one does not need to ascent to the heavens nor seek under the earth. It is unnecessary for one to be so strenuous to be saved.

2)    Even though men exert themselves, there is still no one who can climb up to the heaven by himself, nor overcome the death and hell.

3)    Christ exists everywhere. He is near us and is in us. How ??(John 14:18-20).

4)    Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near (Is. 55:6).

 

Rom. 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 which we preach):”

   YLT: “But what doth it say? `Nigh thee is the saying -- in thy mouth, and in thy heart:' that is, the saying of the faith, that we preach;”

Meaning of Words: word: rhema;

   Literal Meaning: “the word is near you, “the word”, it referred to the word of God appeared in the law. Paul here uses it in the gospel ---- “the way of believing the Lord”, emphasizing that the gospel is easily available.

“In your mouth and in your heart”, we need not obtain the word by ascending to the heavens nor descending into the hell (v.6-7), for the word is near and available.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The alternate use of “word” and “Christ” in verse six and seven, showing that the word is Christ Himself. Christ has been raised and become the living word so that we can speak Him in our mouth and consider Him in heart. How kind and how easy to approach Him!

2)    The word of Christ is spirit and life (John 6:63) and fills in our mouth and heart (Col. 3:16) so that we can enjoy all His being.

3)    God never gives man the burden that man cannot bear nor asks man to do what he cannot do. The way that God has prepared for man is the easiest one.

4)    The word that we preach is the word of “believing”, not word of “works”. Men need not ascend to the heavens to bring Christ down from above nor descend into the abyss to bring Christ up from the dead (v.6-7), for God has done these. There is nothing that leaves for us to do.

 

Rom. 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

   YLT: “that if thou mayest confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and mayest believe in thy heart that God did raise him out of the dead, thou shalt be saved,”

Literal Meaning: that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus”, the Jews used the “Lord” to refer to the name of “Jehovah” (since the name of God “Jehovah” was hallowed among the Jews, they dared not call or translate the name directly. Therefore, they used “the Lord” to represent the name of God.) Therefore, “confess the Lord Jesus”, it means to confess the deity of Jesus Christ.

“And believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, there are two important points of believing the Lord Jesus: 1) to believe that He had died for our sins; 2) to believe that He has been raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25). “Believe that God has raised Him from the dead”, it means to believe that His death has met the righteous requirements of God and that God has made him both Lord and Christ through raising Him (Acts. 2:32, 36).

“You will be saved”, “be saved”, be delivered from perdition.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    One’s being saved includes inside believing ---- heart, and outside confession ---- mouth. The requirement of the word for man is confessing with one’s mouth and believing in one’s heart.

2)    Faith and testimony are supplementary and exist simultaneously. We should not focus on one side, but ignore the other.

3)    We should have the faith that we are bold to confess before men. That is real faith.

4)    Christ can save us only in His risen life. Therefore, if Christ be not raised, our faith is vain, and we are yet in our sins (1Cor. 15:17).

5)    Resurrection is the focus of the faith of Christians. Christians believes not only that Christ has risen from the dead but also that Christ still lives and is living to the ages of ages (Rev. 1:18).

 

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

   YLT: “for with the heart doth believe to righteousness, and with the mouth is confession made to salvation;”

Literal Meaning: believing in one’s heart is toward God. And confession with one’s mouth is toward men. Believing in one’s heart is to believe that God has made Jesus Christ and Savior through raising Him up from the dead. Confession with one’s mouth means that one confesses before men that Jesus who is despised and rejected by all is the Lord of all (see v.9). Both of the them are the conditions of our being justified and saved.

“Righteousness” is the position of and reason for salvation. “Salvation” is the result of righteousness.

 

Rom. 10:11 “For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." ”

   YLT: “for the Writing saith, `Every one who is believing on him shall not be ashamed,'”

Literal Meaning: the Scripture says”, the following word is quoted from the Book of Isaiah (28:16). It has already been quoted in chapter nine of the Book of Romans, verse 33.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    All the faith that is shameful to be testified to others is not the faith of Christ. He who has really believed the Lord will definitely not feel that believing the Lord is shameful.

