Rom 10:14, 17 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 14. How then shall they call , etc. The apostle here adverts to an objection which might be urged to his argument. His doctrine was, that faith in Christ was essential to justification and salvation; and that this was needful for all; and that, without this, man must perish. The objection was, that they could not call on him in whom they had not believed; that they could not believe in him of whom they had not heard; and that this was arranged by God himself ; so that a large part of the world was destitute of the gospel and in fact did not believe, . The objection had particular reference to the Jews; and the ground of injustice which a Jew would complain of would be, that the plan made salvation dependent on faith , when a large part of the nation had not heard the gospel, and had had no opportunity to know it. This objection the apostle meets, so far as it was of importance to his argument, in . The first part of the objection is, that they could "not call on him in whom they had not believed." That is, how could they call on one in whose existence, ability, and willingness to help, they did not believe? The objection is, that in order to our calling on one for help, we must be satisfied that there is such a being, and that he is able to aid us. This remark is just, and every man feels it. But the point of the objection is, that sufficient evidence of the Divine mission and claims of Jesus Christ had not been given to authorize the doctrine that eternal salvation depended on in him, or that it would be right to suspend the eternal happiness of Jew and Gentile on this . How shall they believe in him , etc. This position is equally undeniable, that men could not believe in a being of whom they had not heard. And the implied objection was, that men could not be expected to believe in one of whose existence they knew nothing, and, of course, that they could not be blamed for not doing it. It was not right, therefore, to make eternal life depend, both among Jews and Gentiles, on faith in Christ. And how shall they hear , etc. How can men hear, unless some one proclaim to them, or preach to them, that which is to be heard and believed? This is also true. The objection thence derived is, that it is not right to condemn men for not believing what has never been proclaimed to them; and, of course, that the doctrine that eternal life is suspended on faith cannot be just and right.

Romans 10:14

Verse 14. How then shall they call, etc. The apostle here adverts to an objection which might be urged to his argument. His doctrine was, that faith in Christ was essential to justification and salvation; and that this was needful for all; and that, without this, man must perish. The objection was, that they could not call on him in whom they had not believed; that they could not believe in him of whom they had not heard; and that this was arranged by God himself; so that a large part of the world was destitute of the gospel and in fact did not believe, Rom 10:16,17. The objection had particular reference to the Jews; and the ground of injustice which a Jew would complain of would be, that the plan made salvation dependent on faith, when a large part of the nation had not heard the gospel, and had had no opportunity to know it. This objection the apostle meets, so far as it was of importance to his argument, in Rom 10:18-21. The first part of the objection is, that they could "not call on him in whom they had not believed." That is, how could they call on one in whose existence, ability, and willingness to help, they did not believe? The objection is, that in order to our calling on one for help, we must be satisfied that there is such a being, and that he is able to aid us. This remark is just, and every man feels it. But the point of the objection is, that sufficient evidence of the Divine mission and claims of Jesus Christ had not been given to authorize the doctrine that eternal salvation depended on in him, or that it would be right to suspend the eternal happiness of Jew and Gentile on this.

How shall they believe in him, etc. This position is equally undeniable, that men could not believe in a being of whom they had not heard. And the implied objection was, that men could not be expected to believe in one of whose existence they knew nothing, and, of course, that they could not be blamed for not doing it. It was not right, therefore, to make eternal life depend, both among Jews and Gentiles, on faith in Christ.

And how shall they hear, etc. How can men hear, unless some one proclaim to them, or preach to them, that which is to be heard and believed? This is also true. The objection thence derived is, that it is not right to condemn men for not believing what has never been proclaimed to them; and, of course, that the doctrine that eternal life is suspended on faith cannot be just and right.

Romans 10:17

Verse 17. So then faith cometh, etc. This I take to be clearly the language of the objector. As if he had said, by the very quotation which you have made from Isaiah, it appears that a report was necessary, life did not condemn men for not believing what they had not heard; but he complains of those who did not believe a message actually delivered to them. Even by this passage, therefore, it seems that a message was necessary, that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Divine message. It could not be right, therefore, to condemn those who had not obeyed the gospel, because they had not heard it; and hence not right to make salvation dependent on a condition which was, by the arrangement of God, put beyond their power. The very quotation from Isaiah, therefore, goes to confirm the objection in the 14th and 15th verses.

By hearing. Our translation has varied the expression here, which is the same in two places in the Greek: "Isaiah said, Who hath believed our report. (τηακοη). So then, you must admit that faith comes by that report, (εξακοης) and therefore this report or message is necessary." When it is said that faith cometh by hearing, it is not meant that all who hear actually believe, for that is not true; but that faith does not exist unless there is a message, or report, to be heard or believed. It cannot come otherwise than by such a message; in other words, unless there is something made known to be believed. And this shows us at once the importance of the message, and the fact that men are converted by the instrumentality of truth, and of truth only.

And hearing. And the report, or the message, (ηακοη) is by the word of God; that is, the message is sent by the command of God. It is his word, sent by his direction, and therefore, if withheld by him, those who did not believe could not be blamed. The argument of the objector is, that God could not justly condemn men for not believing the gospel.