Romans 10:1–21: The Word of Faith Is Near

Says The chapter follows 9:30–33: the Gentiles "have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith" (9:30, BSB), while Israel's "pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works" (9:32, BSB). Paul prays for Israel's salvation and testifies that they are zealous for God, "but not on the basis of knowledge" (10:1–2, BSB). Christ is "the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes" (10:4, BSB). Confessing "Jesus is Lord" and believing that God raised him from the dead is the way the chapter says a person "will be saved" (10:9, BSB). There is "no difference between Jew and Greek" (10:12, BSB; compare 3:22). Calling on the Lord depends on believing, hearing, preaching and sending (10:14–15). Israel did hear (10:18) and was not without warning (10:19–21).

Uncertain Two questions stay open, with no lean: what "their own" righteousness is (10:3), and how Lev 18:5 (10:5) relates to Deut 30:12–14 (10:6–8), with what Christ as τέλος (telos) of the law (10:4) means for that relation. The meaning of the word τέλος is treated in note.language.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.4.zelos-telos. The views are set out in note.exegetical.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.4.zeal-and-the-end-of-the-law and note.exegetical.Rom.10.4-Rom.10.8.law-and-faith.

Uncertain Other open points carry a lean with the main alternative named: ῥήματος Χριστοῦ (rhēmatos Christou, "word of Christ," 10:17) and what Israel knew (10:19). How Ps 19:4 is used in 10:18 is left open with the options named.

Structure. 10:1–4, prayer, zeal and Christ the τέλος of the law; 10:5–13, the righteousness of faith and the near word; 10:14–21, hearing, preaching and Israel's response.

Note ID: note.exegetical.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.21.overview

Romans 10:1–4: Zeal without knowledge

¹ Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation. ² For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge. ³ Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes. (BSB)

Says "Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation" (10:1, BSB). The Greek pairs εὐδοκία (eudokia, "good pleasure, desire") and δέησις (deēsis, "prayer"), addressed πρὸς τὸν θεόν (pros ton theon, "to God"), ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν εἰς σωτηρίαν (hyper autōn eis sōtērian, "for them, for salvation"). The BSB's "the Israelites" makes explicit the antecedent of "them," Israel in 9:31.

The Byzantine text reads "for Israel" for "for them" and adds "is" (see var.Rom.10.1.hyper-auton and var.Rom.10.1.estin).

Says "They are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge" (10:2, BSB). ζῆλον θεοῦ (zēlon theou, "zeal for God") names God as the object of the zeal. ἐπίγνωσις (epignōsis, "knowledge") is what the zeal lacks; the verse does not deny that the zeal is sincere. For how zeal for God and the law was spoken of (Phinehas, Mattathias in 1 Maccabees, and Paul's own past), see the historical note note.historical.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.21.zeal-for-god; that background does not decide what "their own" righteousness means (10:3).

Says "Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness" (10:3, BSB). ἀγνοοῦντες (agnoountes, "not knowing") and ζητοῦντες στῆσαι (zētountes stēsai, "seeking to establish") lead to οὐχ ὑπετάγησαν (ouch hypetagēsan, "they did not submit"). Some witnesses add δικαιοσύνην after τὴν ἰδίαν (tēn idian, "their own") (see var.Rom.10.3.dikaiosynen).

Uncertain What "their own" righteousness is. This commentary takes no lean. - A righteousness of their own achievement, sought by doing the law. Grounds: Israel pursued the law "as if it were by works" (9:32, BSB); "establish their own" stands against submitting to God's righteousness (10:3); and 10:5 speaks of the one who does the law and lives by it. - A national or covenant righteousness marked by the law, the reading associated with the New Perspective. Grounds: the zeal is "for God" (10:2); Israel's privileges have just been listed (9:4–5); "their own" can mean Israel's own as a people; and 10:12 denies a distinction between Jew and Greek. Both readings agree that Israel did not submit to God's righteousness, which the verse states. On works and justification see note.exegetical.Rom.3.27-Rom.3.31.boasting-excluded and note.exegetical.Rom.4.1-Rom.4.8.abraham-and-david; on 9:30–33 see note.exegetical.Rom.9.30-Rom.9.33.stumbling-stone.

