Romans 10:14-21

Text

Romans 10:14-21. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? Romans 10:15 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!

Romans 10:16 But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? Romans 10:17 So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:18 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.

Romans 10:19

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.

Romans 10:20

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.

Romans 10:21

But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 10:14-21

456.

Why is the need for a preacher now introduced into the discussion? Please connect this with the preceding verses.

457.

How shall they preach except they be sent? Who is to send them? Answer from the context.

458.

For those who sit in darkness and pain, the sound of the footfall of the doctor is indeed welcome. What comparison is made here? What shall we do about it?

459.

Why did they not hearken to the glad tidings?

460.

Why does Paul mention how faith is obtained? cf. Romans 10:17

461.

Does Romans 10:18 suggest that the gospel had been preached unto the ends of the world? If not, what does it say?

462.

Paul is saying in Romans 10:19-21 that Israel did know, but what was it they knew?

463.

Both Moses and Isaiah spoke of the salvation of the Gentiles; but more, they told of the effect it would have on the Jewish nation. What was that effect?

464.

The cause and result of Israel's rejection are clearly seen in Romans 10:21. What are they?

Paraphrase

Romans 10:14-21. But in the passage just now quoted, Joel cannot be supposed to speak of the Gentiles. For how shall they worship the true God, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have never heard? and how shall they hear of him, without a preacher to declare him?

Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach God to the Gentiles, unless they be sent by him? which ought to have been done long ago, because such preachers would have been well received, as Isaiah insinuates, Isaiah 52:7. saying, How beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good!

Romans 10:16 Nevertheless, that the preaching of the true God would have been acceptable to the Gentiles in former times, is not certain; since all of the Jews, to whom the preaching of the Messiah ought to have been acceptable, have not obeyed the good tidings; for Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Romans 10:17 So then you acknowledge, that belief in the true God cometh from hearing concerning him; and this hearing, by the word or speech concerning God, uttered in some intelligible manner.

Romans 10:18 Be it so. But I ask, Have the Gentiles not heard concerning the true God? Yes, verily, they have all heard. For the Psalmist says, -The heavens declare the glory of the Lord, etc. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.-'

Romans 10:19 But to the salvation of the Gentiles I object, that Israel, God's ancient church, hath not known any thing of that matter. If they are ignorant, it is their own fault. For, first, Moses saith, I will move you to jealousy by those who are not a people of God; by a foolish nation I will enrage you; namely, by granting salvation to the Gentiles.

Romans 10:20 Besides, Isaiah is very bold, in speaking of the calling of the Gentiles, when he saith, (Isaiah 65:1.), -I am sought of them that ask not for me; I am found of them that sought me not. I said, Behold me, behold me, to a nation that was not called by my name.-'

Romans 10:21 But concerning the Israelites he saith, I have spread out my hands all the day long, to a disobedient and rebelling people; I have long earnestly entreated that unbelieving and rebellious people to return: But to no purpose.

Summary

In order to call on the Lord, men must believe in him; in order to believe him, they must hear of him; in order to hear of him, he must be preached, But although all have not obeyed Christ who have heard of him, still the hearing is necessary, since by it belief comes. All Jews in Judea, and many Gentiles, at the time, had either heard of Christ or had the opportunity to do so, for the preachers of the gospel had offered it to them. Israel was ignorant of the fact of its rejection, notwithstanding the fact that both Moses and Isaiah had plainly foretold it.

Comment

The inspired author has just connected salvation with calling upon the name of the Lord, but as facts stood, vast multitudes of Gentiles and Jews had never called upon the name of the Lord. This was true for the simple reason that they did not believe in him. Indeed, this situation prompts the inevitable question: How could they believe in him of whom they have never heard? The answer is obviousthey could not; and yet the need can be met by the means God has providedthe preacher. They cannot believe without hearing, and they cannot hear without a preacher. The last question in this series of pointed questions bears the solution to all the needs, If the preacher is sent and he preaches Christ, then they will hear, then they will believe, then they will call upon the Lord, then they will be saved. Isaiah realized the terrible and yet beautiful import of sending forth the messengers of glad tidings. Note the words: ... 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! Indeed, the feet of those that carry the glad tidings of salvation are made beautiful by the news they bear. As it has already been stated, the preaching of the gospel bears in its train all the benefits of Christianity. Romans 10:14-15

