CHAPTER X. _The apostle expresses his earnest desire for the salvation of_ _the Jews_, 1. _Having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, they_ _sought salvation by works, and not by faith in Christ_, 2-4. _The righteousness which is of the law described_, 5. _That which is by faith de... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:2. _THEY HAVE A ZEAL OF GOD_] They believe their law to have come immediately from God himself, and are jealous of its glory and excellence; they conscientiously observe its rites and ceremonies, but they do not consider the _object_ and _end_ of those rites; they sin more through ig... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:3. _FOR - BEING IGNORANT OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS_] Not knowing God's method of saving sinners, which is the only proper and efficient method: _and going about to establish their own_ _righteousness_ - seeking to procure their salvation by means of their own contriving; _they have not... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:4. _FOR CHRIST_ IS _THE END OF THE LAW_] Where the law ends, Christ begins. The law ends with representative sacrifices; Christ begins with the _real_ offering. The law is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ; it cannot save, but it leaves us at his door, where alone salvation is t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:5. _FOR MOSES DESCRIBETH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF_ _THE LAW_] The place to which the apostle refers, seems to be Leviticus 18:5: _Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments; which if a_ _man do, he shall live in them_. These words seem to be spoken in answer to an obj... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:6. _BUT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF FAITH_] As it is most evident that there can be no justification by _works_, as all are _sinful_ and all in a _guilty_ state; if God will grant salvation at all, it must be by _faith_: but faith must have an _object_ and a _reason_ for its exerci... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:8. _BUT WHAT SAITH IT? THE WORD IS NIGH THEE_] There is no occasion to seek _high_ or _low_ for the saving power; the word of reconciliation is nigh. The way of salvation is now both plain and easy. The law is magnified and made honourable by the death of Christ; and the doctrine of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:9. _THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS_, c.] Acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. _Believe in thy heart_ that he who died for thy offences has been _raised_ for thy justification and depend solely on him for that justification, _and thou shalt be saved_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:10. _FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH_, c.] And be sincere in this: _for with the heart_, duly affected with a sense of guilt, and of the sufficiency of the sacrifice which Christ has offered, _man believeth unto righteousness_, believeth to receive _justification_ for this is the p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:11. _FOR THE SCRIPTURE SAITH_] And howsoever the Jews may despise this Gospel, because it comes not unto them with _pomp_ and _ceremony_, it puts those who receive it into possession of every heavenly blessing: and this is according to the positive declarations of the prophets; for... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:12. _FOR THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE_ _GREEK_] All are equally welcome to this salvation. Here the Jew has no exclusive privilege; and from this the Greek is not rejected. One simple way of being saved is proposed to all, viz. faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; becaus... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:13. _FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL_, c.] Nor shall any one who hears this doctrine of salvation, and credits it as he is commanded, be permitted to pray or supplicate the throne of grace in vain: for the Prophet Joel hath declared, Joel 2:32: _Whosoever shall call upon, invoke, the name o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:14. _HOW THEN SHALL THEY CALL ON HIM_] As the apostle had laid so much stress on _believing_ in order to salvation, and as this doctrine, without farther explanation, might be misunderstood, it was necessary to show how this faith was produced; and therefore he lays the whole doctrin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:15. _HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH_] Dr. Taylor remarks on this quotation, which is taken from Isaiah 52:7, that "_feet_ are variously used in Scripture, and sometimes have respect to things _internal_ and _spiritual_. For as the life of man and the practice of piet... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:16. _BUT THEY HAVE NOT ALL OBEYED THE GOSPEL._] This seems to be the objection of a _Jew_; as if he had said: A Divine mission would be attended with success; whereas there are numbers who pay no attention to the glad tidings you preach. To this the apostle answers, that the Spirit o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _SO THEN FAITH_ COMETH _BY HEARING_] Preaching the Gospel is the ordinary means of salvation; faith in Christ is the result of hearing the _word_, the _doctrine of God preached_. Preaching, God sends; if heard attentively, faith will be produced; and if they believe the report, the arm of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _BUT I SAY, HAVE THEY NOT HEARD?_] But to return to the objection: You say _they have not all_ BELIEVED; I ask: _Have_ _they not all_ HEARD? Have not the means of salvation been placed within the reach of every Jew in Palestine, and within the reach of all those who sojourn in the differe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _BUT I SAY, DID NOT ISRAEL KNOW?_] You object to this preaching among the _Gentiles_; but is not this according to the positive declaration of God? He, foreseeing your unbelief and rebellion, said by Moses, Deuteronomy 32:21, _I will provoke you to jealousy by_ them that are _no people, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:20. _BUT ESAIAS_ (THE GREEK ORTHOGRAPHY FOR _ISAIAH_) _IS_ _VERY BOLD_] Speaks out in the fullest manner and plainest language, Isaiah 65:1, notwithstanding the danger to which such a declaration exposed him, among a crooked, perverse, and dangerous people: _I was found of them that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 10:21. _BUT TO ISRAEL HE SAITH_] In the very next verse, (Isaiah 65:2,) _All day long have I stretched forth my hands_, manifesting the utmost readiness and willingness to gather them all together under my protecting care; but _I stretched forth my hands_ in vain, for they are a _disob... [ Continue Reading ]