2)    Someone who has already believed the Lord fears that he can not be a good Christian, thus humiliating the Lord. Actually, if we really commit our whole life unto the Lord, he will surely take the responsibility and let us not be put to shame.

 

Rom. 10:12 “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.”

   YLT: “for there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord of all rich to all those calling upon Him,”

Meaning of Words: “call upon”: call, cry;

   Literal Meaning: there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, concerning salvation, both Jew and Greek stand on the same position.

“For the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him”, “rich to all”, it indicates that God saves us to deliver us from sins so as to make us enjoy the unsearchable fullness in Christ ultimately (Eph. 3:8). “Call for”, the mystery of enjoying the riches of Christ is to call upon Him.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Today, no matter the Jews or the nations, everyone can be saved as long as he confesses Christ.

2)    All men in the world enjoy the gracious things through calling upon Him ---- there is no distinction.

3)    Our God is not a God of anyone or any group, but a God of all.

4)    The Lord is rich and full to those who call upon Him, which does not depend on our condition, but the object that we call on.

5)    Calling upon the name of the Lord not only saves us (v.13), but also makes us rich. He is rich, and became poor for us (2Cor. 8:9) so that He can bestow all His fullness to those who call upon Him.

6)    One who does not call upon the Lord is the most miserable and poorest one, for he has the spiritual word of becoming rich in vain and does not use the word.

 

Rom. 10:13 “For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." ”

   YLT: “for every one -- whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.'”

Literal Meaning: the words in this verse are quoted from the Book of Joel (2:32). Peter has also quoted this paragraph on the day of Pentecost (Acts. 2:21). Calling on the name of the LORD is the mystery of our salvation. This was a promise that God had early given to us in the days of the Old Testament. The Scriptures had also recorded many cases of calling on the name of the LORD (see Gen. 4:26; Ps. 116:17; Zeph. 3:9; Zech. 13:9).

  For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD”, “calls on” means calling in a loud voice; “name” refers to what one is and what has. “Calls on the name of the LORD”: call on the Lord Himself ---- the Lord Jesus is the object of our faith and reliance.

“Shall be saved”, it points that we call the name of the Lord Jesus in a loud voice on account of believing and relying on Him so that we shall obtain salvation.

“Be saved”, in the Scriptures, it not only mentions eternal salvation, but also salvation of souls (1Pet. 1:9), redemption of our body (Rom. 8:23), being saved from danger (Acts. 27:31), being saved from tribulations (2Cor. 1:6, 10), being saved from temptations in life (Matt. 6:13) and etc.

Controversial Clarification: if Christians call on the Lord earnestly on account of inside inspiration and need, it is quite natural. Unfortunately, some people take “calling on the name of the Lord” as a form and call on the name of the Lord repeatedly in public. And they are therefore criticized by others, who think that they do not respect the name of the Lord and then call them “Lee’s sect”. Therefore, though we Christians can and should “call on the name of the Lord”, we have to avoid extremity and formalism. 

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Though man cannot see the Lord, they can call on the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is the Lord Himself. Therefore, he who calls on the Lord’s name is calling the Lord Himself.

2)    He is the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe (1Tim. 4:10). He has delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we confide that he will also yet deliver (2Cor. 1:10). Therefore, we shall not only call on the name of the Lord before we are saved, but also still often call on the name of the Lord after we are saved.

3)    The Lord can and is willing to deliver us from various difficulties. Therefore, when we find we need to rely on His help, we shall open our mouth to call on the name of the Lord with boldness.

4)    Christ has fully perfected His salvation. There is no need any other addition (v.6-7). We need only to confess His absolute authority ---- “confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus”, and receive the glorious fact of His resurrection ---- “believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead” (v.9), and call upon Him according to the fullness of His name ---- “call on the name of the LORD”, thus taking part in His wonderful salvation ---- “shall be saved”.

