How will they hear? Calling, believing, hearing, preaching, and sending (Romans 10:14–17)

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.