Says "For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes" (10:4, BSB). τέλος γὰρ νόμου Χριστὸς εἰς δικαιοσύνην παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι: righteousness is for everyone who believes, as 10:11–13 repeats. Paul has already said that "a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law" (3:28, BSB).

The meaning of the word τέλος (telos), end or aim, is treated in note.language.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.4.zelos-telos; this note does not restate it. How 10:4 bears on 10:5–8 is set out in note.exegetical.Rom.10.4-Rom.10.8.law-and-faith.

Note ID: note.exegetical.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.4.zeal-and-the-end-of-the-law

Doctrinal note: law and faith in Romans 10:4–8

Says "For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.”" (10:5, BSB). "But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’" (10:6, BSB), and it says, "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, "the word of faith we are proclaiming" (10:8, BSB). The quotations are Lev 18:5 (10:5) and Deut 30:12–14 (10:6–8); their Hebrew and Greek forms are compared in note.language.Rom.10.5-Rom.10.8.lev-18-5-deut-30-12-14.

Uncertain Whether 10:5 and 10:6–8 set two ways against each other (contrast) or read Deut 30 as showing the law's own goal in Christ (continuity). The δέ (de, "but") of 10:6 marks a contrast in the sentence but does not settle the theological question, and the range of the word τέλος (see note.language.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.4.zelos-telos) rules none of the readings below out. This commentary takes no lean. The main readings, each with its grounds: - Lutheran and Reformed law–gospel contrast. Paul sets the righteousness of doing (10:5) against the righteousness of faith, which forbids asking who will ascend or descend and announces a near word (10:6–8). Grounds: two speakers, Moses and "the righteousness that is by faith"; the faith–works contrast of 9:32; and Gal 3:12, where Paul sets the same line of Lev 18:5 against faith. - Reformed continuity, often joined to the law's third use. Deut 30 already says the commandment is near; Paul lets the righteousness of faith speak those words and finds their goal in Christ and the preached word (10:6–8). Grounds: Paul cites Moses as Scripture on both sides; the stress on Christ as the law's goal (10:4); and the law is not called a mistake. On this reading the law guides the justified but is not the ground of the verdict. - Dispensational readings. Christ ends the Mosaic administration as a way of righteousness (10:4, with the stress on end), and the near word is the gospel now proclaimed. Grounds: the contrast of doing and believing (10:5–8) and "the word of faith we are proclaiming" (10:8, BSB). - New Perspective and covenantal readings. The contrast is between Israel's covenant standing marked by the law and God's righteousness that takes in Jew and Gentile by faith in Christ. Grounds: "their own" read as national (10:3), "no difference between Jew and Greek" (10:12, BSB), and Paul's rereading of Deut 30 for the people who call on the Lord (10:11–13).

Implies All four readings affirm salvation by grace through faith in Christ, as 10:9–13 states; they remain distinct readings and are not blended. Justification by faith apart from works (3:28) is the shared boundary; see note.exegetical.Rom.3.27-Rom.3.31.boasting-excluded.

Note ID: note.exegetical.Rom.10.4-Rom.10.8.law-and-faith

Romans 10:5–13: The word is near

⁵ For concerning the righteousness that is by the law, Moses writes: “The man who does these things will live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ or, ‘Who will descend into the Abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved. ¹¹ It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (BSB)

Says Moses writes of "the righteousness that is by the law" (10:5, BSB) in the words of Lev 18:5. SBLGNT prints ζήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ (zēsetai en autē, "will live by it"), the feminine referring to righteousness; other witnesses read ἐν αὐτοῖς ("by them"), which the BSB's "by them" reflects, and the place of ὅτι also varies (see var.Rom.10.5.aute-autois and var.Rom.10.5.hoti-order).