 

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? ”

   YLT: “How then shall they call upon in whom they did not believe? and how shall they believe of whom they did not hear? and how shall they hear apart from one preaching?”

The Background: after Paul had stated that believing the word of the Lord (the gospel) is the only condition for man to be saved, he thought the Jews who upheld the law might argue that they had never had the right chance to hear the gospel so they did not understand the gospel, let alone receiving the gospel. Therefore, God should not ask the Jews to take the responsibility for not believing the gospel. Paul then pointed out the way of believing the word of the Lord by a string of rhetoric questions: 1) God sent the preacher; 2) preach the word; 3) hear the word; 4) believe the word. His conclusion was that the Jews not only had the chance to hear the gospel but also understood the meaning the gospel (see v.18-19).

Literal Meaning: “how then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?” ---- Man should first believe the Lord and then he can call on the name of the Lord. In other words, that man calls on the name of the Lord shows that he believes the Lord and shall be saved (v.9, 13).

And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” ---- It suggests a truth: faith comes by hearing the word of Christ. Hearing the word of Christ is the origin of our faith (see Heb. 12:2; John 2:22).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    If you do not believe Him, you cannot pray to Him or call on Him. Believing Him is the condition for our prayers’ being accepted and heard by God (Heb. 11:6).

2)    “Believing God” and “calling on God” are inseparable. Before, we pray to God, we must have faith and surely believe that what we ask shall be granted. Moreover, only true faith shall make man call on God. One who has tasted the grace of the Lord will not stop calling on God.

3)    The faith of Christians is the faith from hearing and understanding the Lord’s word (Matt. 13:23). It is not vague, nor impulsive.

4)    If there is no preacher, man cannot hear nor believe. And thus the flow of the gospel is blocked. Concerning the matter of the preachment of the gospel, we shall be the channel instead of the dam.

 

Rom. 10:15 “And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!" ”

   YLT: “and how shall they preach, if they may not be sent? according as it hath been written, `How beautiful the feet of those proclaiming good tidings of peace, of those proclaiming good tidings of the good things!'”

   Literal Meaning: “as it is written”, the following words are quoted from the Book of Isaiah (52:7) according to the meaning.

How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” ---- It originally indicated that they brought the good news to the captives and told them that they would soon be delivered from Babylon. Here, Paul applied it in preachers of the gospel ---- they brought the good news to men that they could be delivered from the bondage of sin.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    There should be the separation and sending of the Holy Spirit at first, and then the sending of the assembly (Acts 13:2-4). God is the Lord of sending, not the assembly.

2)    One should regard only those pastors or ministers as those who are sent by God. If a Christian takes courage to preach the gospel to others, he is sent by God.

3)    How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel! It is because there are both God who sends men as well as men who obey God. Their feet testify the works of God.

4)    As long as we are men who preach the gospel and let God be satisfied, we are the most beautiful before God.

5)    Christians should shod our feet with preparation of the glad tidings of peace (Eph. 6:15). The more we preach the gospel, the less we will be stained by the sin of the world.

6)    Life is the world is rough. But the gospel can transfer ruggedness to smoothness. The life of the believers who are filled with the burden of the gospel must be beautiful.

7)    This verse shows us that how pleasant it is to God that we preach the gospel to others. The feet of us before we are saved are just like what Paul has mentioned in the Book of Romans (Rom. 3:15-17) ---- “"Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. And the way of peace they have not known”. How ugly it is! Now, we have been saved and bear witness to the Lord everywhere and preach the gospel to others. How beautiful our feet have become!

 

Rom. 10:16 “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?" ”

   YLT: “But they were not all obedient to the good tidings, for Isaiah saith, `Lord, who did give credence to our report?'”

   Literal Meaning: “but they have not all obeyed the gospel”, it is the reaction of the world to the gospel ---- most of them do not believe the gospel. Hearing and obedience to the gospel is the origin of believing the gospel.

    For Isaiah says”, the following words are quoted from the Book of Isaiah (53:1), and Paul adds, “LORD”.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Proclaim the word in season out of season (2Tim. 4:2). Even though man may refuse to hear, we still have to preach.

