Rom 10:16-11:1 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel . It is not easy to see the connexion of this; and it has been made a question whether this is to be regarded as a continuation of the objection of the Jew, or as a part of the answer of the apostle. After all the attention which I have been able to give it, I am inclined to regard it as an admission of the apostle, as if he had said, "It must be admitted that all have not obeyed the gospel. So far as the objection of the Jew arises from that fact , and so far as that fact can bear on the case, it is to be conceded that all have not yielded obedience to the gospel. For this was clearly declared even by the prophet." Comp. . For Esaias saith . . Who hath believed our report ? That is, Isaiah complains that his declarations respecting the Messiah had been rejected by his countrymen. The form of expression, "Who hath believed?" is a mode of saying emphatically that few or none had done it. The great mass of his countrymen had rejected it. This was an example to the purpose of the apostle. In the time of Isaiah this fact existed; and it was not a new thing that it existed in the time of the gospel. Our report . Our message; or that which is delivered to be heard and believed. It originally means the doctrine which Isaiah delivered about the Messiah; and implies that the same thing would occur when the Messiah should actually come. Hence in the 53rd chapter he proceeds to give the reasons why the report would not be credited, and why the Messiah would be rejected. It would be because he was a root out of a dry ground; because he was a man of sorrows, etc. And this actually took place. Because he did not come with splendour and pomp, as a temporal prince, he was rejected, and put to death. On substantially the same grounds he is even yet rejected by thousands. The force of this verse, perhaps, may be best seen by including it in a parenthesis, "How beautiful are the feet," etc.; how important is the gospel ministry --( although it must be admitted, that all have not obeyed, for this was predicted also by Isaiah, etc.) (w) "they have not all obeyed" (x) "Lord, who hath" (1) "believed" or, "the hearing of us" (2) "our report" or, "preaching"

Romans 10:16-21

Verse 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. It is not easy to see the connexion of this; and it has been made a question whether this is to be regarded as a continuation of the objection of the Jew, or as a part of the answer of the apostle. After all the attention which I have been able to give it, I am inclined to regard it as an admission of the apostle, as if he had said, "It must be admitted that all have not obeyed the gospel. So far as the objection of the Jew arises from that fact, and so far as that fact can bear on the case, it is to be conceded that all have not yielded obedience to the gospel. For this was clearly declared even by the prophet." Comp. Acts 28:24, Heb 4.

For Esaias saith. Isa 53:1.

Who hath believed our report? That is, Isaiah complains that his declarations respecting the Messiah had been rejected by his countrymen. The form of expression, "Who hath believed?" is a mode of saying emphatically that few or none had done it. The great mass of his countrymen had rejected it. This was an example to the purpose of the apostle. In the time of Isaiah this fact existed; and it was not a new thing that it existed in the time of the gospel.

Our report. Our message; or that which is delivered to be heard and believed. It originally means the doctrine which Isaiah delivered about the Messiah; and implies that the same thing would occur when the Messiah should actually come. Hence in the 53rd chapter he proceeds to give the reasons why the report would not be credited, and why the Messiah would be rejected. It would be because he was a root out of a dry ground; because he was a man of sorrows, etc. And this actually took place. Because he did not come with splendour and pomp, as a temporal prince, he was rejected, and put to death. On substantially the same grounds he is even yet rejected by thousands. The force of this verse, perhaps, may be best seen by including it in a parenthesis, "How beautiful are the feet," etc.; how important is the gospel ministry --(although it must be admitted, that all have not obeyed, for this was predicted also by Isaiah, etc.)

(w) "they have not all obeyed" Acts 28:24, Heb 4:2 (x) "Lord, who hath" Isa 53:1, Jn 12:38 (1) "believed" or, "the hearing of us" (2) "our report" or, "preaching" 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. Verse 18. But I say. But to this Objection I, the apostle, reply, The objection had been carried through the previous verses. The apostle comes now to reply to it. In doing this, he does not deny the principle contained in it, that the gospel should be preached in order that men might be justly condemned for not believing it; not that the messengers must be sent by God; not that faith comes by hearing. All this he fully admits. But he proceeds to show, by an ample quotation from the Old Testament, that this had been actually furnished to the Jews and to the Gentiles, and that they were actually in possession of the message, and could not plead that they had never heard it. This is the substance of his answer.