Says The righteousness from faith speaks (10:6). τοῦτʼ ἔστιν (tout' estin, "that is") explains the ascent as bringing Christ down and the descent "into the Abyss" as bringing "Christ up from the dead" (10:7, BSB). The near word is "the word of faith we are proclaiming" (10:8, BSB), with κηρύσσομεν (kēryssomen, "we proclaim") in the present. These lines take up Deut 30:12–14. For the ascent-to-heaven and crossing-the-sea language in Baruch 3:29–30 and Philo's reading of Deut 30:11–14, see the historical note note.historical.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.21.deut-30-and-heralds; it does not decide how 10:5 relates to 10:6–8. How 10:5 relates to 10:6–8 is set out, with no lean, in note.exegetical.Rom.10.4-Rom.10.8.law-and-faith.

Implies No one has to bring Christ down from heaven or up from the dead: he has come and God has raised him (10:7, 9), so the word to be believed is already near in the message proclaimed.

Says "If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (10:9, BSB). κύριον Ἰησοῦν (kyrion Iēsoun, "Jesus as Lord") is the content of the confession, and ὅτι ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν is the content of the belief. Westcott–Hort, with B, reads τὸ ῥῆμα … ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς (see var.Rom.10.9.to-rhema).

Says "For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved" (10:10, BSB).

Implies Heart and mouth are one response, not two stages. The near word is already "in your mouth and in your heart" (10:8, BSB), 10:9 joins confessing and believing under one "you will be saved," and 10:10 sets the two side by side.

Says "Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame" (10:11, BSB), Isa 28:16 as cited at 9:33, here with Πᾶς (pas, "everyone"). "For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him" (10:12, BSB), as 3:22 says there is "no distinction" (BSB). "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (10:13, BSB), from Joel 2:32 (Joel 3:5 in the Hebrew numbering); on the Hebrew and Greek of both quotations see note.language.Rom.10.11-Rom.10.13.isa-28-16-joel-2-32.

Implies 10:13 applies Joel's text about the Lord (YHWH) to Jesus. κύριος (kyrios, "Lord") runs without a break from "Jesus is Lord" (10:9) through "the same Lord is Lord of all" (10:12) to "the name of the Lord" (10:13), and the callers of 10:13 are those who "call on Him" in 10:12.

Note ID: note.exegetical.Rom.10.5-Rom.10.13.the-word-is-near

Romans 10:14–17: How will they hear?

¹⁴ How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? ¹⁵ And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” ¹⁶ But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” ¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (BSB)

Says "How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?" (10:14, BSB). "And how can they preach unless they are sent?" (10:15, BSB). The chain runs from sending to preaching, hearing, believing and calling.

Says "As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”" (10:15, BSB), from Isa 52:7. The Byzantine text has a longer form with "good news of peace" (see var.Rom.10.15.eirenen). On Isa 52:7 and 53:1 see note.language.Rom.10.15-Rom.10.16.isa-52-7-53-1. For the voice of the one who brings good tidings in Psalms of Solomon 11:1, see the historical note note.historical.Rom.10.1-Rom.10.21.deut-30-and-heralds.

Says "But not all of them welcomed the good news" (10:16, BSB): ὑπήκουσαν (hypēkousan, "obeyed, heeded") with τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ. "For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”" (10:16, BSB), from Isa 53:1, where ἀκοή (akoē) is the message heard; Abbott-Smith lists 10:16–17 under ἀκοή, "a thing heard, i.e., a message, teaching." "Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (10:17, BSB): ἐξ ἀκοῆς … διὰ ῥήματος Χριστοῦ. The Byzantine text reads θεοῦ (see var.Rom.10.17.christou); on ἀκοή and ῥῆμα Χριστοῦ see note.language.Rom.10.14-Rom.10.21.akoe-rhema-christou-parazelo.