2)    He who has heard the glad tidings but refuses to obey the glad tidings shall take responsibility for him before God in the future. Since God has entrusted the grace and privilege of preaching of the glad tidings to us, if we do not go to preach, we shall also take responsibility for us before God in the future.

3)    It is insufficient to hear the word of God by ears only. One shall also have an open spirit and mind and willingness of receiving the truth of God.

 

Rom. 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

YLT: “so then the faith by a report, and the report through a saying of God,”

Literal Meaning: hearing by the word of God”, “the word of God” has two meanings: 1) one refers to the glad tidings of Christ; (2) the other is the message that Christ preaches by His servants;

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The more we read the Scriptures, the more will we know God, and the firmer our faith shall be. And the more we practice the word in the Scriptures, the more blessings will we receive from God.

2)    Many believers choose what he likes when they hear the word of God. Only those who love God hear the word of God.

3)    Here, it shows that faith comes from hearing and hearing comes from the word of God. Without word, there is no faith. If one has not caught any word of God, he has no faith. Without the word of God, your faith has no proof and is only a kind of imagination. Imagination comes from man’s thought instead of God’s word. But faith comes from God’s word. One can not believe without God’s word. Faith is to believe God’s word.

4)    “Faith comes by preaching and preaching by the word of God” (another translation). The knowledge of Christ ---- “faith”, comes from the testimony of Christ ---- “preaching”. The true testimony of Christ comes from the revelation of Christ by God ---- “word”. May we on one hand be willing to receive the testimony of Christ by revelation and know more about Christ. And may we on the other hand look on Him to speak more to us and to reveal His Son so that we will preach Him and testify Him more thus more people will believe and know Him.

 

Rom. 10:18 “But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world."”

YLT: “but I say, Did they not hear? yes, indeed -- `to all the earth their voice went forth, and to the ends of the habitable world their sayings.'”

Meaning of Words: “ends of the world”: the ends of the habitable world;

Literal Meaning: “their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world”. It is quoted from the Book of Psalm (19:4), in which the heavens testify the glory of God. Here, it refers to the voices and words of the preachers of the glad tidings. Those who do not believe the glad tidings can not make an excuse that they have no chance to hear the glad tidings, for there are preachers of the glad tidings everywhere. This verse proves that the Gentiles also have chance to hear the glad tidings, let alone the Jews, for the gospel was firstly preached among the Jews.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Christians should learn to hear the voiceless words ---- learn to hear the words of God in various circumstances.

2)    The mission that the Lord gives to the assembly is, “Go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19); “be my witnesses…to the end of the earth” (Acts. 1:8).

 

Rom. 10:19 “But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation."”

YLT: “But I say, Did not Israel know? first Moses saith, `I will provoke you to jealousy by not a nation; by an unintelligent nation I will anger you,'”

Literal Meaning: “first Moses says”, the following verses are quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy (32:21) ---- “the Song of Moses”.

I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, those who are not a nation” refer to the Gentiles, who were not the people of God (se Rom. 9:25-26).

I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.” ---- “A foolish nation”, the Gentiles were unenlightened in spirit in the eyes of the Jews ---- they were blind in things of God and were in darkness, foolish and were babies (see Rom. 2:19-20).

Here, it means that even the Gentiles who are despised by the Jews can understand the messages of the glad tidings, how much rather shall the Jews know the glad tidings?

 

Rom. 10:20 “But Isaiah is very bold and says: "I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me."”

YLT: “and Isaiah is very bold, and saith, `I was found by those not seeking Me; I became manifest to those not inquiring after Me;'”

Literal Meaning: “But Isaiah is very bold and says”, the following words are quoted from the Book of Isaiah (65:1).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     It is not we seek God, but God comes to seek us (Gen. 3:9; Luke 15:3-10; 19:10).

2)     We did not know God in the past and were afar off God (Eph. 2:13). But God makes us meek Him and find Him.

