Romans 10:8. But what saith it. This is inserted to introduce the positive statement of Moses; but ‘it' here refers to ‘the righteousness of faith' (Romans 10:6).

The word is nigh thee, etc. (comp. the LXX. as given above).

In thy mouth, and in thy heart. These terms explain how the word is nigh. As a matter of fact the pious Israelite had the law in his mouth and heart, i.e., to confess and believe, precisely as Paul afterwards explains in applying the language to the gospel. Others find in the original passage only a reference to the familiar accessible character of the law (see above). But after all any true grasp of God's revelation, even in the days of Moses, was gained in the way Paul describes.

The word of faith; either respecting faith, or, which forms the substratum and object of faith (Alford).

Which we preach. Paul himself, and all other preachers of the gospel. This explanation of ‘word' in the Old Testament passage is in accordance with the statement of Romans 10:4. Any nearness of the Old Testament ‘word' was due to its leading to Christ, whom the gospel proclaimed as the object of faith; hence to this ‘word' the Old Testament passage pointed. Some limit the reference to the easy and familiar doctrine of faith.

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Old Testament