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10 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
The Message of Salvation to All
For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”
But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
(ESV)
Romans 10 Commentary
by Hank Workman
“I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ to a nation which did not call on My name. “I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts…”
Isaiah 65:1-2
Paul uses this passage from Isaiah as he lays out his ever-deepening concern for his brothers, the Jews. These who had all the knowledge, all the history were focused on the wrong things – religion. They were so steeped in their traditions they were doing everything they possibly could to be acceptable in God’s eyes. The irony was these things meant nothing. Jesus had come and gone from their sight and they rejected Him.
The beauty of these verses from Isaiah, however, is the tenacity of God regardless. His hands are stretched out to them.
This is comforting on so many levels. Even in our deepest rebellion and waywardness, God’s hand is stretched out… reaching. Even when we lose our way or get caught up in our own traditions and mindsets of how to reach Him; He has not wavered in this stance.
As a human agent, Paul was used to be the voice to these thoughts to his brethren whom he loved and was burdened for. His every present passion and desire was for all to be saved and find the Savior who had changed his life drastically.
Romans 10 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
A lot of times we talk about people having knowledge about God, but no zeal for him. Here, Paul is attacking just the opposite. He is accusing the Jews of having much zeal for God, but not according to true knowledge.
Paul is analyzing for us the end of the law and the beginning of Christ. This is true knowledge. There are many places in Scripture that speak of this…
That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:2-3
The beauty of true knowledge is that faith unlocks the key to righteousness and we do not have to “work” to obtain it. No longer would Salvation be found in works, or even within an ethnic or national origin. Not only are those inefficient means to produce Salvation, but they are also exclusive to particular individuals. Through Jesus, the Gospel is available to all people who call on the name of the Lord. It is a deep, complex mystery, yet, so basic at the same time.
Sadly, the prophets foretold society’s rejection of God’s plan for Salvation long before Paul. And people still reject it today. This is precisely why it matters how we as Christians live out our faith in this world.