Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Romans 9:31

Romans 9:31. But Israel, following the law of righteousness. Lit ., ‘a law of righteousness,' but referring to the Mosaic law. Here, however, it is described as a law which affords righteousness. Israel pursued this law in order that justification might ensue, but without any true sense of its contents, or real apprehension of its mission (comp. chap. Romans 10:4). Others explain the phrase as ‘righteousness of the law,' which is ungrammatical, while some, without good reason, explain ‘law' in the general sense of rule.

Did not come unto that law. The word ‘come unto,' ‘arrive at' is here substituted for ‘attain' (Romans 9:30), and the best authorities omit ‘of righteousness,' which would naturally be inserted by the transcribers, to make the sense more obvious. The omission makes impossible that (otherwise objectionable) explanation of the verse, which takes ‘law' here as ‘the law of faith,' and in the previous clause as ‘the law of Moses.' The better view is: they did not even arrive at the real inward character of that law, which they pursued as affording righteous ness. They arrived at the letter, but not at the meaning of the Holy Spirit, for the law, rightly understood, would have led them to Christ Romans 9:32.

Wherefore? Why did they fail to arrive at that law, which they yet pursued as affording righteousness.

Because they sought it not by faith. The words' they sought it ‘are properly supplied in the E. V.' Had they started from faith in their striving, they would have obtained in Christianity the realization of their endeavor'(Meyer). They would have arrived at the law, in its real sense, and it would have become to them a ‘law of righteousness.' Comp. chap. Romans 10:4. Here the Apostle distinctly asserts that the Jews were themselves responsible for their position, and the general principle which is involved here, is implied in every other passage of Scripture which bears upon the awful problem. The same principle, or fact, is asserted in those doctrinal statements which lay the greatest emphasis upon God's sovereignty; see Lange, Romans, pp. 329, 330, and comp. Hodge, Shedd, and others in loco.

But as by works. The word ‘as' implies that they imagined they were doing the works of the law, while really they failed to do them, because they did not apprehend the purpose of the law, nor the spirit in which its requirements should be met.

They stumbled. ‘For' is properly omitted. Some would join this closely with what precedes: ‘Because they sought it not by faith, but as by works, they stumbled,' etc. But this disturbs the relation to ‘wherefore?' and is far less striking.

At the stone of stumbling; to which repeated reference is made in Scripture; see references on Romans 9:33. That Christ Himself is meant is evident from the New Testament application of the phrase. The figure is very appropriate to the previous notion of following (Romans 9:30-31). ‘Offence at Christ is culpable; it is taken, not given' (Heubner).

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Romans 9:31

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