Have they not heard? A question is often, as it is here, an emphatic way of affirming a thing. The apostle means to affirm strongly that they had heard. The word "they," in this place, I take to refer to the Gentiles. What was the fact in regard to Israel, or the Jew, he shows in the next verses. One main design was to show that the same scheme of salvation extended to both Jews and Gentiles. The objection was, that it had not been made known to either, and that therefore it could not be maintained to be just to condemn those who rejected it. To this the apostle replies that then it was extensively known to both; and if so, then the objection in Rom 10:14,15, was not well founded, for in fact the thing existed which the objector maintained to be necessary; to wit, that they had heard, and that preachers had been sent to them.

Yes, verily. In the original, a single word, (μενουνγε), compounded of (μεν) and (ουν) and (γε). An intense expression, denoting strong affirmation.

Their sound went, etc. These words are taken in substance from Ps 19:4. The psalmist employs them to show that the works of God, the heavens and the earth, proclaim is existence everywhere. By using them here, the apostle does not affirm that David had reference to the gospel in them, but he uses them to express his own meaning; he makes an affirmation about the gospel in language used by David on another occasion, but without intimating or implying that David had such a reference. In this way we often quote the language of others as expressing in a happy way our own thoughts, but without supposing that the author had any such reference. The meaning here is, that that may be affirmed in fact of the gospel which David affirmed of the works of God, that their sound had gone into all the earth.

Their sound. Literally, the sound or tone which is made by a stringed instrument, (φθογγος). Also a voice, a report. It means here they have spoken, or declared truth. As applied to the heavens, it would mean that they speak, or proclaim, the wisdom or power of God. As used by Paul, it means that the message of the gospel had been spoken, or proclaimed, far and wide. The Hebrew is, "their line," etc. The Septuagint translation is the same as that of the apostle--their voice, (οφθογγοςαυτων). The Hebrew word may denote the string of an instrument, of a harp, etc., and then the tone or sound produced by it; and thus was understood by the Septuagint. The apostle, however, does not affirm that this was the meaning of the Hebrew; but he conveyed his doctrine in language which aptly expressed it.

Into all the earth. In the psalm, this is to be taken in its utmost signification. The works of God literally proclaim his wisdom to all lands and to all people. As applied to the gospel, it means that it was spread far and wide, that it had been extensively preached in all lands.

Their words. In the psalm, the heavens are represented as speaking, and teaching men the knowledge of the true God. But the meaning of the apostle is, that the message of the gospel had sounded forth; and he referred doubtless to the labours of the apostles in proclaiming it to the heathen nations. This epistle was written about the year 57. During the time which had elapsed after the ascension of Christ, the gospel had been preached extensively in all the known nations; so that it might be said that it was proclaimed in those regions designated in the Scripture as the uttermost parts of the earth. Thus it had been proclaimed in Jerusalem, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Rome, Arabia, and in the islands of the Mediterranean. Paul, reasoning before Agrippa, says, that he could not be ignorant of those things, for they had not been done in a corner, Acts 26:26. In Col 1:23, Paul says that the gospel had been preached to every creature which is under heaven. See Col 1:6. Thus the great facts and doctrines of the gospel had in fact been made known, and the objection of the Jew was met. It would be sufficiently met by the declaration of the psalmist, that the true God was made known by his works, and that therefore they were without excuse, (comp. Rom 1:20) but in fact the gospel had been preached, and its great doctrine and duties had been proclaimed to all nations far and near. Verse 19. But I say, etc. Still further to meet the objection, he shows that the doctrine which he was maintaining was actually taught in the Old Testament.