It would be well to call to mind at this point the outline and purpose of this chapter. The heading of the chapter is, Why Israel was Rejected. It could be outlined as follows: (1) Romans 10:1-2 speak of Paul's earnest desire and prayer for the salvation of Israel. (2) Romans 10:3-4 tell us that Israel was rejected because they sought to establish their own method of justification, and in doing this they rejected God's method in Christ. (3) Romans 10:5-13 describe the two methods of justification: the one through the law, the other through the gospel. The insufficiency of the one is shown in contrast to the all-sufficiency of the other. (4) Romans 10:14-15 offer an explanation and answer to the inquiry, How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? (5) Finally, we have in Romans 10:16-21 an objection respecting the gospel method of justification.

266.

What is the meaning of calling upon the name of the Lord?

267.

What one thought is the answer to the needs spoken of in Romans 10:14 a?

268.

How are the feet of the preacher made beautiful?

It might seem to some, thought Paul, that since there were so many who had not accepted the message, the fact of their rejection would cast reflection upon the truthfulness of the method. (Behind all of this discussion there was the answer of the apostle to the Jew's attempt to escape their rejection.) Indeed, All have not hearkened unto the glad tidings. This in itself suggests that some did hearken. The fact that all who heard it did not hearken was spoken of in prophecy by Isaiah. This prophet, looking down the corridors of time, saw that all would not heed the glad tidings. (Isaiah 53:1) Even if all have not believed the report, we can learn a lesson from the circumstance. We can learn of the method of obtaining faith. How were persons brought to belief? They were brought to believe by hearing the spoken word. So belief cometh of hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. This, incidentally, destroys utterly the theory that faith is a gift of God separate from the Word. Romans 10:16-17

In Romans 10:18 Paul takes up the answer to the problem at hand. All did not (and do not now) believe, but is it because they did not hear? No, for they had in truth heard. The fulfillment of the psalmist's wordsTheir sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the worldhas taken place in the preaching of the gospel; yes, they had heard. Romans 10:18. The reason why Israel was rejected even though they heard can be found in the fact that they failed to understand the word of their own prophets. When the message of the Messiah was preached they failed to see that Jesus was the Messiah described in their scriptures. One of their illustrious leaders had spoken of God's reception of the Gentiles and also of the consequent jealousy of the Jews (Deuteronomy 30:14), but they had utterly failed to understand. Further than this, Isaiah was so bold as to say: ... I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me. Romans 10:20 (Isaiah 65:1). But Israel missed entirely the meaning of these words. The same prophet spoke of God's great love for Israel as well as his tender efforts to bring them the truth. Hear him: But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. In the same phrase we have the underlying reason for Israel's rejectiondisobedience to God's will and contradiction of his word. Romans 10:21. Romans 10:18-21

269.

Give, in your own words, the outline of chapter 10.

270.

What was the objection offered in Romans 10:16?

271.

What good lesson is taught in the fact that all did not believe?

272.

What was the objection suggested by the fact that all did not believe? How is it answered here?

Rethinking in Outline Form

4.

Why Israel was rejected. Romans 10:1-21.

a.

They were rejected because they sought justification by another means than that provided by God. Romans 10:1-4.

b.

The two methods of justification explained. Romans 10:5-13.

c.

How they shall call on him. Romans 10:14-15.

d.

Objection to the gospel method of justification. Romans 10:16-21.

Objection Stated: So few have accepted Jesus as Messiah, so he must not be the Messiah. Romans 10:16.

Objection Answered: Isaiah said few would accept. All heard and could believe but they chose not to do so. Romans 10:17-21.

273.

To what extent had the gospel been preached? cf. Colossians 1:23.

274.

Why was Israel rejected even though they heard? What two prophets are quoted?