Uncertain Whether ῥήματος Χριστοῦ is the word about Christ (objective genitive) or the word Christ speaks (subjective genitive). This commentary leans to the word about Christ, since 10:14–16 speaks of a proclaimer, the good news and "our message" heard. The main alternative is the word Christ speaks through those he sends. The printed noun (Χριστοῦ or θεοῦ) does not settle the genitive.

How 10:13–17 relates to the election question of Romans 9 is not argued here; see note.exegetical.Rom.9.6-Rom.9.24.how-election-works.

Note ID: note.exegetical.Rom.10.14-Rom.10.17.how-will-they-hear

Romans 10:18–21: Israel heard and was warned

¹⁸ But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” ¹⁹ I ask instead, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding.” ²⁰ And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.” ²¹ But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” (BSB)

Says "But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did" (10:18, BSB). μὴ οὐκ ἤκουσαν expects the answer that they did hear, and μενοῦνγε (menounge, "indeed") confirms it. The confirmation is Ps 19:4 (Ps 19:5 in the Hebrew, Ps 18:5 in the Greek numbering): "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world" (10:18, BSB). On the Hebrew and Greek of the psalm see note.language.Rom.10.18-Rom.10.19.ps-19-4-deut-32-21.

Uncertain How the psalm line is used for the spread of the message. This commentary takes no lean. The main options: an analogy or rhetorical extension, the creation's voice taken up for the proclaimed word; a typology, the heavens' witness as a pattern fulfilled in the gospel; or a statement of how far the mission had already reached. On any of these, 10:18 denies that Israel failed to obey because no word reached them.

Says "I ask instead, did Israel not understand?" (10:19, BSB). Moses answers first, with Deut 32:21: "I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding" (10:19, BSB). On the form of the quotation see note.cross-reference.Deut.32.21.rom-10-19-form. The Byzantine text has the order μὴ οὐκ ἔγνω Ἰσραήλ (see var.Rom.10.19.israel-order).

Uncertain What Israel is asked whether it knew (ἔγνω, egnō). The question expects that Israel did know. This commentary leans that Israel knew the warning in its own Scriptures, that God would provoke it by a people that is not a nation, and still did not submit (10:3, 21). The main alternative is that Israel did not grasp the gospel itself, in line with zeal "not on the basis of knowledge" (10:2, BSB).

Says "And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”" (10:20, BSB). "But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”" (10:21, BSB). The citations are Isa 65:1 and 65:2. Some witnesses and editions lack the ἐν before τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν (see var.Rom.10.20.en). On Isa 65:1–2 see note.language.Rom.10.20-Rom.10.21.isa-65-1-2.

The jealousy of Deut 32:21 is taken up again in 11:11–14. Israel's future is the subject of Romans 11.

Note ID: note.exegetical.Rom.10.18-Rom.10.21.israel-heard

This summary repeats the conclusions above. It adds no new argument.

• Says Paul prays for Israel's salvation; their zeal for God is not according to knowledge, and they did not submit to God's righteousness (10:1–3). Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone who believes (10:4). Whoever confesses Jesus as Lord and believes that God raised him will be saved; there is no difference between Jew and Greek; everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (10:9–13). Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ, which comes by preachers who are sent (10:14–17). Israel heard and was warned by Moses and Isaiah (10:18–21).
• Implies Heart and mouth are one response (10:8–10); 10:13 applies Joel's Lord (YHWH) text to Jesus; the four readings of 10:4–8 all affirm salvation by grace through faith in Christ.
• Uncertain With no lean: "their own" righteousness (10:3), the relation of 10:5 to 10:6–8 (with 10:4), and the use of Ps 19:4 (10:18). With a lean: ῥήματος Χριστοῦ as the word about Christ (10:17), and Israel's knowledge as knowledge of the warning (10:19).