 

Rom. 10:21 “But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people."”

YLT: “and unto Israel He saith, `All the day I did stretch out My hands unto a people unbelieving and gainsaying.'”

Literal Meaning: he says”, the following words are quoted from the Book of Isaiah (65:2).

  All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.” ---- “Have stretched out My hands”, it is a gesture of a mother who calls to embrace his child. It indicates that the Israel’s being rejected is not on account of God, but themselves.

Enlightenment in the Word: He bestows grace to those who are foolish ---- “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me” (v.20). God calls those who are disobedient and contrary in love ---- “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.” It speaks of the heart of the Father as well as the Spirit of Christ.

 

III. Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons

 

God Treats Man According to His Relationship With Christ

A.   Everything is unto Christ (v.1-5).

B.   The faith of the Lord is the only way that man shall be saved (v.6-17).

C.   God calls everyone to receive Christ:

1.    God calls the Gentiles to receive Christ (v.18).

2.    God calls the Israel to receive Christ (v.19-21).

 

How Do Christians Give Spiritual Help to Others?

A.  To pray for them to God earnestly (v.1);

B.  To confess the strong points of them and figure out the weak points of them (v.2-3);

C.  The most important is to point to them that Christ is the answer of every question (v.4).

D.  To show the way of receiving Christ to them (v.6-8);

E.  To show them that the way of enjoying the fullness of Christ is believing and calling on His name (v.9-13);

F.   To preach the word of Christ to them, no matter what reactions they have (v.14-17);

G.  To commit them to God and ask God to reveal to them (v.19-21);

 

The Righteousness of God

A.  To seek by faith, not by works (Rom. 9:30-33);

B.  The righteousness of God is opposite to that of man (v.3);

C.  All that believe Christ shall obtain the righteousness of God (v.4);

D.  The righteousness of the law is opposite to the righteousness of faith (v.5-6);

E.  The righteousness of faith is near in your mouth and in your heart (v.6-8);

F.   The assurance of the righteousness of faith ---- whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame (v.11);

G.  The origin of the righteousness of faith ---- God ---- the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him (v.12-13);

 

The Righteousness of God

A.  The righteousness of God is Jesus Christ (v.4).

B.  The righteousness of God is opposite to the righteousness of man (v.5).

C.  The righteousness of God does not need man to find Christ (v.6-7).

D.  The righteousness and salvation of God are near (v.8-10).

E.  The righteousness and salvation of God shall not put men to shame (v.11).

 

The Difficulty of the Jews Does not Lie in “Ignorance”, but “Disobedience”

A.  The way of believing the word is too simple (v.5-10).

B.  God has given everyone the chance of hearing the faith of the Lord (v.11-15).

C.  The Jews have indeed heard, but they still disobey (v.16-21).

 

The Process of Man’s Faith

A.  He has to call on the name of the Lord if he wants to be saved (v.9-10; see Acts 2:21; 9:14).

B.  He has to believe if he calls on the name (v.14; see Heb. 11:6).

C.  He has to hear if he wants to believe (v.14; see Mark 16:15-16; Ps. 122:1).

D.  There should be preacher of the word if the word should be heard (v.14; see Titus 1:3; Acts 2:37; 4:4; 8:12, 35, 38; 11:30-21; 14:1; 17:34; 18:8; 28:24).

E.  There should be sending of God if there should be preachers of the word of God (v.15; see Luke 24:46-47; Acts 26:17-18; 13:1-4; 1Cor. 9:16-17; Matt. 9:38; 2Cor. 5:18).

 

The Glad Tidings are Universal

A.   There is no distinction between Jew and Greek (v.12).

B.   All men are saved according to the same promise of God (v.38).

C.   The whole world will not be saved if there is no one who preaches the gospel to the world (v.14-15).

D.   The Scripture proves that the gospel is universal (v.16-17).

E.   The rebellion of the Israel proves that the gospel is universal (v.18-21).

 

── Caleb HuangChristian Digest Bible Commentary Series

   Translated by Mary Zhou