Did not Israel know? Did not the Jews understand? Is it not recorded in their books, etc., that they had full opportunity to be acquainted with this truth? This question is an emphatic way of affirming that they did know. But Paul does not here state what it was that they knew. That is to be gathered from what he proceeds to say. From that it appears that he referred to the fact that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, and that the Jews were to be cast off. This doctrine followed from what he had already maintained in Rom 10:12,13, that there was no difference in regard to the terms of salvation, and that the Jew had no particular privileges. If so, then the barrier was broken down; and ff the Jews did not believe in Jesus Christ, they must be rejected. Against this was the objection in Rom 10:14,15, that they could not believe; that they had not heard; and that a preacher had not been sent to them. If now the apostle could show that it was an ancient doctrine of the Jewish prophets that the Gentiles should believe, and that the Jews would not believe, the whole force of the objection would vanish. Accordingly, he proceeds to show that this doctrine was distinctly taught in the Old Testament.

First. First in order; as we say, in the first place.

I will provoke you. These words are taken from De 32:21. In that place the declaration refers to the idolatrous and wicked conduct of the Jews. God says that they had provoked him, or excited his indignation, by worshipping that which was not God, that is, by idols; and he, in turn, would excite their envy and indignation by showing favours to those who were not regarded as a people; that is, to the Gentiles. They had shown favour, or affection, for that which was not God, and by so doing had provoked him to anger; and he also would show favour to those whom they regarded as no people, and would thus excite their anger. Thus he would illustrate the great principle of his government in 2Sam 22:26,27, "With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful;-- with the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself unsavoury," i.e., froward, Ps 18:26. In this passage the great doctrine which Paul was defending is abundantly established--that the Gentiles were to be brought into the favour of God; and the cause also is suggested to be the obstinacy and rebellion of the Jews. It is not clear that Moses had particularly in view the times of the gospel; but he affirms a great principle which is applicable to those times --that if the Jews should be rebellious, and prove themselves unworthy of his favour, that favour would be withdrawn, and conferred on other nations. The effect of this would be, of course, to excite their indignation. This principle the apostle applies to his own times; and affirms that it ought to have been understood by the Jews themselves.

That are no people. That is, those whom you regard as unworthy the name of a people. Those who have no government, laws, or regular organization; who wander in tribes and clans, and who are under no settled form of society. This was the case with most barbarians; and the Jews evidently regarded all ancient nations in this light, as unworthy the name of a people.

A foolish nation. The word fool means one void of understanding. But it also means one who is wicked, or idolatrous; one who contemns God. Ps 14:1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Prov 1:7, "Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Here it means a nation who had no understanding of the true God, ασυνετω

I will anger. My bestowing favours on them will excite your anger. We may remark here,

(1.) that God is a sovereign, and has a right to bestow his favours on whom he pleases.

(2.) That when men abuse his mercies, become proud, or cold, or dead in his service, he often takes away their privileges, and bestows them on others.

(3.) That the effect of his sovereignty is to excite men to anger. Proud and wicked men are always enraged that he bestows his favours on others; and the effect of his sovereign dealings is to provoke to anger the very men who by their sins have rejected his mercy. Hence there is no doctrine that proud man hates so cordially as he does the doctrine of Divine sovereignty; and none that will so much test the character of the wicked.

(z) "I will provoke" De 32:21 (a) "a foolish nation" Tit 3:3 Verse 20. But Esaias, Isa 65:1,2.

Is very bold. Expresses the doctrine openly, boldly, without any reserve. The word (αποτολμα) means, to dare, to be venturesome, to be bold. It means here, that however unpopular the doctrine might be, or however dangerous it was to avow that the Jews were extremely wicked, and that God for their wickedness would cast them off, yet that Isaiah had long since done it. This was the point which Paul was establishing; and against this the objection was urged, and all the Jewish prejudices excited. This is the reason why he so much insists on it, and is so anxious to defend every part by the writings of acknowledged authority among the Jews--the Old Testament. The quotation is made from the Septuagint, with only a slight change in the order of the phrases. The meaning is, that God was found, or the true knowledge of him was obtained, by those who had not sought after him; that is, by the Gentiles, who had worshipped idols, and who had not sought for the true God. This does not mean that we are to expect to find God if we do not seek for him; or that in fact any become Christians who do not seek for it, and make an effort. The contrary is abundantly taught in the Scriptures, Heb 11:6, 1Chr 28:8,9, Mt 6:33, 7:7, Lk 11:9. But it means, that the Gentiles, whose characteristic was not that they sought God, would have the gospel sent to them, and would embrace it. The phrase, "I was found," in the past tense here, is in the present in the Hebrew, intimating that the time would come when God would say this of himself; that is, that the time would come when the Gentiles would be brought to the knowledge of the true God. This doctrine was one which Isaiah had constantly in his eye, and which he did not fear to bring openly before the Jews.

(b) "I was found" Isa 65:1,2 Verse 21. But to Israel he saith. The preceding quotation established the doctrine that the Gentiles were to be called. But there was still an important part of his argument remaining--that the Jews were to be rejected. This he proceeds to establish; and he here, in the language of Isaiah, (Isa 65:2) says that while the Gentiles wound be obedient, the character of the Jews was, that they were a disobedient and rebellious people.

All day long. Continually, without intermission; implying that their acts of rebellion were not momentary; but that this was the established character of the people.

I have stretched forth my hands. This denotes an attitude of entreaty; a willingness and earnest desire to receive them to favour, to invite and entreat. Prov 1.24.

A disobedient. In the Hebrew, rebellious, contumacious. The Greek answers substantially to that; disbelieving, not confiding or obeying.

Gainsaying. Speaking against; resisting, opposing. This is not in the Hebrew, but the substance of it was implied. The prophet Isaiah proceeds to specify in what this rebellion consisted, and to show that this was their character. Isa 65:2-7. The argument of the apostle is this; viz., the ancient character of the people was that of wickedness; God is represented as stretching out his hands in vain; they rejected him, and he was sought and found by others. It was implied, therefore, that the rebellious Jews would be rejected; and, of course, the apostle was advancing and defending no doctrine which was not found in the writings of the Jews themselves. And thus, by a different course of reasoning, he came to the same conclusion which he had arrived at in the first four chapters of the epistle, that the Gentiles and Jews were on the same level in regard to justification before God.

In the closing part of this chapter, the great doctrine is brought forth and defended, that the way of salvation is open for all the world. This, in the time Of Paul, was regarded as a novel doctrine. Hence he is at so much pains to illustrate and defend it. And hence, with so much zeal and self-denial, the apostles of the Lord Jesus went and proclaimed it to the nations. This doctrine is not the less important now. And from this discussion we may learn the following truths:

(1.) the heathen world is in danger without the gospel. They are sinful, polluted, wretched. The testimony of all who visit pagan nations accords most strikingly with that of the apostles in their times. Nor is there any evidence that the great mass of heathen population has changed for the better.

(2.) The provisions of the gospel are ample for them--for all. Its power has been tried on many nations; and its mild and happy influence is seen in meliorated laws, customs, habits; in purer institutions; in intelligence and order; and in the various blessings conferred by a pure religion. The same gospel is fitted to produce on the wildest and most wretched population the same comforts which are now experienced in the happiest part of our own land.

(3.) The command of Jesus Christ remains still the same, to preach the gospel to every creature. That command has never been repealed or changed. The apostles met the injunction, and performed what they could. It remains for the church to act as they did, to feel as they did, and put forth their efforts as they did, in obeying one of the most plain and positive laws of Jesus Christ.

(4.) If the gospel is to be proclaimed everywhere, men must be sent forth into the vast field. Every nation must have an opportunity to say, "How beautiful are the feet of him that preaches the gospel of peace." Young men, strong and vigorous in the Christian course, must give themselves to this work, and devote their lives in an enterprise which the apostles regarded as honourable to them; and which Infinite Wisdom did not regard as unworthy the toils, and tears, and self-denials of the Son of God.

(5.) The church, in training young men for the ministry, in fitting her sons for these toils, is performing a noble and glorious work; a work which contemplates the triumph of the gospel among all nations. Happy will it be when the church shall feel the full pressure of this great truth, that the gospel MAY BE, preached to every son and daughter of Adam; and when every man who enters the ministry shall count it not self-denial, but a glorious privilege to be permitted to tell dying pagan men that a Saviour bled for ALL, sinners. And happy that day when it can be said with literal truth, that their sound has gone out into all the earth; and that as far as the sun in his daily course sheds his beams, so far the Sun of righteousness sheds also his pure and lovely rays into the abodes of men. And we may learn, also, from this,

(6.) that God will withdraw his favours from those nations that are disobedient and rebellious. Thus he rejected the ancient Jews; and thus also he will forsake all who abuse his mercies; who become proud, luxurious, effeminate, and wicked. In this respect it becomes the people of this favoured land to remember the God of their fathers; and not to forget, too, that national sin provokes God to withdraw, and that a nation that forgets God must be punished.

Romans 11:1

ROMANS Chapter 11

Verse 1. I say then. This expression is to be regarded as conveying the sense of an objection. Paul, in the previous chapters, had declared the doctrine that all the Jews were to be rejected. To this a Jew might naturally reply, Is it to be believed, that God would cast off his people whom he had once chosen; to whom pertained the adoption, and the promises, and the covenant, and the numer- ous blessings conferred on a favourite people? It was natural for a Jew to make such objections. And it was important for the apostle to show that his doctrine was consistent with all the promises which God had made to his people. The objection, as will be seen by the answer which Paul makes, is formed on the supposition that God had rejected all his people, or cast them off entirely. This objection he answers by showing,

(1.) that God had saved him, a Jew, and therefore that he could not mean that God had east off all Jews, (Rom 11:1)

(2.) that now, as in former times of great declension, God had reserved a remnant, (Rom 11:2-5)

(3.) that it accorded with the Scriptures, that a part should be hardened, (Rom 11:6-10)

(4.) that the design of the rejection was not final, but was to admit the Gentiles to the privileges of Christianity, (Rom 11:11-24;)

(5.) that the Jews should yet return to God, and be reinstated in his favour: so that it could not be objected that God had finally and totally cast off his people, or that he had violated his promises. At the same time, however, the doctrine which Paul had maintained was true, that God had taken away their exclusive and peculiar privileges, and had rejected a large part of the nation.

Cast away. Rejected, or put off. Has God so renounced them that they cannot be any longer his people?

His people. Those who have been long in the covenant relation to him; that is, the Jews.

God forbid. Literally, it may not, or cannot be. This is an expression strongly denying that this could take place; and means that Paul did not intend to advance such a doctrine, Lk 20:16; Rom 3:4,6,31, 6:2,15, 7:7,13.

For I also am an Israelite. To show them that he did not mean to affirm that all Jews must of necessity be cast off, he adduces his own case. He was a Jew; and yet he looked for the favour of God, and for eternal life. That favour he hoped now to obtain by being a Christian; and if he might obtain it, others might also. "If I should say that all Jews must be excluded from the favour of God, then I also must be without hope of salvation, for I am a Jew."

Of the seed of Abraham. Descended from Abraham. The apostle mentions this to show that he was a Jew in every respect; that he had a title to all the privileges of a Jew, and must be exposed to all their liabilities and dangers. If the seed of Abraham must of necessity be cut off, he must be himself rejected. The Jews valued themselves much on having been descended from so illustrious an ancestor as Abraham, (Mt 3:9) and Paul shows them that he was entitled to all the privileges of such a descent. Comp. Php 3:4,5.

Of the tribe of Benjamin. This tribe was one that was originally located near Jerusalem. The temple was built on the line that divided the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It is not improbable that it was regarded as a peculiar honour to have belonged to one of those tribes. Paul mentions it here in accordance with their custom; for they regarded it as of great importance to preserve their genealogy, and to be able to state not only that they were Jews, but to designate the tribe and family to which they belonged.